Yes, it's coming up to that time of year again but don't worry, The Handbook has it covered with the first installment of our two-part Valentine's Day guide. So check back next week for Valentine's Day, The Sequel, but for now, just sit back and feel the love...
Cupid Concierge
If you’ve left things til the last minute, book into the The May Fair Hotel and let its Cupid Concierge do the rest. Available as a complimentary service for all guests, May Fair will take on the task of arranging a decadent dinner, tickets to the theatre, sourcing bottles of vintage Champagne, luxe limousines and hand picking the perfect present for the love of your life. All you need to do is take the credit.
The May Fair Hotel, Stratton Street, W1, 020 7915 2826
www.themayfairhotel.co.uk
Berkeley Bonanza
Michelin starred chef Marcus Wareing will take to the stove himself to ensure that nothing on the Berkeley’s specially designed eight course Valentine’s Day menu is left to chance from the glass of rosé Champagne and canapés to start, through Foie gras with rhubarb and hazelnuts, Scottish scallops and Cornish seabass to Warm chocolate and orange moelleux with Cointreau. £215 pp with matching wines at an additional £105pp.
Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, SW1, 020 7235 1200
www.marcus-wareing.com
Happy ever after…
David Carter’s boutique 40 Winks hotel is bring back its Bedtime Story Nights with a Valentine special, Tales of Love, Lust & Longing with mischievous performers, Hendrick’s cocktails, nutritious nibbles and a dress code of jimjams and nighties strictly enforced by the pyjama police. There’s even a prize for the most glamorous. Bring something to cuddle whether it’s a friend, lover or teddy bear...
February 8, 9 & 10, from 7pm, £25/head
40 Winks, 109 Mile End Road, E1
www.40winks.org
Soho Slumber Party
Dean Street Townhouse has created late night package, The Soho Sleepover, for the perfect end to your Valentine’s Day date. Diners ordering after 11pm will have the opportunity to stay in a hotel room that night (subject to availability) for a bargain £50 per room. And to encourage spontaneity, the hotel will also provide a Morning After kit including deodorant, a razor and Alka Seltzer. Anything else and we’re sure the local pharmacist can help…
Dean Street Townhouse, 69 - 71 Dean Street, W1, 020 7437 1775 www.deanstreettownhouse.com
Spooning at Cinnamon
Indulge in a gorgeous, five-course Valentine’s Day supper at The Cinnamon Club. But as all girls know it’s always better to share, which is why selected dishes are marked ‘Two Spoons’, meaning two portions come on one plate for schmoozing couples to get up close and personal over Chargrilled black leg chicken breast stuffed with pistachio and chicken liver, £75 pp.
The Cinnamon Club, The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, SW1, 020 7222 2555
www.cinnamonclub.com
True Romance
Officially London’s most romantic restaurant (Harden’s London Restaurant Guide 2012), again, Clos Maggiore pulls out all stops for Valentine’s Day, its equivalent of Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid etc all rolled into one. Dine in the blossom-filled conservatory beneath a blanket of stars with a glass of Champagne followed by a five-course tasting menu, £125/£164pp with wines. But while staff are adept at hiding the ring until the perfect moment, we fear it’s not included in the price. Ah well.
Clos Maggiore, 33 King Street, WC2, 020 7379 9696
www.closmaggiore.com
All aboard…
Those with Abramovich aspirations can start by chartering Gaucho’s state-of-the-art 62-foot Sunseeker Predator for a unique V-Day voyage along the Thames. London. Your guests, or just you and your beloved if you’re really flash, can arrange to board the yacht from a London pier of your choice with the pick of Gaucho's skilled chefs, sommeliers and mixologists on hand to create a romantic meal with Argentine wines and cocktails while you gaze into eachother’s eyes or stargaze through the retractable roof. POA.
www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk
