10 Great Honeymoon Escapes
Choosing the best honeymoon destinations isn’t easy. We live in a beautiful world and there’s a whole lot to see and enjoy with your new spouse. Most of us can’t afford a trip around the globe, and only have time and budget to visit one special place on our honeymoons.
Bora Bora
If you want to be somewhere exotic and secluded, Bora Bora may be just what your heart desires. You can stay in a little hut over the water with a glass floor through which you can see fish, and have breakfast brought to you each morning by canoe. They specialize in romance in Bora Bora and have amenities from hiking and fishing to luxurious spa rituals.
Tuscany
Lying in the sun isn’t everyone’s style. If you want culture and history (and maybe a good helping of wine), consider Tuscany, one of the best honeymoon destinations out there. Even within Tuscany, there’s a variety of options. You could stay at a natural thermal spa, a winery, a villa, or in one of the historic cities like Florence or Siena.
Paris
Another urban honeymoon option is Paris, the City of Love. What can we say? The French get romance. You’ll find amazing honeymoon packages offered at the better hotels in Paris, as well as art, lights, and plenty of photo opportunities.
The French Riviera
In the French Riviera, the French are even more laid-back. Go during a hot month to experience the glamour, privacy and exclusivity celebrities love. It’s every bit as fabulous as it’s made out to be. Be sure and spend at least one day out on a yacht, living it up.
Punta Cana
If you like island resorts, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic probably has a perfect spot for you. Click the above to browse what’s available in different price ranges — you won’t have to choose between fun water sports (like scuba bikes and parasailing) and relaxing spa amenities; most of the better resorts have access to it all. Furthermore, if you’re golfers, this is definitely one of the best honeymoon destinations for you.
Bali
Bali is home to a mysterious and warm culture and exciting experiences. You can choose to spend a little or a lot here; you can stay in a superlatively luxurious hotel or go the budget route and get $5 massages on the beach. Either way, bring souvenir money — the craftsmanship you’ll find in the local markets is top-drawer.
Hawaii
You don’t have to leave the USA to have an first-class honeymoon. Hawaii is an amazing option — and bonus: your cell phone and money work there. The time change is favorable; your “jet lag” will simply be that you’ll feel like you’ve slept till noon and it will be hours earlier. There are incredible options here for budgets of all shapes and sizes, and the scenery is unmatchable.
Banff
It has a funny name and it’s closeby in Canada, but Banff has some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Gorgeous lakes and majestic pines across a landscape of mountains make Banff one of the best honeymoon destinations, and there are plenty of activities for outdoorsy couples, too.
The Swiss Riviera
Arguably the most romantic place in the world, the Swiss Riviera combines the romance of the French influence with unbelievably storybook-like quaint architecture. And then, there’s Lake Geneva. One boat ride in this glassy, pure lake, gazing up at the grandeur of the French Alps will stay with you both for a lifetime.
Your Nearest Body of Water
Don’t have a lot of cash to spend? That doesn’t mean you can’t visit one of the best honeymoon destinations. Just get yourself into a bed and breakfast with a view of your nearest body of water and let the serenity wash over you as you let go of your wedding stress — and fall in love with each other all over again.
Ten Honeymoon Escapes to Consider
Want To Honeymoon In One Of The Top 10?
With so many places to choose from for that perfect honeymoon, take a look at these top ten choices.
1. Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis
At the Caribbean’s only historic plantation inn set right on the beach, wicker-furnished cottages are spread among palm trees filled with green Vervet monkeys and beachfront hammocks that swing in the breeze. For the best views book one of the six Lower Deluxe Junior suites, with attached patios facing the ocean. Hoping to see more of the island’s sugar plantations? The hotel will be happy to put you in touch with Reggie Douglas, Nevis’s reigning cycling champ, for a 2-hour bike tour.
2. Jade Mountain, St. Lucia
Located at the highest point of the island, near the west coast town of Soufrière, this hillside hotel with a curved exterior and rough stone accents may be one of world’s the most recognizable. Inside, each of the 28 suites is unique, but they all share impressive features: infinity pools or jacuzzis, 15-foot ceilings, and loftlike architecture—even the raised bathroom is essentially part of one huge space. But since there is no fourth wall obscuring the view, the Piton mountain vistas takes center stage.
3. Jamaica Inn, Jamaica
Long a favorite among visiting British elite, including the likes of Winston Churchill, this classic Caribbean resort on the east side of Ocho Rios was thoroughly renovated in 2007. Now the 47 suites are a blend of Indonesian, colonial, and retro Jamaican décor, but remain refreshingly unplugged, with no TV’s to shatter the peace. Every suite has its own outdoor space, with a private infinity pool and sea entrance just steps from the bedrooms.
