From adventure-seekers to sophisticated socialites, experience gifts have got everyone covered, with a wide range of activities available for booking in 2019.
Hot air balloon ride
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Hot air balloon rides remain one of the most memorable experiences money can buy. Soaring thousands of feet into the air, Red Letter Day’s range of hot air balloon excursions gives passengers “the chance to enjoy unparalleled views of the countryside below”.
With locations available from the tip of Scotland to the coves of Cornwall, a Red Letter Day hot air balloon ride can be catered meticulously to your every need, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience.
Hot air ballooning, from £129, redletterdays.co.uk
Drive an F1 car in Monte Carlo
“What really matters here is what happens behind the wheel,” said The Guardian before this year’s Monaco Grand Prix. “Monaco is still the drivers’ race.”
Virgin Experiences is tapping into this special venue with a remarkable itinerary for racing fans. They spend two days being professionally trained to drive a Formula 3 and later a Formula 1 car surrounded by the glitz and glam of Monte Carlo. The price tag may be a little eye-watering, but then so is the experience.
Monte Carlo F1 Driving Experience, £3,299, virginexperiencedays.co.uk
Stargazing in Wales
“The Brecon Beacons are a great place to spot major constellations and even meteor showers,” says The Independent.
Dark Sky Wales knows this only too well and can lay on a private couples’ stargazing experience, with transport, telescope and a private guide with a wealth of knowledge of the night sky.
Private Couples Stargazing Experience In Wales, £225, notonthehighstreet.com
Spa and stay at Coworth Park, Berkshire
An idyllic five-star country house hotel in picturesque Ascot, just a short journey from London. For a weekend that will leave you and your special guest feeling as good on the inside as the out, spend a leisurely day at the spa and its accompanying restaurant.
Enjoy a pampering day of facials, manicures and massages before catching up over a healthy, yet indulgent, meal at the Spatisserie.
Coworth Park Hotel Spa and Stay, from £559 per night, dorchestercollection.com
Overnight stay at Solent Forts
For an overnight getaway of opulent luxury with a serious historic twist, treat your nearest and dearest to a night on one of Solent Forts’ remarkable converted hotels off the coast of Portsmouth.
Completed in 1878, these military stone forts have been transformed into some of the most unlikely luxury hotel sites in the UK, complete with lavish sleeping quarters, an open-air heated pool and sun deck. Also available is gin tasting, campfire roasting or even a ride in a 50mph boat.
Solent Forts, from £499 per night for two people, solentforts.com
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
September 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Friday’s political cartoons include the GOP and Donald Trump with a Jeffrey Epstein problem and diseases flocking to Florida
-
Quit-smoking ads are being put outUnder the radar The dissolution of a government-funded campaign could lead to more smokers in the future
-
Japan meets Italy at The Bulgari Hotel in TokyoThe Week Recommends Experience the peak of hospitality in an exclusive high-rise hotel in the heart of Tokyo
-
A guide to Budapest's healing thermal bathsThe Week Recommends There's a reason why it's called the City of Spas
-
Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa: a tranquil haven in SardiniaThe Week Recommends This family-friendly resort is steps from the sea and boasts a well-equipped kids' club
-
Fowlescombe Farm: a luxurious retreat rooted in natureThe Week Recommends This historic working farm in south Devon is the perfect place to get back to basics
-
Bellagio: glitz and glamour on the Las Vegas StripThe Week Recommends Find la dolce vita in the Nevada desert at this luxurious hotel
-
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa: beachfront paradise in ThailandThe Week Recommends This luxury resort in Phang Nga is the perfect place to relax and unwind
-
Hotel La Duna Bianca: all-inclusive indulgence in northern SardiniaThe Week Recommends Set among the sand dunes of Badesi, this sprawling retreat is less a resort and more a self-contained luxury village
-
Pine Trees Hotel: a tranquil hideaway in PerthshireThe Week Recommends This boutique bolthole is set amid spectacular scenery in the heart of the Scottish Highlands
