A platter of love: Seizing opportunities to celebrate Valentine’s  

Valentine’s Day and hospitality

Valentine’s presents various opportunities for businesses operating within the hospitality industry.

1. Offer something extra

Valentine’s Day celebrants expect something special, and hospitality businesses need to offer their customers a reason to choose them. For example, live romantic music at a restaurant can be a great way to raise prices for the evening and sell tickets. Hotels can also host special Valentine’s events, such as a romantic cinema night or a lovers’ ball. Couples’ wellness or spa packages remain a popular option for wellness venues.

Amidst all these opportunities, providing guests with a seamless experience that eliminates wait times and friction during high-volume bookings is essential. Convenient mobile check-ins, keyless entries, and other solutions are necessary during peak demand to enhance the experience and guest privacy.

2. A thoughtful menu

Valentine’s Day offers the perfect opportunity to refresh the menu and bar list. New and fun cocktails, customised menu combos, couple’s meal deals, and complimentary wine, champagne, or chocolate are all great ways to celebrate the Day of Love. Including these in a restaurant or hotel’s food ordering system or POS can create excitement around why people should pick an establishment. Restaurant technology can easily facilitate real-time adjustments to menu changes, allowing for dynamic pricing based on demand and inventory.

Online ordering platforms and digital signage can enhance flexibility for guests, ensuring that menus are easily accessible to them. Restaurants can also take this a step further, utilising guest history data (preferences, past orders, etc.) to create personalised packages.

3. A gift of love

Guests consistently appreciate thoughtful gestures, especially when they are associated with a special occasion like Valentine’s Day. A small token of appreciation, such as a complimentary dessert, a rose petal turndown service, or a small gift basket, can go a long way in fostering goodwill and creating a lasting positive impression.

Hotel technology can streamline the delivery of these gifts, enhancing the guest experience. Automated systems can pre-stock rooms with chocolates or automatically add a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine to room service orders. In-room tablets can display personalised messages, offer digital gift cards for spa services or other amenities, and even provide interactive experiences like creating virtual Valentine’s Day cards for guests to share with loved ones.

4. The right kind of partners

Partnering with local businesses to create exclusive experiences for guests enhances Valentine’s offerings. By combining the strengths of partners with the venue’s own services, brands can develop unique packages that provide a competitive edge and attract a wider audience. Teaming up with local cinemas, wellness centres, florists, photographers, or chocolatiers, for example, can help a hotel diversify its Valentine’s offerings and create memorable experiences that appeal to a broader range of guests.

A hotel could offer a romantic getaway package that includes dinner at a local fine dining restaurant, followed by a private film screening at a nearby cinema or a couples’ spa treatment at a local wellness centre. By collaborating with local businesses, hotels can offer guests a truly holistic and unforgettable Valentine’s Day experience, positioning themselves as the go-to destination for the holiday.

Turn a fresh page

With new trends emerging around Valentine’s and love, businesses must reimagine their Valentine’s Day strategies.

Latest Valentine’s Trivia

Key Valentine’s buzzwords for hospitality

• Galentine’s Day: Originating from the popular TV series Parks and Recreation, Galentine’s Day is a global event celebrating women’s friendships, typically held on February 13 or coinciding with Valentine’s.
• Solo Dates: A growing trend where individuals embrace self-love and enjoy Valentine’s Day solo.
• Singles Awareness Day (February 14): A lighthearted celebration of being single and embracing self-love.
• Palentine’s Day: A celebration of platonic love and friendship, similar to Galentine’s Day but inclusive of all genders.

Refreshing Valentine’s Day offerings

Hospitality businesses can broaden their clientele by catering to groups, not just couples. Here are a few ideas:

• Inclusive activities: Activities themed around platonic love can attract both couples and larger groups. For example, painting evenings, cooking classes, and film screenings are great options.
• Diversified couple’s classes: Instead of the traditional dinners and chocolates, offering couples’ classes like baking, pottery, or surfing lessons would bring a fresh twist to the holiday.
• Targeting solo daters: Complimentary spa treatments, access to wellness activities like yoga, “treat yourself” amenities, in-room dining, and quiet spaces can appeal to solo guests.
• Group events: Hotels can cater to group celebrants with special packages that include overnight stays in suites or connecting rooms, spa treatments, afternoon tea or brunch, and even wine-tasting or cocktail-making classes.

Discover the best way to treat your diners with the right restaurant technology. Book a Demo Today

Connect with diverse guests this Valentine’s

As Valentine’s approaches, the hospitality industry faces a unique opportunity to embrace both tradition and innovation, diversifying its offerings, upselling, and creating experiences that go beyond traditional couples-focused celebrations. The key to success lies in ensuring that every guest—alone, with friends, or in a romantic relationship—feels celebrated. The industry’s ability to adapt and innovate will determine how well it connects with diverse guests, creating a foundation for continued success.

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