Less than a tenner and still romantic: The Dutchman is a ‘budget romantic’

Dutch hotel guests are ditching the traditional bunch of flowers this year, opting en masse for the ‘Instagram-friendly’ romance of loose rose petals. From recent data from booking platform HotelSpecials turns out that we do want the luxury ambience in 2026, but at a competitive price.

With Valentine's Day approaching, the figures show a clear shift in our romantic behaviour. While inflation has driven up prices, the need for a getaway remains undiminished. However, the way we express that love at the hotel is changing dramatically: the classic bunch of flowers in the room (average €26) is being completely overtaken by cheaper alternatives with a higher visual impact.

The ‘Instagram factor’ rules

The absolute winner in the survey are rose petals on the bed. With an average price of €9.65, they are almost three times cheaper than a bouquet, but they are 10 times more popular. Besides rose petals, chocolates (€11.33) and the romantic total package with bubbles (€22.84) are also immensely popular.

“Guests today are looking for the ultimate visual experience for their social media, but staying on budget while doing so,” suggests HotelSpecials. “Rose petals offer exactly that luxurious look for less than a tenner. It's the ‘low-cost, high-impact’ solution for the modern romantic.”

2026: Quality over quantity

As Valentine's Day falls on a Saturday this year, a notable trend break is visible. The ‘one-night booking’ has almost completely disappeared, guests are immediately making a full weekend of it.

Cities and planning

The Dutchman remains a true last-minute planner; the booking peak for valentine's extras traditionally starts exactly two weeks before 14 February. Interestingly, the popularity of cities is shifting. Whereas Leiden and Haarlem still scored high in 2025, Utrecht leads the list this year, closely followed by Rotterdam and Antwerp.

Key figures Valentine 2026:

• Most popular extra: Rose petals
• Biggest faller: Flower bouquets
• Average price extra: Between €9.50 and €23
• Booking spike: From 1 February

In 2026, Dutch hotel guests will spend more on Valentine's Day, but expensive flowers? They draw the line at that. The preference is increasingly for affordable, visually appealing extras, such as rose petals on the bed, romantic, eye-catching and friendly on the wallet.