Help / FAQ

How does it work?

A clear division of labour: we do the research and planning, you book and go - it's that simple. To enjoy any weekend break follow 3 easy steps:

1.For a touch of inspiration, browse the online Directory or read about the new destinations profiled in each Newsletter.

2.When you?re ready to choose, review the online Briefing notes - containing highlights, itinerary, hotel picks and much more.

3.To check prices and book, follow the step-by-step advice given in our free online booking organiser to book everything quickly and efficiently with leading online agencies and other best-value suppliers at highly competitive prices.

How much does it cost?

The service is absolutely free to use.

How do I book a weekend?

The detailed information and advice you'll need to book and enjoy each ready-planned weekend is displayed in the relevant weekend section of the site and is also available as a pdf download.

Why weekend breaks?

More and more people are choosing to take weekend and short breaks. They can be sanity-savers for those who find it difficult to get away for longer; for everyone else, they're the perfect way of bridging the long gap between main holidays. Getting away has never been easier or cheaper with traditional airlines dropping their prices to compete with their no-frills rivals, and internet booking offering no-hassle access to the very best prices.

How long is a weekend?

We take a fairly elastic view of weekends - anything from the conventional Saturday plus Sunday up to 3 days out of the normal working week (eg a Thursday to Monday break) for some of the further-flung destinations.

What kinds of weekend do you feature?

Most destinations are in Britain, Western Europe or the Mediterranean, with a selection of more exotic or off-the-beaten-track locations as well. We feature city, countryside, beach and wilderness breaks. Many of our destinations are a little unusual, but we also include the classics - injecting a freshness of experience to get beyond the tourist clichés. Each fully-planned weekend fits within a portfolio of distinctive styles - Discovery, Getaway, Activity or Hideaway. Discovery weekends offer exploration - whether cultural, historical, or pure travel. Getaways make for a feel-good, easy-going weekend away - perhaps somewhere sunny or beside a beach. Activity weekends are just that: the chance to get out there and do something different - whether that be port-tasting in Portugal or launching yourself down an Olympic bobsleigh run. Hideaway weekends feature some of our most special discoveries - magical places to stay, set in tranquil locations, where you can shut the world

What sorts of hotels do you recommend?

Our ideal hotels are intimate, personal and recognisably 'special'. Often, they are independently run. Our lead recommendation typically offers 4 or 5 star comfort, but more important are character, location, ambience and the attitude of management and staff. (Exceptionally, the best available accommodation may be simpler - in which case we clearly highlight this.) We generally also suggest a simpler alternative. Typically this is of 3 to 4 star comfort, but just as important are the intangibles that give individuality, welcome and panache. As well as our particular recommendations, we succinctly review the most interesting further options across a range of price categories. Where appropriate, we also flag up any high-profile hotels that we suggest you avoid.

I have chosen my weekend, what do you provide?

The briefing notes and download provide all the practical guidance and background information you need to book and enjoy that break. Once away, you can either follow the Step-by-Step suggestions for a detailed itinerary that showcases the best from the destination within a weekend; or you can dip into the recommendation sections to create your own à la carte trip, picking and mixing from our frank, insider tips and reviews.

Do you design bespoke weekends?

Not at present.

Does Weekend Blueprint take bookings?

No, we prefer to work in association with well-respected online agencies and individual suppliers to provide the widest range of high-quality inventory at the most competitive prices. Please bear in mind that all bookings made by linking via our website are in law made directly with the relevant online agency or other supplier and your rights and liabilities are accordingly exactly the same as if you had gone to the agency or other supplier directly to make your booking.

Can I extend a weekend to make a longer holiday?

Absolutely. Most weekends adapt readily to a longer stay or can be combined with a second destination nearby to make a superb two-centre holiday.

Is Weekend Blueprint quicker than doing it myself?

Is Weekend Blueprint quicker than doing it myself?

Always - all the bookwork (and street-pounding) is done for you. Typically around 5-6 weeks are spent designing, anonymously inspecting and writing up each weekend so that you can book it from home in 20 minutes or less.

How are the weekends designed?

Each weekend is researched on site and developed by travel designer, John Oldale. Typically, when designing a weekend break, he starts by working to understand what each destination is really about. Everywhere has its own 'story' - at a secluded hideaway it might be as simple as 'this is a great place to unwind and relax'; in a city rich with history it might be a complicated tale of smuggling and mercantile adventure. Next comes pace. Like a book or film, a good weekend break should have a rhythm to carry you from start to finish. In part, this simply acknowledges the daily ebb and flow of energy levels (you are on holiday, after all), but it is also a crucial part of telling the tale. As with a good story, a weekend that intersperses its highlights with pauses for relaxation and reflection is likely to be far more satisfying than one that crams in all the drama into the first five pages.

Finally, it is also about getting the practical considerations right. Attraction hours vary widely. Spaniards sit down to dinner after most Scots have gone to bed. Sunday shopping is commonplace in England but in Germany it's heavily restricted by law. Tour groups crowd into Tuscan churches in the middle of the day, but by late afternoon are all back on their buses. Each design takes all of this into account and then steers a path through the maze.

Do you accept payments from hotels or restaurants?

No. We do not accept payments or commissions (or anything else) from any of the establishments recommended; nor do we charge any form of fee for inclusion. All inspections are carried out anonymously at full cost - just like any other traveller. As a result, we are free to be wholly unbiased in our comments and unfettered in our coverage.

Where do the photos come from?

We take our own photographs to give the most accurate impression possible of each destination. We hope our photographs are inspirational; but, above all, we make sure they are representative of the experience you can actually expect.

How can I minimise the climate impact of my weekend?

We recommend the use of carbon offsetting to minimise the climate change impact of all travel. Detailed costings with links to established carbon offsetting schemes are provided for all weekends. As a matter of policy, Weekend Blueprint carbon offsets all travel undertaken for the purpose of researching and updating its weekends.

How can I give feedback?

Feedback is immensely helpful to us. Feedback about featured weekends, in particular, helps us keep our weekends absolutely up to date and continually improve our service. To send us feedback on a weekend, please get in touch through the Contact Us link on this site.

How do I contact Weekend Blueprint?

To give feedback please get in touch through the Contact Us link on this site.