1. FAIRY-TALE ROMANCE
Head to a French château for some rural romance at Domaine des Etangs, an enchanting property that lies in a lovingly restored 13th-century castle in Angouleme. Surrounded by 1,000 hectares of protected nature-filled countryside, it’s a picture-perfect retreat far from the madding crowd. Art adorns the walls, from Picasso to Matisse, the suites are named after planets, each inspired by astronomy, and its restaurant, Dyades, serves fine seasonal cuisine with the very best champagne.
For Valentine’s Day, guests can stay for two nights, with rosé champagne on arrival, a beautiful bouquet of roses, a soothing petal bath, a five-course dinner for two, and a 45-minute couple’s massage at the hotel’s wellbeing centre, Le Moulin des Etangs, which is located in a converted water mill that is still in use today.
2. ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY
How to escape to paradise and really make the most of it? Kandima Maldives knows how... Stay for four or more nights and book its Eskape To Paradise offer and get all this: return domestic transfers, breakfast and dinner at Flavour or Zest every day, unlimited soft drinks at meal times, complimentary stays for two children under six, complimentary daily snorkelling trips to the house reef, a 30-minute photoshoot, a 30-minute spa session for two adults, a dolphin cruise, yoga, kids club activities, access to the tennis, beach volley and football arena and, if you happen to be on your honeymoon, a bottle of wine and fruit basket on arrival, as well as a three-course romantic beach dinner.
The hotel itself offers a stylish stay with its vibrant, contemporary designs and playful, upbeat ethos. The island is also home to an art studio, Kandiland kids club, HQ & Den social hub, an esKape Spa and Burn Fitness Pavilion. Stay in an Ocean Pool Villa for the best of a semi-beach and semi-over water experience, with uninterrupted views of the Indian Ocean and your own private pool to view it all from.
3. SUN, SEA & STARS
If you’ve got the Indian Ocean in your sights this Valentine’s Day, there are few more romantic ways to spend time with the person you love, than with a treetop dinner in a private dining pod at Waldorf Astoria Ithaafushi Maldives. The menu features Ricotta Agnolotti with a Parmesan Pana Cotta and Terra Surf & Turf of Brittany Lobster and Kagoshima Wagyu Beef with Beluga Caviar and Teriyaki Jus, served with a glass of Brut Rosé.
If you want to go one (or two) better, you can also book in a private sandbank dinner, with sunset canapés, bubbles and a five-course set menu; or for cinephiles, there’s the Cinema Paradiso experience, for a movies under the stars with popcorn, a tapas-style dinner and bottle of bubbles.
4. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
Raffles Seychelles is revving up the romance on Valentine’s Day with a special ‘All You Need’ offer that saves guests 25 per cent for those booking two or more nights. On the day itself, there’s a special ‘dine under the stars’ set up on Pti Zil Beach, with beautiful opal-hued ocean views and a torch-lit four-course seafood dinner. To end the evening, there’s a Last Kiss dessert, of mouth-watering mousse with heavenly chocolate creameux, wild berry and candied pecan.
Your evening will be accompanied by the dulcet tones of Daniel Duo, with a live acoustic performance. Stay in a Panoramic Pool Villa, located on the highest point of the resort, for the best views in Praslin. Then spend your holiday dipping between private pool, ocean and Raffles Spa for the ultimate romantic couples retreat.