Why having just one honeymoon isn't enough in 2023
What was once a one- or two-week treat somewhere hot has morphed into a travel extravaganza – here's how to do it
Perhaps congratulations are in order. The festive period is peak time for engagements, with 15 per cent of the whole year’s worth taking place then – more than any other single period, including Valentine’s Day, which accounts for 8 per cent.
This is largely on account of the romance of Christmas and the convenience of being around both families, according to event planners chillisauce.com, which surveys more than 10,000 couples every January. It means that planning for many newly engaged couples has already begun, including that all-important honeymoon. Or, actually, make that honeymoons.
What was once a one- or two-week treat somewhere hot post-ceremony has morphed into a travel extravaganza, with couples increasingly organising two or more breaks.
Honeymoons have never been better (or bigger), partly owing to the pandemic. As we know all too well, there is nothing like 18 months of travel abstinence to create pent-up demand for holidays, and newlyweds are making up for lost time by jetting off on a series of adventures.
Rachel O’Reilly of luxury tour operator Kuoni confirms that honeymoon requests are becoming more extravagant, and that saving and upgrading continues to be popular. “We’re seeing a trend for bigger adventures, multi-destination and longer-stay honeymoons [three weeks rather than two] plus double honeymoons – a mini-moon after the wedding with a far-flung trip later in the year,” she says.
According to O’Reilly, couples are also willing to spend more on exclusive experiences, perhaps a hot-air balloon safari or private villas with pools in destinations such as the Maldives, which continues to be the top honeymoon spot for Britons.
But it’s not just travellers with big budgets who are “multi-mooning”. The rise in the cost of living means that ultimately everyone is looking for value for money, so instead of putting all their eggs in one basket, they might split their savings between two escapes, perhaps a mini-moon in the UK for two or three nights, with no flight costs, and then a “proper” honeymoon abroad in Europe.
Perhaps more than any other holiday, the honeymoon is very much about where you stay, with room service and spas being the most obvious benefits of choosing hotels as accommodation.
So whether you are looking to go all in on this trend and book multiple getaways, or want to pick and mix your ’moons, here are 24 ultra-romantic hotels – and one charming villa, for those who want maximum privacy – to inspire you.
The pre-moon
A honeymoon before the wedding? It’s a thing, with couples booking a break prior to the big day to decompress from the planning furore, to “find” each other again or perhaps to get into the zone physically with a wellness trip. “So many of our bookings in the past two years have been from engaged couples,” says Sarah De Vere-Drummond of boutique rental platform Kip Hideaways.
“They are either coming to us because they want to escape wedding planning for a few days and remind each other why they are getting married, or they book the trip in order to finish some last-minute admin, as it is increasingly difficult to fit this sort of organisation into modern life.”
Top tip: Many hotels these days have self-contained accommodation – perfect for a pre-moon as it means you are left totally alone. Or, go for somewhere self-catering but special.
Maison Ila, France
For a moment of calm between the engagement and saying “I do”, this healing hotel in Languedoc-Roussillon hits the spot. Immerse yourselves in yoga, meditation and sound therapy, enjoy spa treatments incorporating celebrity-favourite skincare brand Ilā and dine on plant-based dishes fresh from the garden. Six stylish bedrooms are honeymoon standard – book Chambre Un for a four-poster and a bathroom filled with treats, such as Himalayan salts and fragrant oils.
Doubles from £137, B&B (00 33 7885 57649; maisonila.com)
Le Jardin des Douars, Morocco
This dusky pink hilltop oasis, both wildly romantic and delightfully serene, is just outside the ancient seaside town of Essaouira. Relax by the two jade-green pools, book a hammam in the small spa shrouded by palms and bougainvillaea and up the swoon factor with al fresco suppers on lantern-lit terraces. Less than a four-hour flight away – thanks to new Ryanair direct flights to Essaouira – it is the ideal bolt-hole for a long weekend.
Doubles from £140, B&B (00 212 700 083 233; jardindesdouars.com)
Eclipse at Half Moon, Jamaica
Get a pre-wedding glow-up at this hotel-within-a-hotel on the island’s north-west coast. Wake to views of the sparkling Caribbean, then take a dip in the infinity pool before hopping on bikes to explore the sprawling 200-acre property. Take advantage of the spa, which offers massages in over-water bungalows, and indulge in all the dining options, from beach barbecues to award-winning fine dining.
