Choosing Honeymoon Accommodation

For many people, the issue of where to stay consumes a large part of their honeymoon planning. Choosing a destination is a great first step, but afterwards there will inevitably be a few options for exactly where you should stay. Your decision should of course be based on what you and your brand new spouse can best afford, but here’s a quick rundown of a few accommodation types to give you an idea of what to expect.

1.   Hotel room. This is basically what you’ll find at almost every hotel; a simple room, with a couch, bed, and often a window facing outside. For me, this ranges from a B&B with three rooms to a skyscraper in the middle of New York City. Standards vary hugely between rooms, often even in the same hotel, especially in bigger hotels. These are generally a fairly cheap and middle of the road way to go, but it’s worth investigating the quality and rates of the rooms before booking. You don’t want to end up in the lowest quality room if you could have had an upgrade for £10 a night – but similarly, you don’t want to pay extra for an upgrade if you’re not really getting much for it or don’t plan on spending a huge amount of time in the room.

2.   Villa. These are among the most common honeymoon accommodation choices simply because what they offer seems superlative for a holiday designed for peace, quiet, and romance. Villas are usually set apart from one another and tend to be better designed for privacy. You are much less likely to hear your neighbour’s television blaring throughout the night and you don’t have to worry that they in turn will hear every word you utter. Many, especially on the beach, also have their own sundecks and even plunge pools, which have their own obvious appeal. Some resorts with villas will be all-inclusive, especially on remote islands and beaches, but others will be in the thick of everything.

3.   Self-catering apartments and cottages. These are especially popular, it seems to me, throughout the UK and Europe. It’s always easy to find a nearby supermarket and cooking for yourself is generally cheaper than springing for meals out every night and day. You’ll find that you can afford more if you budget less for food – so that cute timber-framed cottage becomes a more viable honeymoon option. And it can be romantic to cook dinner together and enjoy something you could never afford in a restaurant, while still going out sometimes.

4.   Overwater bungalow. These are the new trend in honeymoons these days, or so it has seemed to me lately! More and more far-flung island resorts are investing in these types of accommodation, where you can simply slide from your deck into the ocean and back again. These bungalows do tend to be expensive, especially if you go for the exclusive one on the end of the pontoon, and most of what you’re paying for is the novelty of living above water for a week or two. If your heart isn’t set on seeing nothing but ocean from your bedroom window, you can probably get a villa that’s just as nice on the beach for less.

While there are many more types of accommodation out there, they really should fall into these basic categories. Mix them up for a bit of variety or opt for a single favourite – it’s all about what you’d like to get out of your honeymoon. All of them can be incredibly romantic, and that’s really all you want!