It seems like just a few days ago we welcomed in the New Year, yet already we’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day hotel deals. 2012 will be over in a blink, so if you want to create fond memories to last the entire year, consider one of these five romantic getaways.

Milliken Creek Inn & Spa

Heart of Napa Authentic Trio at the Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, Napa Valley

Wine, chocolates, spa treatment—the holiday package from this 12-room luxury boutique property in Napa Valley has it all. Even better: it’s good weekends from Feb. 1 through July 31, 2012. The Milliken Creek package starts at $640 per night for two guests and includes a two-night stay, a five-hour luxury vehicle wine tour provided by Peralta Luxury Tours, gourmet boxed lunch and wine tasting at Crocker & Starr winery, cave tour and tasting at Keever Vineyards, barrel tasting at Fontanella Family Winery, 90-minute chocolate decadence couples spa treatment, and romantic turndown including rose petals, chocolate-covered strawberries and Champagne. Visit www.MillikenCreekInn.com or call 800-822-8418.

14 Days of Valentine’s at the Eventi Hotel, New York City

Can’t afford to splash “I love you” to your sweetheart on the monitor during a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden? Then this Valentine’s Day deal from Kimpton’s Eventi Hotel in New York City is just for you. In addition to a welcome bouquet of flowers and Champagne upon arrival, you’ll get a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries, dinner for two at Bar Basque or breakfast in bed, 14 percent off hotel spa treatments (trust me, they’re worth it—I stayed here the night before my wedding and had a fantastic facial and massage) and, here’s what you’ve been waiting for, a special Valentine’s Day message displayed on the HD-format LED screen located in the Big Screen Plaza next to the hotel. The package is available from Feb. 1 to 14, 2012, and rates start at $329 per night, depending on date and room type selected. Send monitor messages, up to 20 words, to info@bigscreenplaza.com by Feb. 1. Book online or call 866-996-8396 and mention the rate code LOVE.

Kimpton Hotels also is offering a Robe-mance special at participating hotels starting at $269 per night and includes two zebra- or leopard-print bathrobes (a $180 value) and a $25 food and beverage credit. Mention or enter ROBES in the rate-code box.

Pink Goes Green at the Shore Hotel, Santa Monica, California

Practical romantics will appreciate this beachside break from the eco-friendly Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, a newly built Silver LEED-registered property that uses local, sustainable, and recycled materials and products as much as possible. The Pink Goes Green package includes overnight accommodations, two bicycle rentals for use during your stay—ideal for morning or sunset rides along the beach, a bottle of organic Champagne or wine, a 60-minute couples massage at Tikkun Spa and a $50 credit to The Lobster Restaurant. Rates start at $469 per night. Call 310-458-1515 or visit www.shorehotel.com.

Hacienda San Angel

Sweetheart Serenade at the Hacienda San Angel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Add the warmth of Mexico to your relationship with a trip to Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast and a stay at the luxury boutique hotel Hacienda San Angel. Its Sweetheart Serenade Valentine’s Day package includes a three-night stay in a junior suite, private terrace dinner for two, private mariachi serenade on the terrace or from the cobblestone streets below, one in-suite massage per person and daily breakfast. The package is priced at $1,620 and is available for stays throughout the month of February. Call 877-815-6594 or visit www.haciendasanangel.com.

Valentine’s Day Package at the Rome Cavalieri in Rome, Italy

What could be more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day in one of the most romantic cities in the world—Rome? The overnight holiday package at the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria hotel, includes a padlock, and the hotel encourages couples to lock it to the lamppost at the Ponte Milvio bridge and throw the key into the Tiber River as a sign of their love. Even if you don’t go for romantic rituals, the hotel’s Valentine’s Day package also includes a bottle of Champagne and in-room chocolates, breakfast buffet and a three-course dinner for two at L’Uliveto restaurant, one Caribbean Moments spa package which includes use of the hydro-massage, saunas, Turkish bath, two St. Barth Harmony massages, two scrubs, two papaya facial masks and two cocktails at the Grand Spa Café. Rates start at 680 euros. Visit www.romecavalieri.com for more details.

Photos: Milliken Creek Inn & Spa, Hacienda San Angel

What at first might seem like a cheeky Valentine’s Day prank—a score for how likely it is a user will score on a date—is actually a new online tool that could help people make more appealing travel and entertainment plans.

