It's that time of year again where all the couples on instagram seem to compete for "most romantic Valentines Day" spent in luxurious destinations, with captions that adorns more hearts than a cardiac hospital and soppy messages that the rest of us just double tap without reading and scroll past. *Sigh*

Sounds pitiful right? Lol, JK. We're all lowkey jealous, let's be honest.

This month, The Capital Hotel & Apartments embraces the #LoveUnderLockdown so that no lockdown formed against us can prosper. You can book a romantic staycation and experience a uniquely amazing and luxurious Valentine's Day whilst still staying safe and making the most of some one-on-one time with your bae.

I was lucky enough to get to experience their romantic February package at The Capital Menlyn Maine in Pretoria and was absolutely blown away by what was probably the most spectacular Valentine's I've had ever. But don't take my word for it - check out the insanely beautiful set up!

BOOK YOUR VALENTINES DAY STAY HERE FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

THE VALENTINES DAY EXPERIENCE

I'm going to leave it to the saying "Pictures speak louder than words" (Or was it actions speak louder than words?) Either way, these pictures should sum up what the romantic experience at The Capital Menlyn Maine was all about.

The most common question I had when I initially posted about it on my Instagram was "What does the Valentines package include"?

At the Capital Menlyn Maine, it included welcome drinks on arrival and personalised check-in (They put up a sign that said "Welcome Asha" and I felt like a whole celebrity!), buffet breakfast for two, romantic turndown and a romantic dinner for 2.

The room had delicious treats like chocolate covered strawberries, chocolates galore, heart shape sweets and marshmallows surrounded by and beautifully decorated with rose petals. There were rose petals in the shape of a heart on the bed together with a stunning bouquet of roses and bath gowns all adorned in fairy lights. The bathroom and bedroom was decorated all round with candles and in the bathroom was a pamper package filled with bath salts, bath bombs and other goodies to have a luxurious bath time. The bath was also covered in beautiful rose petals. (They get 10/10 for effort!)

THE CAPITAL MENLYN MAINE HOTEL REVIEW - PENTHOUSE APARTMENT

I stayed in the gorgeous corner penthouse apartment on the top floor and that apartment deserves a section of its own. First of all, it's absolutely HUGE as you'll see in the pictures. And yet every little detail comes together so perfectly (Can someone get me in touch with their interior designer - no, I'm serious, what's their number, I need to call them up real quick for some tips).

The apartment is open plan, with a huge kitchen filled with all the appliances that you could possibly need, together with a dining room that has a huge 8 seater table to entertain, a guest bathroom when you first enter, and a lounge surrounded by massive windows that give you the best view of the Menlyn area that you could possibly get.

The bedroom has the most comfortable king size bed adorned with that extra cozy white bedding you only get at hotels. The room has a passageway with meters of cupboard space that could probably hold my enter wardrobe (and then some), leading to the bathroom. The bathroom is extra spacious with 2 sinks, a huge bathroom and a big open shower. But again, don't take my word for it. A picture says 1000 words.

FACILITIES AT THE CAPITAL MENLYN MAINE

Before even mentioning the onsite facilities, I have to mention the most important thing when it comes to choosing a hotel - LOCATION. The hotel is conveniently located right next to Menlyn Maine Central Square, an upmarket shopping centre with an artistic and industrial-chic feel. You can walk right out of the hotel and find cafes and restaurants surrounding beautiful artwork. Some of the restaurants literally right next to the hotel are Turn 'n Tender, Mythos, Starbucks, Old Town Italy and more.

Within the hotel you have a lovely pool on the second floor as well as conference rooms incase you need to have a meeting.

KOI RESTAURANT REVIEW

The breakfast and dinner that made up the Valentine's package were both at Koi, the hotel's onsite restaurant.

Koi restaurant in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria

Koi is an Asian restaurant, with the dinner crowd being a mixture of hotel guests and the general public. They have a delicious selection of sushi, dim sum and other Asian favourites. I opted for the Seared Salmon (With sweet teriyaki, tempura and lime, served with wasabi mash) while my partner ordered the Red Thai Chicken Curry (With broccoli, beans, and baby corn served with sweet rice). For drinks we both indulged in mocktails (Hello adjusted level 3 alcohol ban).

For breakfast you can either enjoy it as part of the buffet in the restaurant or you can request breakfast in your room. I stayed for 2 nights and on the first day took breakfast in the room while on the second day checked out the buffet.