Category Archives: Honeymoon

The honeymoon phase

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That time at the beginning when everything seems perfect and even their annoying habits seem painfully adorable to you. Well, it doesn’t have to be just a phase when there are so many years of adventure to come – so here are a few ways to make sure the fun continues well beyond your actual honeymoon!

Take care of something together;

Having a child or even getting a pet is a big commitment for newlyweds. But the shared experience of caring for another living entity can be an unparalleled bonding experience after getting married. If you’re the non-committal types, volunteer to raise a guide dog puppy for a few weeks (or perhaps adopt a fish!). Even tending to a garden together is enough to keep the relationship feeling fresh.

Surprise each other;

The best way to keep things exciting after the wedding is to delve into the unexpected. When he returns home from work, meet him with the first clue of a scavenger hunt! Hide some plane tickets underneath his pillow or suggest making cheese fondue to eat while you sit on the carpet, picnic-style! Make it so that every day you wake up wondering what new adventures are in store.

Plan events;

We’re not saying you need to throw a party every weekend to keep the spark alive, but even co-ordinating a dinner menu together or creating an itinerary for a weekend trip is something that can challenge and excite the two of you.

Start a project:

Whether it’s decorating your new home together or learning to play the piano, the act of creating is an uplifting experience that you and your new husband will forever pride yourselves in.

Travel:

Exploring new and exotic locations helps with self-discovery and growth – plus, seeing each other learn new things about the world can only make you fall deeper in love.

Explore;

You don’t have to look very far to find something new. That abandoned path in the nearby woods? Ask them to hike it with you! Finding beauty in unexpected places is an experience that will be even more astonishing when it’s shared with the one you love most.

Never stops trying for them;

You know that they love you with bedhead hair and smeared make-up, but it’s still a treat for them to come home to find you in your favourite little black dress and lipstick. That goes for him too, so tell him how much you love seeing him looking dapper in a suit with a pair of brand new loafers on. Then go ahead and get back into your comfy joggers.

Less travelling more honeymooning!!!

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There are over 1.8 billion transits and stopover flights annually that are more cost-efficient than long-haul direct flights. So instead of avoiding the extra hours, why not enjoy a longer stop and have two holidays instead of one? So that means if you’re going on your honeymoon, you can explore a new location and stay at one of these select hotels before taking their next flight. From stretching your legs riding a bike in Amsterdam to a rejuvenating jetlag therapy treatment in Bangkok, 

Amsterdam

The Dylan, Amsterdam;

This stunning hotel is a destination for a swift visit. Wind down with a glass of delicious seasonal wine and savoury amuse-style bites, finely selected by the executive chef Dennis Kuiper. Guests can also stretch their legs and explore the Dutch city on one of the hotel’s private bikes.
Rate: High Wine (available from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.) includes four different wines and four bites for €39.50 (approx. £29) per person. Rooms from £366 per room/night including taxes, Wi-Fi and 24-hours room service.

New York

Loews Regency, New York

Guests can relax and restore in this stunningly renovated hotel after a long flight or even after a day of sightseeing, with Loews’s special restoring package. This includes two cocktails at The Regency Bar as well as a reviving spa session at Julian Farel’s salon in midtown Manhattan.
Rate: ‘Restore, Sip, and Spa’ package from $1349 (approx.£872) per room/night (available until December 31, 2015)

Zurich

Baur Au Lac: Zurich

Let time fly in the beautiful city of Zurich with Baur Au Lac’s delicious afternoon tea, and enjoy the historical atmosphere of the location through this culinary delight. Taste homemade scones, exquisite sandwiches and pastries in the hotel’s Le Hall after a tranquil walk by the lake.
Rate: Afternoon tea for 64CHF (approx. £43) per person or 79CHF (approx. £53) with Phillipponnat brut champagne from 1.30pm to 5.30pm (available until march 2016). 870CHF per room/night (approx. £591).

Dubai

Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, UAE

Get the blood flowing again, Viceroy challenges flyers to board on the world’s fastest roller-coaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi for an adventure-filled stop in the Arabian Gulf. The hotel’s Family Plan package will treat families with a 50% discount on a connecting room for children when booking a deluxe suite.
Rate: ‘Family Plan’ package, Room from AED 1,449 (approx. £265) per room/night.

France

Peninsula Paris, France 

Forget the long hours and queues at the Louvre, Peninsula Paris has the perfect art-filled afternoon for guests to have a taste of the French Art de vivre on their short layover. The hotel’s Concierge has carefully selected a range of tickets for on-going exhibitions. Guests can choose from the Picasso Mania, Yves Saint-Laurent or Vivre pour l’Art, guaranteed to show you the best of the city of lights.
Rate: From €1,000 per room/night (approx. £735), includes museum entrance, refreshments, transportation and breakfast for two.

Bangkok

Peninsula Bangkok, Bangkok

The Peninsula Bangkok understands that good sleep is vital when dealing with long flights and this package reflects that. It provides guests with an invaluable range of tools to maximise their sleep; including a jet lag eliminator massage, musical therapy, a health and wellness consultation, yoga, and even a tea workshop ceremony, promising guests a total sense of wellbeing before their onward journey.
Rate: ‘Sleeping Well’ package 53,800TBH (approx. £988) for 3 nights’ accommodation, including all sleep treatments and access to the fitness center and tennis court.

Plan a Mini-moon

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Mini-mooning is a growing trend among newlyweds and just 1.5 hours from London by train, the New Forest is fast becoming a top mini-moon destination and with its stunning landscape, range of activities and beautiful couples’ accommodation, it’s easy to see why. Here, we explore what makes the New Forest so special.

