Whether you identify as fly-and-flop honeymooners or the more intrepid type, the lion’s share of pre-trip research and excitement ultimately hangs on the hotels involved. From regal riads and opulent Parisian palaces to luxurious boltholes artfully stitched into the Patagonian wilderness, we’ve rounded up the most beautiful honeymoon hotels for 2022.
Hoshinoya Bali, Ubud
This Japanese group’s first property outside Japan, Hoshinoya Bali weaves a series of connected wooden structures into thick jungle sloping down to the Pakerisan river. Couples can snuggle up in one of the seven Café Gazebos, comfy cube structures ostensibly suspended within the tree canopy. Guests float from futon beds to fruity breakfasts via sunrise yoga or a dip in the vast pool that appears carved into the jungle. The 10-course set menu is touted as one of Bali’s finest, an artful blend of Japanese and Indonesian plates. Try not to be moved by the thick morning mist that clings to the lush hillside, gradually drawing back to reveal vibrant palms, banana leaves and exotic birds. Doubles from £460 (hoshino
Le Sirenuse
The Amalfi coast has long been a byword for romance, courtesy of its cliff-clinging, photogenic sprawl of pastel-hued fisherman houses and string of la Dolce Vita hotels. Le Sirenuse is proudly one of them with its oxblood facade framed in fantastical white swirls, and endless views of Positano Bay. It’s hard not to swoon at La Sponda restaurant’s evening form: wrought-iron chairs positioned for the maritime show; Napolese and Amalfi inspired plates of Octopus and grilled sea bass lit by no less than four hundred candles. Balconies twist towards this same mesmerising view, and rooms are decked in various treasures from the family’s private antique and art collection. Honeymooners can jump aboard Le Sirenuse’s vintage Riva Acquarama, skirting the coastline as the sun dips. Doubles from £382 (sirenuse.it)
Jack’s Camp, Botswana
This is old world Africa at its best: a Victoriana tented safari camp whose decadent trimmings feel wonderfully at odds with the arid Kalahari desert. Opened by Ralph Bousfield in 1993 to honour his father, a Makgadikgadi enthusiast and conservationist legend who sadly died in a plane crash, Jack’s Camp’s mahogany, oil lamps, elaborate tent fabric and curiosity cabinets recall exploratory safaris of the early 1900s. Having spotted vultures looping palm trees, wildebeest crossing the salt pans and lions dozing off in the afternoon shade, couples can kick off their safari boots and enjoy a gin and tonic on the porch, or tuck into an elaborate afternoon tea, as the Victorian explorers did. Doubles from £1,020 (on an all-inclusive basis) (Scottdunn.com)
The Newt, Somerset
Nestled in West Country idyll: soft valleys, pretty orchards and fragrant herb gardens, The Newt opened with a bang and has consolidated its position as one of the UK’s top country hotels ever since. A grand Georgian house is eased into the 21st century with an distinctly organic edit, menus take their cue from the kitchen garden’s bounty, and swimmers lulling the spa’s handsome pool are treated to flashes of vegetable patch through a cool, contemporary glass wall. Refined modern touches are woven into this historic house with artful precision – the result is a sumptuously fresh UK honeymoon hotel without the awkward 2am reception call for a hot water bottle. Doubles from £275 (thenewtinsomerset.com)
Hotel du Cap Eden Roc
Drop your matching Globetrotter cases here for a slice of Slim Aarons reverie, lashings of Riviera legend and a sprinkling of hotel fairy-dust. Hotel du Cap Eden Roc serves as shorthand for 20th century European glamour and . An exhaustive list of film-stars, writers and photographers have reclined alongside its smooth pool, pulled up to its fairytale rose-blush facade in vintage convertibles, or swung a 7th martini from the bar after Cannes Film Festival. It may be the Riviera’s bastion of hedonism, but the food, rooms and the mood here are wonderfully unpretentious, traditional and fine-tuned to the simple pleasures this lovely stretch of Europe is renowned for. Doubles from £554 (oetkercollection.com)
La Réserve, Paris
