The world's best hotels for honeymoons
There's a certain amount of freedom that comes with planning the dream honeymoon. Suddenly, no destination feels unreachable, no hotel untouchable. Whether you're looking to journey somewhere far-flung and remote like the Maldives, or you want to embrace city life and check in to one of the most romantic hotels in London, it's a time to celebrate and indulge. Eschew the overwhelm that comes with choosing well; each entry in this list of the world's best hotels for honeymoons has been enjoyed by an editor and comes highly recommended. Expect unforgettable views, sprawling infinity pools, exquisite fine dining and second-to-none service. For more inspiration, check our edit of the best new hotels in the world for 2024 and our guide to the best honeymoon destinations across the globe.
How we choose the world's best hotels for honeymoons
Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve. For more information on how we review hotels and restaurants, please look at our About Us page.
hotelSoneva Jani, Maldives
On the fringe of a lagoon in Noonu Atoll, blanketed in racing-green jungle and ringed with neon-white beach, Soneva Jani is the second Maldivian island home of the visionary brand. It’s an unreal world, where children and adults alike trail about the jungly interior on bikes, hang in hammocks on Robinson Crusoe beaches, throw themselves down slides, splash about on technicolour reefs and watch dolphins race through iridescent baby-blue waters. The overwater villas have glass-bottom floors and pool decks with corkscrew slides, and the fantastical Den, just a year and a half old, is the largest kids’ club in South Asia. But it’s not just about embracing your inner child. Adult treats include The Gathering, on the north side, an overwater barn of restaurants, a library and wine cellar. Eating is taken seriously – from a meat-free outpost by Bocuse d’Or-winning Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren to the garden-set idyll So Local, as well a rotation of visiting chefs (2024’s include Tom Aikens and Jane Alty, co-owner of London Thai street-food hero The Begging Bowl). A treehouse-like Island Spa has egg-shaped rooms linked by walkways floating towards a yoga shala. Soneva Soul is the brand’s new, more ambitious approach to health. This year, it has launched three-, seven- and 14 day wellness journeys around foundational health, sleep, detoxing and anti-ageing, using its magic blend of naturopathy, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine alongside hi-tech treatments such as platelet-rich plasma therapy and ozone therapy. Feeling well is at Soneva’s core – way beyond ditching one’s shoes on arrival. Lydia Bell
hotelSanto Mine, Santorini
Clustered along a hillside topped by the dazzling white blaze of Oia town high above, this adults-only resort gazes out over its glittering infinity pool to Ammoudi’s picturesque taverna-lined bay and the volcanic caldera’s red-and-white cliffs beyond. Reached via winding alleys lined with sweet-scented shrubs, 37 spacious open-plan suites have barefoot-friendly tiled floors and breezy brine-kissed sea views from plump kingsize beds; some also have standalone bathtubs framed by grainy pumice statement walls that perpetuate the resort’s sultry volcanic vibe. Best of all are the blissfully private terraces framed by high stone walls where plunge pools or whirlpool baths offer the same idyllic sunset vistas as Oia’s famous castle viewing spot above, only without the crowds.
Beyond the suites, a serene candelit spa offers the perfect healing retreat after a long day’s sightseeing, whilst the resort’s cool, cave-like wine cellar is the perfect spot to sample mineral local wines that will prepare the palate for a firework flavour-display of fresh and dry-aged seafood treats served up along with spectacular volcanic caldera views at Santo Mine’s fine-dining restaurant, Alme.
© Amanresorts Limited 1996-present. All Rights Reserved.hotelAmanruya, Bodrum
The sun-bleached stone pavilions dot Bodrum's north coastline and encourage complete and utter relaxation as you succumb to the sounds of nature and the smell of the cypress trees. It's been nearly 35 years since the first Aman property opened in Phuket and the brand's reputation for quiet luxury continues to be unrivalled. Amanruya – meaning 'peaceful dream' – deftly celebrates the culture and scenery that Bodrum's north coast provides. There's really no need to leave the resort. Unless, of course, it's to take a buggy to the beach club; cradled in the Cyprus trees, to relax on the lounge chairs and daybeds that hug the coastline. Back in the rooms, spacious interiors nod to Turkish architecture – all graceful concrete and terrazzo arches. White curtains drape across the four-poster bed at the centre of the room, letting rays of light peek through in the morning.
