Whisking your loved one away for a weekend break has been revealed today as the most romantic gesture of all time.
In the run-up to St Valentine's Day, those still wondering what to do for their loved ones should be booking the next Eurostar ticket to Paris as a poll of over 5,000 members of website Friends Reunited revealed that 26% consider the weekend break more romantic than any other gesture, ahead of old favourites of buying flowers, chocolate and jewellery.
The poll puts bumbling Brit actor Hugh Grant in the minority with his recent claim that he's, 'not the romantic type'. It would seem most Brits are quite the opposite; never mind the civilised, romantic meal for two, hot blooded British lovers like nothing more than the dirty weekend away to woo their lover.
In second place was arranging a cosy night in for two (21%), followed closely by taking your partner to see a beautiful sunrise or sunset (18.5%) and saying, 'I Love you', with 18% of the votes.
Men are more keen to impress their lady by taking her to dinner, with 14% choosing this gesture compared to just 5% of women. The ladies prefer a quiet night in just for two with a fifth opting for this on Valentine's night compared to 17% of men.
Serenading your partner on the doorstep is considered a romance faux-pas with less than 1% of the overall vote. Saying 'I love you' gets more important with age, with almost half of respondents aged 55 or over choosing it as their most romantic gesture. The same was true for only a fifth of those aged 18-25.
Jon Clark, head of Friends Reunited, said, "Old fashioned romance isn't dead as many would presume. Although chocolates and a romantic meal for two are still popular, nothing beats the excitement of being whisked off on a weekend away".
Simon Montague of Eurostar said, "The survey shows in today's busy world how much couples value time spent dedicated to each other, away from their normal routines. The gift of a weekend break is a very special, thoughtful and quite a bold statement of love".
What's the most romantic gesture of all time? (overall ratings)
| Whisking your loved one away for a weekend break | 26% |
| Arranging a cosy night in for two | 21% |
| Taking your partner to see a beautiful sunrise/sunset | 18.5% |
| Saying 'I love you' | 18% |
| A romantic meal at a restaurant | 8% |
| Buying flowers | 6% |
| Buying chocolates | 2% |
| Serenading on the doorstep | 0.5% |
Friends Reunited was launched in July 2000 as a back bedroom hobby. A combination of word of mouth and immense media attention has propelled the site to phenomenon status, expanding beyond the school friends proposition to include workplaces, teams/clubs and streets. Friends Reunited has touched many thousands of lives, reuniting friends and family around the globe.
For more information contact Victoria Reed on: 01883 717468 / 07739 560830 or email press@friendsreunited.co.uk