La Réserve delivers on the opulence you’d expect from the previous home of Napoleon’s half-brother, and yet, beneath its gilded ceilings and elaborate sconces, a smart-casual tone pervades. It’s unstuffy, particularly in the rooms where a more modern vision is at play. A mosaic of Parisians and international guests sip coffee in this beautiful hotel’s quiet courtyard, couples get cosy in a warm, wood-clad library and bon viveurs dip into a refined Japanese-French menu at destination restaurant, Le Pagode de Cos. La Réserve’s concierge is well known for working its magic on honeymooners, organising everything from Michelin-grade picnics along the Seine to perfect Parisian adventures in a Citroen 2CV. Doubles from £810 (lareserve-paris.com)
Amangiri Utah
This North American desert hotel set a new standard (and architectural movement) for cleverly sewing luxurious structures into dramatic landscapes. Fanning out across the barren desertscape where Arizona and Utah meet, its glass walls pull all eyes outdoors while polished concrete edges camouflage into the surrounding rocky landscape, rendering a vast hotel near-invisible. A handsome pool tracing the rock formation and the vast Aman Spa sets the hotel’s relax and recharge agenda. Rooms from £2,100 (Aman.com)
Cheval Blanc Randheli, Maldives
If a tasteful, blow-the-budget Maldives honeymoon of a lifetime is on the cards, Cheval Blanc Randheli delivers on all counts. Not only does exquisite architecture and design respectfully tune into the surrounding island palette and textures, it personifies understated modern elegance, from the scent wafting around the rooms to the linen folding gently over a modern four poster bed in the water villas. A personal butler is on hand to fix afternoons dips with dolphins, treatments in the sumptuous Guerlain spa or a smart tasting menu soiree at 1947 restaurant. Doubles from £1,661 (chevalblanc.com)
Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur
Embodying all notions of romance, this fantastical 18th century palace, originally built for the prince Maharana Jagat Singh, appears to be floating in the centre of Lake Pichola, like a mirage. Intricately carved white marble, mosaics and stained glass mirrors toy with and reflect the lake’s natural beauty, while lavish silks, motifs and velvet chaise longs recall an exotic, old world splendour. The food is flawless, the service impeccable and the views, high-octane honeymoon material. Doubles from £430 (tajhotels.co.uk)
Royal Mansour, Marrakech
With majestic sprawling interiors, private riads for each guest and a world-class restaurant, it’s hardly surprising that this hotel is owned by the King of Morocco. ‘Rooms’ are rather a series of small palaces – vast riad structures with their own rooftop pools for stargazing. Float through its regal spaces, swim under the exquisite class pavilion encasing the outdoor pool and marvel at the intricacy of each mosaic piece lining the spa, meticulously placed by an army of skilled artisans. Riad suites from £900 (royalmansour.com)
Severins, Lech
This nine-suite chalet has eased contemporary design into Lech’s cosy alpine spirit by sourcing, and skillfully applying local natural materials. The area’s dark, porous stone traces the suave, subterranean spa, while rooms feel carved generously out of grey wood and sliced up with thick glass. It’s Bond villain worthy. Skiers are welcomed home by Lichtensteins lining the walls, knockout views of the Alps and Michelin-starred spins on the humble schnitzel. Doubles from £590 (severins-lech.at)
Château du Grand Lucé
The perfect expression of 18th-century neoclassical architecture, Château du Grand Lucé’s gilded interiors survived the French revolution, two World Wars and now fuse with 21st century comforts as a homely, but no-less-opulent boutique stay. 17 elegant rooms peer out through fairytale windows over gardens that would make Versailles’ blush, with lakes and ancient forests combing the Loire Valley. Doubles from £409 (chateaugrandluce.com)
Awasi, Patagonia
Adventurous honeymooners will revel in the blissful isolation of Awasi Patagonia’s private reserve. Its 14 cabins – a luxurious spin on back-to-basics – fold seamlessly into the Torres del Paine’s dramatic, larger-than-life landscape. Hills carpeted in wild fauna and berries slide down in ochre shades to meet the glassy Lake Sarmiento, which seems to stretch for eternity towards the menacing, snow capped Torres del Paine Mountain Range. Cosy, contemporary cabins welcome home hikers and horseback riders on the lookout for condors and the elusive puma, as does a top-drawer restaurant with a strictly local and seasonal menu and theatrical views of the surrounding wilderness. From £3,700, with a minimum of three nights (awasipatagonia.com)
