The 50 best little luxuries in life that we often take for granted and most of them are free

Publish date: 2024-06-30
2018-01-24T09:34:00Z

January is a notoriously gloomy month.

With Christmas debts looming, weather that leaves something to be desired, and the never-ending torment that is Dry January inflicting itself on many of us, it can feel like there's no joy left in anything we once loved.

To combat the January blues, Small Luxury Hotels of the World asked 2,000 Brits to pick their favourite "little luxuries" — small things that help to make their day feel a little brighter — from a list curated by the survey team.

Simply being made a cup of tea or coffee is considered a special treat for many Brits. Unsplash/Kira auf der Heide

And their choices prove that you don't have to max out your credit card or head to the pub in order to treat yourself. In fact, many of them are free.

The list contains everything from a long soak in the bath to more surprising additions, including buying a posh loaf of bread or receiving handwritten mail.

Even something as trivial as a proper cup of tea is seen as a special treat that brightens up the afternoon for many of the individuals surveyed.

Scroll down to discover life's top 50 little luxuries as chosen by Brits, ranked in descending order by popularity:

1. Freshly laundered bed linen.

Unsplash/Matthew Henry

2. Time to read a good book.

Unsplash/Jacalyn Beales

3. Getting a takeaway.

Unsplash/Alexandra Gorn

4. Having a long soak in the bath.

Flickr/Basheer Tome

5. A fresh haircut.

Unsplash/Hai Phung

6. A cosy night in.

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7. A short break in a hotel or B&B.

Unsplash/Thought Catalog

8. Watching the sunrise or sunset.

Unsplash/Ben Loader

9. A lunch date with a friend.

Unsplash/Dan Gold

10. When someone makes you a nice cup of tea or coffee.

Simply being made a cup of tea or coffee is considered a special treat for many Brits. Unsplash/Kira auf der Heide

11. Receiving a bouquet of flowers.

Unsplash/Alisa Anton

12. Five minutes to yourself.

Unsplash/Jad Limcacco

13. Luxury quilted toilet paper.

Unsplash/macaron*macaron

14. Catching your favourite film on TV.

Unsplash/Jens Kreuter

15. A glass of Champagne.

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16. Getting your car valeted.

Unsplash/Ke Atlas

17. Buying fresh artisan bread.

Unsplash/Roman Kraft

Using a premium perfume or cologne.

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19. Having a manicure.

Unsplash/Kris Atomic

20. Going to the theatre.

Unsplash/Peter Lewicki

21. Receiving breakfast in bed.

Unsplash/Alison Marras

22. Enjoying a fine wine or whiskey.

Unsplash/Bruno Martins

23. Buying tickets to a concert.

Unsplash/Austin Neill

24. Buying yourself flowers.

Unsplash/Roman Kraft

25. Leaving work half an hour early.

Unsplash/Alesia Kazantceva

26. Receiving a hand-written letter.

Unsplash/Mathyas Kurmann

27. Keeping an empty seat beside you on public transport.

Unsplash/Craig Whitehead

28. Getting tickets to a sporting event.

Unsplash/Emma Dau

29. A picnic.

Unsplash/Ben Duchac

30. Buying new makeup.

Unsplash/Jamie Street

31. Paying for someone to clean your home.

Unsplash/Dane Deaner

32. Hitting the snooze button.

Unsplash/Toa Heftiba

33. Applying a face mask.

Unsplash/Chris Knight

34. Ordering the most extravagant dessert on the menu.

Unsplash/Taylor Kisser

35. When the clocks go back.

Unsplash/Lukas Blazek

36. Hearing your favourite song on the radio.

Unsplash/Toa Heftiba

37. Having a blow-dry.

Unsplash/2Photo Pots

38. Finding a plug socket on public transport.

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39. A lazy bike ride.

Unsplash/Barrel On

40. Ordering the most expensive main course on the menu.

Unsplash/Jay Wennington

41. Skipping the ads on YouTube videos.

Unsplash/whereslugo

42. Splashing out on expensive toiletries.

Unsplash/Lauren Roberts

43. Spending time away from your phone.

Unsplash/Alberto Casetta

44. Buying a new candle.

Unsplash/Jeffrey Wegrzyn

45. Reading a magazine.

Unsplash/Giulia Bertelli

46. Getting a ride in a sports car.

Unsplash/Clem Onojeghuo

47. An extra shot in your coffee.

Unsplash/Jonas Jacobsson

48. Upgrading to premium seats at the cinema.

Unsplash/Jake Hills

49. Being invited to corporate hospitality.

Unsplash/chuttersnap

50. Getting 4G coverage unexpectedly.

Unsplash/Zach Meaney

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