What could be nicer than spending Valentine’s Day this year at a romantic bed and breakfast? Just, you, your honey, and maybe a few other nice couples. Lovingly prepared breakfasts by the fireplace, long romantic walks across pristine snow, wine in the evenings, hot passion at night? Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? And you can make it happen. But it’s important to prioritize, compromise, and plan ahead.
Find the Ideal Place
Some couples have the money to travel across the world to find their dream while others can barely afford to get across town. Talk to your sweetheart about where you want to (and can afford to) spend Valentine’s Day.
If you are a same sex couple, it’s a good idea to call the bed and breakfasts on your short list and ask outright whether they consider themselves “gay friendly.” If you’re too intimidated to ask, consider checking the romantic bed and breakfasts out on a website like Purple Roofs (www.purpleroofs.com), which lists gay friendly bed and breakfast inns located throughout the world.
Define Romance
Before you make your final selection, think about what romance means to you? A leisurely dinner in an expensive hotel complete with wine, roses, and singing waiters, or a weekend at a private cottage with a big screen TV and a Jacuzzi? Make sure you and your partner are thinking along the same lines, or your romantic bed and breakfast retreat might just turn into a decidedly unromantic cold war.
Book Early
Once you and your romantic partner have agreed on the perfect romantic bed and breakfast, make your reservations early. Unsurprisingly, many couples decide to get away for Valentine’s Day. If you wait too long, you may find yourself reduced to your fourth, fifth, or sixth choiceor celebrating Valentine’s Day sometime in March.
Plan Ahead
Once you have selected your romantic bed and breakfast, read the fine print. What will the bed and breakfast provide? What will you need to bring from home? If you have any doubt about the amenities, call ahead and ask. If you are planning to bring children on your romantic getaway (why?) you should also be sure that the bed and breakfast you have chosen welcomes young ones. Some bed and breakfast inns don’t.
Relax and Enjoy
Once you reach your romantic bed and breakfast, try to leave the world outside behind you. If you can, turn off your work cell phones, pagers, computers, etc., and try to focus on enjoying the company of your partner. In this busy, hectic world, we don’t often get uninterrupted time alone with our sweethearts. If you’ve been lucky enough to find some downtime this Valentine’s Day, make every second count. The memories you create on your getaway can sustain your relationship through demanding times ahead.
