Travel Tips

Travel Deals: Complete 2013 Valentine’s Day Packages

Locations in this article:  Austin, TX Minneapolis, MN San Diego, CA

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we are reigniting the best deals available and the ones to avoid.  A recent survey from Orbitz stated that 80 percent of consumers would rather go on a retreat than receive a gift for Valentine’s Day. To make this happen, Orbitz launched long-weekend getaway deals.

Hotwire found that 65 percent of Americans think their relationships would be better if they took more leisure trips together.

We are helping you keep the romance alive by weeding through the worst deals this season to find you the best ones.

The Real Deal

The Valentine’s Day Package at  the St. Regis Aspen Resort, Aspen, Colorado is an example of a great luxury deal: a deluxe room at the St. Regis runs $599 with the spa package (not including taxes) and $1109 without it. Besides an almost 50 percent savings, the package includes a couple’s massage and a bottle of champagne.

Dive into a delicious deal with the Yummy Love package at The Chelsea in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This package requires a two-night stay, but with the deal you’re getting it’s well worth it. The Ocean King with the package for the February 14-15 is $455.67 after taxes, without the package the stay is $421.52.  This $34.15 difference includes a cake for two from the Cake Boss’ Carlo’s Bakery and bottle of prosecco on the February 14, a $50 dining credit per night, valet parking per night, a late check out, and an in-room movie per night.

Bristol Harbor Inn in Bristol Rhode, Island has another package where it pays to take a few days away. With the package and a two night stay in a Queen Suite it is $314.96 after taxes.  Two nights without the package in the Queen Suite is $305 after taxes. The perks for this $9.96 difference is a $100 dinner allowance at the Dewolf Tavern, a bottle of champagne, and Lindor Chocolate Truffles, and breakfast delivered the next morning.

The Romance Package  at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas, may not include much, but you are ensuring yourself a good deal. Booking the Executive Suite is $500 per night without the package; the package is $499 with the Executive Suite and comes with a $100 resort credit that can be used anywhere in the resort.

Westlake Village  Inn in Westlake Village, California offers The Sweet Escape Package, a sweet promotion where it is cheaper to book with the package than just getting the room. Normally $275 per night, their Sweet Escape package includes accommodations, chocolates, champagne, and dessert for only $189.

The Suites and Sweets Package at The Mining Exchange, a Wyndham Grand Collection in Colorado Springs, Colorado, offers a package including accommodations in a Junior Suite, gourmet chocolates, a $50 dining credit, bottle of wine, and late check-out for just $199.  When the normal booking rates for a Junior Suite are $131 for early non-cancellable reservations or $155 for flexible reservations, this is definitely a deal

The Sweet Escape package at the Mission Inn in Riverside, California, offers a great deal of $199 for their package that includes accommodations in their Mission Room with high-vaulted ceilings, Casey’s Cupcakes, a $25.00 resort gift card, and valet parking. The Mission Rooms without the package are $240, so booking with the package brings significant savings.

Watch Your Wallet

US Grand Hotel. Credit: Dena Braun

The US Grant San Diego Hotel‘s Romancing the Epicurean package is $394 for Superior Room with the package and you are given the opportunity to cancel. Without the package you can get the same room as low as $189 plus tax if you make a nonrefundable full payment in advance. The package includes a lot of perks, but with a $205 difference in room rates and a breakdown of the price points of what you are receiving, you end up losing money on this “deal.”

The Magnifique Romance package at the Sofitel Luxury Hotel Washington D.C.  offers a romance package for $382.43 per night or a the room without the package for $320.60. The perks include breakfast in the room, a bottle of champagne and a special gift. With the difference of $61.83 the package roughly equals what you could receive buy purchasing the items a la carte.

The Suite-Heart Package at the Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas includes a suite, champagne, chocolate dipped strawberries, in-suite massages, and a private dinner and breakfast. The package starts at $1,075 per night but ends up being roughly as expensive as services offered al a carte.  The room without the package is $599 a night, the massages run $195 each for in room service (without gratuity), and room service for dinner and breakfast might get you up to the $1,075.

The Relax into Romance Package at the Ojai Valley Inn & Resort in Ojai,  will cost you more than booking a la carte. The package include accommodations, a bottle of house wine, dinner for two in the Oak Grill, and a late check out. A one-night stay in the Fireplace Shangri-La will run $399 or with the package $519. You will pay an extra $119 for a bottle of house wine and dinner.

The Romance Package at The Pavilion Hotel on Catalina Island, California offers accommodations, transportation to the island and then the hotel champagne, strawberries, and dinner at the Avalon Grill for two. A standard room for one night costs $398 and with the package costs $757. You end up paying $359 for dinner, bottle of wine, a few strawberries and a taxis.

Could Be Worth It

The Lotions & Potions and Everything Spicy package at the Eldorado Hotel and Spa gives you a Deluxe King room at $504.52 after taxes and without the package for $206.19. This difference of $298.33 gets you a 50-minute Honey Chile Wrap Treatment  for two, Kama Sutra Getaway Kit, and Breakfast in Bed for Two. With the Wrap Treatment running $135 each, this might be a good deal if you are looking for a high end spa treatment on your romantic getaway and a gourmet breakfast in bed.

The Pen Your Own Prose Package at the Commons Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota, starting at $699 per night with the package, it offers a fair amount for the upgrade. The Prose Package includes accommodations in a one-bedroom suite, $100 gift card to the Beacon Public House, chocolate turn-down service, chocolate covered strawberries, a couples’ stationary class at the Minneapolis Center for Book Arts, massages at Aveda, a bottle of champagne, and Love Elixer Mixology lessons. The suites run $282 a night without the package, so there is a  $417 difference, but with interesting classes, a $100 dinner, and massages attached, some couples may want to pay the extra price.

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By Darra Stone for PeterGreenberg.com