4. Wickaninnish Inn, British Columbia
The Wickaninnish Inn, set on a remote, pine forest–ringed promontory near Pacific Rim National Park, is best enjoyed during fierce weather—the more tumultuous, the better. In the 75 rooms, plush beds and deep soaking tubs sit beside floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on the churning ocean. Don a rain jacket for a walk along Chesterman Beach, or relax next to your fireplace with a Pacific Northwest Pinot Noir and the binoculars that are provided in each room.
5. Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Florida Keys
This well-regarded private sanctuary is comprised of a cluster of thatched-roof bungalows, a Thai-and-Balinese spa, and a beachfront restaurant (not to mention a new Chef’s Table), and it’s all reachable by a 15-minute boat ride or by seaplane from the mainland. A bonus? Overnight rates include valet parking, boat transfers, mini-bar beverages, and use of watersports equipment.
6. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Hawaii
“Perfect,” “heaven,” and “the best vacation of my life” are just a few ways guests describe this tropical island resort where all 228 rooms, in two-story bungalows, have ocean views. Meanwhile, the grounds border the dramatic volcanic rock coast with seawater and freshwater swimming pools and an open-air spa teems with tropical vegetation. Be sure to schedule tee time: The private 7,100-square-foot oceanfront Jack Nicklaus signature golf course is carved right into the underlying black lava, which serves as occasional bunkers.
7. Couples Tower Isle, Jamaica
This Jamaica property, the first Couples resort, set the standard for all-inclusive hotels when it opened over 60 years ago. Recently renovated to the tune of $30 million, the hotel now offers 20 new rooms, a dive pool, and 10 spa treatment suites. Reserve the top floor Ocean Junior Suites and you’ll have balconies with sea views, flat-screen TV’s, and king-size beds.
8. Halekulani, Oahu
It’s all about service at this recently renovated 5-acre Waikiki Beach beauty, which has existed for nearly a century. Breakfast is a highlight: at the open-air dining room at Orchids restaurant, paddle straight for the Hawaiian specialties: pipi kaula beef jerky, marinated ahi tuna poke, lomilomi cured salmon, Waimanalo roast suckling pig, local Kula tomatoes, and Big Island goat cheese. The Halekulani kitchen also whips up the Pacific’s best popovers. Once you’re thoroughly stuffed, book a traditional Polynesian spa treatment like Lomi Lomi Hawaiian massage.
9. Kahala Hotel & Resort, Oahu
This Oahu classic—fresh from a major renovation—now has thoughtful in-room details (Frette linens; chenille robes; oversize showerheads) in addition to a dolphin-filled lagoon and views of Diamond Head. But it’s the hotel’s storied history that makes this 1964 colossus such an icon. It was here, at what was then a Hilton and known as the Kahollywood, that Richard Burton and Liz Taylor hid out from the paparazzi in a private cabana.
10. Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele
An English country manor sensibility pervades this 20-acre central-highland property on sparsely populated Lanai. The 102 rooms and suites have verandas, many fronting the perfectly manicured lawns where croquet and lawn bowling are played. Spend your days on jeep tours, hiking, horseback riding, or skeet shooting, then unwind by the enormous stone fireplaces in the hunting lodge–like Great Hall, sumptuous with dark rich wood, skylights, and libraries and sitting rooms in the wings.
BRIDES Magazine’s Best Honeymoons 2011
Top honor goes to Hawaii; Belize revealed as #1 up-and-comer according to the AP.
The March issue names the world’s hottest islands, resorts, cities, hotels, and hideaways. Just hitting newsstands the issue includes the top 20 honeymoon destinations, top 5 hotels and resorts in numerous categories and inside scoop on best bars, best pools, best beaches and more.
Top honors went to Hawaii which was named the World’s Top Honeymoon Destination followed by French Polynesia and Fiji, signaling a trend to stay beach bound. Italy, which has been an historic front runner, has placed #4.
THE WORLD’S TOP HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS HAVE BEEN NAMED:
1. HAWAII
2. FRENCH POLYNESIA
3. FIJI
4. ITALY
5. BALI
6. BERMUDA
7. COSTA RICA
8. GREECE
9. THE BAHAMAS
10. FRANCE
Exclusive Honeymoon Vacation Deals
Honeymoon Compete has exciting news for couples planning honeymoons for this Fall. We have exclusive deals to Cancun, Riviera Maya and Punta Cana. We would love to send you to the Excellence Resorts in those destinations.
Excellence Riviera Cancun is only 12 miles from Cancun International Airport, and 1 mile from the picturesque village of Puerto Morelos. Excellence Riviera Cancun is a luxury adult-only all inclusive resort and spa in the classic Mediterranean style of stucco, tile and marble.
Excellence Playa Mujeres is an adults-only romantic resort has two miles of powdery white sand beach. Located in a resort community with an inland marina, spa, and a s Greg Norman signature golf course.
Excellence Punta Cana sits among palms on a 30-mile stretch of white-sand Caribbean beach. A beautiful and romantic location for honeymooners.
Honeymoon Compete would love to help plan your Fall Honeymoon and save you money.