Excuse for an Escape

Many fabulicious ladies I know who fall into the long married or comfortably attached stage in life recognise Valentine’s Day for what it is – a perfect excuse for businesses to turn a quick buck from incurable romantics, selling a rose for $20 a stalk, or an otherwise ordinary dinner menu for say 30 percent more than usual. While I may be too tired or too cynical to suck up the hype, Valentine’s Day this year falls on Saturday, and even the Scrooge in me realises it is perfect timing to run away for a long dirty weekend, chill out session or shopping with the girls! Start on Friday evening if possible, or even better, earlier in the afternoon. We pick out a few attractive packages which some hotels in the region have dished out for the occasion.

The super chic, design-centred JIA boutique hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai have rolled out a Spring Fling package from now until end February. What does that mean? Everybody say the mantra now, “Shop till you drop!”

Two nights’ accommodation cost HK$2,188 (approx S$425) at JIA Hong Kong, and RMB2,188 (approx S$480) at JIA Shanghai. They’ve tossed in brekkie for two – that’s for you and your man’s credit card – round-the-clock drinks, wine and cakes at the lobby, fruit and candies in the room and wi-fi connection in the hotel and other goodies. I haven’t been to JIA Shanghai (located on West Nanjing Road), but JIA Hong Kong is an intimate hideaway so stylish I don’t even understand it...but love the bathrooms! Best thing is, it’s a cool spot for shopping, right smack in Causeway Bay, and if it matters to you, you also get to immerse yourself in Philippe Starck surroundings and feel uber chic. How’s that for an escape from the kids?

Available at
JIA Hong Kong & Shanghai:
For reservations and information,visit www.jiaboutiquehotels.com

Got yourself a jungle man? Or just hoping to fire him up with a spot of head hunting in the wild rainforest? There’s the VD package from Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort in Sarawak, east Malaysia, land of horny bills and head hunters from now until March. The resort is secluded away in 20 hectares of the world’s oldest rainforest along Batang Ai Lake, and offers walking trails into the forest, sunrise over the lake, fishing excursions, day trips to Batang Ai National Park (two hours away by boat), and gorgeous sunset views from your patio. For RM 189 nett per night (room and brekkie) or RM319 nett per night with breakfast and dins, the package includes a complimentary dawn walk (guided, I guess?), welcome drinks and nature talk in the evening. How to resist? Just look at the pix! (Minimum two nights stay required.)

Available at
Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort
c/o Hilton Kuching, Kuching, Malaysia 93100
Tel: 60-83-584-388
Fax: 60-83-584-399

But if you can’t get out of town, there are still the local packages. One which caught our fabulicious eyes is the rather kitschy sounding "Celebrate Love" Valentine's Day Package. The 2D/1N stay at Grand Park City Hall is available only on 14-15 February and you get a superior room for two. But look at the clincher – a Royal Chocolate Spa Bath! You don’t eat your aphrodisiac; you’re practically soaking it up for 25 minutes. (Lick, lick!) After that, there’s an hour-long aromatherapy massage, and the next morning? Champagne Breakfast in bed. (Bring your own bubbly to top up!....Ssshhh!) And it’s just $480++ for the two of you...not too bad, is it?

Available at
Grand Park City Hall
10 Coleman Street, Singapore 179809
Tel: (65) 6336 3456
Fax: (65) 6339 9311
Email: info.gpch@parkhotelgroup.com

“But must ‘couply activities’ always include alcohol?” someone once demanded. Ok, we don’t need to get heady. I have just the one....at Fairmont Hotel’s Willow Stream Spa for two, costing just $289+ per twosome, especially good for those who don’t have much time to spare (read tired parents who just wanna run off for a bit while junior’s asleep at home with the maid). It starts with a tea service (see? No alky!) in the Couple Suite, then a half-hour hydrotherapy mineral bath for two, followed by an hour-long aromatherapy massage with ylang ylang and bergamot oils. That’ll keep you away for just over 2 hours - short, sweet and snappy!

Available at
Fairmont Hotel Singapore
80 Bras Basah Road
Tel: 6431 5600
Email: willowstream.enquiries@fairmont.com

Sweeties!! Look at what we almost missed in our piles of press releases! Chin chin at The Berkeley in London all of February. Starting at £299.00 per night – the exchange rate is about 2.1 now…..hasn’t been so low in ages! – the 'From London With Love' package includes lots of in-room treats like Miller Harris rose-scented mini candles and indulgent bath oils, home-baked Valentine biscuits, rich chocolate truffles, Champagne breakfast in your room, and a late check out. Not to mention that at The Berkeley, you’ll be wrapped up in top of the line luxury smack in the middle of Knightsbridge. Famous two-Michelin star Marcus Wareing cooks here, so book yourself a fancy dinner for two. In room, romantic movies are available on request, and ipods are already downloaded with lovey-dovey tracks ready for a bit of ooh la la,….but Harvey Nicks and Harrods and all those delicious boutiques are just downstairs!! What to do? What to do? (Breathe, breathe…multitask, split your time…) On VD day itself, the hotel promises to turn its heated roof-top pool into a “candlelit midnight sanctuary”. What’s more, it’ll be open until midnight and the roof will be “retracted for a night of star gazing”! Oooh!...Titillating!

Available at:
The Berkeley
Knightsbridge, London
Tel: +44 (0) 207 107 8830 or www.the-berkeley.co.uk

By EW