Press release: Valentine

MEDIA RELEASE: 21 January 2009

Holidays with a heart - great deals for Valentine's Day

Forget extravagant, flashy gifts on Valentine's Day - this year it's about simple homely comforts and re-connecting with nature. responsibletravel.com offers some great last minute holidays for those looking to get away from it all for the St Valentine’s weekend.

B&B in Fowey, Cornwall - £35 per person per night PLUS free bottle of sparkling Cornish wine for 2 nights or more
Set in the Fowey River Valley this beautiful B&B has availability for the Valentine’s weekend. Enjoy a spa bath and a veranda with stunning views. The owners have installed renewable energy throughout, including solar panels and ground sourcing heating. Traditional building methods have been used to renovate the barns with lime mortar and local lambs’ wool to insulate the oak panelled walls. Read how one lucky couple recently got engaged here:

“Getting engaged was definitely the highlight of the week but, related to the location, there were also loads of exciting and memorable moments. Beautiful, peaceful surroundings; playing cards on the hairy rug in front of the wood-burning stove; local walks; visiting the Lost Gardens of Heligan; a delicious meal at Tiffins in Fowey; playing in rock pools on the beach; bathing together in the huge jacuzzi bath with candles and locally produced champagne; getting muddy on the walk to Golant. Oh, and a particular highlight was the welcome we received from Carrie and Colin. They bent over backwards to make sure we had everything we could possibly want, including maps, guide books and a lift to and from Fowey in the evening. Colin and Carrie both spoke with passion about the building and the renovations, and the way that it was managed with minimal impact on the environment.” Sophie – December 2008

Nine day Petra and Wadi Rum tour - £1030 per person, including flights and transfers plus special £50 discount - departs 14 Feb
Float in the saline waters of the Dead Sea, visit the ancient Nabatean city of Petra with the impressive buildings hewn out of solid pink rock and then head deep into the wild desert and towering cliffs of Wadi Rum. In true desert fashion you spend the night under the stars in a Bedouin style tent before travelling on to the Red Sea.

Dordogne self-catering cosy fisherman’s cabin - £325 for three nights
Nothing could be more romantic than spending a weekend tucked up with your Valentine in this cosy fisherman's cabin. Wake up in the peaceful lakeside setting with nature all around you. Hop on a tandem bike together and cycle off to the village for warm croissants, then snuggle up next to the woodburner and enjoy the complimentary St Valentine's hamper full of delicious local produce. Price from 13th - 16th Feb. Includes tandem bike, St Valentine's hamper, fresh flowers and Champagne.

Thirteen day Atlas Mountains holiday - Kasbah trails - £749 per person including flights and transfers (PLUS additional £50 off per person for groups of 6-9 people and 1 person goes free for groups of 10 or more) - departs 14 Feb
From the modern powerhouse of Casablanca and capital Rabat you head to the cities of the past, imperial Meknes and medieval Fez. You’ll visit the pilgrimage site of Moulay Idriss and Roman ruins at Volubilis before heading into the Sahara Desert. Trek with camels and sleep in an atmospheric Bedouin camp. You strike west via the towering Todra Gorge to the Valley of the Roses where you’ll stay for two nights in a Berber village giving you the chance to take day walks in the Atlas Mountains. Finish up in exotic Marrakech with its vibrant souks and then relax in the old Atlantic coast town of Essaouira.

Introduction to Winter Skills - from £528 (7 days) - departs 14 Feb
Experience Scotland's Cairngorm Mountains at their finest - in winter. This is a course for those wishing to learn how to use crampons, ice axes etc, who have little or no mountain navigation experience. Learn how to recognise different types of snow and how to cross snow slopes safely and efficiently. The course begins with an introduction to suitable equipment and then takes the form of five practical days on the hill.

All holidays are subject to availability.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, responsibletravel.com will be launching a wedding gift list service for fans of its holidays. See responsibletravel.com/HoneyMoonGiftList for more information.

Notes to editors

About responsibletravel.com:
responsibletravel.com is the world's leading online ethical travel company, selling over 3,000 holidays from over 270 specialist operators and 550 accommodations. All the holidays meet specific responsible tourism guidelines and aim to create better places for people to live and to visit. Launched in 2001 with backing from Dame Anita Roddick, the website is for travellers who want more real and authentic holidays that also benefit the environment and local people. The organisation - based in Brighton, England - also campaigns for positive change in the travel and tourism industry.

Contact:
Krissy Pentland
press@responsibletravel.com
07717 348 368