The world's best honeymoon hotels, an ultimate list
Alongside the wedding planning itself, honeymoon plotting is a key part of the pre-nuptial agenda. So if you’re getting married soon, you’ll be in search of the world’s best honeymoon hotels, whether you want to lie on a beach in a tropical paradise, set off on a scenic safari or have the ultimate island escape in Mauritius.
Honeymoons don’t have to be long-haul. Equally memorable options closer to home include hyper-romantic trips to Italy, whether you fancy experiencing the perfection of Positano at the legendary Le Sirenuse on the Amalfi Coast; or hiding out at the beautiful Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco estate in the rolling hills of Tuscany.
If you do want to venture further afield, Mexico’s Baja California peninsula is the A-list-approved destination of dreams, and there’s helpfully a One&Only there. Or go off-grid in Namibia for a slightly more glamorous take on camping out in the bush at the Habitas retreat there.
If you’re planning on taking a smaller, more low-key trip first, we’ve also got some handy mini-moon inspiration.
Other types of holiday involving the suffix ‘moon’ include babymoons – to be taken during pregnancy as a sort of pre-childcare last hurrah.
Starring some of the world's most romantic stays, here are the best honeymoon hotels for an unforgettable adventure. Bucket lists at the ready…
Best for… spectacular sunsets: Grace Hotel Santorini, Auberge Resorts Collection, Greece
There are lots of stellar hotels in Santorini, many of which have the obligatory private plunge pools, but few are as special as Grace, part of the stand-out Auberge Resorts Collection, which began with Napa Valley’s Auberge du Soleil in 1981.
Overlooking Skaros Rock in Imerovigli (and well away from Oia’s sunset-seeking crowds), Grace is carved into the cliff-face, with a bar that’s perfectly positioned for sundowner o’clock; a fine-dining restaurant (even the breakfasts are several courses long and champagne at dawn is most definitely not frowned upon); and multi-room villas for guests in search of more space and seclusion.
Best for… in-suite swimming pools: Jade Mountain, St Lucia
If Jade Mountain looks familiar, it may be because you spotted it starring in the BBC’s Amazing Hotels series – an accolade which most certainly fits the bill. The Caribbean is a popular choice for many honeymooners and Jade Mountain is at the top of many wishlists, for obvious reasons (where else can you have a full-size swimming pool in your bedroom? Or an open-air bedroom, for that matter).
The architectural masterpiece has a Seventies Bond-villain’s-lair type of vibe, with open-air suites framing St Lucia’s famous twin peaks, the Pitons, in the distance. It’s hard to beat the romance of the rooms, but the terrace on the roof of the restaurant at sunset comes a close second place.
Best for… inimitable Italian glamour: Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy
Ah, Italy. Is there a more romantic country on the planet? It’s full of honeymoon hotels from top to effortlessly elegant toe, whether you want an opulent retreat in Venice or a high-culture holiday in Florence – but for peak romance, it has to be the Amalfi Coast and, specifically, Positano.
There are lots of perfect Positano hotels to choose from, but the most iconic is the family-owned Le Sirenuse, which has been welcoming guests since 1951. There’s no finer place for an Aperol spritz than on its statue-graced terrace. And with those sigh-inducing views, we can't promise you'll have eyes only for each other.
Best for… an A-list adventure: One&Only Palmilla, Baja California, Mexico
If you want to honeymoon where A-listers holiday, the Mexican state of Baja California is the Pacific-edge paradise for you. One&Only Palmilla in San José del Cabo has everything a honeymoon needs, from palm trees and pools to its own tequila and guacamole made table-side. Then there’s the Japanese restaurant, legendary chef Jean-Georges’ wood-fired grill and sundowners overlooking the Sea of Cortez.
Activities to keep you entertained during your starry-eyed stay include fishing trips, whale watching (in season, from December to March), stand-up paddle-boarding, surfing and scuba-diving.
Best for… rural romance: Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Tuscany, Italy
This 5,000-acre Rosewood estate, which (at 800 years old) is one of the oldest in Tuscany, overlooks the Val d’Orcia. You won’t need to leave the grounds to locate a traditional osteria, since there’s one helpfully located on-site, with dreamy views of the cypress trees and surrounding fields to enjoy alongside your lunch.
For total seclusion, book one of the private villas, which were created from restored farmhouses and all have a heated pool, terrace, pergola and garden. Honeymooners can also enjoy trips to hilltop Montalcino, which is famous for its red wines.
