Someof our favourites include the designer good looks mixed with relaxed boho vibes at Joali, and Soneva Jani, a dazzling hangout that has some of the biggest villas with huge private pools. For more recommendations, see our edit of the best hotels in the Maldives or our guide to Maldives honeymoons.
Nestling in one of the most beautiful corners of the Amalfi Coast, Hotel Santa Caterina is well-known, and loved, for its beach club. The late 19th-century liberty-style villa has a seawater pool and a view from the lofty rock face it sits on that is second to none. Newcomer Borgo Santandrea is another standout spot, perched high in the cliffs and built into the rock face overlooking the sea. All rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and sea views, but for an extra special stay request an infinity-pool option. For more options, see our pick of the best hotels on the Amalfi Coast.
There's something so utterly captivating about Greece and the Greek islands. The simple beauty, the rich history and mythology, the scrubby wildernesses scented with wildflowers, the perfect clash of blue and white. All that light! Dazzling on little whitewashed church domes and fishermen's cottages built into the rock. And the unbelievable blue of the sea and the skies in long, hot summers that seem to last most of the year.
Yet however many five-star hotels open up, Bali is no homogenized island resort. It's a magical, spiritual place, which manages to retain its authenticity and culture, as well as its unspoilt beaches and green tropical landscapes. And there are places to stay for all budgets from backpacker beach-huts (full-moon parties can be found) to super-sexy designer retreats.
Como Shambhala Estate is the most relaxing spa in Bali's hinterland. For a jungle stay, Capella Ubud is a luxe tented camp where the 22 one-bedroom suites have sprawling outdoor decks and private plunge pools. At Bulgari Resort Bali in Uluwatu, all 59 villas come with private plunge pools, and everything is as splendid as you could expect from a brand known for its diamonds and gold. For more, see our roundup of the best hotels in Bali.
From June to August, when Santorini and St Lucia are swarming with brides hot in their frothy frocks, when every terrace in Venice and Ravello is clinking with newlyweds, Scotland might very well be the smart choice for honeymooners.
Away from the crowds of other traditional honeymoon destinations such as Hawaii and the Caribbean, resorts here favour those on post-nuptial getaways and are known for pulling out all the stops. Expect private island picnics, intimate snorkelling excursions and elaborate spa packages.
The best time to go to Bora Bora is between November and April, when temperatures are still warm. The high season runs from May to October, and though rain showers become less frequent during this time, the number of visitors swell and rates rise.
The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora is loved by travellers the world over for its unrivalled collection of overwater bungalow suites, beachfront villas and fine dining options. It can also claim fame as the backdrop for several films over the past few decades.
A long beloved backdrop for proposals, the city of Rome is also a hit with culture-loving couples and food-fixated honeymooners alike. Combining 28 centuries of rich history - from world-renowned architecture (including the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain) to priceless paintings - with sophisticated piazzas, centuries-old trattorias and photo opportunities at every turn. Known as the Eternal City, the centre is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the iconic Pantheon and Roman Forum, as well as the Vatican. Private tours of the grandest sites here are an easy way to add an extra dose of intimacy to the bustling city experience so too are the myriad cooking masterclasses that can be booked for two.
A member of the world-renowned Rocco Forte Hotel Group, the Hotel de la Ville sits at the top of the Spanish Steps and envelopes its guests in a mix of 17th and 18th-century inspired decor, along with achingly cool modern touches, like the sprawling spa and open-air lounges and bars.
Some of the best hotels in Costa Rica are eco-friendly stays. We love Aguas Claras in Puerto Viejo, a boutique bolthole with Victorian-style bungalows and a tiny beach club. For a dreamy melt-into-the-horizon pool scene, check in to Kura in Uvita.
Maradiva offers the ultimate less-is-more escape where roomy pool villa dwellings are wonderfully discreet and the beachside location is one of the best. Foodie couples should book into One&Only Le Saint Gran, while LUX* Grand Baie is beloved for its sun-drenched high glamour. For more, see our pick of the best hotels in Mauritius.
A place that feels as though it was plucked straight from the heart of rural France and dropped into the middle of the dramatic Californian landscape, the five-star Auberge du Soleil is an adults-only hotel nestled within a terraced, sun-kissed hillside.
