The best Valentine's Day hampers, experiences and meal kits - from your favourite hotels
With meals out, mini breaks and, well, everything except going for a walk off the table this year, it's safe to say Valentine's Day 2021 is going to be a largely indoor affair. The good news is, staying in has actually always been the new going out on this day: no overpriced set menus or awkward rose-buying scenarios. And this year will in fact be better than ever, because instead of your usual takeaway options, your favourite hotels and restaurants are ready with DIY meal kits, spa experience hampers and more, to bring a bit of holiday to your home. Here are our favourites.
Claridge's Valentine's Day menu or afternoon tea, London
London's grandest of dames is offering two delivery options for couples looking to feast this Valentine's Day; afternoon tea and dinner. Baked highlights of the former include a rhubarb and vanilla religieuse, with everything you need for the full works thrown in, even a tin of Claridge's blend tea. Three-course dinner from The Foyer offers seafood cocktail or foie gras ballotine to start followed by beef or lobster Wellington; the social media sensation that looks – almost, but not quite – too good to eat. Toast your excellent ordering with either champagne or bottled negronis mixed in The Fumoir bar.
Afternoon tea £50 pp; dinner £200 for two. Available Feb 11-14, order by 2pm for next-day delivery or collect, via Slerp.
Borgo Egnazia 'love boxes', nationwide
Bring Puglia to er, you-lia with Borgo Egnazia. The hotel, a reconstruction of a traditional Puglian village, is selling four different 'love boxes' (white and red, both in small and large) via its store, Bottega Egnazia. The boxes contain the likes of signature ceramic tablewear and scented candles, handmade place mats, beauty products and foodie treats of Puglian honey and sweet almonds.
Small boxes €95 (£84), large €290; bottegaegnazia.com.
Brown's meal deliveries, Greater London
Brown's is giving a thoughtful nod to couples apart this year with an afternoon tea delivery that goes to two households. Think classic with romantic additions, including chocolate-dipped strawberries, and a red velvet and chocolate mousse cake with a raspberry-glazed heart (vegan options available), coupled with a half-bottle of Ruinart rosé champagne. Better still, any afternoon tea bookings will be automatically entered into a draw to win a stay for two when the hotel reopens. For those under one roof (and still on speaking terms), there's a three-course menu delivered to accompany an interactive online cooking workshop led by the hotel’s head chefs, James Wills and Matthew Starling, making such intricate delights as venison en croute.
Afternoon tea £86 for one or £170 for two, excluding delivery; cooking workshop £180 for two, excluding wine and delivery. Available for delivery Feb 12 or 13; order by 5pm on Feb 10 (roccofortehotels.com).
Sofitel London St James 'love boxes', nationwide
Also getting in on the love box act is the Sofitel London St James. Its two boxes, Love or Extra Love include a bottle of sparkling white NV Friarwood Champagne, three bottled cocktails from the St James Bar, a jar of homemade honey, box of chocolates, selection of cheese and ham from fine food supplier Classic Food, and goodies from the likes of L'Occitane and Hermes, plus a £50 spa voucher. The latter also includes a voucher for a three-course champagne dinner at the hotel's restaurant Wild Honey, when it has reopened, so you'll have something to look forward to.
Love box £235, Extra Love £350; order by Feb 13 via Slerp or collect.
The Savoy afternoon tea or decadent dinner, greater London
The Savoy's afternoon tea offers the usual sandwiches and scones, culminating in a quartet of themed cakes, inluding Cupid’s Temptation, a chocolate and gianduja cube with a gold leaf garnish, and Roses are Red, a mini tower of lychee mousse, raspberry confit and rose and vanilla Chantilly cream. The tea comes in an Art Deco-style box designed to reflect the hotel itself, with components placed in its drawers. Its 'Decadence' dinner option meanwhile does not fail to deliver on the promise of its name: a seafood platter of lobster, prawns, crab, scallops and mussels, accompanied by a seaweed salad and condiments. Finish with hand-rolled truffles, and strawberries to dip into hot chocolate sauce.
Afternoon tea for two £130 (£180 with champagne), Decadence dinner for two £160; available for collection or delivery within the M25 via Slerp.
Sea Containers agua London x Lola’s Apothecary spa hamper, nationwide
Create an at-home pampering palace with this all-natural, vegan-friendly bundle from Sea Containers London's agua spa. It includes a shower and bath oil, body oil and candle from Lola’s Apothecary’s ‘Delicate Romance’ line, with notes of rose, sweet orange, lemon, geranium, vanilla, patchouli and sandalwood.
£100; delivered in three to five days (order here).
Firmdale Hotels Feast at Home, central London
Robin Read, executive head chef of the Firmdale group, which includes London properties such as Ham Yard and The Soho Hotel, has created a three-course menu to enjoy over Valentine's weekend. Start with smoked salmon and caviar blinis followed by lobster thermidor, then move onto the main event in the form of beef wellington and trimmings. Save space for white chocolate and passion fruit pavlova. Dietary requirements including vegetarian and pescatarian can be catered for on request.
£240; order by noon on Feb 10 for delivery either Feb 12 or 13 (firmdalehotels.com).
The Berkeley breakfast in bed, London
Those mourning the temporary loss of the hotel breakfast are in luck. The Berkeley will deliver a spread featuring raspberry croissants baked that morning on site, freshly squeezed orange juice or a Berkeley Boost juice, yogurt and granola with berries, fruit salad, and heart-shaped brioche French toast, dipped in Madagascan vanilla butter with fruit, berry coulis, maple syrup and clotted cream. Optional Laurent Perrier and flowers are available, and breakfast comes in cute brown paper bags with handwritten tags and accompanied by a newspaper.
From £28, available for one or two people on Feb 13 and 14; order by 7pm for next morning delivery via Slerp.
The Connaught patisserie and pizza, London
Special Valentine's creations from The Connaught's patisserie team this year include a dark chocolate mousse, raspberry and chocolate sponge cake, topped with raspberries, flecks of gold and chocolate hearts that can be personalised with initials. Signature Connaughty hound is dressed in red for the occasion, donning a collar complete with heart-shaped tag, combining flavours of vanilla mousse, raspberry and lychee on a white chocolate and almond base. Jean-Georges at The Connaught meanwhile is serving heart-shaped pizzas in Jean Jullien cartooned boxes.
Patisserie from £12, available to pre-order for collection until Feb 15 (020 7314 3535); pizzas from £15, available for order and collection (Supper.com).
