The Simple Formula For The Perfect Long Weekend Is ...

C x R x Zz / (Tt + D) x St + (P x Pr) > 400 As the weekend bank holiday is upon us, we will all be hoping for one last break before the autumn sets in - especially if we have decided to go abroad. But what makes the perfect long weekend? Look no further: Hotels.com, working with Cardiff University lecturer in the psychology of happiness, Dr. Cliff Arnall, have come up with a formula for the perfect long weekend. Put the number of hours you plan taking in the culture, relaxing, sleeping, travelling, packing and preparing on your weekend into the equation above. If the resulting number is higher than 400, you are guaranteed a perfect break. Based on the fact that a long weekend is 72 hours long - and with additional packing and preparation time a consideration - the breakdown below will guide you on how to make the most of your break: 1. Travel time should make up no more than 10% of your trip, which is 7 hours in total (Tt). Ideally, you won't encounter and Delays (D) which would be added to travel time 2. Culture and relaxing should make up for 60% of your weekend, which includes 14 hours of culture (C) (going to museums and local sights etc) and 28 hours relaxing (R) (spa treatments and reading etc.)

Don't forget those all important hours for sleep (Zz) - at least 25% of your time (20 hours in total) should be set aside for beauty sleep and to ensure you come back feeling rejuvenated after your break 3. If there has to be any stress to your holiday, keep it to a minimum and ensure it is no more than 3 hours in total, which is 5% of your weekend! (St) The more time spent stressing the less time there is for enjoying yourself 4. Finally, don't forget that packing and preparation is critical for a weekend's success, so make sure you spend around 3.5 hours packing (P) and 7.5 hours preparing for your trip (PR) which includes everything from chatting to friends about where to go to researching options on the internet - that way you will be sure that everything will run as smoothly as possible According to Hotels.com spokesperson, Alison Couper: "The key to any long weekend is organisation. We have all experienced going on a mini-break only to discover that we forgot to pack the all-essential item or to check the weather forecast. "The benefits of a well-organised trip are in the mini-break itself. When planning a weekend, it is essential that no time is wasted when you get to your destination and that stress is minimised wherever possible. "We find that the top three things our customers are looking for when finding the right hotel are choice, speed and good deals. Staying at the right hotel is a key part of your long weekend, so make sure you book using an expert site like Hotels.com" Dr. Cliff Arnall has some advice for those considering a break away this weekend: "If your trip is booked, all you have to do now is sit back and hope it all pans out as you had originally intended. "Try to strike the right balance when you get to your destination between stimulation and relaxation to ensure you make the most of your trip. Through my research into what makes people happy, the formula above is a good guide to make sure you don't come back to work on Tuesday needing another break. "The key thing to remember is that the more time spent on travelling and being stressed, the less time there is to enjoy the culture and relax, which is more often than not the reasons we choose to go away in the first place." - ends - Contact: For more information, please contact the Hotels.com team: Natasha.grant@77pr.co.uk 020 7492 0901 james.gm@77pr.co.uk, 020 7492 0902 Ruth.allchurch@77pr.co.uk 020 7492 0903 a-acouper@expedia.com on 0207 019 2360 About Hotels.com www.hotels.com is the world's most visited hotels bookings site and the global hotels specialist. Operating in all major markets with dedicated staff, www.hotels.com is able to offer the widest range of quality hotels backed by impartial advice. www.hotels.com guarantees the best price in over 17,000 hotels and travellers can book online or by contacting one of our multi-lingual call centres on 0800 169 9417. About Dr Cliff Arnall Dr. Cliff Arnall is a part-time lecturer in psychology at the University of Cardiff. He specialises in the study of the psychology of confidence and happiness. He runs courses in leading a happier life across the UK. He trained at Reading University and also works with the Universities of London, Birmingham and Bangor.