Dial up the fun – and romance – this Valentine’s Day!
Do you remember when Valentine’s Day used to be fun? With plenty of light-hearted shenanigans to make you smile, like roses exchanged at school (red for love, yellow or white for friendship), handwritten cards popped into post boxes, unexpected bouquets, picnics, sundowners, and more chocolate than you could shake a stick at.
But in today’s stressful, fast-paced and screen-addled world, Valentine’s Day feels a little different.
We reckon it’s time to slow down, reconnect and have a little fun this Valentine’s Day – we’ve even made it easier with a 20% discount on all 1-night stays in February, complete with a romantic turn-down service to surprise and delight.
Sound good? Here are just a few ideas to help you dial up the fun, step away from your screens and enjoy each other’s company:
Book an airstream trailer – and catch a movie under the stars.
Raise the bar this Valentine’s Day with a romantic rooftop stay in an Airstream trailer. The Grand Daddy Boutique Hotel by BON Hotels in Long Street, Cape Town has seven Airstream trailers, each reflecting a quintessentially South African theme: our gold mines, our beaches, the timeless Karoo, the African bush and the Cape’s flowers.
Even better? Watching a movie under the stars in the hotel’s open-air Pink Flamingo cinema or simply sharing a cocktail on the grandest rooftop in Cape Town!
Saddle up for a horseback ride in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
BON Hotel Waterfront Richards Bay lies just over an hour south of KZN’s extraordinary iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Ask the BON team about booking a Bhangazi Horse Safari on the eastern shores of the park – and take in the bush, beach and beauty of this pristine corner of the world.
Enjoy a sunset cruise on the Komati River.
Of course, Crocodile Bridge is all about the Kruger National Park! And if you’re staying at Buckler’s Africa Lodge by BON Hotels, little beats cooling off in the lodge’s spectacular swimming pool while watching elephants make their way down to the Crocodile River to drink. But there is another river worth a visit – and a sunset boat cruise down the Komati River is a wonderful way to kick back and relax with the one you love.
Head off in search of the Big 5.
Crocodile Bridge, Mpumalanga is also home to Shishangeni by BON Hotels and its three special camps: Shishangeni Private Lodge, Camp Shonga and Camp Shawu. Choose a romantic tented camp experience, private retreat or all the luxury touches of an exclusive lodge – but whichever you choose, boma fires, birdwatching and Big 5 game drives should be high on your agenda.
Fly through the treetops on a Magaliesberg Canopy Tour.
Book yourself into the BON Hotel Rustenburg and when you’re not relaxing in the spa or sunning yourself at one of the hotel’s five pools (talk about being spoilt for choice!), head to the Magaliesberg for an exhilarating zipline experience through one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges. This is what memories are made of.
Plan an action-packed weekend in the Klein Karoo.
If you’re into art, history and culture as well as plenty of fresh air and adventure, look no further than Oudtshoorn – the capital of the Klein Karoo. Spend a night at the third oldest hotel in the country, the Queen’s Hotel by BON Hotels, and fill your days with waterfalls, wildlife, ostriches, mountain passes and, of course, the Cango Caves – leaving little time for screens or mindless scrolling. We couldn’t recommend it more.
Get that holiday feeling.
There is just something about a weekend in Umhlanga that makes you feel like you’ve been away forever! Maybe it’s the old-school joy of ice-creams on the beach, strolls along the boardwalk and a trip to Ushaka Marine World. Get all this and more with a stay at the Royal Palm Hotel and Apartments by BON Hotels.
Wander into the Winelands.
Whether you stay at the Grand Daddy or the Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Durbanville, there is so much fun to be had in South Africa’s Mother City, from boat cruises and penguins to sundowners on Table Mountain. We’d recommend a wander into the Cape Winelands – with some of the Cape’s finest wine farms a hop, skip and a jump from Protea Hotel Durbanville, including D’Aria, Ntida, De Grendel and Durbanville Hills. It makes for a very grown-up, very indulgent weekend away!
If twenty-twenty three is crying out for a little more fun – consider doing something different this Valentine’s Day. After all, as author Michael Lewis said, “If you get in the habit of life not being fun, you start to not even notice.”
Take advantage of our 20% discount on all 1-night stays, get out and take notice!