Best for… an island escape: Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius
A perennial honeymoon favourite (and with good reason), Mauritius is the ultimate island paradise. Staying true to its name, Shangri-La has indeed created an Indian Ocean utopia on the isle’s east coast, with resident turtles, a private island reached by boat and couple’s massages at the spa.
Breakfast can be served either on your ocean-facing terrace if you’re hoping to take the honeymoon theme seriously and barely see anyone else, on the beach and even at sea.
Best for… souks and sundowners: La Sultana, Marrakech, Morocco
You don’t have to be on honeymoon to appreciate the romance of Marrakech, but its pink buildings, elegant gardens and souks to disappear in make it an excellent destination for short-haul sunshine and post-nuptial paradise.
At La Sultana, five riads form a peaceful retreat within the city walls. Up on the rooftop terrace, loved-up levels can be improved with one of the best views in town: sunset over the Atlas Mountains. There’s also a spa with two hammams to keep your wedding glow going.
Best for… romantic seclusion: Gili Lankanfushi, Maldives
The Maldives is one of the world’s top honeymoon destinations and it’s not hard to see why – if you want to take it easy after all those months of wedding planning, a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean is calling. At Gili Lankanfushi, you can take it even further, by booking in to one of the Crusoe Suites, which are adrift in the water and only accessible by boat (or a swim to shore).
The authentic barefoot-luxury experience starts on your boat from Malé, where your shoes are (voluntarily) confiscated – it wouldn’t be an authentic castaway experience in heels anyway. Spa treatments can take a ‘sip and soak’ approach, if you’d like some wine to accompany them; and your Mr or Ms Friday can set up an alfresco bed on the roof of your villa for some starry-eyed stargazing.
Best for… going off-grid: Habitas Namibia
For an environmentally conscious honeymoon, Habitas Namibia takes camping in the bush to new levels. The vast (100,000-acre-plus) nature reserve is home to free-roaming wildlife, which you can watch from the terrace of your room. It may feel wonderfully remote, but the camp is only 60 kilometres outside of Windhoek.
Your adventure-honeymoon itinerary will include safaris in search of lions, giraffes and elephants. At the spa, treatments make use of the red ochre cream used by the Himba tribe; and you’ll also be able to join your fellow guests for a serene bush meditation.
Best for… the good life: Six Senses Yao Noi, Phang Nga, Thailand
Much of Thailand may now be developed and touristy, but you can get a sense of what Alex Garland was on about back in the mid-Nineties with a stay at Six Senses Yao Noi, off the coast of Phuket in Phang Nga Bay. Phuket itself is today Thailand’s leading luxury destination, with many high-end hotel brands having a presence there, but to see a more authentic side of the country, simply hop in the Six Senses speedboat and sail over to Yao Noi island. Here, you’ll see a slower pace of life, incredible sunsets and romantic shacks on the beach – and lots of Thailand’s iconic limestone karsts helping the views along.
Honeymooners can hide out in one of the wooden suites, self-contained enough to ensure you barely have to leave – most have a deck with a pool and alfresco lounge area, interiors in which to live out your desert-island dreams, an outdoor shower and a sunken bath tub. Start every day with a mesmerising sunset at the Hilltop (the highest point in the resort, with the views to match), followed by a trip to the smallholding to collect your eggs for breakfast. The next most strenuous activity will be to call in at the spa to make your own scrub or enjoy a yoga class or treatment.
Best for… a regal experience: The Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
India is an excellent honeymoon choice for couples in search of a more adventurous holiday. There’s so much to see and do on the subcontinent, but scoring high on the priority list is Udaipur, where palatial hotels are set on the shores of Lake Pichola. The so-called ‘City of Lakes’ is home to hill-top forts, temples and opulent buildings. One of the most sublime stays is the Oberoi Udaivilas, a 50-acre estate with architecture inspired by the great palaces of Rajasthan (yes, there are plenty of domes and pavilions). Guests at this regal residence are treated like maharajas and maharanis, with an elaborate spa to be pampered in and a fine-dining restaurant overlooking the lake for romantic suppers.
Udaipur works well as an add-on to the classic India ‘Golden Triangle’ itinerary, which takes in Delhi, the capital of Rajasthan Jaipur and Agra, so you can see the Taj Mahal. A short domestic flight connects Delhi with Udaipur.
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