The Fife Arms
Ay, this truly is one Scotland’s most beguiling hotels with its tartan curtains, flamboyant four-posters, taxidermy curios and sumptuous, red wine sofas. But it’s art legends and owners, Manuela and Iwan Wirth’s creative touches and thrilling art collection that add intrigue and imagination to an otherwise warm, traditional picture. Nurse a few whiskies in this Braemar coaching inn (once a hunting lodge) until the siren call of the Cairngorm mountains becomes too loud to ignore. Doubles from £250 (Fifearms.com)
Aman Tokyo
Aman’s Tokyo’s architecture traces the city’s vertical strokes – vast floor-to-ceiling glass windows encase this skyscraper structure to truly expose guests to this exhilarating city. But it’s interiors follow the narrative of Japan’s minimalist design heritage – a serene and elevated simplicity with monochrome details, light woods and dark sultry stone. The cityscape from the baths will press against couples’ shared memory for years to come. Doubles from £636 (aman.com)
Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa, Amalfi Coast
This marvel of a hotel and its glorious infinity pool are carved into a sheer cliff, with staggering views over the Gulf of Salerno from the fragrant tiered gardens. Rooms play to the dramatic setting, inhaling the sea air through nostalgic shuttered windows and honouring the region’s traditional aesthetics with wrought iron beds and considered antiques. Michelin-starred Il Refettorio leverages the bounty from the hotel’s own kitchen garden for its creative and seasonal plates and Positano, Amalfi and Ravello are but a 20 minute chic boat ride away. Doubles from £350 (Monasterosantarosa.com)
Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice
Built in 1475 for Doge Andrea Gritti, this resplendent frescoed and antique-clad palazzo oozes with bygone splendour. The magnificent building occupies a prime stretch of the Grand Canal facing onto the church of Santa Maria della Salute. Inside, an opulent scene unfolds: twinkling chandeliers, rubelli wallpaper, quiet corners for martinis… but it’s the Club del Doge restaurant, with its gilt mirrors, mosaics and candle-lit canal terrace that is romance personified. marriott.com (Doubles from £547)
Sabi Sabi, South Africa Safari
Safari honeymooners will revel in Earth Lodge’s sense of isolation and its contemporary design – cleverly stitched into the surrounding African bush. Over and above thrilling game drives and big five encounters, Earth Lodge is a masterclass in responsible tourism, its 13 earthy-hued romantic lodges (suites) are as environmentally friendly as they are architecturally striking. Outdoor showers, baths and a wraparound pool add to the allure of this beautiful honeymoon hotel, and double up as theatre seats for a formidable nature show, with hippos, and other wildlife, visiting the watering hole – just one of several other-worldly dining destinations the hotel has up its sleeve for honeymooners. Doubles from £1,145 (Sabisabi.com)
Deplar Farm, Iceland
Perhaps it’s the surreal, otherworldly Game of Thrones landscape wrapping Deplar Farm or its incognito Nordic luxe, cleverly concealed behind mossy roofed, charcoal-hued cabins that earns this Icelandic marvel its place in design mythology and as one of the world’s most beautiful honeymoon hotels. Its indoor-outdoor geothermal pool is the stuff of legend (and Instagram gold), but it’s the heli-skiing and salmon fishing the polished punters come for – not to mention hair-raising glimpses of the Aurora Borealis lighting up the night sky. Doubles from £2246 (per person) (Elevenexperience.com)
Badrutt’s Palace, St Moritz
This Wes Anderson-worthy hotel can be credited with luring the first affluent Brits to St Moritz, forging its identity as a frosty Beau Monde playground for years to come. Built in 1896 by Caspar Badrutt, the green-turreted grande dame peers down her nose over the lake towards dense pine-forest and the majestic snow-capped Alps. The interiors seize on a certain restrained elegance wonderfully out of step with the cavalcade of fur coats and diamonds that file through the lobby at high season. Come here for old school glamour, for elaborate silver-clad breakfasts and to hunker down in the spa or stylish rooms, all with eye-wateringly pretty alpine views. Doubles from £509 (badruttspalace.com)
Related article: Cuba: Travel To Entwine Your Life
