"Oh, you really don’t need to get me anything". Ah, that dreaded phrase... which universally translates to "you’d better get me something, and it had better be very, very good".
That special lady’s birthday is (all too) fast approaching and the pressure’s on. But what to get the girl who has everything, we hear you wail? Save yourself the worry, we’ve compiled a list of birthday ideas for her to guarantee a place in her good books. We know what you’re thinking, that she’s very particular and this list might not cut the mustard. From dinner at the top restaurant in town to a stay at the most coveted Plum Guide penthouse, we’ve cherry-picked the very best. That is our USP, after all.
Book a trip to Tel Aviv for some birthday sun
Tel Aviv white sandy beaches
Is the woman in your life somewhat of a sun worshipper? Then book a trip to Tel Aviv where you can soak in sun, sea, souks and...ok, a little overboard on the alliteration so let’s stop there. But you get where we’re going. Take her to Israel’s cosmopolitan hub to enjoy the perfect balance of daytime downtime and dancing the night away. She’ll love it.
Concrete Phenomenon, Plum Guide home in Tel Aviv
Plan a chic Los Angeles escape for the design darling
If she’s got every design-focused coffee table book under the sun and dreams of owning her very own Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair, let her play pretend for a while in Los Angeles, the land of Mid-century Modern. With its pavements of palm trees, Malibu beaches and high-end restaurants, the city makes for quite the birthday destination. (After all, if you can’t promise her the chair, then a birthday trip to an LA home which has one is <s>really, really cruel</s> the next best thing.)
The Golden Touch, Plum Guide home in Los Angeles
Treat the (shopping) addict with a trip to New York
So, she likes to shop? That’s an easy one. A trip to the Big Apple will prove to be a big win. Luckily for her (and unluckily for you) there are Plum Guide homes scattered around the best shopping neighbourhoods in the city, no matter whether she wants to head straight to the iconic Fifth Avenue or to the slick new Hudson Yards development instead.
Times Square, Manhattan New York
Bowie & Friends, Plum Guide home in New York
Find the finicky foodie's favourites in Paris
If the birthday lady has a penchant for haute cuisine, then opt for a trip to the French capital. Food and France go together like comté and a fresh baguette, so it should come as no surprise that it’s home to some of the world’s very best eating establishments. From a three-Michelin star dinner of a lifetime at L’Ambroisie to 100%-worth-the-queue falafel from the Marais’ legendary L’as du Fallafel, Paris is the city to celebrate (read: eat) in style. A fine choice of birthday ideas for her.
The Aesthete, Plum Guide home in Paris
Let the social butterfly spread her wings in Madrid
She’s prone to a party most weekends, you say? Well, then, you’re going to have to throw an incredibly big one for her birthday… or you could take her to Madrid instead. Spain is known for its laid-back but party ready lifestyle, and there’s no better place to get a sense of this spirit than within its vibrant capital city. From Malasana to La Latina, Madrid’s bars spill out onto the street until the early hours of the morning serving what can only be described as fish bowls of gin and tonic. (Oh, and there are plenty of world-class nightclubs too...but we’ll let you choose whether or not to tell her that.)
Madrid Skyline
Don’t panic if these birthday ideas for her aren’t quite up to scratch. Plum Guide is home to the world’s best vacation homes – honestly, we pay independent home critics to meticulously inspect every one of them for you, so you’re sure to find somewhere that suits the special lady in our collection of the world’s best rental homes.
