At Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates in London, the store offers different flavors every week.

If you think a box of chocolates is a bland Valentine’s cliché, then you’re not shopping at the right places. Chocolatiers have elevated the sweets into an art form and are opening appealing shops that cater to both locals and tourists.

Slideshow: See the mouth-watering treats

The finest new truffles and bonbons often reflect local tastes and unexpected pairings. Consider the white peach and apricot caramel chocolates sold in Mexico City’s artsy Condesa neighborhood or the Blanc de Noir ganache covered in gold dust available at a Basel shop also known for its wine tastings. These bite-size treats are an easy, affordable luxury — a satisfying treat in the moment and a souvenir to savor long after your travels.

For years, the big news in chocolate has been the bean-to-bar movement, a worthy farm-to-table-inspired trend that focused more on varietals and provenance than culinary-driven flavor combinations and artful presentations. But recently, truffles have come into focus. And indeed, one trend has flowed into the next, with careful sourcing and community involvement playing a large role for some recently opened chocolate shops.

In Berkeley, Calif.'s Elmwood district, for instance, it’s all about cocoa with a cause at Casa de Chocolates, a hacienda-inspired boutique slated to open in February 2012. Owners Amelia Garcia and Arcelia Gallardo are sourcing their beans from various South American communities, and their plan is to launch a nonprofit organization to give back to the farmers who cultivate the shop’s cacao. Their beans go into creative flavors like dark chocolate with goat’s-milk caramel.

The market-driven tenets of farm-to-table cooking have also made their way into the chocolate lab. In London, Paul A. Young (who just released a beautiful cookbook for the chocolate-obsessed) focuses on hyper-seasonal flavors, with a selection that changes each week. Soma, Toronto’s favorite small-batch producer, has taken the approach in a different direction, opening a new factory-like space where customers can watch the bean-to-bonbon process happen before their eyes. And in Mexico City, local fruits like mango and passion fruit are put on display inside colorful chocolate shells at Tout Chocolat, a trendy new shop by a former NYC pastry chef.

Whether as souvenirs or exercises in virtual travel, these spots satisfy the urge to indulge, bridging a familiar medium with the essence of a destination — and what can be sweeter?

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The 650-square-foot VIP Spa Suite at Mandarin Oriental in New York City serves up views, a fireplace, deep soaking tub and dual massage beds.

A visit to a lavish spa suite can be an ideal gift for a holiday that celebrates love — especially if you bring along your significant other.

“Spa services are a very intimate and private experience,” says Lori Shubert, spa director at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pa. “When a couple comes in and shares these intimate moments together in a treatment, it brings them closer together and allows them to share a unique experience with each other that they cannot find elsewhere.  Afterwards, they have a fun and romantic memory to cherish.”

A trio of Nemacolin couples spa rooms feature an elegant waiting area with a copper-topped fireplace. Basic spa day packages start at $320 and go up to $540 for specialized services.

Today, high-end spas like Nemacolin consider it a must to offer a couple’s suite to accommodate lovers who enjoy an atmosphere that’s conducive to romance.

As high-end spas go, few are higher than the 35th floor of the Mandarin-Oriental in Manhattan. The VIP Spa Suite includes a private steam room, hot tub, fireplace and side-by-side massage beds. From  Feb. 11-14, the hotel is offering a $1,750 “Valentine’s Day Midnight Magic Over Manhattan” package from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Packages include lobster, champagne and caviar.

Spa director Heather Hannig says the elements combine to make the luxurious spa the place of frequent proposals.

“It’s very sweet,” she said. “We’re all in on it and do everything we can from sprinkling rose petals to preparing special dishes and surprises to make sure everything goes perfectly.”

A typical three-hour booking of the 650-square-foot VIP Spa Suite -- without the dining extras -- costs $1,500; a four-hour stay, $2,000.

“Some couples will book it for up to eight hours,” Hannig says. “We have lots of anniversaries with guest couples who just want to spend the whole time luxuriating in the romantic privacy.”

In Kohler, Wis., a luxurious couples spa at The American Club Resort is sure to make a splash. The spa features the Riverbath treatment followed by its signature 80-minute massage for two; $225 per person.

The Venetian’s Canyon Ranch Spa in Las Vegas gives guests more than romance. In a town famous for quickie weddings, the spa lets couples get hitched, Rasul-style. Rasul refers to an ancient Oriental pre-wedding night cleansing/purification ceremony complete with candles and rose-petal spreads.

Couples fingerpaint each another with purifying mud before ascending heated spa thrones to bask in the mud’s therapeutic effervescence. The Rasul treatment is $200 per couple.

Oh, and don't forget the chocolates.

