For most, the classic two-week honeymoon feels antiquated and unrealistic, inducing more stress than the relief it’s intended to provide. Sure, a relaxed, romantic retreat for just you and your spouse to decompress will be much needed after your wedding (and the months of planning leading up to it). But a big blowout honeymoon is just another thing to plan, and more time to request off from work.
Today, much more common is the mini-moon, the modest alternative to a long, drawn-out vacation. You don’t even need the occasion of being newlyweds for something as low-key as a mini-moon. Maybe it’s simply a long weekend to regroup from a tough couple of months at work. After all, we’re all entitled to a break—whatever we choose to call it.
“I’ve noticed over the past couple of years people lack the time or energy for their own honeymoon,” says Liora Manilof, leisure director and luxury lifestyle manager of Forest Travel. “So I like to refer a mini-moon as a short but sweet retreat, a place to escape that’s close to home but at the same time makes you feel like a million miles away.”
With that in mind, even more sensible is planning your mini-moon at a hotel that you don’t have to leave. We’re not talking about the type of all-inclusive resorts with mediocre breakfast buffets, crowded beaches, and overpriced excursions, but a more refined hotel that will make you feel like you’re in your own private oasis with superior design, dining, amenities and service. Here, our roundup of the best hotels for a mini-moon:
A secluded Caribbean escape: Sugar Beach Viceroy, St. Lucia
Located between Soufrière’s two majestic Pitons is a private oasis that rests on 100 acres of tropical rainforest. Sugar Beach Viceroy possesses a natural beauty that goes unparalleled. You can explore it daily aboard complimentary colorful tuk tuks that take you as directed, whether you’re heading to the pool, beach, the rainforest spa (not to be missed) or the six restaurants and bars on the property. Privately nestled among the palm trees are the luxury villas, cottages, beachfront bungalows, and sugar mill rooms, all romantically situated on their own little hill, leaving you to feel completely secluded from other guests. Each room comes with a private plunge pool, while the beachfront bungalows are right on the sand of Sugar Beach and therefore steps from the water’s edge. Every reservation offers 24-hour personalized butler service to handle all needs during your stay. With everything you need at your fingertips in a setting that is so rich with beauty, you’ll never want to leave the hotel grounds.
A different side of Cancun: Nizuc Resort & Spa, Cancun
You won’t find college spring breakers swarming a pool bar or a Señor Frog’s within every two-block radius. Your 15-minute cab ride from Cancun Airport will lead you to quite the opposite of the Cancun you know well, to 29 acres of euphoric beachfront bliss. With its incredible views as the backdrop, Nizuc Resort & Spa doesn’t need much else in terms of design, which they’ve chosen to keep minimal and refined. No matter what room you choose, it will be huge. With floor-to-ceiling windows, private in-suite plunge pools, and outdoor showers, you’ll have a hard time finding an excuse to leave your room, let alone the hotel. Once you do make it out of your room, you have much to look forward to: two private beaches, three infinity pools, six world-class restaurants, and the spa. Oh, the spa. Nizuc is home to ESPA’s first branded spa, a 30,000-square-foot facility featuring multifunctional treatments and hydrotherapy rooms, as well as private spa villas for couples with a pool and outdoor deck, among other things that can easily keep you there for a full day. But the best thing about Nizuc is the service. Without being overbearing, the staff is authentically friendly and readily available. Though at a luxurious property like this, there’s not much you’ll need.
A western getaway: Amangiri, Utah
Minimal in design, the opulence of Amangiri stems from the natural beauty that's visible from all corners of the hotel. Amangiri, meaning “peaceful mountain,” is exactly that. Set in a protected valley among the iconic sandstone mesas of Southern Utah with views of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Amangiri’s vastly beautiful desert scenery, natural features, and Navajo-inspired design provide a uniquely romantic experience. The rooms feature white stone floors, concrete walls, and natural timbers to reflect the landscape of the surrounding desert. As the meditative views are responsible for much of the beauty, the only art in the rooms is the uninterrupted backdrop of dusty rock mesas, plateaus, and dunes. There is no shortage of natural beauty and relaxation on the grounds of Amangiri, whether you’re lounging in the outdoor pool with nothing but rock escarpment towering over you or enjoying Navajo healing treatments at the spa. Also at the hotel, you’ll find a library and gallery to inspire conversation as you enjoy the tranquility of your quiet surroundings.
An English city escape: Chiltern Firehouse, London
Appropriately set in London’s village-like neighborhood of Marylebone, the Chiltern Firehouse is the perfect amount of quaint English sensibility mixed with an equally perfect amount of cool. Service is exceptional: With a note in every room instructing you to “Dial 0 for anything,” you instantly feel catered to. The rooms are quaint and sensible with gas fireplaces, in-room iPods with curated playlists, and large bathrooms, all of which exude an unparalleled warmth of domesticity. The trendy scene downstairs serves as an excellent foil to the modesty of the living quarters. If this isn’t your first trip to London and you’re hoping to indulge in a taste of the London scene without the trouble of planning a day of sightseeing, settle for people-watching in a banquette by the fireplace at the restaurant or take a seat at the bar (as a guest, you’ll get priority reservations). For a quieter evening “out,” enjoy champagne and oysters by the open fire in the courtyard. At all hours of the day, the Chiltern Firehouse restaurant and bar is the place to be. Once you’ve gotten a good buzz on, stumble up to your cozy English digs and dial 0 for anything.