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In times of economic turmoil and increased stresses, a romantic getaway might be just what the stimulus package is missing and the doctor ordered. In fact, a recent Trip Advisor survey reveals that 77 percent of travelers plan to take a romantic trip with their significant other in 2009.

Paris tops the list for romantic couple destinations, according to the TripAdvisor survey. Hawaii, Bora Bora, Aruba and Jamaica also are featured in top tropical romantic escapes.

"Bolstered by seaside hammocks and tasty umbrella drinks, 49 percent of travelers said the beach is the best setting for a romantic trip with their sweetheart," according to the TripAdvisor survey.

The second most popular setting for romance was a city, according to 16 percent of respondents. Cities featured in the top 10 list include New York City, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Rome.

A romantic trip does not always come with a luxury price tag. TripAdvisor's top 10 bargain romantic U.S. hotels include*:

Cedar Cove Resort & Cottages, Holmes Beach, Florida, $199 average nightly rate

Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab, Utah, $159 average nightly rate

Old Ranch Inn, Palm Springs, California, $134 average nightly rate

Casa Malibu Inn on the Beach, Malibu, California, $159 average nightly rate

Desert Pearl Inn, Springdale, Utah, $153 average nightly rate

Inn at Sonoma, Sonoma, California, $197 average nightly rate

Overleaf Lodge & Spa, Yachats, Oregon, $177 average nightly rate

Lake Opechee Inn & Spa, Lakeport, New Hampshire, $199 average nightly rate

Hotel Rehoboth, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, $184 average nightly rate

Island Bay Resort, Tavernier, Florida, $163 average nightly rate

*NOTE: Travel Advocate does not guarantee these rates as they were supplied by TripAdvisor.

These romantic properties not only provide the ambiance required, according to Alan Goldschneider, managing director, Malibu Beach Inn. Value is a key amenity travelers realize. "If a guest has a wonderful stay and it exceeds their expectations, when they go and check-out and can see the value. It seals the deal," he adds.

If the economy has couples not being able to take some time away to re-connect together, another virtual romantic vacation option exists. YourNovel.com gives couples the opportunity to become characters aboard a historical cruise journey, experience passion on a tropical island, embrace romance in the Outer Banks and other romantic, customized journeys.

There are 25 romantic adventures to choose from and several e-books where a couple can escape, even if it is in the depth of a romance novel, as a unique way to experience a romantic getaway. You can opt for either a paperback or a hardback version and can even add your photo for further increased personalization.

Following is one of the book descriptions, Sea Double: A Cruise Romance, available at YourNovel.com:

Sea Double: A Cruise Romance is a personalized novel where our starring couple ply warm, blue Caribbean waters aboard a luxury cruise ship. Our heroine is called upon to switch places with a rock mega-star; our hero takes on the role of her bodyguard. Both find themselves playing at exotic ports-of-call like St. Lucia, Curacao and St. Martin, and basking in first-class comfort, only to find that along with celebrity comes a price.

After selecting your destination, you then enter a series of fields to allow for customization including pet names, number of years together, favorite music and more. You have the opportunity to see an excerpt to see how the information flows together and you can make any applicable changes if needed. The entire process takes less than 15 minutes. The hardest part is selecting the romantic escape you want you and your significant other to appear in! There are so many great stories that are sure to tempt you to travel to one of these steamy destinations for real. In the meantime, armchair travel is a great prelude!

Learn more about this author, JQ Adams.
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