London is for Lovers

by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

Who says Paris is the most romantic city in the world? Here are some romantic valentine packages that offer a royal approach to romance.

Treat your loved one with a Valentine's Weekend at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge - London

Book in for the Valentine's package and find yourself spoilt with chocolates and champagne in the room of your choice with a £50 Harrods voucher to spend at your leisure.

In the evening you can book into the legendary Capital Restaurant for a special 6 course Valentine's menu created by Head Chef Jerome Ponchelle. Enjoy dishes such as Seared Scallop, Leek Nage and Oscietra Caviar, Brie de Meaux with black truffle and a Walnut salad and Chocolate and Vanilla “Kardia” with Mango Sorbet.

The Valentine's package starts from £305 and includes:

• One night accommodation in Executive Double Room

• Full English Breakfast served at The Capital Restaurant

• One bottle of Jacquart Champagne and homemade chocolate at arrival

• Harrods voucher worth £50

Price for Valentine's package in Deluxe Room: £365; in Junior Suite: £455.

Rates are exclusive of VAT at 17.5% and 5% discretionary service charge.

A 6 course Valentine's menu is available for dinner on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th February. A separate 4 course Valentine’s set menu is available for Sunday lunch.

This package is valid from Friday, February 12th until Sunday February 14th included.

Valentine's menu

DINNER - 6 course menu at £165.00 per person. Available February 13 and 14

VALENTINES SUNDAY LUNCH - 4 course menu at £125.00 per person. Available on February 14.

For reservations, please email reservations@capitalhotel.co.uk, or contact The Crown Collection in the U.S. at (800) 628-8929 or email at res@crownluxurytravel.com.

Love in the lap of Luxury this Valentine’s Day at Brown’s Hotel

Having first opened their doors 1837, Brown’s Hotel has the most romantic history which includes Theodore Roosevelt staying there on his honeymoon. This year, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Brown’s Hotel is offering a series of special events:

Romantic Retreats accommodation package:

Overnight accommodation in a luxurious room or suite

Upgrade on arrival

Bottle of Champagne, fresh fruit and home-made chocolates

Full English breakfast

Romantic turn-down with candles, rose petals and bath salts

And as a gift to remember their stay, each couple will receive

2 monogrammed honeycomb bathrobes*

Rooms start from £395+VAT per night, subject to availability.

* Five days advance notice is required to have the bathrobes monogrammed. Due to this, the cancellation policy for this booking is five working days. If a guest cancels after this, they will incur the full charge for a one night stay.

Rosé Champagne Valentine’s Afternoon Tea

Roaring log fires, candle-light, tunes by the resident pianist and ‘London’s Top Afternoon Tea’ as voted by The Tea Guild makes for a truly romantic occasion. The award-winning English Tea Room will be serving a special Rosé Champagne Valentine’s Afternoon Tea which will include not only a choice of 17 teas, but a glass of chilled Taittinger Rosé Champagne, warm scones, succulent sandwiches and delicate romantic pastries including ‘Blissful Brown’s’ chocolate macaroons, ‘Full of Passion’ fruit tartlets and ‘Sweetheart’ lemon and raspberry cakes. The Valentine’s Rosé Champagne Afternoon Tea will be served between 1pm to 6pm and advance reservations are recommended.

This special tea is priced at £50 per person.

Tasty Romantic Treats at The Spa at Brown’s Hotel:

The Chocolate & Rose Pedicure

Whilst reclining on a heated treatment bed, guests can sip either a rose & lychee martini or a hot chocolate. This pedicure starts with a soothing massage using a warm chocolate sauce. A delicious blend of brown sugar and chocolate will be the ingredients used for an invigorating exfoliation. Their feet are then soaked in warm milk infused with rose oil, before enjoying a pressure point massage and a vanilla paraffin foot wrap, making the feet feel super soft. The nails are shaped and painted with a colour of their choice. (90 mins - £85.00)

The Chocolate & Rose Package

This relaxing treatment starts with a back massage, using a delicious chocolate cream, to ease away tension. The skin is then cleansed and is followed by a rose oil face, neck and shoulder massage. A chocolate face mask consisting of a blend of cocoa, honey and oatmeal is then applied and whilst the mask works its magic, guests can enjoy a relaxing scalp massage. The face mask is then buffed away, allowing the oatmeal to gently exfoliate the skin, before a nourishing face cream is applied. After the treatment, guests can relax on the heated treatment bed with a glass of chilled Champagne. (75 mins - £90.00)

The above packages are available from 1 February to 31 May 2010. For Spa reservations please call 0207 518 4009.