Shagscore.com determines a user’s “shagability” by rating their restaurant, bar, nightclub and, yes, hotel selections to see whether their plans for their Valentine’s Day holiday, or any romantic date night, will measure up.

The site uses an algorithm to determine if plans will help a mate “get in the mood,” as well as if your shag places of choice will deliver a higher likelihood of a score. Selections are “carefully measured to give useful results including a range from Lone Ranger to Zen to Spooner.”

Shagscore.com is designed for both men and women.

The idea clearly came to the lead engineers of Shagscore after viewing the Austin Powers movie. Not surprisingly, none of the developers will share their personal scores.

Bloggers at TripHow and CollidingContinents have already discovered the new site, and for those who might be nervous about finding out their own Shagscore, there’s a video to help ease them into submission.

Yeah, baby!

Full disclosure: content used to provide Shagscores kindly provided by UpTake.

Related Posts

• Nightlife:  Put Your Shagscore to Good Use to Get Some Lovins
• Attractions:  Shagscore – is your Valentine’s Day Plan Romantic Enough?
• Beaches:  What is Your Shagability?
• Hotels:  Did You Pick the Right Hotel for Shagability on Valentine’s Day
• Lodging: Lodging Selection Partner for Valentine’s Day
• Restaurants:  Shagscore Baby! Don’t Make Plans Without It
• Video: Discover Your Shagscore
• Slideshare: Discover Your Shagscore

Consumers will be spending 5.7 percent more than last year on romantic getaways for Valentine’s Day in 2011, significantly improving upon 2009′s flat spending results, according to industry research firm IBISWorld.

Projected Valentine's Day spending

Travel is the third most popular spend category for Valentine’s Day, with $2.16 billion in projected spend for 11.6 percent of the total.

Consumers plan to spend the most on dining out, $8.83 billion, which accounts for nearly half (47.4 percent) of total spend, representing a 3.8 percent rise compared to last year. Candy at $2.59 billion (13.9 percent) comes second on the list. Flowers, jewelry, clothing and lingerie, and greeting cards comprise the remainder of the spending categories.

Total spending for Valentine’s Day this year is expected to reach $18.61 billion, a 5.8 percent increase over 2010.

Valentine's Day spending on spouses

According to another survey by the National Retail Federation, this is the first Valentine’s Day since 2008 where couples plan to spend more on each other than the year before. This year, couples will spend an average of $68.98 on their spouse or significant other, up from $63.34 last year.

It would have been a much bigger day for the travel and hospitality industries if Valentine’s Day hadn’t been on a Monday.

“Working consumers will not have the time to dine out nor find much of a reason to get dolled up on a Monday night,” said IBISWorld retail industry analyst Nikoleta Panteva. “Nevertheless, growth is expected for each of the popular Valentine’s Day categories this year, which is great news for retailers nationwide.”

For more information on Valentine’s Day spending by consumers, visit IBISWorld and NRF.

New York can be one of the most romantic cities in the world—think carriage rides through Central Park, the twinkling lights of the city from the top of the Empire State Building, orchestra seats for a Broadway show, dinner for two at one of the city’s famed restaurants and, of course, a visit to Tiffany & Co.

This year, one lucky winner will have a chance to wine and dine their significant other with just such a romantic Valentine’s Day weekend in New York, thanks to The Kimberly Hotel’s new social media contest, “Central to Your Heart.”

The deluxe package includes luxury accommodations for two during Valentine’s Day weekend (Feb. 11 to 13), along with champagne and chocolate upon arrival, a bed full of rose petals, complimentary roses sent to the luxury suite, access to The Kimberly’s concierge for the weekend to assist with dinner reservations and exploring the city, and complimentary breakfast at the hotel’s new rooftop bar, Upstairs, each morning.

Here’s how to enter:

Fans and followers are invited to share their stories and romantic memories from their favorite location on the Midtown hotel’s official Facebook page and on Twitter @kimberlyhotel. For inspiration, The Kimberly will post various iconic locations throughout New York City on Facebook, including such iconic spots as Central Park, The Empire State Building, Tiffany & Co, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and many more.

Hurry—all entries must be made by Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, with the lucky winner selected and announced on Feb. 4. May the best romantic storyteller win!