Planning a Dirty Weekend

Whether you want to put some zip back into your sex life, rekindle the old flames of passion or just spend some snuggly time together, a dirty weekend is a deliciously decadent treat.

We’ve put together some hot tips for planning and making the most of your ideal dirty weekend or romantic break away, including some ideas for how to while away the hours!

GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL

Whilst it can be beneficial to take time out wherever you are, it is much easier if you take yourself away from your normal distractions without visitors popping round, relatives ringing up or friends asking you to baby-sit. Crisp white sheets in an unfamiliar environment create a much better atmosphere to get down and dirty rather than your bedroom with last weeks washing scattered over the floor and that peeling paint and wallpaper that you’ve been meaning to get round to for weeks. Don’t forget you’re out to really spoil yourselves so choose your hotel with care. Hip and trendy directory www.mrandmrssmith.com have some fantastic suggestions for places to go both here and abroad. This definitive hotel guide has hand picked the best boutique and luxury hotels to ensure you find the perfect romantic getaway. So whatever destination turns you on you’ll find it here. They also do great recommendations on what else to do while you’re in the area – should you exhaust all other entertainment!

Another great hotel for a really unique experience is the Hotel Pelirocco in Brighton. This hotel has different themes in each of its 19 bedrooms so you can choose from 50’s style in Betty’s Room to pop art in The Mod Room. If you’re sure you’re going to get lucky go straight for the Durex Play Room. This fabulous fantasy room features it’s own entrance to the street (so you can sneak out unnoticed if you make too much noise!), 42” Plasma screen TV, giant plunge bath, double monsoon shower heads and an 8ft round bed and mirrored canopy – Grrr baby!

If your budget really won’t run to a weekend away, just make sure you agree to turn off your mobiles and tell everyone you’re out of bounds for 48 hours. Make the bed with clean sheets and stock up the fridge with food so you don’t need to venture out.

SETTING THE SCENE

Once you’ve decided when and where, setting the scene is next on the agenda. Start by buying a few candles. Candlelight is very atmospheric and perfect for creating a romantic setting. It is also the most flattering light to be undressing in as its golden glow erases any signs of aging or imperfections. In case you get too carried away to blow them out at the end of the evening (be optimistic!), go for candles in their own containers that will simply burn down by themselves. Picking candles with essential oil fragrances will really get you chilled out and in the mood. In our opinion, the best candles by far are those by Jo Malone for their fantastic fragrances or Natural Magic which contain no sooting or fumes and claim to be a treatment in a candle. A real luxury purchase but worth every penny.

So now the scent and lighting are sorted move on to the added extras – a scattering of scented rose petals around the bed and bath look fantastic. Take a few shea butter bath soaks for long soaks together in the bath and a selection of massage oils for when you get out. Try one of the oils from the Kama Sutra range which are edible so once you've carefully rubbed it in you can lick it all off again! If sex is high on the agenda, make sure you are well stocked up on condoms (www.sheaththeworld.com) and have enough lubrication.

PLANNING YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

Think about what you’re going to do during the weekend. Yeah we know this sounds like a stupid idea but once the novelty of the first couple of times has worn off you might find yourself in need of a little direction. Hopefully you’ll be too busy to be bored but to get you in the mood or just for something to help change direction take one of the latest adult games to get things going.

For a sweet romantic treat try 12 Romantic Dates or 52 Weeks of Romance. Each set contains cards which you break open to give you suggestions on how to introduce a little romance to your relationship. Feeling a little more daring? -the same kits also come as Naughty Nights which are a little more suggestive.

Monogamy is perfect if you wan to try a game based on sex and sexual fantasy. Sex! the card game is also great for suggesting positions and acts that you can perform on each other.

Try to introduce something different. Read some erotic fiction (Nancy Friday writes great collections of sexual fantasies) and act out the fantasies as you read them. This is a brilliant way to find out what your partner likes or doesn’t. You might suddenly discover that you both share the same sexual fantasy but had been too shy or embarrassed to bring it up.

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

Think about what you’re going to wear. Baggy tracksuits and shapeless t shirts might be your normal attire but remember we’re aiming for passion not comfort. Match your clothes to your mood and take account of how the material feels against your skin. For sheer romance Playful Promises Lola Chemise or Babyface Babydoll sets are perfect. They look and feel sexy but are also very flattering – ideal if you prefer some cover. For something more daring, try a Miss Minky Open Cup Bra and Crotchless Briefs Set, a Playful Promises’ Naughty Noir for real mistress appeal or a beautiful crotchless g string from hot French designers Lola Luna. The Caucase, Venus or Zambie all feature crystals in their designs and are truly beautiful works of art.

For sheer decadence you can’t beat a waist cinching corset by Eternal Spirits. Combine with some sparkly nipple covers, crystal encrusted whip and sparkly handcuffs for a weekend of sheer domination. Try the fantastic book Confessions of a Dominatrix by Princess Spider for a behind the scenes look at domination and some great ideas before you go.

THE FOOD OF LOVE

Finally don’t forget the essentials of food and drink. Champagne is a must but Red Bull and old fashioned plain water are also a must if you plan to be ..ahem.. exerting yourselves. Aphrodisiacs are food and drinks purported to raise the libido and increase your sexual desire. The most well known are champagne, oysters, asparagus, honey, bananas, peppers, figs and chocolate. Whether they actually work or not is debatable but you can’t deny the combination of champagne and chocolate is definitely going to cheer you up if nothing else!

AND FINALLY...

So there you have it – the perfect dirty weekend planned to perfection. All that remains is to invite that someone special – try writing something suggestive on one of the very cheeky Juicy Lucy cards or send a message on a card with a single red rose. Then simply lie back and enjoy!