Help happy couples make time for each other on honeymoon, says Katie McGonagle
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Most of the time, the idea that bad things come in threes is nothing more than an old superstition – except on honeymoon, when two is most definitely the magic number.
Once couples escape the attention of their big day for their honeymoon, they’ll only have eyes for each other – so trying to have a romantic dinner in a busy hotel restaurant or struggling to find two sun loungers by a crowded pool is the last thing they want.
Make sure newlyweds get off to a good start by helping them make time for each other – and as a bonus, the extra special experiences might earn you extra commission too.
ROOM FOR TWO
Accommodation is all important on honeymoon, so steer clients towards the best room for their budget – preferably somewhere with a little privacy.
Sandals’ Love Nest suites are set apart from the main resort and include a personal butler to take care of every detail (they can unpack suitcases, arrange in-room dining or even run a rose petal-scented bath) plus private pools and breathtaking sea views, especially from the lofty new Skypool Suites at Sandals LaSource Grenada, which overlook Pink Gin Beach.
Far Eastern hotels tell a similar story: Banyan Tree Phuket boasts five-star pool villas hidden away amid tropical gardens on the edge of Bang Thao Bay, combining easy beach access with a secluded private pool and dining area (from £1,985 for a week with Premier Holidays, including flights, private transfers and breakfast). Set on a private island off Malaysia’s west coast, Pangkor Laut Resort is about as secluded as it gets since it takes a flight, road transfer and speedboat journey to get there (from £1,415 with flights and breakfast through Virgin Holidays; upgrade to an over-water spa villa from £281 per night).
Likewise, tiny Kandolhu Island in the Maldives is the epitome of a secluded Indian Ocean escape, with its lush green centre fringed by white-sand beaches and coral reefs. Admire those sparkling seas from the privacy of a pool villa with plunge pool, open-air shower, terrace and private dining area (from £2,050 for a week’s B&B, flights and seaplane transfers with Kuoni).
SOMETHING SPECIAL
Some honeymooners want more than sun and sand, so how about sleeping under the stars or among the treetops?
Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica in Peru has a Canopy Tree House in the midst of the Amazon, set 90ft above the lush rainforest floor for a unique vantage point on wildlife not seen from ground level (nightly rates from £179 per person, based on double occupancy).
Wildlife is also a feature of the outdoor ‘star beds’ offered by selected safari lodges in Africa. Claire Farley, founder of 2by2 Holidays, recommends Garonga Safari Camp in Limpopo Province, South Africa, featured on its seven-night Southern African Beach Safari, Star Beds and Durban break (from £1,995 including flights).
She says: “It’s just the couples, a star bed and the African night sky. It’s very romantic as couples can really tune out from everything around them. The star beds are on a beautiful raised – and safe and secure – decking overlooking the river, so couples can watch the wildlife drawn to the river below. It’s a true Out of Africa experience.”
Cox & Kings recommends the star beds at Loisaba in Kenya, set on the edge of a deep escarpment with outstanding views of the plateau (from £245 a night, full-board on tailor-made trips), and Baines’ Camp in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, where four-poster beds can be rolled out to the deck of each stilted suite (from £495).
Premier Holidays has added the option of a private houseboat extension on the Bentota Ganga river for any Sri Lanka honeymoon (full-board, from £160), while Transun offers a night in an insulated igloo in Lapland from £120.
ADD IT UP
Why spend forever putting together a blissful honeymoon, when many hotels have dedicated packages in place?
These range from classic inclusions, such as champagne and fruit on arrival, a honeymoon gift, spa treatment and complimentary lunch at Beachcomber Hotels’ Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa in Mauritius (from £1,735 half-board with flights and private transfers, through Beachcomber Tours); or the bottle of champagne, complimentary dinner on deck and two spa treatments at Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai (seven nights’ full-board with flights from £1,979 via The Private Travel Company).
Then there are the rather more outlandish; Swiss hotel The Dolder Grand has put a romantic twist on spa with its Meet Me at Midnight package, which gives couples after-hours access to the spa with champagne, two hours to themselves in a candlelit pool, plus a couple’s massage, five-course dinner at a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, two nights’ accommodation with breakfast and limousine transfers (from £3,164 for two).
Farther afield, Bali’s Maya Ubud Resort & Spa has a Romantic Interlude package with aromatherapy flower bath, candlelit dinner, spa treatment and for a memento of the island, a photo shoot in traditional Balinese dress. Prices start at £1,699 including accommodation and Malaysia Airlines flights, from Hayes & Jarvis.
Even more extreme, Angsana Balaclava Mauritus offers a Romance and Skyfall package, which – alongside 50% off the room rate, wine and fruit on arrival, and dinner for two – offers an adrenaline-pumping tandem skydive for £254 extra.
TAKE ME OUT
Newlyweds have no excuse for neglecting the romance in their relationship, so encourage them to go out on ‘dates’ – you’ll pick up extra commission from add-ons and excursions, while they fall even more in love.
It could be as simple as an old-fashioned romantic dinner – Sandals offers private candlelit meals under the stars or in-room for $170, while guests at The Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra can dine by candlelight on a private balcony overlooking the ultimate monument to love, the Taj Mahal, from £95 per couple.
For more relaxed – but equally romantic – dining options, suggest New York newlyweds eat in the world-famous Russian Tea Rooms with a horse-and-carriage ride through Central Park first (£240 per couple with Attraction World). Or for those in Queenstown, New Zealand, Do Something Different’s Champagne Picnic on a Peak excursion whisks the happy couple by helicopter to an otherwise inaccessible spot to explore away from other tourists, followed by a champagne lunch (£383 per person).
From sky to sea, underrated destination The Azores offers the chance to spot whales in the wild – but forget elbowing other tourists out of the way with a private whale-watching excursion.
Destination specialist Archipelago Choice, which pays 10% commission, can arrange private whale-watching plus a swim with dolphins, a week’s B&B at boutique hotel Quinta do Mar, car hire and flights from Sata International, from £1,393.
If honeymooners are more interested in large land animals opt for a Perfect Day in the Jungle, one of the Oberoi Experiences available to guests of The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambore, India.
Start with Ranthambore Fort and the famous Ganesh Temple, then enjoy an elephant ride, spa treatment, champagne toast at the top of the observation tower overlooking the National Park, followed by a candlelit dinner in the amphitheatre (£800 per couple, rooms from £560 a night).
ARRIVE IN STYLE
If you think a honeymoon starts when customers reach the resort you are missing out on a potential goldmine: the journey.
Customers of Exclusive Escapes jet off from the private terminal at Stansted, with honeymooners enjoying 50% off flight upgrades on London-Dalaman flights, automatic room upgrades on Lycian Coast boutiques and a complimentary day sea cruise.
Those with access to a private jet can use Shangri-La Villingili Resort & Spa’s private terminal, the only one in the Maldives, while honeymooners in Mauritius can choose from a stylish Audi A6 transfer (£95) or combine transport with sightseeing on a helicopter flight across the island (£639, both through If Only).
Mauritian Maradiva Villas Resort & Spa greets its guests with a glass of champagne and a Rolls-Royce, while over in the Caribbean, Riviera Maya resort Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita includes a free private airport transfer with sparkling wine and cool towels, with no check-in or check-out times to make the journey even more hassle-free.