Courtesy Belmond Copacabana PalacehotelCopacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel, Rio de Janeiro
$$$The first time, I came for the beach. I was tracing a palm-fringed world of cold beers and hot swimsuits, beach volleyball, tan lines and pristine sands, 3,000 miles around the Brazilian coast. Copacabana was where I began. For glorious Brazilian beaches, Copacabana is ground zero. But the last time—and there were many visits in between—I came just for the hotel, the elegant Copacabana Palace. It was the hotel that created this place; that made this strip of sand famous and helped to conjure the idea of the beach as central to Brazilian identity. When the Copacabana Palace opened a hundred years ago, it occupied an unheralded neighborhood, amid modest houses and fishermen’s shacks. Until then, Rio de Janeiro had been centered on the old downtown areas of Centro and Castelo, and the 19th-century mansions of leafy Santa Teresa. But a new age of leisure arrived in the post-war years. Sunbathing was suddenly a thing, and Coco Chanel made having a tan fashionable. Designed by French architect Joseph Gire, the Copacabana Palace adopted the elegant art deco lines of the grand hotels of the French Riviera. A Parisian dancer, Mistinguett, reputed to have the most beautiful legs in the world, arrived for the hotel’s inauguration, and suddenly everyone’s gaze turned south to Copacabana, to the new hotel and to the glorious beach that was its doorstep. A century on, the Copacabana Palace is still a Rio icon, bestriding the Avenida Atlântica on that incomparable bay. The style is classic opulence: vast chandeliers, acres of marble and Brazilian hardwoods; a sanctuary among the city’s endless partying. But this is Brazil. The Palace may be grand, but it is also fun. It pulls you into a cheeky Brazilian embrace: comforting, perhaps, but always a little flirtatious. At breakfast overlooking the famous pool, beautiful and lively Brazilians are all around. Ken Hom is the storied chef behind Michelin-starred Pan-Asian restaurant Mee, though my favorite is the Cipriani, an elegant Italian that would impress in a top Roman hotel. There is a rooftop tennis court, and, across the avenue on that famous beach, hotel staff attend guests with umbrellas an loungers, cold towels and sun lotion. Around the hotel’s centenary, it is still impossible to think of Rio, or that famous beach swooning round the bay, without the Copacabana Palace. Stanley Stewart
Six SenseshotelSix Senses Douro Valley, Portugal
The selling point of Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal, the first European location from the famed luxury wellness brand, is the multiple entry points it affords a traveller. Lean into the location, and by that I mean the wine, and enjoy tours of the vineyards, as well as a personal favourite – the help-yourself wine fridge located on the main floor. Relax in the resort, and enjoy walking through the nine acres of forest, containing more than 500 species (of which 450 are native). Or go full wellness with dedicated multi-day programs that focus on female health and more, featuring the property’s incredible personal trainers, hydro areas, and exquisite health menus. Though the beauty of the place is that it knows how to feasibly be all things at once, should that be more your speed. From £876. Erin Florio
hotelHôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, Paris
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel is a living, breathing landmark transported into the 21st century with utmost precision and care. It straddles two universes: a historic destination that has seen the likes of Louis XV and Marie Antoinette and utter luxury in the heart of Paris. Interiors are palatial and perfectly matched to the grandeur of the exterior. The lobby sees a long hallway branch off into various bars, restaurants, patisseries and the spa. The hotel continuously reveals surprises and architectural delights, with guests checking in via an inviting room laden with elaborate wood detailing and plush chairs. If you peek across the hall, you can glimpse the bar, Les Ambassadeurs, a true feat of conservation and transformation.
The ornate detail extends into the 124 rooms. Each offering, whether a room, suite or Les Grand Appartements designed by Karl Lagerfeld, perfectly epitomises Paris. The 10 signature suites are the hotel’s crowning jewels, with Suite Louis XV overlooking the Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais.
