There is no denying that couples seeking out romantic stays are a huge sales driver for hotels, so knowing how to make a hotel room romantic is an essential skill for your team to master when it comes to ensuring guest satisfaction.
SKIP TO THE RELEVANT SECTION
We are not talking about dirty weekends away in seedy spots here, but rather carefully curated and luxurious couples retreats that guarantee romance. Annual celebrations like Valentine’s Day and Christmas typically see an increase in couples looking to enjoy a romantic break somewhere, but people are always looking for an excuse to get away – whether it be a birthday, anniversary or even a proposal – so targeting couples in your marketing can add value all year round.
This is especially true when it comes to creating packages that are designed for couples retreats or weekends away. For hoteliers, who are of course always looking for ways to improve the guest experience, the upcoming arrival of a couple to your hotel begs the question of how to make a hotel room romantic.
You will be happy to know that there are actually several fun ways to add some romance to a hotel room or suite, many of which are simple and easily affordable too. Below, we take a look how to make a hotel room romantic and the best ways to get couples in the mood for love when visiting your hotel. Making a couple feel extra special throughout their stay will lead to excellent customer satisfaction, which in turn results in consumer loyalty and repeat business.
Whether you are a hotelier looking to market romantic ‘weekends away’ packages or simply a guest looking to spice up your next hotel stay, our top tips below on how to make a hotel room romantic will guarantee that love is in the air throughout your stay.
How to make a hotel room romantic
1.) Provide chocolates on arrival
They say that food is the way to the heart, so providing some sweet snacks for your guests is a great way to kick-off their stay in style. A single chocolate on your pillow is something of a cliche in the hotel world now, so you’ll need to think bigger than that. We would recommend opting for a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries or a selection of chocolates presented in a heart-shaped box? Team up with a local artisan chocolatier to really make an impression on your guests.
2.) Think about lighting
Harsh lighting is a sure-fire way to kill the mood when arriving for a romantic trip away. Think about the time of day your guests are checking in and tailor the lighting accordingly. If they are arriving early in the day, make sure curtains are drawn back to make the most of natural daylight, while guests arriving in the evening would likely prefer closed curtains and dimmed lights to set the mood.
3.) Think about scent
The smell of a hotel room should always be a top priority when thinking about guest experience, but this is even more important when are considering how to make a hotel room romantic. Make sure that the room doesn’t smell of cleaning products and open windows before guests arrive to air out the space. Using fresh flowers, scented candles or even a few spritzes of perfume are a great way to ensure rooms are ready for guests.
4.) Break out the Champagne
Nothing quite says ‘VIP treatment’ to a hotel guest like a bottle of Champagne chilling on ice as soon as they check in to their room. Including a bottle of fizz in your ‘romantic weekend away’ package will ensure your guests feel special, and they pair well with the chocolates mentioned earlier too. Just remember to communicate with your guests before they arrive and find out whether they are tee-total and have non-alcoholic alternatives on hand to use as substitutes.
5.) Choose rooms with a view
Some hotels only offer select rooms or suites as part of their ‘couples stay’ packages. If this is the route you decide to go down, make sure that you are championing the most romantic spaces you have. Rooms boasting views of the property’s grounds or overlooking local landmarks are a great way to impress guests and instil an instant ‘wow-factor’.
6.) Offer a rose petal turndown service
When a couple is enjoying a romantic break at your hotel, it is likely that they will head out for dinner in the evening (it might even be part of the package you have offered). While they are out eating, you could offer an extra romantic turndown service, including lighting candles (or fake alternatives) and sprinkling rose petals over the bed. That way, by the time guests return to their room, the mood is perfectly set for romance.
7.) Say it with flowers
When it comes to how to make a hotel room romantic, what makes one hotel stay stand out from the next to guests – and encourages repeat business – is the extra special touches that a hotel provides. For romantic stays, you could always include a fresh bunch of flowers in the room to brighten up the space and make your guests feel extra special. Teaming up with a nearby florist is also a great way to support local business, and you could even provide discount vouchers for your guests too.
