From The Straits Times    |

Fact: Most of us have already wondered how we’re going to spend this Valentine’s Day, however fleeting that split-second thought may be.

Popular culture would have you think that most lovestruck women would name Paris as the place they’d like to spend Valentine’s Day. However you don’t necessarily need to be in the most romantic city on earth, to feel just as loved-up with your special someone.

Here are three places you can slip away to for a romantic weekend break, and still turn up for work on Monday.

ONE NIGHT IN BANGKOK
Busy lovebirds with only one night to spare can zip up to Bangkok’s Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11 hotel and exploit its “One Night in Bangkok” package.

The package includes a night’s stay at the hotel, semi-lunch (a kind of brunch) for two people, two cocktails at the hotel bar and free entry to Bangkok’s hippest clubs – the Bed Supperclub and Q Bar.

With soaring nine-foot ceilings, a platform bed, over-sized spa shower and 42-inch LCD HDTV offering plug-and-play connectivity, leaving your uber-modern Aloft room is going to be a hard thing to do. That’s why the package thoughtfully includes a late 4pm check out time.

Aloft is a sleek, newly-opened four-star hotel located in the heart of Bangkok’s thriving Sukhumvit district. This means that the city’s main shopping malls, watering holes and dining spots are just a stone’s throw away.

Rates start from THB 2811++ or approximately SGD$113++ per night for a Chic guestroom. Late check-out time is subject to availability. Book from now until June 30 2012 and travel by October 31 2012. For more information or to make a booking, visit www.alofthotels.com/bangkoksukhumvit11


CUPID ON A CLIFF
Perched on limestone cliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean, the Ayana Resort and Spa Bali is a luxurious hideaway that recently made it to the 2012 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List.

To celebrate, the first 50 guests who book a villa at the resort this February will get to enjoy a complimentary romantic dinner at its Dava restaurant.

This dinner has got all the right ingredients for a night to remember: It is a three-course French menu, and the entire place will be lit up by the soft glow of tiki torches and candles.

Apart from villas, you can also choose to stay in a hotel room and enjoy their superb facilities like the 22,000 square-metre Thermes Marins Thalasso spa, one of the world’s largest seawater therapy pools, and their perfume-making studios and boutiques.

No minimum stay conditions are required. Book directly with Ayana at at www.ayanaresort.com, reservation@ayanaresort.com or call +62 361 702222.


SUN, SAND AND SEA

The tried-and-tested formula of an idyllic beachside vacation never fails. If you’re feeling too lazy to fuss over the details, then Club Med’s All-inclusive Holiday packages will take care of everything.

The package includes twin-share accommodation, full-board buffet meals, free flow of wine during lunch and dinner, and access to the resort’s night entertainment. With all that covered, you can concentrate on the most important task at hand – romancing your special someone.

If you make your booking by January 31, 2012 and travel by April 30, prices start from as low as $660 per person for a four night stay in a Superior Room at Club Med Cherating Beach.

Other popular destinations on offer include Club Med Bali ($1,036 per person for a Superior Room with Balcony), Club Med Phuket ($1,116 per person for a Deluxe room) or the more exotic Club Med Kani in the Maldives ($1,380 per person for a Deluxe room).

This offer is valid for a minimum of four nights’ stay and the price excludes air tickets and taxes. Additional terms and conditions apply. Call 1800 258 2633 or contact your preferred travel agent to book your Club Med holiday. Visit www.clubmed.com.sg for more information.