Doubles from £755, room only (00 1 800 626 0592; halfmoon.com)
Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Oman
This dazzling newcomer situated in a peaceful bay 30 minutes from Muscat is the place to get in shape together, mentally and physically, prior to your nuptials. Sunrise yoga, mountain hikes, kayak tours, PT sessions and an array of watersports are on the menu. Not that it’s all action; couples’ treatments at the Talise Spa, twin hammocks on platforms with waiter service, private beach dining and sexy modern bedrooms with captivating views of the Gulf of Oman all add to the magic.
Doubles from £278, B&B (00 968 2493 1000; jumeirah.com)
Middleton Lodge, Yorkshire
Put the wedding planning on hold and recharge during a relaxing weekend break at Yorkshire’s affordable answer to Babington House. There’s a choice of comfortable, chic rooms in the Georgian pile’s converted stables, dairy and farmhouse, some with roll-top bathtubs and wood-burning stoves.
There is also a dinky shepherd’s hut that makes a great hideaway and a self-catering cottage option too. Lavender-filled courtyards, woodlands to wander, two restaurants and nearby Richmond to explore complete the countryside idyll.
Doubles from £176, room only (01325 377977; middletonlodge.co.uk)
The mini-moon
After you have tied the knot and partied into the small hours, you will be ready to relax, dodge the tidying-up and start celebrating your new life as a married couple – but it’s not the best time to go too far or do anything too exciting.
“Couples are physically and mentally exhausted straight after their wedding,” says Kendra Leaver-Rylah, co-editor of digital magazine The Wedding Edition.
“The old trend of flying long-haul straight away just doesn’t happen anymore; people want the headspace to debrief somewhere peaceful and not too stimulating. It is very difficult to process the joy of your first safari, for example, when your brain is still filtering all of the memories of your big day.”
Top tip: Pack well in advance as best you can, as this is not what you will want to be doing the day before your wedding.
Dormy House, Cotswolds
This treat of a hotel has stylish and deeply relaxing decor, terrific food and impeccable service. Its state-of-the-art spa, with a lavender sauna, salt-infusion steam room and infinity pool, has won armloads of awards and is perfect for unwinding after the exhaustion of the big day. This haven of comfort and wellbeing is above pretty Broadway on the north-western edge of the Cotswolds, so it offers plenty of opportunities for walking off that wedding breakfast.
Doubles from £309, B&B (01386 852711; dormyhouse.co.uk)
Le Pavillon Faubourg, Saint-Germain, Paris
If you live relatively near London, hopping on the Eurostar to Paris is just as accessible as any staycation. Enjoy love on the Left Bank at recently opened Pavillon Faubourg, neatly positioned between legendary Café de Flore and the River Seine – writer James Joyce once lived at the address, and now you can sip champagne in the bar named after him.
Loft suites with rooftop views and bedrooms with balconies will satisfy Francophiles craving a quintessential Parisian vibe, while the hotel’s vaulted cellar spa with pool and hammam are an unexpected bonus in a city-centre bolthole.
Doubles from £339, room only (00 33 1 42 61 0151; en.pavillon-faubourg-saint-germain.com)
The Fife Arms, Scottish Highlands
At this art-filled, wildly imaginative boutique hotel from Hauser & Wirth in the Cairngorms National Park, interiors and experiences brim with wit and romance that lend a sense of place.
They range from wooden headboards with words by Scottish poet Alec Finlay carved into them to hot Cairngorm stone massages in the spa and the cosy Flying Stag bar, which features a taxidermied stag with wings.
And if you want a celebrity sighting on your ’moon, this is the place, with everyone from Alexa Chung to Dame Judi Dench checking in. The latter played the hotel’s piano while fellow guest Sharleen Spiteri sang during an impromptu duet at this year’s Hogmanay celebration.
