• Single summers to settled winters – 43%* of Brits admit to having a great single summer, but are ready to find a partner for winter
• Revealing retreats - nearly half of Brits (45%) think that a romantic holiday is the perfect opportunity to see what someone is really like
• Try before you buy – Hotels.com is giving five couples the chance to test run their new relationship with a romantic countryside retreat. TV stars Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott are playing hotel matchmakers, and will pair each couple with their perfect somewhere, just enter here**
• Stay together and get rewarded – If the cuffing couples make it through Valentine's Day, Hotels.com will reward them with another romantic night away to celebrate

LONDON – As summer ends and the shorter days and colder months roll in, it can only mean one thing … it's 'Cuffing Season'. New research from Hotels.com® has found that 43%* of Brits admitted to having a great single summer but are now ready to find another half to hunker down with for the colder months.

Before committing to a winter of hibernation with someone else, Brits like to spend up to 20 days testing out the relationship, with a third saying a night away together is the best way to learn more about a new partner. So, Hotels.com is helping out this winter, by giving five couples the chance to test run their relationship with a romantic countryside stay at some of the UK's most stunning, luxury hotels.

Seasonal singles

The need to have someone to cuddle (25%), have nights in with (21%), and just because it feels more romantic to be coupled up in winter (20%) are the top reasons why Brits start cuffing new baes for Winter. A sneaky 19% are serious forward planners and are ensuring they have a partner for Valentine's Day.

“Cuffing season is the time where single people begin looking for short term 'situationships' to pass the colder months of the year,” said Emma Tagg, spokesperson for Hotels.com. “One in four Brits admit to having had a seasonal partner before and surprisingly, 35% say they have agreed in advance when they would break up with their seasonal other half.”

TV Stars Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott are matchmaking new couples with their perfect break. They'll use Hotels.com to match couples with their perfect somewhere, whether that is fine dining in Devon or a spa in Suffolk. To enter, couples just need to submit the top three things they like to do together on holiday. The chosen couples will win a gift card to enjoy a night away together. They will also be upgraded to Gold membership on Hotels.com Rewards, so they can enjoy perks on future stay, and if they are still together by Valentine's Day, Hotels.com will reward them with another free hotel stay to celebrate.

Zara said, “New relationships are exciting at any time of year, but there is so much that's great about coupling up over the winter season. You can snuggle on the sofa, go on romantic walks and weekends away, the list is endless.  We love a movie night in when it's cold outside, where you can get cosy in front of the fire – although Sam still loves an ice cream, even in winter!”

Sam continued, “Surprisingly, 60 per cent have never been on a couple's holiday before, and what better time to try it out for the first time, than a free romantic countryside break. Hotels.com is giving five new couples the chance to be matched with their perfect somewhere to test out their blossoming romance, simply enter here. It's time to get cuffing people!”

The perfect break

It turns out that the dream couple's holiday is a romantic getaway in the British countryside, coming in above the likes of a 5* luxury stay, a European break and a spa trip, with the top UK destinations being the Lake District, London, Cambridge, the Cotswolds, and Cornwall.

For that romantic countryside couples escape, try out any of the perfect matches below, all on Hotels.com and all perfect for cuffing couples.

Great Fosters, Surrey 

Perfect for relaxed wanderers

If you are looking for a country break just outside London, then Great Fosters is top of the list. With stunning grounds and gardens, you can get lost exploring the beautiful surroundings. Nothing like a crips Autumnal wander to ramp up the romance. 
Rooms from £223 per night1

Chewton Glen, Hampshire

Perfect for adventure lovers 

Escape to the country and get back to nature at Chewton Glen. Not only are there walks and trails nearby, but you can take a walk on the wild side and stay in one of their famous treehouses. If it's date night in the sky you are looking for, then look no further. 
Rooms from £455 per night1

Swinton Park, Yorkshire 

Perfect for foodies 

If you are a couple that travel based on where you can find the best food, then Swinton Park is perfect for you. With two restaurants on site, you can be wined and dined in the most relaxing countryside setting. There is even a cookery school available if you fancy a couple's activity during your stay. 
Rooms available from £245 per night1

Coworth Park, Berkshire

Perfect for the active couple 

If you are less about lounging around a pool, and more of a 'get up and go' pair, then Coworth Park, will have endless activities to keep you entertained. With 240 acres of land you can explore the gardens, meadow, outdoor kitchen, lake and even go for a horse ride. There are bikes to use and trails to walk, there really is something for everyone. 
Rooms from £600 per night1

Carden Park, Hampshire

Perfect for spa lovers 

For all the pamper loving pairs out there, Carden Park is a dream come true. With a full-service spa set in stunning surrounding gardens, it is the ultimate serene stay. Enjoy the panoramic sauna, thermal garden pods and outdoor vitality pool all year round. Time to get your pamper on!
Rooms from £159 per night1

ENDS

Notes to Editors

*Research conducted by One Poll from 08.09.2022 – 16.09.2022 on 2,000 UK adults who are either single or in a new relationship. New relationship defined as anything under six months

**To enter the competition, you must submit three things you would like to do on holiday with your partner. Winners will get a Hotels.com gift card worth £1,000 which they can use to book any hotel of their choice. You must also be over 18 and be a Hotels.com member. Prize draw begins at 00.01 on 11th October 2022 and ends at 23.59 on 31st October 2022 BST. To enter and read the full terms and conditions, please visit hotels.com/cuffingseason

1Prices based on a standard double room. Please check latest hotel pricing options

About Hotels.com® (or Hotels.com™)
Hotels.com makes it easy to find your perfect somewhere with hundreds of thousands of places to stay around the world. So, whether you're looking for value in Vegas, treehouses in Thailand or villas with views, it's all just a click away. And with our "Reward-winning" loyalty program you earn Rewards Nights* while you sleep…what could be better? Booking just got smarter too. With over 25 million real guest reviews and an app so easy to use that it's been downloaded 70 million times, you can be sure to find the perfect place for you.

*Exclusions apply. Reward night worth average price of previous 10. Taxes/fees payable on each Reward Night redeemed. See T&Cs.

© 2022 Hotels.com, LP, an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Hotels.com and the Hotels.com logo are trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. CST# 2083949-50

DISCLAIMER: Please check latest hotel and amenity opening times at Hotels.com®

# # #

Follow Hotels.com on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.