ON COURSE FOR A LITTLE ROMANCE

From Pancake Day, to pairing up, next week also brings us Valentine’s Day. Here’s some of our picks for a day of puckering up.

HEVER CASTLE

You can stay at Hever Castle, from noon on Wednesday, February 14.

Explore the castle and 125 acre gardens in the afternoon before enjoying the facilities in the Astor Wing, including the log burning stove and billiards, before a private drinks reception, with music from a professional harpist for a dinner with tables for two. Dinner will then be served in the grand Tudor Suite and learn about the romantic history of the historic venue afterwards, before enjoying 5* gold-rated overnight accommodation. The Valentine’s Day dine and stay package must be pre booked and costs from £200 per person. To book call 01732 861800, email stay@hevercastle.co.uk or visit hevercastle.co.uk/whats-on.

CARLUCCIO’S

Love at Carluccio’s comes from the heart of the kitchen, where authentic Italian ingredients create dishes full of flavour. The three course Carluccio’s Menu Amore is available until Wednesday, February 14 for £22.95 per person. Starters include tortelloni filled with beetroot and ricotta, served in a creamy goat’s cheese and poppy seed sauce, topped with crushed walnuts and an antipasto sharing board with Italian charcuterie and cheese, roasted peppers with garlic tomato and onion, marinated mint and garlic green beans, olives and focaccia bread. Enjoy lobster linguine – half a lobster tail comes with pasta tossed in buttery tomato, chili and white wine sauce – for your main, or opt for meaty ossobuco alla milanese, a British rose veal shank braised in red wine, tomato and orange zest sauce served with saffron risotto. For dessert, there’s a chocolate dessert board laden with treats of Carluccio’s Italian deli favourites, slices of chocolate and hazelnut tarocco, gianduiotti, cacao biscotti, truffles and chocolate dipped strawberries.

You can find Carluccio’s at West Village in Bluewater; Mount Pleasant Road, Tunbridge Wells, and there is a Carluccio’s in Fenwicks in St George’s Street, Canterbury. Visit carluccios. com.

CHAMPNEYS, EASTWELL MANOR, NEAR ASHFORD

The height of luxury. Revel in a relaxing and pampering visit to Eastwell Manor’s Champneys Spa Hotel near Ashford.

The countryside escape, in landscaped gardens and parkland, has a new spa, with a range of treatments.

Your stay starts from 2pm, with full use of the facilities, including a 20-metre heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna, and includes a three course dinner in the Manor House restaurant with a bottle of wine, an overnight stay, and continental breakfast in the restaurant, a round of golf for two, or a 50-minute Champneys treatment and a buffet lunch and afternoon tea for two in the manor house.

There is also a selection of fitness classes from yoga to circuit training.

The Couples Spa Break at Eastwell Manor costs from £398 per couple (weekend supplements apply).

To book or for more details call 0843 224 1700 or visit eastwellmanor.co.uk.

TAPAS REVOLUTION, BLUEWATER

Chef Omar Allibhoy has whipped up a seductive tapas menu for couples to share. Guests can enjoy a glass of sparkling tropical sangria on arrival served with pinchos, then share six tapas dishes and a heart shaped chocolate brownie topped with raspberries coulis and crumbled Spanish almond turrón for dessert.

The Valentine’s menu will run from Monday, February 12 to Wednesday, February 14, and costs £25 per person.

To book and for more details go to tapasrevolution.com.

Seductive tapas is a must at the Tapas Revolution in Bluewater, and right, let romance blossom at Hever Castle