Doubles from £521, B&B (01339 720215; thefifearms.com)
Beaverbrook, Surrey
This ravishing Grade-II-listed pile set in 400 acres of the Surrey Hills now caters for all your mini-moon needs, with a spa, pool, cinema, library, exquisite (and much-Instagrammed) art deco bar, deli and two restaurants.
Turret rooms with private balconies are romantic, or push the boat out and book the spacious Dowager Suite, with four-poster super-king bed, sitting area and roll-top bath overlooking the grounds. Gift of Love packages include a meditation, massage and chakra stone treatment plus dinner for two in the Garden Restaurant.
Doubles from £428, B&B (01372 571300; beaverbrook.co.uk)
Salcombe Harbour Hotel & Spa, Devon
Seaside style abounds at Salcombe’s contemporary waterside hotel, where newlyweds can watch the sunset and sip a Salcombe Spritz on the roof terrace before dining on locally caught delicacies such as River Yealm oysters in the buzzy Jetty seafood bar.
Rooms make a nod to nautical with rattan lamps and striped throws over white Egyptian cotton sheets; suites have balconies with loungers and panoramic views of the waterfront. A spa completes the luxurious, Hamptons-meet-Devon vibe.
Doubles from £175, B&B (01548 844444; harbourhotels.co.uk/salcombe)
The midi-moon
When the excitement of getting hitched has subsided, it’s great to have something to look forward to – and what better than a break somewhere beautiful in Europe to soak up some late summer sun.
“With most weddings taking place over the summer months, we see many clients preferring to save their long-haul honeymoon until the winter or even the following year,” says Carolyn Addison of luxury tour operator Black Tomato.
“However, in the interim, we have seen a surge in bookings for four- or seven-night ‘Euro-moons’ for July and August. This isn’t usually the couple’s ‘main’ honeymoon trip, which they will typically splurge the most on, but they still want a celebratory break that feels meaningful, as it is usually their first holiday abroad as a married couple.”
Top tip: Bookend your “midi-moon” with unique, memorable experiences. Having something truly extraordinary arranged (such as a journey home on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a sunset sail or a private dinner on a remote beach) is a wonderful way to mark what a special trip this is.
Atokos Cottage, Greece
One-bedroom villas to rent in Europe are, bizarrely, quite difficult to come by, so this pretty stone-built love nest for two on the island of Lefkada, with a pool, terrace, open-plan living space and spiral staircase leading to a large bedroom with coast and countryside views, is a rare find.
Cook up a storm on the barbecue and dine beneath a white gazebo as the sun sets over the Ionian Sea, or pop to the local winery for a tasting before hitting the seafront restaurants in nearby Sivota. Alternatively, a private chef is available.
Seven nights from £1,746, room only (020 3993 7136; cvvillas.com)
The Xara Palace, Malta
The setting of this former 17th-century palace among the ramparts of the ancient city of Mdina is simply magnificent. When you are not taking endless pictures of each other in front of the incredible views and baroque architecture, you will be tucking into five-course tasting menus at the hotel’s Michelin-starred De Mondion, taking horse-drawn carriage rides around the so-called silent city (cars are banned) and relaxing in your sumptuous room.
Executive Duplex suites have a terrace with a hot tub, the ultimate spot to watch the sunset with a glass of fizz.
Doubles from £200, room only (00 356 21 450560; xarapalace.com.mt)
7Pines, Ibiza
The White Isle might be popular for partying, but it is also one of the most romantic islands in the Med – and 7Pines, a contemporary clifftop retreat on the west coast, is the dreamiest place to honeymoon there.
Chill in a whitewashed suite with dramatic views of Es Vedrà island, treat yourselves to a massage in the spacious Pure Seven spa, or charter one of the resort’s yachts for a private cruise along the coast. And if you do want a dose of the party scene, drop by the sunset terrace where a DJ plays ambient tunes while the cava flows.
Doubles from £260, B&B (00 34 971 195200; 7pines.com)
Passalacqua, Italy
One of the most exciting hotel openings of 2022 is made for romance. As a former private home, this 18th-century villa on Lake Como hosted everyone from Napoleon to Churchill. Now it is an exquisite, 24-suite retreat with terraced gardens dotted with fountains, underground spa and opulent rooms – the baroque-style Bellini suite is rumoured to be the largest on Lake Como.