Valentine’s Culinary Day – 6 February 2010

Following the success of Lee Streeton’s cooking courses, he will be hosting a Culinary Day specifically focusing on Valentine’s ingredients.

The Culinary Day includes:

Morning coffee with Executive Chef, Lee Streeton

Private transfer to Borough Market with Lee to meet the hotel’s suppliers and select the seasonal ingredients

A demonstration on how to prepare and cook all the ingredients

Lunch in the restaurant, tasting the prepared dishes and including ½ bottle of house wine

Price:

£150 per person. The master-classes will start at 9am, for a maximum of 6 people. To make a reservation please contact the hotel on 020 7493 6020. Gift vouchers are available.

For those not wishing to do any cooking on this special evening, they can enjoy a romantic candle-light dinner will be served in The Albemarle, using only the finest local seasonal ingredients.

Valentine’s Cocktails in The Donovan Bar

The fashionable and romantic Donovan Bar will be offering a series of exclusive Valentine cocktails at £14 each. The Golden Kiss will be made from Taittinger Champagne, 43 Liqueur and finished with gold leaf, whilst the Blushing Geisha contains an Asian aphrodisiac liqueur - TY KY, along with Pinky vodka, pomegranate juice and Sense rose nectar. Should some wish to propose in front of the roaring log fire, the ring could be placed within a cocktail, making it a truly magical cocktail!

Valentine’s Presents

All of the above can also be bought as a gift voucher, providing the ideal Valentine’s present for a loved one

www.brownshotel.com/central/gifts.asp

Brown’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4BP
Tel: +44 (0)20 7493 6020 Fax: +44 (0)20 7518 4064
www.roccofortecollection.com

The Levin Presents A “Room Key” to your Heart this Valentines’ Day

The Levin Hotel in Knightsbridge is the perfect place for a romantic break this Valentine’s. Enjoy London and its beautiful city lights at night, take a romantic stroll in Hyde Park together or indulge in an extravagant shopping spree in nearby Harrods or Harvey Nichols.

The Levin Hotel has created a wonderfully romantic Valentine’s package. To set the mood, a bottle of chilled Gosset Champagne awaits guests in the room upon arrival together with handmade chocolates delicately prepared by our master chef. The Valentine’s escape also includes a three-course Valentine’s Menu and a glass of champagne to enjoy at the stylish Le Metro (located within The Levin Hotel).

The ‘Room Key to your heart’ escape is priced at £300.00 and includes:

* One night stay in one of our Executive Double Room

(for an extra £60 you can stay in Deluxe Rooms)

* Continental breakfast for two served in room or at Le Metro

* One bottle of Gosset Brut Excellence and homemade chocolates at arrival

* Three course Valentine’s menu at Le Metro and one glass of Champagne per person

* Late (2pm) check out

The Levin is within easy walking distance of Kensington Palace and Gardens as well as the Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science Museums. Designer boutiques and shops can be found along Beauchamp Place, Brompton Arcade and Sloane Street. The West End is also within easy reach of the hotel and is host to many world-famous theatres, restaurants and bars.

The package is available from Friday, February 5th until Sunday, February 21, 2010

Rates are exclusive of VAT at 17.5% and discretionary service charge at 5%.

The Valentine’s menu includes only one glass of champagne per person, all other beverages and 12.5% discretionary service charge are excluded.

For reservations please call +44 (0)20 7589 6286, or e-mail

reservations@thelevinhotel.co.uk

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who fell madly in love in London when she was an exchange student in high school. Read her stories on

www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.yogayaya.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.cofeeatlas.com, www.teaAtlas.com