Dates, Dishes and Destinations: 2015 Valentine's Day Picks

Hotels.com asks Canadians for their Valentine's Day preferences

TORONTO, Feb. 2, 2015 /CNW/ - It's almost here, the time of year when couples can throw their love, without judgment, in the faces of singles around the world. But love is an interesting thing, it can be fickle and it can change each year. The travel experts at Hotels.com™ asked Canadians across the country for their thoughts on dream dates, dishes and, of course, destinations for Valentine's Day.

Dream Date Companion: When it came to who Canucks would want to spend Valentine's Day with, celebrities known for their low key lifestyle and friendly nature came out on top.

• Sexiest male Canadian celebrity went to new father, Ryan Gosling (35 per cent), followed by Ryan Reynolds at 31 per cent.
• Sexiest female Canadian celebrity was taken by Las Vegas' latest country crooner, Shania Twain (39 per cent). Rachel McAdams took the second spot at 34 per cent.

Dream Date Activity: Although options included hotel hot tubs, candlelit restaurant dinners, or busy nights with family and friends, most Canadians chose to relax in the privacy of their homes.

• 34 per cent of respondents chose a home-cooked meal and a movie at home making it the number one choice with a candlelit dinner at a restaurant taking the second spot at 26 per cent.

What about Food? Even with a mouth-watering, cross-country selection that included steamies and poutine in Montreal, wild salmon in Vancouver, lobster and potatoes in Charlottetown, burger and microbrew in Toronto, Canadians weren't able to resist the allure of Alberta's beef.

• AAA Alberta steak in Calgary was the most popular option with 30 percent of votes. Wild salmon was second at 22 per cent, followed closely by lobster and potatoes at 21 per cent.

Valentine's Day Proposals: It may seem cliché, but according to a survey on spending and trends by AMEX six million Americans expect proposals on February 14^th, so it's safe to assume Canadians are getting down on bended knee on Valentine's Day as well. But which city had the preferred backdrop: Toronto, Halifax, Montreal, Whistler or Lake Louise?

• Alberta took top honours again, with Lake Louise in Banff getting a staggering 40 per cent of votes. This was followed, not so closely, by the Old Port in Montreal (18 per cent) and the Toronto skyline (16 per cent).

Who wins in romance? Although Paris, France is often associated with romance and love, French Canadians weren't aligned. When asked who was more romantic, English or French Canadians, English Canadians stole the kiss with 59 per cent of votes.

Long term commitment: With so many beautiful cities in Canada, the idea of living in just one can be a challenging notion. The options are endless, but when asked to choose one city to spend their entire lives in, Vancouver came on top with 35 per cent of votes, followed by Toronto (24 per cent) and Montreal (17 per cent).

Living the single life: Of course, not all Canadians are in relationships so how would unattached singles celebrate Valentine's Day if they had the chance for a last-minute trip away?

• Hitting a warm beach in Mexico was the most popular option with 39 per cent of votes.
• Staying at home came in distant second at 20 per cent.
• Climbing Machu Pichu in Peru or a solo, but romantic, trip to Paris tied for third place.

There are great deals to be had in all of Canadians' favourite cities for a sweetheart of a weekend, or give the gift of future travel to a loved on this Valentine's Day with a Hotels.com gift card. Stay tuned to @hotelsdotcomca for treats from Hotels.com in the cities our experts love with #Citieswelove.

About Hotels.com
Hotels.com, L.P. operates Hotels.com (also known in Canada as Hotels.ca), a leading online accommodation booking website with over 365,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals.

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SOURCE Hotels.com

Image with caption: "Lake Louise was chosen as the ideal proposal backdrop, trumping both Old Montreal and Halifax Harbour (CNW Group/Hotels.com)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150202_C8617_PHOTO_EN_11663.jpg

Press Contacts: Lauren Wasley, energiPR for Hotels.com, Phone: [phone] x 19, Email: [email protected], @energiPR; Taylor L. Cole, APR, Hotels.com North America, Phone: [phone], Email: [email protected], @TravelwithTLC