Service is impeccable and anything can be arranged, whether that is a cruise around the lake, a hike in the surrounding hills, or a private candlelit supper in the rose garden.
Doubles from £1,320, B&B (00 39 031 44311; passalacqua.it)
Can Ferrereta, Mallorca
Mallorcan rusticity meets modern glamour at this converted 17th-century mansion in sleepy Santanyí, far from the island’s tourist hotspots. Days drift by in a five-star haze, lying by the emerald-tiled pool, taking siestas in your four-poster, admiring the plethora of Spanish art work, sipping aperitifs at the bar and dining beneath the stars in Ochre restaurant’s atmospheric courtyard.
Doubles from £281, B&B (00 34 971 905905; hotelcanferrereta.com)
The maxi-moon
Couples are increasingly living it large when it comes to the main ’moon, with bucket-list breaks spanning everything from a few weeks to a month away in multiple destinations or even three month-long career breaks. “There are two main reasons why these extended honeymoons are being booked,” says James Bell of Turquoise Holidays.
“Post-pandemic it is travel that has gone up on everybody’s priority lists, in particular with honeymooners; they want to do it all now – not ‘later’ when the chance may be snatched away. And secondly, the flexibility with jobs has changed everything; people are taking two weeks’ annual leave, requesting to work from a destination for two weeks and then perhaps taking another week of annual leave so that they can really travel.”
Another incentive is the fact that longer stays also tend to command cheaper nightly rates.
Top tip: If an over-water villa is your dream but feels beyond your budget, consider staying in one for two nights and choosing another room category for the other five – you will save a fortune and still have that bucket-list box ticked.
Vakkaru, Maldives
Vakkaru resort delivers all the luxe Indian Ocean island elements a sybarite could desire: idyllic over-water villas, Ayurveda spa treatments, powder-soft white-sand beaches and a seaplane arrival. Further honeymoon highlights come in the form of a jungle cinema that can be hired for private screenings, floating breakfasts served in villa pools, and a resident marine biologist guiding reef conservation tours.
There are six restaurants to choose from, including the just-opened Anguru, a teppanyaki experience in an intimate gazebo.
Over-water villa from £1,094, room only (00 96 0660 7000; vakkarumaldives.com)
Hotel Wailea Maui, Hawaii
Maui is the most magical island in the archipelago and this adults-only hillside retreat, part of Relais & Châteaux and set in 15 acres of lush, hibiscus-filled gardens, makes it even more special. This is paradise with an eco edge, with electric bike rentals, Tesla beach transfers and sustainably farmed wood in the sumptuous suites.
What’s more, ocean-view suites come with a welcome bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne. Honeymoon highlight? A seven-course supper served in a treehouse by the ocean. Hawaii is also a good long-haul option for LGBT+ couples.
Doubles from £826, room only (00 1 866 970 4167; hotelwailea.com)
Xigera Safari Lodge, Botswana
Prepare to be thrilled at this pioneering new lodge in the Okavango Delta offering the ultimate wilderness experience – a night in a three-storey baobab treehouse. Couples are delivered to their lodgings in a glass-bottomed mokoro canoe; once inside there is a spiral staircase in the trunk that rises to the bedroom, bathroom and open-air deck for game viewing.
Supper is served by a butler at dusk. For the ultimate safari honeymoon, twin this with a stay at Selinda Suite (also in Botswana), a private tented suite that comes with its own jeep, guide, chef and butler.
Doubles from £1,847 per adult per night, all-inclusive (0808 196 8768; xigera.com)
COMO Uma Paro, Bhutan
Honeymoon brags don’t come much better than the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, which only reopened to the world in September last year. Make your base the superlative Uma Paro, set high in the Paro Valley, from where you can hike to world-famous sites such as Taktsang “Tiger’s Nest” Monastery, before returning to discuss the wonders of the day over cocktails by the pool. Its sister property, COMO Uma Punakha in the remote Punakha Valley, is just as impressive.
