Searching for the best honeymoon destinations or honeymoon hotels? There’s certainly no one-size-fits-all-couples getaway—but there are several fantastic five-star resorts across the world known for their romantic, once-in-a-lifetime appeal. Take a Mexican resort whose “department of romance” will set up sleeping under the stars, or a bucolic Vermont farm that will serve a pondside picnic for your partner. Then there are the locations where romance seems to be embedded into the landscape, such as the Amalfi Coast.
Below, the best places to stay on your honeymoon, whether you’re searching for a mini weekend getaway or a far-flung adventure.
AndBeyond Sossusvlei, Namibia
Photo: Courtesy of AndBeyond
It takes at least three flights to reach andBeyond Sossusvlei, a remote lodge deep in the Namib desert. But those willing to take the long journey will be well rewarded with a landscape that feels more like Mars than earth, a night sky that’s the second-darkest in the world, and an adventure that’ll stick with you for a lifetime. Spend your morning e-biking through the property’s 31,419-acre private sandy reserve, or perhaps take a hot air balloon as the sun rises. Then, cool off by your stone-and-glass studio’s infinity pool as the afternoon temperature rises. When you’re ready to adventure out again, have one of the property’s rangers take you out for a cocktail hour deep in the dunes, or perhaps hike the dunes. . . and then have a cocktail hour.
Le Toiny, Saint Barthélemy
Photo: Courtesy of Le Toiny
Le Toiny is for those seeking discreet, romantic glamour while still wanting to experience the social island that is St. Barths. The whole property is surrounded by wild and rugged terrain—to get to the beach club, guests must board an open-air white safari jeep that will navigate several steep dirt curves before reaching its luxurious, tucked away destination, known for its lobster salad and Minuty. The rooms are airy, crisp, and undoubtedly luxurious—plus, each comes with a private plunge pool with ocean views.
Belmond Hotel Caruso, Amalfi Coast
Photo: Courtesy of Tyson Sadlo
There is no shortage of romantic places to stay in the dreamy, la dolce vita destination of the Amalfi Coast. However, we’re going to pick just one: Belmond Hotel Caruso. High in the hills of Ravello, its relative remoteness from the busy towns below allows for a more private, tucked away experience. Wander through the property’s abundant gardens, go shopping in the quaint town of Ravello, embark on one of the property’s complimentary boat excursions, and most of all, eat some pasta.
Rosewood Las Ventanas al Paraíso, Los Cabos
Photo: Courtesy of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
Here’s the short sell: the Rosewood Las Ventanas in Los Cabos is so romantic that it’s a favorite getaway of PDA-enthusiasts Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker. The long one? With over 350 days of sunshine a year, the five-star resort has a sprawling beach, eight different pools, and a bar dedicated solely to tequila and ceviche. There’s also an onsite Department of Romance, which specializes in making honeymoons memorable. (Some activities they’ve organized in the past? Sleeping under the stars, a personalized message in a bottle, and a tequila masterclass for two.)
Twin Farms, Vermont
Photo: Courtesy of Twin Farms
Looking for a minimoon closer to home? Go to Twin Farms, a bucolic Vermont resort that exudes New England charm. Their ten cottages, spread throughout 300 acres, are all different in style: one, for example, features paintings by Roy Lichtenstein, David Hockney, David Bates, and Frank Stella, while another embraces Japanese minimalism. Included in every stay? A picnic of your choosing—whether it’s Sandwiches at their private ski mountain summit, charcuterie by their on-site pond, or canapés on one of their many hiking trails.
Castello di Reschio, Italy
Photo: Courtesy of Philip Vile
“Old meets new at Reschio, a place where you can feel the heft of centuries in the solid stone ramparts and brush up against the most up-to-the-minute modern comforts,” Vogue editor Chloe Schama wrote of Castello di Reschio, a 1,000-year-old castle-turned-hotel nestled high in Italy’s Umbrian Hills. There’s a strong commitment to sustainability—most of the produce comes from the estate’s own gardens, vineyards, and beehives—as well as design: the interiors are adorned with intricate stucco work, stone-carved firepalces, antique artworks and trompe l’oeil ceilings.
Nayara Tented Camp, Costa Rica
Photo: Courtesy of Brice Ferre Studio
Eco-adventurers will find a perfect romantic respite at Nayara Tented Camp, a luxurious getaway bordering Costa Rica’s Arenal Volcano National Park. Tents are surrounded by guarumo trees and the brightly plumed toucans and howler monkeys that reside in them. Each accommodation’s private plunge pool is fed with water from the volcano. Take a yoga class in their open air studio, and then go on a hiking adventure through the rainforest.
Amangiri, Utah
Photo: Courtesy of Amangiri
Located near the Arizona-Utah border, the Amangiri—a favorite couples getaway of, well, seemingly every celebrity, from the Kardashians to the Biebers—is dramatically secluded. The minimalist-modern resort sits in the middle of Grand Staircase-Escalante, over one million acres of protected land that was the last area to be mapped in the contiguous United States. On the hotel’s 600 acres, you’ll find canyons and mountains, mesas, rivers, and deserts. Hiking is a must-do at the Amangiri, as is tackling its via ferrata (or, a climbing trail that you scale with cables). Then there are journeys to nearby slot canyons—fantastical sandstone formations that will take your breath away. Stay in the main property or in their luxurious tented camp, Camp Sarika.
Kisawa, Mozambique
Photo: Courtesy of Kisawa
On Mozambique’s Benguerra Island is Kisawa, a new, sprawling resort that embraces African modernist architecture and an adventurer’s sensibility. Upon arrival, guests are given keys to a pastel Moke and free rein to roam the property’s nearly 700 acres (word to the wise: always keep the resort map handy). Food is fresh, local, and seafood-based—many dishes are caught by the island’s local fishermen—and the service is impeccable. Better yet: a portion of each stay’s proceeds benefits Bazaruto Center for Scientific Studies, Africa’s first permanent marine observatory.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como
Photo: Courtesy of Grand Hotel Tremezzo
There is no shortage of fine stays on Lake Como, the idyllic Italian getaway whose sapphire waters are surrounded on the Alps. Yet it’s the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, with its floating pool, Belle Epoque interiors, Wes Anderson-like exterior facade, and sprawling gardens that oft enraptures the eye of honeymooners from around the world. Sip Aperol spritzes on the sun-drenched patio before taking a dip in the pool—or perhaps even the lake itself.
Six Senses Duoro Valley
Photo: Courtesy of Six Senses
Oenophiles will fall in love with the Six Senses Duoro Valley, a five-star sustainable retreat set among a rolling Portugal vineyard. Stroll the grounds—which include a rare 19th century forest garden abounding in oaks, strawberry trees, cedars, palms, and firs—lounge in the pool, or perhaps indulge in a picnic organized for you on the hotel grounds. But most of all, go explore the region’s famous Douro Quintas, or wine estates, via a boat ride down the Iberian peninsula’s river.
Originally published in Vogue.com
