April 06, 2015
Cove Haven Resort/covepoconoresorts.com
A heart-shaped hot tub in the Cove Harbour Suite at the Cove Haven Resort.
For those old enough to remember, lovers looking for a corny - er, romantic - vacation back in the day could frequent one of the infamous love hotels that populated the country in the 1960s and '70s. Their most iconic symbols were the vibrating beds and heart-shaped jacuzzis that filled their rooms.
According to Curbed, that phenomenon began right in the heart of the Poconos. Katherine Wisniewski details the history of these resorts, tracing their roots back to the first couples resort that sprung up in Pennsylvania:
The Poconos, simultaneously secluded and geographically convenient, emerged as America's worst kept secret. The first couples resort, established in 1945 by Rudolf Von Hoevenberg, was a rustic inn that would foreshadow the shag carpets, mirrored ceilings, and Grecian nymphs of future resorts.
The piece goes on to explain how Morris Wilkins created the first heart-shaped hot tub in the Poconos' Cove Haven Resort and delves into the history of the vibrating bed and how furniture designed with love in mind progressed through the era.
While many of those Pocono resorts that popped up in the heyday of the love hotel are now closed, one remains. You can still book a reservation with your special someone at the Cove Haven Resort, which has kept its origins in the hotel's current theme. What's best, some of their rooms still have the heart-shaped jacuzzi:
It's the perfect location for a romantic getaway with you and Fraida Feltcher.
For vintage photos and the full history of love hotels and heart-shaped furniture, check out the Curbed piece here.