Doubles from £445, including breakfast and dinner (00 975 827 1597; comohotels.com)
Sol y Luna, Peru
Peru’s Sacred Valley tops many a honeymoon wish list; see it in style at Sol y Luna where hummingbirds flit between fruit trees in tropical gardens dotted with stone-built casitas housing Andean art, open fires and bathtubs big enough for two. Honeymoon packages include a trip to Machu Picchu, but for the ultimate South American ’moon, add on Cusco and Iguazu Falls before a finale at Fasano Hotel overlooking Ipanema Beach in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.
Doubles from £362, B&B (00 51 846 06200; hotelsolyluna.com)
The ski-moon
If you want your first months as a married couple to be filled with adrenaline and adventure, ski-moons (either as an additional trip or a standalone) are breaking the mould of the traditional post-wedding break.
An action-packed trip to the mountains provides endless opportunities for creating memories – whether it is making first tracks in a powder-filled volcano crater, enjoying a gourmet lunch on a glacier, or staying overnight in a remote log cabin.
“With an increasing number of people seeking active experiences more than relaxation, ski-moons have been on the rise,” says Nickie Mabey, founder of Mabey Ski. “Japan has been our number-one destination, while Canada and Norway follow closely behind.”
Top tip: To get those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, book through a specialist operator – this trip is meant to be more than the traditional ski holidays you are used to. Use their knowledge to help push you out of your comfort zone, take care of finer details and tailor the trip to your style both on and off the slopes.
Kulm Hotel, Switzerland
Where better to head for a ski-moon than the birthplace of winter sports? Switzerland’s most legendary hotel, in St Moritz’s Engadin Valley, is irresistibly decadent, from the Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed bedrooms overlooking the frozen lake to the top-class spa with heated outdoor pool and Michelin-starred pop-up winter restaurant K by Mauro Colagreco.
Catch the gondola to Corvatsch before heading for negronis at Kulm Country Club, recently reimagined by Norman Foster, then dine beneath chandeliers in Kulm’s Grand Restaurant.
Doubles from £979, B&B (00 41 81 836 8000; kulm.com)
Rosa Alpina, Italy
Aman junkies will be delighted to discover that family-owned Rosa Alpina is an Aman partner hotel, making glamour and good taste guaranteed. Set in the pretty Dolomite mountain village of San Cassiano, skiing is a breeze thanks to service that sorts everything from equipment hire to shuttle buses to the Alta Badia slopes.
Charming chalet-style rooms have large seating areas, balconies and log fires. Don’t miss dinner at St Hubertus, its three-Michelin-starred restaurant.
Doubles from £510, B&B (00 39 0471 849 500; rosalpina.it)
Cheval Blanc, France
Cuckoo clocks, cashmere blankets and chromotherapy showers set the scene at Courchevel 1850’s most exclusive hotel, where service is seamless and it is all about ski-in ski-out. Relax in the hammam and infinity pool after a day on the slopes, then sit down to refuel at three-Michelin-starred restaurant Le 1947 before finally sinking into a cloud-like bed in your room.
Doubles from £2,282, half-board (00 33 4790 05050; chevalblanc.com)
Fairmont Chateau, Whistler, Canada
It’s like stepping into a wintry fairytale at this magnificent chateau at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain, where bedrooms have views of soaring peaks and cocktails are sipped beside roaring log fires.
Whistler’s legendary soft, powdery snow makes every ski run fun and you can slide right up to the hotel, where a valet is ready to whisk away your skis so you can jump straight into one of the spa’s outdoor hot tubs. Take advantage of a complimentary yoga class before hitting the slopes.
Doubles from £294, room only (00 1 604 938 8000; fairmont.com)
Copperhill Mountain Lodge, Sweden
This wood-and-glass design-led hotel, at the top of Forbergetin mountain in hip Are resort, is Sweden’s answer to Aspen. Bedrooms are sleek and sexy; Bronze Deluxe corner rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and terraces for extra wow factor; food is locally sourced; and there is a good chance of seeing the northern lights while you are there – surely the ultimate winter honeymoon experience. Overall, this is one of the best value-for-money ski hotels around.
Doubles from £117, B&B (00 46 0647 14300; copperhill.se)
Additional contributions by Telegraph Travel experts