How To Plan The Perfect Honeymoon

November 5, 2010 by  
Filed under Honeymoon Ideas

The wedding is over, the guests have gone home. Now it’s time to relax, right? It might surprise you to know that planning the perfect honeymoon is often just as stressful to couples as planning the perfect wedding. While honeymoon details were traditionally meant to be handled by the groom, these days women are understandably reluctant about leaving such important plans to their man.

Here are some tips for how to plan the kind of honeymoon you both want.

Budget

Sure if you had an unlimited budget you could rent yourself a private island, or frolic with celebrities at an exclusive resort in Bora Bora or Parrot Cay. But weddings are expensive enough and you don’t want to dig yourself into an even deeper hole by adding on a pricey honeymoon. On the other hand, you don’t want to penny-pinch so much that your honeymoon is short and unmemorable. So discuss with your spouse how much you are willing to spend as a couple – and then stick to it.

One of the greatest ways to score an amazing honeymoon on a budget is to travel in the off-season. Whether this means rescheduling your wedding, or holding off on the honeymoon for a few months, you can often find incredible deals if you’re willing to compromise on your dates. Many places such as Bermuda are busiest in the summer – which is traditionally the most popular time for a wedding. But by travelling in the fall or early spring, you can often find high-class hotels at a deep discount.

Another way to have a wonderful, yet inexpensive, honeymoon is to stick close to home. While you might dream of jetting off to an exotic location, try searching for romantic getaways within driving distance from where you live. You would be amazed at the beautiful destinations that lurk in your own backyard. This kind of honeymoon can make you feel like you’re worlds away – without having to spend like you are.

Discuss the type of Honeymoon you want

Maybe you’re the kind of couple who dreams of a relaxing walk on the beach. Or maybe your idea of romance is scuba diving with sharks. The key is to discuss your dream honeymoon with your significant other and then be willing to compromise if the two of you have very different ideas of what you consider to be a romantic vacation. Often something like a cruise can be an ideal solution for couples who can’t agree on what they want. Many cruises offer both relaxation and pampering but with plenty of opportunities for on-shore adventure activities.

Get off the beaten path

One way to design a memorable honeymoon is to skip the usual resorts and tourist activities. For instance, instead of opting for an escorted tour, try renting bikes and exploring your honeymoon destination on wheels. You’ll still be able to see all the highlights your destination has to offer without the crowds of a tour– and you’re likely to discover some hidden gems along the way.

Another great way to plan a unique visit and save some money is to do as the locals do. It’s great to try out the expensive restaurants designed for tourists. But try saving your high-priced meals for dinner, and then dining at local spots for your other meals. Or check out a farmer’s market for fresh local produce and baked goods.

Don’t be Shy

Hotels and tour operators often have deals that cater exclusively to travellers on their honeymoon. If you are using a travel agent, let them know you’re newlyweds. In fact, tell everyone – tour groups, hotels, and restaurants. You may find yourself getting small perks and upgrades, such as chocolates on your pillow at a hotel, or a restaurant table overlooking the water for your special occasion.

Terry Telford is the publisher of Kingston East News and an avid promoter of Kingston Ontario. He highly recommends the European style and elegance of the Kingston Best Western http://www.KingstonBestWestern.com
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If You Want One Of The Top All-inclusive Honeymoon Resorts In The Caribbean Then Choose Cocos On Antigua

July 23, 2010 by  
Filed under Honeymoon Ideas

One of The Best Romantic Affordable Ideas in Antigua is Cocos, and in my opinion it has to be the top all-inclusive honeymoon destination resorts in the Caribbean. It is undoubtedly one of the more secluded romantic Caribbean resorts

The first thing to say is that it is vital you ensure you splash out a little and take at least a superior seaview cottage, if not a premium. The standard cottages are very noisy because of the road, and a neighbouring hotel, which they are close to, whereas the superior, and premium are up the hill, and round the corner. They have huge balconies, and spectacular views with king sized beds. Their main drawback is the uphill walk, and the fact that with no air conditioning you tend to leave the doors open, and let the mossies in, and the nets were not too efficient!!

My idea of an all-inclusive hotel is not what I found here at Cocos. I imagined a full on loud large resort, which must be terrible, but what we got was the most laid back relaxing small beautiful rustic Caribbean idyll.

The attention we got from the staff from the moment we arrived until we left was extraordinary, this has to be the friendliest most attentive hotel we have ever stayed in.

The biggest problem everyone in the hotel suffered from were the sand flies, so if you are going you will need 100% Deet spray, but that itself doesn’t protect you completely. Someone told us that they didn’t like sun tan oil and so we bought some, threw away our creams and lotions, and the combination seemed to work well.

Why therefore is this one of the top all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean?

The answer is a combination of things, but mainly the secluded romantic setting, plus the fantastic staff who couldn’t be faulted in any way at all.

Even the food which can be quite dire in the Caribbean, was quite superb, and we found plenty of choice, and when we did go a la carte it was extremely good value for money. We did enjoy the barbeque evening

I think though my favourite time was relaxing on a very comfortable sun lounger by the pool drinking cocktails brought by a happy smiling barman.

We will certainly return because we like to feel we have escaped from dreary 5 star hotels, and found authenticity, and this was just that.

Definitely Cocos is one of the most affordable romantic ideas in Antigua.

Jason Law has written two or three articles for http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com and recommends it as a source of vacation destinations and hotels
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Honeymoon Spots

August 26, 2009 by  
Filed under Honeymoon Spots

Wedding planning and the actual events surrounding the big day are usually chaotic, frustrating and exhausting. A perfect honeymoon spot will probably be the first place that offers a respite from the festivities. A perfect honeymoon spot is so important for time to finally be alone. There are some great honeymoon spots, but the selection needs to reflect the interests of two people. Before choosing a honeymoon spot, the newlyweds should look carefully to make sure they choose for the right reasons. There are honeymoon spots that are great for sightseeing while other great spots are perfect for relaxing.

Although it might be hard to decide on the right spot in advance, the newlyweds should look carefully at all of the options. Couples who want to relax will be able to find great honeymoon spots to meet these needs. These couples make reservations for Tahiti or the Maldives. Both of these beautiful locations will provide them a place far from the hectic pace of every day life. Tahiti and Maldives require many hours on an airplane so those interested in a quiet place closer to home might want to choose a resort in Arizona during the winter or a lodge in one of the national parks.

Couples looking for more excitement on their honeymoon have many choices. Europe offers many possibilities for those looking for tourist sights. There are great museums and castles to visit throughout Europe. There are operas in almost all of the European capitals and many of the smaller cities. Those interested in more modern music will find plenty in many places throughout Europe. Shopping in Paris, London or Milan is full of the latest fashions and lots of fun. Europe has many great honeymoon spots to choose, but it is sometimes hard to know where to start.

Honeymoon spots do not have to be stationary. There are some great cruises that take people to exotic locales and fascinating sights. A suite on a cruise ship might be the best and most attractive of all the spots. The stability of going to several honeymoon spots when the ship docks might be the most relaxing way to spend the time after all the excitement of the wedding planning, ceremony and reception. The most difficult thing about choosing a honeymoon spot might be the numerous possibilities. There are so many attractive places so making the decision might be the most difficult part of the process.