Hôtel du Cap-Eden-RochotelHôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, France
$$$The wisteria at the Hotel du Cap was planted the year the hotel launched. That was 1870, before a generation of restless pleasure-seeking writers and artists, including Ernest Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald and Marc Chagall, turned the classic winter retreat into a summer playground, escaping Prohibition and societal strictures after the Great War.
A century later, the 1970s were another turning point for the Riviera landmark, when the Oetker family bought the villa after sailing past and catching a glimpse of the iconic property. Thus began a new, heady, unbuttoned denim-shirted era, when social boundaries were crossed around the legendary swimming pool, which had been blasted out of basalt and fetishized in society photographer Slim Aarons’ coloured images. Royalty and rock stars mingled with writers, rogues and reprobates. After the jazz and jet ages came the dot-com bubble buzz and the brief oligarchisation of the pool. All these eras are now past.
These days, it is as it should be – “calme, luxe and volupté” – at the Riviera recreation ground and landmark hotel, where the outside world is kept very much at arm’s length. Hotel du Cap has closed only four times in its long 150-year history, most recently during the pandemic, but when I returned last year, the influencers were back in force, posing along the cushiony Grande Allée that rolls out towards the sea. It is pure Instagram gold, of course: a ceremonial catwalk 650 feet long, trumpeted on both sides with pines, that leads from the 19th-century Napoleon III classic mansion, past the flirty palms, to the party terrace of Eden Roc jutting over the water like the prow of a ship. It’s a place to see and be seen – and yet nothing feels more private, peaceful and like a hideaway than a day spent sequestered in one of the 31 cabanas with a bottle of Whispering Angel rosé. These simple, rustic shacks are the heart and soul of the estate, positioned on the rocky outcrops of the seaboard beneath the whispering Aleppo pines.
Other ways to spend the day include wallowing in the Dior Spa, honing that serve on one of five clay tennis courts (which are assiduously hosed down before breakfast) or visiting the beehives and birdhouses. In a corner of the 22 acres of mimosa- and wisteria-scented parkland, there’s even a pet cemetery where regular guests have buried departed companions.
Although the Hotel du Cap moves with the times, it never gives in to the vagaries of fashion and remains a classic. Anatole France’s plaque at the entrance of the path to the cabanas sums up: “What will be is what was”. The hotel still subscribes to the cherished adage that in tumultuous times, living well is the best revenge. Catherine Fairweather
hotelGrand Hotel Tremezzo, Lake Como
In an increasingly rapacious Italian hotel scene, some iconic family-owned properties retain that made-in-Italy, one-of-a-kind elixir that the bigger players can only dream of. The decadent Grand Hotel Tremezzo is decidedly one of these: It has been in family hands since opening in 1910 and comes with Grand Tour charm in spades. Sitting a little back from Lake Como, looking out onto Bellagio, the Liberty-style building conjures a Grand Budapest Hotel set, an impression that grows when you enter the formal lobby with its sweeping red-carpet staircase, antique gilt-framed mirrors, and marble-encased bathrooms. The true pièce de résistance is the floating pool sitting on the lake – a Lido-like beachfront, bright orange and white umbrellas, and chic custom loungers.
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Ash James/BarrocalhotelSão Lourenco do Barrocal, Portugal
More than just a luxury hotel, São Lourenço is also a working winery, olive grove and farm in Portugal's wild, sun-bleached Alentejo region. After the two-hour journey from Lisbon, you drive down the oak-lined drive and realise you've stumbled upon something special. Aside from the lack of noise pollution, there’s something unique in the light here, and the way it bounces off the whitewashed walls of the property. All of the rooms are accessed from the cobbled courtyard, and have been converted from former stables. The low-lying exterior is beautifully photogenic, and it would surely be impossible to wander through here in the late afternoon sun without feeling inspired. The feeling continues in the rooms, which are the embodiment of farmhouse chic; vast and rustic, with a colour palette of white, beige, and duck egg blue that’s instantly calming. Beds are oversized and comfortable, finished with handwoven wool blankets, and bathrooms have luxe underfloor heating and – in some cases – a welcoming bathtub.
