Honeymoons are a magical time in all of our lives! We may have known the person for years, but everything changes after a wedding. The first holiday after getting married – the honeymoon – should be an as magical experience that you can reminiscence about for the rest of your life.
There are usually two parts of planning a honeymoon: deciding on the destination and then, booking the right hotel or resort. It isn’t hard to decide on the destination, as it is usually someplace you’ve wanted to visit all your life. Bali, Hawaii, Bora Bora, Punta Mita, Lake Como, Fiji, Costa Rica, Nova Scotia and Sorrento in Italy – these are some of the most popular honeymoon destinations that you can choose from, or you can go with your own dream destination.
When you have decided on the destination, choosing the hotel can become easy if you follow these tips.
- Remote Location
Location is quite important in choosing your honeymoon location, but for different reasons. You don’t need a hotel in the middle of the city; on the other hand, honeymooning couples prefer to stay at someplace remote and exotic. Resorts are more popular for this reason only: they are secluded and mostly near a beach.
Beaches are the best aphrodisiac for honeymooners; you’ll love the beach sports as well as the quiet tranquility the seas, lakes, and oceans offer. Mountains and hill resorts are also quite popular among the adventure lovers, as are gardens and orchards. However, one thing that you should remember when booking a hotel or a resort is that they need to be remote. If you are planning to be intimate with your spouse, you don’t want any prying eyes around you.
- Choosing the Right Rooms
The rooms are just as important as the hotel, if not more. Almost all renowned hotels have a honeymoon suite which is almost identical compared to the Presidential suites. These suites are usually built for honeymooning couples, with a large double bed specially decorated with rose petals, a Jacuzzi or a whirlpool bath, a terrace or a balcony, in-room dining options, and more.
If you are on your honeymoon, the honeymoon suite is the best option for you. However, they can be quite expensive, and if you don’t have the budget for a honeymoon suite, you can make do with a regular room. If you choose the right rooms, you can have all the privacy of a honeymoon suite at a much-reduced price.
Villas and cottages have better privacy than a hotel room, particularly ones with a high boundary. Some villas also come with private swimming pools or private access to the beach, which can be quite helpful. These cottages and villas may cost a little more than standard hotel rooms, but not as much as honeymoon suites. All hotel booking websites can give you a close look at the hotel rooms which is going to make it easier for you to choose one. Also, you should look for rooms with a private balcony, so that no other residents from the nearby rooms have a view into your room.
- All-inclusive Package or Ala-Carte
You can choose between a honeymoon package provided by your hotel, or make up your mind as you go along. If you have a budget, the all-inclusive packages could be a good option; this way, you’ll know what to expect at the end of the trip. Honeymoon packages don’t just include room rent and food, but also couple’s massages, candle-light dinners, couple’s activities, and entertainment. If you are interested in not only being romantic with your partner but also engaging in the local activities, these packages can be a worry-free way for you to spend some quality time on your honeymoon.
On the other hand, if budget isn’t a concern, you can simply go with the flow and make your own plans. This is more relaxing and liberating as you don’t have to follow the hotel’s itinerary, but plan your own activities. You can even choose your own menu, or leave the resort to dine out; you can reach out to activities and local entertainments that are not on the hotel’s property.
- Activities and Entertainment
What’s tricky about choosing a hotel or resort for your honeymoon is that you want it to be a combination of restfulness and activities. You don’t really want to engage in too many activities, neither do you want to spend too many hours cooped up in your room, doing nothing. If you take an all-inclusive honeymoon package, you can get access to a number of activities planned by the hotel. You can even skip some of these if you are not in the mood.
On the other hand, if you want to choose the activities yourself, you can do them on your own time, instead of the time allotted by the hotel. This option is actually the safer one to take because you might not be in the mood for the company according to the hotel’s itinerary, or maybe you are not interested in all the activities offered by the hotel. Since this is going to be your honeymoon, you should have the freedom to plan your own days, not the hotel.
- Natural Beauty
Although you might want to spend a lot of time indoors on your honeymoon, the natural beauty around the hotel is also important. When you are in a romantic mood, looking at the scenery makes it better. Besides, if you want to take a lot of photographs, the natural background of the ocean or mountains is much better than the city filled with traffic and passers-by. An ocean-view or a mountain-view room can also be a great thing to wake up every morning with your partner.
Some hotels can also arrange a professional photographer for an hour or two if you want to take some expert-level photographs of your honeymoon.
At the same time, some hotels go into extents to make your honeymoon a memorable one, if you just ask them. When making the booking, just mention that you are on your honeymoon, and perhaps, they can throw in a free massage, a cruise, a special candlelight dinner, a room upgrade, longer hours in the hotel swimming pool, free buffet dinners, or a parting gift. Sometimes, honeymoon packages come with “unexpected surprises” for the couple, and that’s something you’ll love getting.
So, when looking for a resort or a hotel for your honeymoon, these are the criteria you should be looking for.
