Meet some luxe hotels offering special Valentine's Day experiences

Are you leaving it late to book for Valentine's Day?

You might want to check out the romance packages being offered by Sofitel and MGallery Collection Hotels across Australia.

On offer: "Candlelit dining, indulgent spa rituals and dreamy overnight stays designed for two".

Here are some of the deals:

At Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, No35 Restaurant is offering a French-inspired menu that aims to replicate Paris above Melbourne. Choose from a three-course set lunch ($139 per person, including French sparkling on arrival), an early three-course dinner ($199 per person, including Champagne and amuse bouche), or a four-course dinner ($349 per person, including Champagne on arrival and free-flowing beverages). There will be live music in the evening and guaranteed window seats are available for an additional $50 per person. https://www.sofitel-melbourne.com.au/offers/valentines-day-celebrations/

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour's Atelier restaurant offers a "romantic" five-course menu ($160 per person) designed to be savoured slowly, together, finishing with a strawberry rose parfait. Add matching wines for $85 per person. https://www.sofitelsydneydarlingharbour.com.au/offers/valentines-day/

At Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, romance takes on a Asian accent with a four-course Vietnamese–French set menu ($119 per person) starring fresh seafood and signature noodles to the table. For something more classic, Tilda offers a five-course Valentine's Day menu ($139 per person). After dinner, perhaps, a Romantic Escape package that includes an overnight stay, a bottle of Champagne, a romantic in-room gift and a room service breakfast, from $774 per room. https://www.sofitelsydney.com.au/special-offers/valentines-dining-offer

Out of town, Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains by MGallery has three-course dining experience that begins with a glass of sparkling cuvée on arrival, followed by "a thoughtfully crafted menu designed for a memorable night in the mountains". https://www.fairmontresort.com.au/offers/valentines-day-dinner/

Hotel Chadstone Melbourne – MGallery Collection is offering a special three-course Valentine's Day dinner at Pastore Restaurant, which begins with house-baked bread and olive oil, followed by a selection of cicchetti, seafood or slow-roasted lamb for main. Priced at $109 per person food only or $164 with each course paired with a selection of Italian and local Victorian wines. Extend the romance with an overnight stay including in-room breakfast for two, a 2pm late check-out and a chilled bottle of sparkling wine and a box of Koko Black chocolates in your room. Priced from $390 per room. https://www.hotelchadstone.com.au/offer/valentines-day-dinner/

Seafood stars at The Brighton Hotel Sydney – MGallery Collection  restaurant Ammos with a Valentine's set menu featuring the restaurant's most-loved dishes, elevated with highlights like Sydney rock oysters; Thessauri Ossetra caviar with blini; wood-fire cooked king prawns; and Kinross Station lamb rump, followed by a chocolate karidopita, and hand-made Ammos truffles to take home. It is priced at $169 per person, including a glass of sparkling on arrival. https://thebrightonsydney.com.au/special-offer/ammos-valentines/

In South Australia, The Playford Adelaide MGallery Collection hotel has a  four-course dinner at the two chef-hatted Luma, which includes a cocktail on arrival. The sharing menu includes a selection of canapes, house-made mini loaf, Atlantic salmon ballontine with sea herbs, cucumber and roe for entrée, a choice of baked snapper or beef fillet for main, and chocolate delice dessert with Adelaide Hills strawberries and coconut sorbet, for $185 per person.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/valentines-day-dinner-at-luma-restaurant-on-14th-february-2026-tickets-1977107839771?aff=oddtdtcreator

Value will be a key driver for hotel guests in 2024

Hotel guests will see getting value for money as one of their primary travel drivers for 2024, an industry insider predicts.

Extending work stays with play, and re-creating the comforts of home in-room, will also be major trends as rising living costs may take high-end or extended travel off the agenda for many, says Craig Hooley, Chief Operating Officer of Minor Hotels.

Hooley, whose responsibilities include Oaks Hotels, Resorts and Suites says that as a nation of committed travellers, the brand is noticing many Australians would rather adapt their travel plans than give them up altogether.

Savvy operators will tap into this mindset and adapt to guests’ changing travel preferences, not just by offering deals, but by incorporating added value through partnerships with aligned brands, offering accommodation options for larger groups who can share costs, or encouraging leisure stays to be added onto work trips to save on flight costs, says Hooley.

“Simple things such as a weekend staycation in your own city, a road trip to a regional destination, or a coastal escape with family and friends are the key ingredients to a happy getaway, which is all about taking a break from the rigamarole of everyday life - and feeling like you’re getting great value for money," he says.

"That is something Oaks delivers with our spacious accommodation, value-add partnerships with familiar brands such as Foxtel, Menulog and The Coffee Club, and in-room kitchens, laundry facilities, and living spaces.”

While locals are still keen to get away despite the rising cost of living, value for money is influencing the way we travel, with guests carefully weighing up location, seasonal deals, loyalty program benefits and additional value-add items, such as in-room kitchens to save on the cost of eating out, in-room streaming rather than pay-per-view movies, and quality in-room coffee to avoid the pricey morning café run.

With hybrid working increasingly entrenched, travellers are adding extra days to work trips to save on purchasing airfares or are choosing to work from a holiday destination then explore after hours or on the weekend.

Again, while the bleisure concept isn’t a new one, it’s gaining traction with the skyrocketing work-from-home culture.