Love the convenience of a one-price-does-it-all honeymoon, but don’t want to be limited to a traditional couples-only resort or cruise? We’ve got good news: The latest trend in wedding tripping is all-inclusive pricing at all sorts of resorts, with accommodations, meals, activities, even private boating included in the room rates. Our picks will have you jetting to a private isle, ranching out West, luxuriating in a Scottish castle or sailing in your private wooden launch – all without worrying about your wallet.
Dhoni Mighili, the Republic of the Maldives
Journey to the other side of the world, where 1,190 islands and 26 coral atolls laze like an undone pearl necklace in the Indian Ocean. You’ll find paradise on Ari Atoll, where Dhoni Mighili hosts just six luxurious bungalows on its own private isle. Since every visit is customized, you have total freedom to snorkel the crystal-blue waters on a whim or tuck away a grilled lobster at midnight. “Whatever and whenever” is the credo here, and it’s all possible thanks to your private (butler) who will arrange beach picnics, diving excursions, spa treatments and more.
Romance wow: Spend time floating in your private 65-foot dhoni, the traditional wooden fishing boat that comes with each bungalow. With silk-pillow-strewn sun beds and cozy cabins appointed with Frette linens and Philippe Starck bathrooms, you definitely won’t be roughing it. Fancy a night sail? Your captain and crew are on-call 24 hours a day.
What’s included: Double bungalows from $1,700, includes meals, open bar, gourmet picnic hampers, water sports, fishing and a private boat. Guests staying seven days receive a complimentary massage.
Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa & Island, Scotland
There’s something magical about a castle -- especially one that sits on its own island, accessible only by a rickety wooden bridge. This family-owned 19th-century refuge has a warmth and intimacy you won’t find at a traditional hotel. The owner pops in for chats over nightly cocktails, and guests are frequently found snoozing before the hearths in the public rooms.
Walking trails wind through the 300-acre landscape, populated with deer, otters and seals swimming offshore. Other amenities include a six-hole golf course, tennis and a spa with indoor pool. But mealtime is when Eriska truly shines. Chef Robert MacPherson, a nominee for Scottish Chef of the Year, is serious about the idea of “local” produce: mussels, langoustines and fish are caught a half-mile away, Aberdeen Angus beef comes from a longtime family friend, herbs are plucked from the castle garden, and the staff forages for wild mushrooms that grow on property. The menu changes nightly for their six-course gourmet dinners.
Romance wow: The 17 elegantly appointed rooms in the main house are lovely, to be sure. But for something sexier, book one of their spa suites, which have a private garden and hot tub.
What’s included: Doubles from $545, includes breakfast, dinner, afternoon tea and activities.
Jumby Bay, Antigua
You first arrive by private launch to this island resort (it sits just off the coast of Antigua), then are quickly whisked off by golf cart to your tropical escape. Opt for an elegant thatched rondavel cottage, where you can laze in a hammock under the flaming bougainvillea in your private courtyard or sneak an afternoon snooze in your plantation-style four-poster. With 40 rooms and 11 private villas strewn across 300 acres of manicured green grass, you don’t have to sacrifice privacy for top resort amenities like powdered-sugar beaches, three tennis courts, Sunfish and sailboards, and nightly flicks in the screening room -- complete with popcorn, of course.
Romance wow: After exploring the isle (every guest is provided with a bike), cycle back to your cottage to wash away the sea salt in your private outdoor shower. Then soak those aching muscles with a mango sea-salt bath in your marble pedestal soaking tub.
What’s included: Doubles from $850, includes meals, cocktails and non-motorized water sports.
Triple Creek Ranch, Montana
A Relais & Châteaux resort in the Montana Rockies? We know, it sounds too good to be true, but after enjoying strawberry French toast in the morning and tender whitefish cakes at night -- all at 4,600 feet -- you’ll be convinced. This is Big Sky country, where you can ski in the winter, fly-fish the Bitterroot River spring through fall (the resort offers complimentary lessons) and ride horses in the backcountry year-round. The vibe is like staying at a friend’s well-appointed ranch, where 20 cedar cabins sprout under towering pines on the ranch’s 600 acres, and a daily afternoon delivery of warm chocolate-chip cookies, cold milk and homemade trail mix are the perfect excuse to head back to the cabin for a nap. Another plus: Unlike most ranches, this one is adults-only.
What’s included: Double cabins from $650, includes all meals and picnics, alcoholic beverages, horseback riding, fly-fishing lessons, skiing and other activities.
The BodyHoliday at LeSport, St. Lucia
Watch that wedding stress melt away on a rejuvenating honeymoon at this award-winning retreat. Nestled on the northern tip of St. Lucia in a peaceful seaside setting, you’ll leave the world behind as you unpack in one of the 155 whitewashed rooms. There are no distracting TVs, and Web surfing is restricted to the Internet cafe. You have nothing to focus on but each other … and all of the water sports, spa treatments, beach time and Piano Bar evenings that make up the BodyHoliday experience.
Romance wow: BodyHoliday will create a Web Room where you can log on and arrange every moment of your getaway including massages, yoga and Pilates classes, snorkel sails and a final night dinner at Tao, a Chinese-French culinary masterpiece.
What’s included: Doubles from $220 per person, includes meals, alcoholic beverages, land and water activities, fitness classes and daily massage.
is your ultimate resource for planning a destination wedding or honeymoon. Discover amazing places throughout the world to tie the knot as well as the perfect spot for your honeymoon. In every issue, you get coverage of real-life lovebirds and their nuptials, expert advice for planning your big day, and the hottest styles in wedding attire to take you from wedding to honeymoon.