Coming up with the perfect gift for your partner on Valentine’s Day can be a daunting task.
As the 14th of February draws closer, thousands of romantics head to the shops and splurge on long-stemmed roses or heart-shaped chocolates to show their partner just how much they love them.
However, if you feel that fluffy pink slippers or heart-bedecked boxer shorts have lost their magic and spark, it might be time to come up with a more original idea.
“Unforgettable experiences often mean more than material gifts,” says Raylene de Wet, Director of Events at Hyatt Regency Johannesburg. And a 2020 survey by the vacation rental company, Vacasa, backs her up.
The study found that 83 per cent of millennials would prefer a unique experience over a gift for Valentine’s Day. Eighty per cent of Gen Zs, 77 per cent of Generation Xs and 71 per cent of baby boomers agreed. So while millennials are largely driving this trend, it appears that older—and younger—age groups are getting on board, too.
The experienced team at Hyatt Regency Johannesburg has come up with a few great experiences for couples, or non-couples, this Valentine’s Day.
The Fab and Glam Power Couple
Harry and Meghan might want to step away from the spotlight, but the typical fab and glam power couple loves glitz and glamour. They leave the house every day as if they’ve just stepped off the catwalk. With not a hair out of place, flawless make-up and a perfectly-fitted suit, the fab and glam couple attracts admiration everywhere they go.
The Experience?
If you are a fab and glam power couple, the Royal Valentines Extravaganza at Hyatt Regency Johannesburg is the perfect experience for you. You will be treated like celebrities the moment you step into the Hummer limousine for your transfer to the five-star Hyatt hotel in Rosebank on Friday afternoon.
On arrival, you will walk the red carpet to the hotel’s presidential suite, your room for this unforgettable night. You will experience true celebrity status with a grooming and beauty
treatment session, before you dress up for a seven-course private Valentine’s Day rooftop dinner, complemented with wine pairing and smooth saxophone melodies.
Your fairy-tale evening will not end at midnight, as you will enjoy a VIP table at Katzy’s LIVE, where your butler will be serving after-dinner drinks before you retire to your suite.
Your morning breakfast will be prepared by one of the top chefs in the presidential kitchen. Thereafter, you will enjoy a three-hour re-energising couples treatment at Camelot Spa.
Your magnificent date will conclude with a limo ride home, where you will, without a doubt, reflect on this as one of the most glamorous nights of your life.
The Foodie Couple
Do you and your loved one watch MasterChef religiously? Are you clued up on the latest food trends and do you know your Kimchi from your Ube? Then, congratulations: you can officially call yourself a foodie couple.
Foodie couples know how to step out of their comfort zone and love to try new things and find new places to eat.
The Experience?
Foodies are amazing to shop for when it comes to Valentine’s Day experiences. The perfect experience for any foodie lover in Johannesburg is the Valentine’s dinner at onenineone restaurant.
This trendy, chef-led and locally-inspired restaurant in the heart of Rosebank has a menu that is largely inspired by local ingredients and traditions. Each dish tells a story that is a blend of international trends and South African food culture, as experienced and interpreted by the Chef.
The onenineone Valentine’s Day menu features items such as oysters, sea bass, champagne velouté and walnut ravioli. There will even be live music throughout the evening to set the tone for this romantic foodie experience.
Single and Happy
Whether you dream about the perfect partner or whether you prefer flying solo, being single has its benefits. You have more freedom and more flexibility and you are in the position to fill your life with things that make you happy.
The best part of being single? You can dedicate more time and energy to bonding with your friends.
The Experience
Instead of swiping right in the hope of finding your ideal partner, enjoy this Valentine’s Day with the people that already mean something to you.
Tell your girlfriends to get glammed up, tell your mates to ditch the soccer, and head to one of the trendy single parties on Valentine’s night.
Hyatt Regency Johannesburg is the perfect place to go, as the hotel is hosting its first-ever Singles Mingle Valentine’s evening. There will be no cringeworthy ‘find your match’ activities. Instead, expect a spontaneous, splendid evening outdoors beneath the trees! Your entrance ticket includes a welcome drink, delicious canapés and soul-loving entertainment.
Online tickets for the singles event can be bought here: https://qkt.io/dPCIY0