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If Valentine’s Day is a holiday promoted by Hallmark to sell cards, the hotel industry is also doing its part to lure you into candlelit rooms with packages meant to turn up the heat. Even hotels in the Caribbean — at the height of high-season pricing — are piling up the added value and amorous amenities to compete for your business: Champagne, rose petal-dusted beds, a mixed tape, and even a bathtub full of jelly.

Kate Maxwell, editor-in-chief of Jetsetter.com, was on TODAY this morning with six amazing deals guaranteed to set your Valentine’s Day on fire — without burning a hole in your pocket.

The Place: COURTYARD KAUA’I ON COCONUT BEACH, HAWAII
The Package: “CELEBRATE LOVE”
The Details: Hawaii can be an expensive destination, but Jetsetter managed to find a Valentine’s Day package that says aloha to value and an ocean view. Starting at $199 per night (representing a nearly 60 percent discount) the package includes:
•    Accommodations for two in an ocean view room
•    Romantic beach picnic at sunset includes dinner for two with wine/champagne pairings
•    $50 spa credit to Pua Day Spa for couple’s massage
•    Mai-Tais at check-in
•    Early check-in and late departure
The Fine Print: Package is valid Feb. 7-21, 2012. Two night minimum required. Each additional night is priced at $99. Click here to book a visit.

The Place: HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS
The Package: MÖTLEY CRÜE ROCK RESIDENCY
The Details: If you’re too rock-n-roll for a traditional Valentine’s Day, head to Las Vegas where Mötley Crüe is holding court at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for two weeks. Guaranteed to “kickstart your heart,” this two-night package priced at $400 includes:
•    Two night accommodations
•    Two tickets to Mötley Crüe concert at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
•    $100 dining credit toward dinner at one of six yummy restaurants, including the new 35 Steaks & Martinis restaurant. 
The Fine Print:  Package is valid Feb. 14-16. To book, call 800-343-4346 and mention code: MCTODAY. For more information, click here.
 
The Place: FORTY 1° NORTH, NEWPORT, R.I.
The Package: “DO NOT DISTURB”
The Details: Forty 1° North Hotel offers a one-night package for the couple who prefers to close the door, flip the “Do Not Disturb” sign, and celebrate behind closed doors with Champagne and oysters. The nightly rate of $250 (savings of 40 percent) includes:
•    Overnight accommodations in a premium water view guest room
•    In-room oysters, John & Kira's chocolate fig collection
•    Bottle of Veuve Clicquot
•    Jellybath — a unique bath product that turns a simple bath into a healing, full body treatment. Once added to warm water, Jellybath becomes a translucent, fluffy jelly that retains its warmth four times longer than water — a virtual bath blanket.  
•    Malin+Goetz essentials
•    Late checkout
•    Custom romantic playlist on the in-room iPods.
The Fine Print: Offer valid Feb. 10th – 15th. To book, click here or call 401-846-8018 and ask for the “Do Not Disturb Package.”

The Place: THE VERANDA RESORT & RESIDENCES, TURKS & CAICOS
The Package: VALENTINE'S SPECIAL
The Details: There’s nothing sexy about having to pull out your credit card for every drink, snack and meal which is why the all-inclusive package from The Veranda Resort & Residence on Turks & Caicos is a great deal.  Leave your wallet in the room, because almost everything is included in the price. The three-night Valentine’s Day special costs $2,000 (reflecting a 30 percent discount) and includes:
•    Three-night accommodations in garden view one-bedroom suite
•    All meals & beverages (including premium alcohol)
•    One breakfast in bed
•    Bottle of Pink Champagne upon arrival
•    Roundtrip airport transfers
•    Complimentary WiFi and international telephone calls
The Fine Print: Package available Feb. 11 – Feb. 19, 2012. Price based on double occupancy. To book, click here or call 877-945-5757.

The Place: WYNDHAM RIO MAR BEACH RESORT & SPA, PUERTO RICO
The Package: “PURE ROMANCE”
The Details: Welcome to Puerto Rico, where sandy beaches await and the average temperature in February ranges between 82 and 86 degrees. The Wyndham’s “Pure Romance” package offers a $25 discount on the room, plus over $600 in added value, including an adventure excursion and a romantic dinner for two. The package starts at $1,655 and includes:
•    4 night accommodations
•    Champagne and votive candles in room upon arrival
•    One afternoon picnic in the oceanfront garden
•    Choice of one adventure outing (Bio Bay kayaking tour, catamaran and snorkeling jaunt, ATV rainforest excursion or the zip line experience)
•    One dinner for two with a bottle of wine at Palio
•    Daily breakfast
•    One 20 percent off Mandara Spa services
•    Daily romantic turndown service including rose petals
The Fine Print: “Pure Romance” is available for booking through April 8th, 2012. Each additional night (5th, 6th, 7th, etc.) is priced at $239. To book, click here or call 800-474-6627. Promo code: PKGROMA

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