Sometimes you’re flush. Sometimes you’re not. Either way, if you dream, you can do it. For couples ready to splurge, luxury abounds. Even just marrieds on a budget can realize an unforgettable version of their honeymoon fantasies. Do you want to go high? Or, low?
French Polynesia, also called Tahiti for its biggest island, is composed of multi-sized isles, presents crystalline lagoons, horizons awash in Renoir blues, waterfalls, black sand beaches and volcanic peaks, which tower above emerald rainforests.
High: Dive from your opulent over-the-water suite’s back door directly into a transparent lagoon at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. In the shadows of Mount Otemanu, this hotel, located on its own motu, has 107-thatch-roofed bungalows which appear to hover above the water. Order breakfast served by outrigger canoe on your terrace, indulge in a Tahitian-inspired treatment in the spa, or have the amphibious pool server bring you cocktails in the water. $975, fourseasons.com
Low: Like a real castaway, float over to further flung Fakarava South, where family-owned Raimiti operates as an all-inclusive Polynesian pension. With rustic huts fronting the beach, the bed and breakfast-style hotel feels like you’re playing Robison Crusoe on your own island — but with flair. Enjoy meals and beverages, as well as hotel-supported diving expeditions and other outings, complimentary kayaks and more. With no locks on the doors, and few frills, this renewable energy-run escape ensures old-school tranquility. $216 (for two), includes breakfast and dinner, raimiti.com
Greece By Boat
It sounds quixotic. Greece. In a boat. Imagine sailing along the aquamarine coasts of this seaside country and its many islands. With ancient ruins. a slowed down lifestyle, Byzantine pathways, volcanoes, and definitive Mediterranean cuisine, this culturally rich nation invites rumination and exploration aboard a vessel. Do it with Sailo, the Airbnb of boats.
High: Big enough for 12 guests (do you want to bring some friends?), with seven guest rooms, a hot tub on the top deck and a crow’s nest-worthy bar with a view, this immense yacht includes a home theater, complete with 1000 movies in case you have a rainy day. Play with jet skis, kayaks and tubes as you cruise from Santorini to Mykonos and beyond. $23,358 a day, including captain,
sailo.com/boats/Elliniko_Greece/Motor/rental_boat_2341/
Low: Set sail like Greek sailors of yore, stopping whenever you like for a beach picnic or snorkeling expedition. With room enough for four, this large Bavaria 34 luxury sailboat/yacht has teak decks and rooms below. Sunbathe on the top deck, or relax down below while cooking in the well-outfitted kitchen. $175 a day, available for weekly charters with our without a captain, sailo.com/boats/Athens_Greece/Sail/rental_boat_2136/
Over-Water-Bungalows
You’ve seen them in photos: idyllic houses poised atop sticks, dotting a turquoise stretch of water, a crescent of sand back on shore, edged by a verdant rainforest. Just photos of their exteriors suggest the ultimate romantic rendezvous. Here, you’d nibble grapes one by one, laze about in a swim suit all day and dip into the sea at random intervals. Traditionally, found in the South Pacific, these over-the-water suites now appear in places beyond French Polynesia.
High: At Rosewood Mayakoba on the Riviera Maya just north of Cancun, amid an expanse of mangrove forest, Deluxe Overwater Lagoon suites seem suspended in mid-air, with jade-hued water lapping below. A multi-faceted resort space that hold various resorts and Venetian-like canals that undulate all the way to the beach, it embodies an eco theme, which honors abundant wildlife and sporting pursuits. $1,450, rosewoodhotels.com/en/mayakoba-riviera-maya
Low: Tuck into Guatemala’s Peten Jungle at Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel, an eco lodge near the world-renowned ruins of Yaxha and Tikal. Rustic, sustainably built, outfitted with hand-carved furniture and local art, these suites-on-stilts stand above the Quexil Lagoon. Listen for birdsong and frogs from your outdoor jacuzzi after a day’s ATV ride through the hotel’s wildlife-brimming nature reserve or a boat trip to storied Monkey Island. $340, laslagunashotel.com.
Las Lagunas
Snowy Days
Many wintertime-matrimonial couples head to the beach — but snow bunnies will want to bundle up and jet to their bucket-list mountain resort. Exhilarating and endorphin promoting, ski and snowboarding jaunts have their own romantic appeal. Cuddle before the fire, hot chocolate in hand; whiz down a slope making first tracks, the two of you traversing in a well choreographed pas de deux, soak in an al fresco hot tub, your breath misty in the cold air.
High: Get the royal treatment with Beaver Creek’s White Glove vacation. An indulging package, it spoils with first-class airfare to Vail/Beavercreek’s Eagle Airport, followed by a private helicopter ride to the resort. Whisked by private car to Trappers Cabin, on slope, and surrounded by Aspen groves and pine trees, you’ll meet your butler-like ambassador. After that, just relax and be coddled. While the cabin alone wows, other extravagances include a personal chef, ski lessons, equipment and guides, bespoke ski wear from Helly Hansen, first-track privileges and four Epic Ski passes, which can be used all year at 13 resorts in three countries. $50,000 for four days for up to four people, BeaverCreek.com/WhiteGlove for reservations.
Low: Head to the French Alps, where Val Thorens encompasses the largest ski area in the world, with more than 370 miles of slopes. In this fairytale setting, check into the chalet-style Club Med Val Thorens, an architectural marvel with panoramic views, just steps from the lifts. Defined by such amenities as it two Michelin-starred restaurant, this cosmopolitan, all-inclusive resort offers all meals, alcoholic and other beverages, ski passes, lift tickets, ski instruction, an indoor climbing wall, athletic facilities and evening entertainment for one price. $303 per person, double occupancy, per night, clubmed.us
Save the date for our June 2017 Bridal Show – June 7, Hyatt Regency New Orleans. Get your tickets and more information here.
