From tasting menus to spa afternoon teas – foodie favourites for Valentine’s Day

Nothing gives you quality time together than a really good meal, and nothing spells romance quite like carefully crafted dining. So it stands to reason that on Valentine’s Day, food should be top of the menu, especially with the added sensuousness of a spa break. So, from tasting menus to spa afternoon teas, spa days to spa breaks, here are some of the most delicious foodie favourites, just for Valentine’s Day…

South Lodge, West Sussex

Dining at South Lodge, in every sense and every occasion, is a magical experience. Very much something to be savoured, this sustainable spa has put as much thought into its food as it has into its eco construction and everything else you find here.

For those on a spa day, the spa’s own Botanica is the healthsome restaurant offering a largely plant based menu, drawing on the South Downs as a larder for fresh ingredients. For those staying overnight, Tom Kemble in The Pass takes the chef’s table concept to a new level in an intimate experience that focuses on dishes with ingredient-led seasonality, and the two AA Rosette-winning Camellia restaurant offers mouth-watering dishes made with skill and flair by its brigade of chefs.

They have turned that into something really unique for Valentine’s Day, with a spa escape that includes a seven course Valentine’s dinner as well as a bottle of Ridgeview English sparkling wine. That’s in addition to a box of chocolates and single red rose, a 60 minute spa treatment and as much time as you can handle using the spa facilities.

Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa, Hampshire

A celebrated fusion of traditional and decadent country house hotel alongside a Thai-inspired spa, Careys Manor Hotel and SenSpa is a treasure trove of luxury and wellbeing in the New Forest. The spa is authentically Thai in everything it does, and that includes the spa restaurant, where they serve some of the finest healthy Thai food, inspired both by street food and Thailand’s royal culinary traditions.

In the hotel itself there is also Le Blaireau, the hotel’s traditional French brasserie-style restaurant, and the stylish Cambium. For Valentine’s Day it’s all about taking time to enjoy a spa break of total relaxation on their Valentine’s Evening Indulgence spa evening, with a four course Thai tasting menu in The Zen Garden Restaurant as well as a glass of sparkling wine to celebrate the occasion.

It’s the perfect finish to an afternoon of pampering in the spa, on a twilight retreat that will finish this special February Friday in style.

Fishmore Hall, Shropshire 

A privately owned country house hotel in Shropshire, Fishmore Hall overlooks the charming town of Ludlow with unrivalled views of the countryside.

Here head chef Joe Gould and his team use ingredients sourced from local producers in the Shropshire Marches, showcasing them in the Shropshire Tasting Menu at fine dining restaurant Forelles.

Taking care and attention to turn spa days and spa breaks into something special, the Revitalise Me Spa Day includes spa afternoon teas of chocolate, macaroons and pink Prosecco, which seems like the ultimate in Valentine’s Day choices. That’s as well as two spa treatments from a selection (a personal favourite is the Elemis Frangipani Body Wrap), and three hours’ use of the facilities.

Dorchester Spa, London

Of course, if you really want to celebrate in style, few places do afternoon tea quite like the Dorchester Spa in London. With style in abundance, the spa exudes 1930s Art Deco glamour, and that style continues in the dining experiences.

For example, it’s home to Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, which is the only UK hotel restaurant with three Michelin stars. Meanwhile, it’s the place to have the finest pastries with your spa afternoon teas at The Promenade, best experienced on their exclusive Elysium Luxury Dorchester Experience for Two, complete with two hours of spa treatments, use of facilities and a spa gift.