Guest Author - Ann Carroll Burgess

Is your heart all aflutter at the idea of escaping to somewhere wonderful for a Valentine’s Day getaway? Then turn your attention to Vancouver Island for all the romance you can handle. Snuggling by a fire, sipping wine, and romantic walks in the rain along a mist laden beach….not to mention in-room massages are all to be found.

At The Aerie Resort & Spa couples can triple their pleasure at The Aerie's mountaintop location during a two-day romance-a-thon with a private in-suite couples massage class, a private cooking lesson, and beautiful accommodations to recapture the essence of pure romance during the most amorous time of the year.

Guests can enjoy two nights accommodation in the ultra luxurious 1,000 sq ft penthouse suite at the five-star Relais & Chateaux property, an intimate in-room massage class complete with takeaway aphrodisiac massage oils, private cooking lessons with Chef Castro Boateng, romantic turndowns with a bottle of beautiful sparkling wine to enjoy after hours in the in-suite Jacuzzi tub, and a deluxe continental breakfast each morning. This high-in-the-sky romance package is available for $1,000 (plus taxes) per couple, and provides an 'ed-venturous' weekend that gives guests a new lease on their love life. This package is available for February and March for anyone looking to have a romantic weekend on a whim.

Located just 35 minutes from downtown Victoria, B.C., The Aerie is a member of the Relais & Chateaux collection of inns & hotels.

To find out more about The Aerie Resort and visit www.aerie.ca or call 1-800-518-1933.

You and your love will hit all the right notes with “The Amorous Sojourn” at Villa Marco Polo in Victoria, British Columbia. Combine your stay with a night at the opera and a romantic dinner.

Once you’ve had a chance to unwind after checking in at the Villa, get ready for your romantic evening of classical music and fine food. Head to Zambri’s one of the city’s best Italian restaurants and then onto the historic Royal Theatre for the opera.

Back “home” at the Villa, step into your suite, savour the Villa Marco Polo artisan chocolates that await you atop your plush bed, and select your choice of pre-loaded iPod songs—including one from Semele, of course. In the morning you’ll breakfast at an elegant table. Your genial hosts will serve an arrangement of fresh fruits, juice or a lhassi, muffins hot from the oven, a savoury course with a touch of Eastern spice and a sweet entrée such as ginger and pear pancakes with birch and maple syrups. Mid-morning, ascend the stairs to the tranquil Penthouse Spa Hamaam, and enjoy a dreamy dual massage under the skilled hands of our massage practitioners.

Rates for the Amorous Sojourn package are $450 CAD per person (based on double occupancy), including two nights’ accommodation, $100 CAD credit per couple at Zambri’s, dual massage, and two prime tickets to Semele. This package is available on February 12, 14, 17, 19, and 21, 2009. To guarantee opera tickets, the package must be booked by January 30. Additional nights can be added at $100 CAD per person.

Or perhaps the play’s the thing. For theatre enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys a good play, Villa Marco Polo offers a luxurious stay, the coveted dual massage in the Villa’s Penthouse Spa Hamaam, and a delightful dinner prior to an entertaining performance at the renowned Belfry Theatre. The package runs until May 17, 2009, in conjunction with show times and ticket availability.

From the entrance hall of the Villa Marco Polo Inn, explore exotic locales from Ancient Persia to Renaissance-era Italy —fine Italianate furniture atop rich Persian rugs. Help yourself to home-baked cookies and tea from the samovar in the Tuscan Room, and get ready for an evening of dramatic entertainment and gastronomic delights. Dine at Stage Small Plates Wine Bar, one of Victoria’s most exciting newcomers to the culinary scene. Ask the sommelier for a wine pairing while sampling delicious tapas from an eclectic and sophisticated menu. After dinner head to the Belfry Theatre in a beautifully restored heritage church where just in time for Valentine’s Day, Stay & Play features The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard, the Oscar-winning writer of Shakespeare in Love. Sitting in prime seats, you’ll be engrossed as this story of art and love unfolds.

Back in your private suite at the Villa, choose from a selection of songs from your bedside iPod and find Villa Marco Polo artisan chocolates on your pillow. Breakfast is a leisurely affair with your genial hosts serving an arrangement of fresh fruits, juice or lhassi, fresh homemade muffins, a savoury course with a touch of herb or spice, and a sweet entrée such as ricotta-filled crêpes drizzled with crushed berries. Mid-morning head upstairs to the tranquil Penthouse Spa Hamaam and enjoy a dual massage. The aromas of natural Silk Road and Seaflora products will calm you as expert therapists knead and sooth your muscles.

The Stay & Play package includes two nights’ accommodation, $75 CAD credit per couple at Stage Small Plates Wine Bar, two prime tickets to a play at the Belfry Theatre, and a blissful dual massage lasting one hour. Rates are $400 CAD per person (based on double occupancy. This package is only available in conjunction with the Belfry Theatre’s Play Schedule found on their website www.belfry.bc.ca. To guarantee theatre tickets, the package must be booked two weeks prior to the beginning of a play. The Stay & Play package presenting Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing is available on January 13 to February 15, 2009.

Folklore tells us that the way to a man’s (or woman’s) heart is via the stomach. So head north on the island for some sweet and savory treats such as those that can be found at the Little Qualicum Cheeseworks on Morningstar Farm. Little Qualicum Cheeseworks isn’t just a dairy farm – they are an agritourism destination producing award winning cheeses and blackberry wine from Morningstar Creek Winery. So, this Valentines Day, come by the farm for a special treat with your favourite Valentine, your group of gals or on your own to enjoy wine, cheese, chocolate...and love - what a combination! Who thought Valentines Day on an old-fashioned dairy farm could be so romantic? www.cheeseworks.ca

Not all the maple syrup is in Quebec, you can also find plenty in Nanaimo at the annual Maple Sugar Festival from February 19-25, 2009. The festival celebrates the cultures and traditions of eastern Canada. The upcoming festival will begin mid-January with the provincial touring school program, where students will get to experience French Canadian culture in the classroom. In February, the festival will launch into high gear, showcasing national and local performers, ice sculpture creations, an art exhibit and a traditional favourite - maple toffee on snow. The Maple Sugar Festival du Sucre d'Érable is a bilingual event where a fun time is guaranteed for the whole family. Friday (4pm-9pm) - Admission by donation; Saturday (9am-11pm) – General Admission $5; Sunday (9am-4pm) – General Admission $5. www.francophonenanaimo.org/festival/index.html

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, island options to feed your heart, soul and tummy.