Guests mostly come here for some time to themselves, so you’ll certainly be left to your own devices for the most-part – but rest assured that there’s a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips, should you wish to pick the team’s brains.
hotelRaffles Bali, Bali
Crafted into the cliff face of Jimbaran Bay, just 25 minutes from the airport, Raffles Bali is a 32 villa-only oasis. The entire property has been carefully designed to ensure every spot has an unimpeded view of the ocean, with peace and privacy the name of the game. The villas are a cool cocoon of high vaulted ceilings, lacquered mahogany floors and idyllic views from the bed across your private garden to the ocean. Each comes with it's own private pool, although for a change of scenery you can choose to take a leisurely swim in the 25 metre beachfront infinity pool. For the ultimate oasis of calm and relaxation be sure to book The Sanctuary, an open air spa pavilion where tensions melt away to the sound of tropical birds rolling sea waves.
Executive Chef Gaetan Biezus, affectionately known as Chef G by the Indonesian team, oversees the dining options across the hotel and strives to ensure at least 80 per cent of produce is sourced from the Indonesian archipelago, with only 20 per cent imported out of necessity. A must-book is Rumari, perched at the height of the hotel lobby for ultimate views and presenting a five-step culinary journey through Bali. Down at sea-level is Loloan Beach Bar and Grill which offers lunch and dinner menus featuring freshly caught seafood. The Writer’s Bar is the best spot in the whole hotel to watch the colourful sunset showcase, accompanied by a Bali sling and light tapas menu of Indonesian snacks.
hotelSanta Marina, a Luxury Collection Resort, Mykonos
There’s an effortless elegance to this idyllic slice of Mykonos that can only stem from having its heart in the right place. With a beautiful family history and an innate sensibility for doing things ‘the right way,’ this address is undoubtedly one of the best hotels on the island, and in all of Greece. Morning here starts at Elais Eestaurant, which might just be one of the most beautiful restaurants I’ve been to in Europe. A vision in blue, the sweeping terrace sports a multitude of shades, from the striped parasols to the blue and white tiles and perfectly mish-mashed prints and pillows on the banquette seating. Combined with the bright Aegean blue backdrop and the well-heeled linen-clad guests the scene wouldn’t look out of place in a vintage Ralph Lauren commercial. The nod to American style is apt – Santa Marina is beloved by a jet-setting crowd (there's room to dock your yacht, plus a helipad), but is particularly popular with discerning New Yorkers.
While most Greek hotels tend to lay the white-washed aesthetic on thick, the rooms and villas here lean towards a warmer palette with charming artisanal touches – woven baskets, rattan furniture, honey-hued wooden floors and touches of bamboo and coral. The earthy colours are a perfect contrast to the bright blue sea views, which most rooms have, thanks to the hillside location. In addition to style, Santa Marina has also been blessed with the ultimate location – on a hillside overlooking Ornos Bay, with the only private sandy beach on the island. Curl up in one of the cabanas at the beach club and you'll never want to leave, and nor do you need to – cocktails and sushi can be brought straight to you. Lauren Burvill
InterContinental Khao Yai ResorthotelInterContinental Khao Yai Resort, Thailand
Some two hours into the three-hour drive northward from Bangkok, the landscape starts changing. Concrete sprawl morphs into Khao Yai’s undulating hillscape bedecked in thick jungles and fruit orchards, and just off the area’s main road that snakes past pastiche European-looking country clubs and patchworks of farmland, the Intercontinental Khao Yai emerges from behind a hedgerow of towering trees. Dotted around the lush estate, you’ll see railway-themed buildings and train cars – which is the exact theme Bangkok-based hotel designer Bill Bensley was going for. The lobby is built like an old-timey ticketing booth, while suites are set up in upcycled vintage railway carriages and draw inspiration from different Asian railway journeys. Also set up in railway carts are two restaurants and one bar (head to Poirot for champignon-topped mushroom tarts and boeuf bourguignon) and a spa specialising in Thai and aromatherapy massage. Needless to say, this imaginative stay is a hit with little ones, but even grown-ups will appreciate the whimsical respite from busy Bangkok. Rooms from around £225. Chris Schalkx
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