The late Valentine's Day escape

Whizz off midweek to Beer in east Devon. Jean Bartlett Cottage Holidays

(01297 23221) has three-night breaks in self-catering cottages for £99 (sleep up to four) with a bottle of champagne on arrival.

Cosy up in Toad Hall Cottages (01548 853 089): set in woodland, Game Keeper's Hide in Slapton has a galleried bedroom and is £112 for three nights from 13 or 15 February. Free use of indoor heated pool, gym and (whoopee) games room.

Country Holidays (08700

723723) has cottages ranging from 17th century Lanes Cottage in the Blackdown Hills (oak beams, inglenook fireplace), at £216 for four nights midweek, to Hillview near Glamis Castle in the southern Highlands, £120 for four nights.

Passion for the Lakes

A three-night valentine package at The Linthwaite House Hotel (015394 88600) overlooking Lake Windermere costs £297pp in a lake-view room with four-course dinner each evening, champagne, chocolates, roses and full English breakfast.

Oasis Forest Holiday Villages (08705 086 000) has three-night breaks in Penrith on the weekend following Valentine's Day: £298 for a lakeside apartment. Romantic extras include a dozen red roses (£30) and champagne (£25).

Rustic romance

Antique-filled, wood-panelled Alexander House Hotel (01342 714 914) in pretty Turner's Hill, West Sussex, has a one-night valentine deal available on Friday 9, Saturday 10 or Wednesday 14 February for £290 per double room, including breakfast, five-course dinner, roses, champagne and chocs.

Spend the night at the Lygon Arms (01386 852255) in chocolate-box-pretty Broadway in the Cotswolds: on 14 February a double room costs £370, including champagne and red roses, three-course dinner, breakfast and use of the hotel's spa.

Go for splendid isolation in the six-suite country house Enterkine Hotel (01292 521608) in West Ayrshire. A two-night valentine package costs £300 per couple in a suite and includes champagne, four-course meal and full Scottish breakfast.

Ashdown Park (01342 824988) in Wych Cross, East Sussex, has a one-day package bookable on Monday 12 to Wednesday 14 February costing £95pp, including three-course lunch, afternoon tea, a spa treatment and use of the hotel's health-and-country club (indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool). Overnight stay £152 extra.

Norfolk Broads Direct (0800 917 3206) has availability in Potter Heigham, near Great Yarmouth, on Misty Light - a cruiser sleeping up to four, with a four-poster bed and TV - for four-night midweek breaks from Monday or three nights from Friday 16 February, for £223 - champagne and flowers from £25 extra.

Capital Cupid

Spend Saturday 17 February in fashionistas' fave Pelham Hotel (020 7589 8288) in South Ken then be whisked off in a private transfer on Sunday for two nights at Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in Oxfordshire. Price of £940 per couple gets you B&B in a deluxe room at the Pelham and Le Manoir plus seven-course meal on one night at Le Manoir.

If you've always wanted to, now's your chance to stay in sheer luxury for two nights (13-14 or 14-15 February) B&B in The Berkeley, Claridges, The Connaught or The Savoy (Savoy Group reservations 020 7872 8080) for £690 per room, including champagne, roses and chocolates and the use of your hotel's health-andfitness facilities.

Valentine's night in a King Park Room at the Metropolitan (020 7447 1000) costs £660, including dinner at Nobu and a selection of Agent Provocateur "accessories" from Hanky Panky tissues to scented candles.

Book a four-poster room at The Bingham Hotel (020 8940 0902) in Richmond. River views are included for £160 per night B&B with champagne. Special six-course meal is £32 per person.

Euro allure

Paris' grand dame, Hotel de Crillon, has a valentine rate of £440 per double room with breakfast and candlelit dinner in your room, bottle of pink Taittinger on arrival and red roses. Available from 14-19 February. Call Leading Hotels of the World (0800 181 123).

Flounce off to Madrid for a weekend with Magic of Spain (08700 270 400). Two nights cost £265 per person B&B at the three-star Hotel Cortezo, including return flights from Gatwick. Depart this Friday or next.

A weekend in Bruges at the two-star Hotel Koffie Boontje with Eurotours (0870 333 0889) costs £189pp for two nights' B&B, with three-course dinner on one night and return travel on Eurostar. Leave Waterloo this Friday or next.