Honeymoons are the perfect remedy to the busy and exciting wedding day. They give couples the chance to getaway and recuperate together and enjoy a well-deserved break month, if not years, of planning and organisation.

While traditionally a couple was sent off on their honeymoon straight after the reception, and therefore had no chance to chat with their guests until two weeks later, today’s newlyweds are choosing to postpone the longer break, or to substitute it entirely in favour of a shorter mini-moon. The New Forest is a world away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and provides the ideal setting for a romantic break.

Amazing accommodation

Let’s face it, you don’t want your run of the mill hotel for your mini-moon. A once in a lifetime event, it deserves accommodation that wows, and there’s plenty of that in the New Forest.

If you’re looking for a place to get away from it all, Beaulieu River View is a gorgeously secluded bolthole for two. Stood on stilts above the Beaulieu River, it certainly has the wow factor and mini-mooners have been visiting for years, drawn by The Wind in the Willows reminiscent surroundings and the open plan living inside.

Grab a kayak from the local hire shop and take a trip down the river, enjoy walks in the local woodland or simply relax on the cabin’s wraparound balcony and watch the world go by.

For something equally special, couples can now stay on the famous Beaulieu Estate, home to Beaulieu Abbey, in the Old Telephone Exchange. Once the main exchange for the village of Buckler’s Hard and the Estate, today the Old Telephone Exchange is a delightfully renovated retreat for two, surrounded by enchanting landscape and local wildlife.

Or venture a little further inland to Jenny Wren’s, a holiday cottage just for two. Located in an authentic forest setting, with ponies, foals, donkeys and cattle making their daily foraging trips along the hedgerows, it’s the ideal escape to help you relax and rewind.

The New Forest is home to an abundance of stunning holiday cottages, offering something for every taste.

Fantastic activities

A mini-moon in the New Forest gives couples the chance enjoys a wide range of activities together. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or a novice looking to try something new, there’s something to suit everyone.

Walking is a very popular pastime in the New Forest, thanks to the miles and miles of exquisite landscape, approved walking route and plenty of wildlife to spot en route. What could be more romantic than rambling through the woodland, chatting away and getting a bit of post-wedding cake exercise thrown in too?

Other outdoor pursuits such as cycling, horse-riding and water sports like kayaking are also popular and there are lots of activity centres offering rental of equipment and organised trips. Take a look at New Forest Activities for their range of days out and shorter trips, including foraging trails and kayaking.

Delicious food

Minimooners will be spoilt for choice when it comes to eating in the New Forest. From local markets selling fresh produce for you to cook yourself, through to local tea rooms and lots of AA rosette and Michelin star restaurants, you’re sure to find the perfect spot for a romantic meal (or two!).

Self-catering in the New Forest is really easy. Stray away from the supermarket and head to one of the food markets in the area. Setley’s Ridge is popular with locals for its food and also its wine selection which comes from its own vineyard, or try Tatchbury Manor Farm for homemade jams and a fantastic selection of meats.

Eating out is also a real pleasure and the New Forest is scattered with foodie gems. There are some lovely pubs which are fantastic as a respite for walkers and cyclists, or book a table to enjoy some locally sourced dishes in the warmth of traditional pub settings. The Royal Oak at Fritham comes highly recommended, as does The Oak Inn at Bank.

The Haven restaurant, set in the heart of Lymington Marina, is another excellent choice – more modern in style than the pubs and with views over the waterfront. If you’re for something extra special, try one of the many Michelin and AA rosette awarded restaurants, which can be found on the New Forest’s official visitor website.

The New Forest offers something to suit all tastes and is the perfect choice for minimooners seeking a romantic break, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

Overseas wedding

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Italy

Thanks to its stop-and-stare scenery, nowhere on earth spells ‘amore’ quite like Italy. Become husband and wife here and you can swap promises in places like Positano, where the views have to be seen to be believed, or in private cloisters surrounded by lush olives groves. Honeymoon celebrations are given over to lingering coffees in pavement cafes, drawn-out dinners in barely-lit restaurants, and hand-in-hand strolls across moonlit piazzas.

Ibiza

It’s always a nice day for a white wedding in Ibiza. Blanched sands and sugar cube villages have given this bohemian island its ‘White Isle’ nickname, and nuptials tend to follow the same virgin colour scheme. Blessings usually take place on the beach, so you can feel the sand between your toes as you say your vows. Here, honeymoons are made up of spectacular sunsets, and spa treatments in view of the sea.

Iceland

Iceland is the ultimate winter wonderland, and weddings here certainly take advantage of the country’s spectacular scenery. You can choose to say ‘I do’ in the open air, against a backdrop of lava fields and the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano. You can opt to get married in Thingvellier National Park, next to Iceland’s biggest lake. Or you can plump for the amazing Blue Lagoon, and toast your nuptials in 37-degree geothermal waters.

Cyprus

There’s a reason Cyprus is known as the Island of Love. This is, after all, the birthplace of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty. And the place just oozes romance. Your wedding ceremony can take place on a slither of the country’s 800-kilometre-long coastline, or deep in a forest straight out of a storybook. For a 5-star reception, meanwhile, look to the Sensatori Resort Aphrodite Hills – this luxurious property will make an oyster of your wedding world.

Mauritius

With its unmatchable fusion food, rare wildlife, and the longest unbroken coral reef in the world, Mauritius is a land of one-and-only. And that’s what your dream wedding will be too when you choose to make your promises on this island. You can say your vows on a beach that’s whiter than your veil and quieter than a cloister, and toast with Champagne as the sun dips below the horizon.