Freshly-laundered bedsheets, a long soak in the bath and a takeaway have emerged among a list of life’s ‘little luxuries’, according to a study.
Researchers also found most Brits consider a posh loaf of bread, a cosy night in and a decent cup of tea made by someone else to be a special treat.
Escaping the office half an hour early, skipping an ad on YouTube and an extra shot in coffee are also guaranteed ways to give yourself a much-needed boost.
Even with all manner of high-tech gadgets on the top 50 list, nearly one in four Brits would prefer to get stuck into a good book or enjoy a luxurious dip in the bath over more lavish treats.
Worryingly, one in six claimed to never indulge in ‘extravagant luxuries’.
Tim Davis, VP of Brand and Marketing at Small Luxury Hotels of the World, said he thinks we should spend more time on little luxuries.
Filip Boyen, CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, who commissioned the study, said:
In this cash-rich, time-poor world we now live in, it makes sense that people’s ultimate luxury is less materialistic and more experiential, placing value in the opportunity to stop, switch off and relax.
With the New Year upon us, 2018 should be the year we treat ourselves to the small luxuries and invest in the time to treat ourselves, wherever we are.
The survey also found men are most likely to opt for a quiet night in, an extra shot in their coffee and a screening of their favourite film on TV when they need to indulge.
Women prefer a trip to the theatre, receiving a fresh bouquet of flowers and a catch-up with friends over lunch.
Despite these basic tastes, 46 per cent of those surveyed also admitted they crave a more luxurious lifestyle than the one they currently have.
Of those who are currently in a relationship, two thirds said their partner treats them to enough of their favourite small luxuries, though smitten husbands and boyfriends are more likely to be satisfied than their other halves.
Seventy-one per cent of men in relationships said their partners treat them like kings, compared to 64 per cent of women who regularly receive the royal treatment, according to the OnePoll.com study.
Still, if couples found they were owed a treat from their partner, they would be most likely to choose a night out on the tiles together over a romantic massage or an offer to do the dishes.
If money were no object, with all the world’s luxuries open to them, 28 per cent would go on their dream holiday and one fifth would take a trip around the world.
Filip Boyen added:
The research proves just how far the sentiment of luxury has come over the 27 years we’ve been in business.
Our small hotels know that it’s the thoughtful gestures that count and make a guest’s stay really special, as well as providing a culturally relevant setting in which people can take a step back and enjoy life’s small luxuries.
Among the top 50 little luxuries included quilted toilet paper, breakfast in bed, hitting snooze on your alarm, finding a plug socket on the train and receiving unexpected 4G data.
Others prefer a hand-written letter and a good book.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.