St Lucia and its sky-piercing Pitons have long been a favourite of honeymooners looking to pair bare-foot luxury with the opportunity to explore a rich tapestry of history and culture. Dive sites are teeming with marine life, natural harbours (like that of Marigot Bay) carved into the island create ample opportunity for wonder and the hiking is second-to-none (Trails in the interior rainforest lead to waterfalls like the 15m-high Toraille, which pours over a cliff into a garden). Castries, the lively capital, has an eternally bustling market and Pigeon Island, now no longer estranged from the mainland, will enchant history lovers with its tales of the colonial era and fort remains.
Sugar Beach sits on a former sugar plantation sandwiched between the Pitons and certainly wins the award for the most immersed hotel on the island. A forest spa with treehouse treatment gazebos completes the romantic experience. For more inspiration, see our edit of the best hotels in St Lucia.
Though Morocco is perhaps best known for its fourth largest city, Marrakesh, and their surrounding Atlas mountains, away from the sensory overload of the bustling markets and town squares here, the quieter west coast area of Oualidia is ideal for those seeking a laid-back honeymoon with a dose of culture. Visitors delight in outdoor activities, from surfing or swimming in the saltwater lagoon to quad biking, all surrounded by pink flamingos and oyster farms.
Not all hotels can boast a natural aquarium, but the InterContinental Tahiti Resort can. With lush gardens, views across the volcanic peaks of Moorea Island and an overwater gourmet restaurant, this five-star hotel is a safe pair of hands for any couple looking to push the boat out.
Just an extra little nudge away from the United States, Mexico is a long-loved honeymoon destination in its entirety. However, Los Cabos, located on the very tip of the Baja California Peninsula, is a particularly entrancing stop for recently-espoused lovers. Between December and March, whale watching is firmly on the agenda, though the rich tapestry of marine life here is on hand all year-round (think: sea lions, turtles and myriad tropical fish). The area comprises two old towns, San Lucas and San Jos del Cabo, linked by a 32km corridor of beach-front properties and championship golf courses. Secluded? No. Romantic? Yes.
Finca Serena, a white-washed spa sanctuary, is spread across 40 hectares of orchards and farmland; Cap Rocat, a former fortress turned private retreat, is set on the coast; and Predi Son Jaumell, a forested 16th-century estate, has a Michelin-starred restaurant, aromatic gardens and yoga classes. See our guide to the best hotels in Mallorca for more.
Famous for its white, grey, and black sand beaches and volcanic terrain that offers memorable hiking scenery, St. Kitts is also home to freshwater pools for forest bathing and Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which was built in the 18th century and has panoramic Caribbean views.
The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba offers, among a smorgasbord of luxury amenities, direct access to a private pristine beach, an adults-only pool and an expansive spa that puts focus on using indigenous ingredients like aloe.
A popular destination to mix and match with one of the sleepier Indian Ocean Islands, South Africa merits inclusion on our best honeymoon destinations list all on its own. Known worldwide for its Big Game safaris (hello, eco-friendly lodges and infinity pools that double as water holes for the surrounding wildlife), the rest of the country is equally as fascinating, from the bustling V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, lorded over by the flat-topped Table Mountain, to the vine-woven valleys of the Winelands onto the penguin spotting at Boulders Bay (though colonies can be found from southern Namibia around the South African coast to Port Elizabeth). Many honeymooners hire a car, or better yet, a private tour guide, and head down to the Garden Route or Route 62 along the Western Cape.
The best time to visit South Africa is from May to September, especially if you plan to head out on safari, as the cooler winter months in the northern regions conjure ideal conditions for viewing big game.
May to October - perfectly timed for the wedding season - when the trade winds blow in refreshingly cool, dry weather. Temperatures are fairly constant year-round at 24-31C, though certain islands have their own microclimates, so check first.
Stay at North Island, the super-natural, ultra-private island where William and Kate (reportedly) spent their honeymoon. Or on Six Senses Zil Pasyon, where the villas are the closest thing to super-smart, minimalist tree-houses. See our guide to the best Seychelles hotels for more.
Fiji is made up of hundreds of islands, and no small number of them have been turned into private-island resorts. Laid-on luxury, no-expense-spared resorts, or stylish eco-lodges where nature is king - and the best are a mix of both. Set sail for a dreamy honeymoon with a conscience.
Here you can really go off-radar. And these islands are but drops in the ocean compared with the vast wildernesses of the rest of the country. Tanzania is a giraffe's head and shoulders above other countries when it comes to wildlife and landscapes: the highest mountains; the greatest lakes; a quarter of it given over to national parks and game reserves, thrumming with great numbers of birds and beasts.
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