Shorts: Four out of five women expect their partner to fork out for the full cost of their first mini-break away and still expect to decide when and where they go, according to Hotels.com.
The survey of more than 1,000 singles found that, while the average man is left with a total bill of €440 for a romantic away-break, women almost equal that (€404) buying underwear, make-up and new outfits to ensure they look the part.
Men's top fear when planning their first trip away is running out of things to say. Women are most concerned about their partner seeing them first thing in the morning.
Ice House turns blue
The Ice House in Ballina, Co Mayo, is the newest member of Ireland's Blue Book - a prestigious collection of 42 boutique hotels. Early this year, the hotel also won a Condé Nast Hotlist Award. Dara Cruise and Claire O'Sullivan, the hotel's management team, celebrated this week at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast, another Blue Book member. The owner of the hotel, Belfast accountant Pearse Farrell said, "the hotel business is a new departure for me, and I am very honoured to be invited to join the Blue Book in our first year in business."
• 14: Number of minutes Go was held on the line by Ryanair when trying to reach customer service, only to be referred to a number in the UK.