Travel Tips

Travel Deals: Act Now for Real Valentine’s Day Travel Deals

Locations in this article:  Charlotte, NC Honolulu, HI Miami, FL

Bolongo Bay (2)Time is ticking to plan your Valentine’s Day getaway. With this special day overlapping with Presidents Day, romance-bound travelers are planning their long weekend getaway. But is that the best deal? Probably not. With such high demand on a high-pressure holiday, hotels can throw in a bottle of champagne and some flowers, add on $200, and call it a “deal.”

So, let’s take a look at what’s out there to decide whether it’s a deal (or no deal) for this Valentine’s Day.

Be patient and pay less

The Four Seasons Punta Mita is targeting procrastinators. Postpone your Valentine’s weekend by just a few days and you can receive 25 percent off. The promotion runs between February 22 and April 20, 2014. In addition, the package offers a third or fifth night free. Click here to book.

Go Beach or Go Home

Honolulu cityHead to the US Virgin Islands (no passport required!) and receive a free night and more. With Bolongo Bay Beach Resort’s Valentine’s Day package, book five nights and get one night free in an oceanfront room. The resort will also throw in extra perks, like a free sunset sail of Charlotte Amalie Harbor (worth $110), a three-course dinner with a bottle of house wine at the Lobster Grille overlooking the Caribbean Sea (a $180 value), and a bottle of champagne and rose petals upon arrival. Rates are from $1986 per couple, which includes taxes and service charges. For more information, call 1-800-524-4746 or book online and enter promo code Cupid.

Sick of the cold and ready to enjoy the sun? Consider three days in Hawaii at The Modern Honolulu, starting from $1,377. That includes accommodations, daily breakfast for two, welcome champagne, one 50-minute spa treatment, and a $200 hotel credit that can be used at the spa, dinner at Morimoto Waikiki, or an exclusive daybed at the pool.  Not sure this is a deal? On a normal day, a Studio Suite alone runs about $1,440 so these perks make it worthwhile. For more info., check www.themodernhonolulu.com or call (855) 970 4161.

Kimpton’s Surfcomber Miami is all about sweet and sinful amenities. Sinful options include a sex-on-the-beach welcome cocktail, an intimacy kit with tantalizing toys (including a blindfold and tickle feather), and a complimentary late check-out. The sweet package includes a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries, candles, and a complimentary late check-out. Rates start at $429 and booking is available from now through December 31, 2014. For more info., call 1-800-994-6103 or visit www.surfcomber.com

Moonlight Ski

Valentine’s Day celebrations aren’t limited to lazy beach getaways. The Ruby of Crested Butte B&B is offering a Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe Dinner Package. The offer includes a four-night stay, two tickets to attend the February 14 the Crested Butte Nordic’s Valentine’s Yurt Dinner, or two tickets to the February 15 Full Moon Yurt Dinner. The offer also includes trail passes and rental equipment. Rates start at $425 per person. Call 1-800-390-1338 or click here.

Life is Too Short to Drink Mediocre Wines

Sonoma Villa (2)Food and wine lovers can head to Sonoma to get a little romance. Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa’s Valentine’s Day package starts at $1,150 and includes a two-night stay (February 14-16), in a deluxe room with fireplace, roses, chocolates, and truffles upon arrival. But that’s not all…the package also includes a private, three-course romantic dinner, a 75-minute couples’ massage with champagne, and breakfast for two each day. Regular room rates are about $530, which makes this package a value-laden deal. For more info., check www.scvilla.com or call 1-888-404-2255

For Love and Chocolate

In Oregon, the Sunriver Lodge Village is offering a “For Love and Chocolate” package. The offer includes chocolate-covered strawberries, sparkling wine, and a four-course, chocolate-infused dinner for two at the award-winning Meadows at the Lodge restaurant. Rates start at just $219 per night, excluding tax and gratuity. To book, visit the Sunriver website, and use promo code PCHCLT.

Adventures Away

A Valentine’s getaway doesn’t have to be just for couples…it can be for family and friends as well. Starting at $258 per night, with a three-night minimum, Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa is offering a package that includes two eco-adventures: four hours kayaking Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge and Skull Creek; a zipline tour of Hilton Head’s famous live oaks; a four-hour cruise along the scenic May River (plus dinner at the last working oyster factory on the East Coast); three days of bike rentals for two to ride around the island. The package also includes a daily full breakfast buffet and is valid through March 2014. For more information, check www.westinhiltonheadisland.com or call (843) 681 4000.

Worth the Splurge? 

The iconic Langham Huntington in Pasadena is celebrating its 100th birthday tribute to the original Huntington Hotel, so they’re going big this month.  This over-the-top proposal includes the private and exclusive use of The Rose Bowl Stadium, where you can propose in front of 40 family and friends. The 40-piece Pasadena Symphony Orchestra will perform a serenade right after the will-you-marry-me question. A Rose Bowl video message board will light up, followed by a “Marry Me” message, plus a photo collage of the special moment (yes, there will be a photographer and videographer on site). And don’t forget the ring! The package includes a hand-crafted, custom-designed engagement ring, featuring a 2.5 carat cushion-cut diamond.  OK, maybe this lavish proposal isn’t a deal, but it’s certainly a memorable experience!  For more information, call (626) 568-3600 or visit them online.

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By Lavinia Pisani for PeterGreenberg.com