Nothing takes the stars out of your eyes and the romance out of a getaway more than if the cost puts a strain on the budget. So downsize the price-tag attached to Cupid’s arrow, and get full value out of the bittersweet feeling in your heart when that arrow hits home.
1. Choose the right option.
Choosing a getaway that will be romantic for both of you is vital. A ski trip might seem romantic in the guidebooks with their scenes of mountain ranges and misty valleys, but if your sweetheart doesn’t like skiing or has a phobia about heights, it doesn’t matter how much you saved on the getaway, you will still have spent too much.
2. Take a new look at local.
Everyday life can blur why we fell in love in the first place – not only with our sweethearts but also with our own hometown. Take the chance to rediscover why you love at the first place your stomping ground.
Don’t stay home, enjoy the area as new lovers would, and see everything as brand new, or take a trip down memory lane and visit places you once discovered together or now want to share.
You’ll save cash and travel time, and as a local, you’ll know where to get the most value for your money in quality and enjoyment. Avoid places you go to regularly – be strangers in your hometown.
3. Find personal space.
Take the romance to the next level by renting a house, condo or apartment that fits your budget (get the best deals with airbnb.com). What you do once you arrive is your business and yours alone.
You can miss a meal, dine late, order take-out as the mood moves you. You can wander hand in hand through the city, stroll through a park or explore the countryside. Afterwards, maybe you’ll stay inside and relax, getting to know each other for the first time or making it feel like the first time.
Rented accommodation usually supplies everything, including bedding, but check before you leave.
4. Take a road trip.
Add a little mystery by planning a not-so-spontaneous road trip – as a surprise. If you don’t want it to backfire, make sure your significant other hasn’t got plans, and, if you’re a parent, arrange babysitting and check there’s no little league game on the scheduled weekend.
Simply devise an excuse to get your partner into the car and it’s over to you when to let on it’s a road trip, not an everyday duty run. Act a little silly and sing along with music that means something to you both; take a side-road or two and make an unscheduled stop if something interests either of you. Bring out the must-have fun snacks for nibbling en route, but leave the bubbly till you are safely there.
5. Take the romance with you.
Take bubble bath as well as a bottle of bubbly, pack scented candles and have the rose petals ready to put in your bag. Here is a useful tip: you’ll get a better deal on these products at your local store. The same applies to special ingredients in a self-catering situation.
It could also be fun to sneak a surprise gift into your partner’s bag just before you leave. It doesn’t cost a fortune, just pick something that will make your loved one feel special. It could be a novel by a favorite author, a pretty scarf to remind her of this getaway, or a box of chocolates.
6. Pick all-inclusive packages.
If you plan to stay at a hotel, do your homework first. All-inclusive packages are often the savvy option. You only have one bill to pay for your getaway instead of a mounting pile of slips which end up totaling far more than you planned.
Just search on the resort and what’s included: in many cases, packages will include alcohol, for instance, but exclude premium brands. Also, keep in mind that dining elsewhere outside the resort may be romantic but implies an extra cost.
7. Romantic cruise.
A cruise may seem out of the question price-wise, but not if it’s a short “cruise to nowhere” which takes you out of port for one or two nights.
These getaways are available from many major cruise lines operating out of several ports and offer plenty to do on board. Activities include standard cruise attractions like restaurants, entertainment swimming pools, spas and more but do not include any ports of call.
8. Take on the great outdoors.
Commune with nature and each other but forget the fairy-tales. Camping in a natural park is a great chance to get real and get to know your romantic partner in a whole different way while leaving the bank balance pretty happy in the process.
However, it’s not for everyone: It can turn bad if either partner has the wrong idea of what the experience entails, or blames the other if mosquitoes bite, or even when night sounds are scary rather than soothing. That said, a weekend outdoors isn’t all about roughing it – how far you want to go is up to you.
9. Find a good deal.
Go against the norm. You’ll get better rates in cold places when everyone else is chasing the sun and it can be super romantic in front of the fire. Other cash-saving options include travel coupons and vouchers, last-minute booking rates and taking your getaway midweek instead of on weekends.
10. Stand out from the crowd.
Romance can get lost in the crowds of people waiting to pay high ticket prices to see world-famous sites as the epitome of romance. The adverts for the Pyramids or Eiffel Tower don’t include photographs of the crowds of couples sharing the queue or snapshots of the bill. Beautiful private moments can be experienced nearby with the tower as a backdrop and it will cost a lot less.
The adverts for the Pyramids or Eiffel Tower don’t include photographs of the crowds of couples sharing the queue or snapshots of the bill. Beautiful private moments can be experienced nearby with the tower as a backdrop and it will cost a lot less.
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