8.) Don’t skimp on the amenities
Most modern homes feature showers, so for many people, one of the highlights of a hotel stay is getting to enjoy a luxurious bath. This can be especially fun and relaxing for couples, so remember to provide bubble bath, salts and candles to help set the mood. It’s a great excuse for guests to make use of the complimentary robe and slippers too.
9.) Make the bedding extra special
To wow your guests as soon as they walk in the door, think about how you can present your bedding. When it comes to impressing couples, plenty of hotels opt for specially decorated beds which include scattered rose petals and towels twisted into romantic shapes or symbols, such as a heart or two ‘kissing’ swans. These kinds of visual spectacles also encourage guests to take photos, which they’ll likely share on their social media channels.
10.) Offer in-room treatments
Many couples enjoy a trip to the spa while staying at a hotel, but to make the experience extra personal, you can offer in-room treatments such as a couple’s massage or joint manicures and pedicures. Offering the treatments in-room means your guests don’t need to worry about the less romantic aspects of spas such as locker rooms and shared spaces and can instead enjoy their treatments in total comfort and privacy.
11.) Don’t forget about personal touches
If your guests are here to celebrate a special occasion such as a wedding anniversary, chat to them ahead of time about ways you can personalise their room or suite to make things extra romantic. One easy way to do this is to ask them for some photos of themselves that they love, which you can dot around the room in pretty picture frames.
12.) Get creative with music
When enjoying a date night, many couples like to have romantic tunes playing softly in the background. If you provide Spotify or other streaming platforms to guests, why not create a romantic playlist which couples can use during their stay? You could also write a list of recommended romantic films for them to tune in to, hand-picked from the hotel’s selection.
13.) Offer breakfast in bed
Breakfast in bed is one of life’s little luxuries that people only tend to enjoy when staying at a hotel. Offering breakfast in bed to couples is a great way to finish their trip on a high note and there are plenty of easy ways to make their breakfast look romantic – try dipping croissants in pink-hued chocolate or including rose petals on the breakfast tray.
14.) Write love notes
In today’s digital age, handwritten declarations of love are few and far between. Offering a notepad and pencil for your guests (bonus points if they’re themed!) is a great way to ignite the spark between couples. They will be able to leave romantic love notes or soppy poems dotted around their room or suite for their beloved to discover throughout the night.
15.) Digital detox
These days, it can be tempting to turn to your phone when with a loved one, so why not help guests to disconnect from the digital world and instead focus on romance? Ordinary in-room safes can easily be turned into ‘phone lock boxes’ with a fun sign or some stickers, so that guests can ditch their devices for the night and purely focus on eachother.
HOW TO MAKE A HOTEL ROOM ROMANTIC FAQS
How to make a hotel room romantic for my boyfriend?
If you are looking to surprise your boyfriend, girlfriend or partner with a romantic night in a hotel, there are several ways to make the hotel room feel romantic. We recommend phoning ahead to ask the hotel to decorate your room with flowers and candles and make sure to have a romantic playlist to hand too. For an extra special treat, why not order room service so you can dine in total comfort and privacy?
How do you decorate a hotel room romantically?
When it comes to how to make a hotel room romantic, rely on the classics such as candles, fresh flowers and sweet treats (think heart-shaped chocolates or chocolate dipped strawberries). You might be able to bring these extras in your suitcase (make sure to check the hotel rules first), but we would recommend calling the hotel ahead of time and having their in-house teams take care of everything.
Can I ask hotel to decorate a room?
If you want to take the stress out of planning, you can definitely call ahead and ask the hotel to decorate your room romantically for you. Just be aware that this will most likely come at an extra cost to your stay.
Now that you have learned how to make a hotel room romantic, check our pick of the most romantic hotels in the UK below.