Category — Honeymoon Thursday

Iceland is called the country of fire and ice because of it’s breathtaking glaciers combined with active volcanoes.  In fact, Iceland is said to be magical, exotic; the perfect place for an adventureous honeymoon.  Several tour companies can help you plan your trip, whether you choose to relax and take in the city life of Reykjavik or explore glaciers, volcanoes and geysers.  Nordic Vistor Iceland is one company that can handle all the details for you.  So a mini itinerary might include these locations:

Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital and is one of Europe’s smallest capitals.  It’s a modern city where on summer nights, around midnight, you can sit by the harbour and watch the sunset. 

Blue Lagoon Spa is geothermal seawater that is not only soothing for the skin but extremely relaxing.  And who doesn’t need some pampering after months of planning?  Plus you can arrange for a massage in the lagoon.

 Lake Myvatn is an area of volcanic craters filled with bubbling mud, lakes & islands.  Some excellent salmon fishing happens here, and if you’re looking to relax and literally watch the birds fly by this is the place.  But if you’re looking to extend the pampering, relax in a warm mud bath while watching the northern lights.

No matter what your itinerary holds for Iceland you’ll definitely enjoy the pristine beauty.

The White Mountains in New Hampshire are a truly spectacular destination in New England.

This would be a stunning fall honeymoon location. Stay at the historic Mount Washington Hotel, which is featured here. There are lots of great activities, from hiking to golf to whatever these people are doing here. Playing lumberjack? Actually, it’s a canopy tour, which I think looks pretty fun

The Mount Washington Hotel has had a recent renovation and restoration. With the unveiling of the new Spa, scheduled to debut in the winter of 2008/09, it will be even more desirable.

Modeled after a chateau in the Loire Valley, Chateau Marmont in the Hollywood Hills is rich with history and excitement. 

Famous for hosting celebrities, the hotel pampers and offers privacy.  Their garden view rooms start at $370./ night but the amenities are endless. 

 And since they’re in the heart of West Hollywood, you’re close to nightlife, restaurants and shopping.  Or if you prefer, hang out by the pool, schedule a horseback ride or take a hike in Runyon Canyon.  It’s in a great location and if you dream of having a hollywood honeymoon, Chateau Marmont is the place.

I really want to stay here! This place is amazing. I mean, you can fly a hawk in the School of Falconry! I’ve been to the area and it’s breathtaking. I know I use a lot of superlatives, like wonderful and gorgeous and fabulous to describe things, but Ireland really is beyond description. It truly gets in your soul.

I’m on vacation so I’m going to copy what they have to say from their website:

“It is our pleasure to welcome you to Ashford Castle, one of the most exclusive luxury hotels in the World. Standing over the shores of Lough Corrib, and hidden deep in over 350 acres of wooded parkland, this 13th Century Castle is a monument to a fascinating history of a bygone age. Once the estate of the Guinness Family, the Castle opened its doors as an exclusive hotel in 1939.

While staying with us you can enjoy a wide range of relaxing or exciting activities. Book a Spa treatment or Fly a Hawk in the School of Falconry, take a Picnic in the Walled Garden or catch Wild Trout or Salmon here, in one of the most famous fisheries in Ireland. Just 30 minutes from Galway city, and within easy driving distance of Shannon International Airport, Ashford Castle is perfectly situated to welcome all ages of visitors, from every corner of the globe.”

Napa offers a variety of things to do, see and eat.  So here’s the ‘Best of’ list for 2008:

• Best Picnic is at the Clos du Val Resort
• Best Train Ride is the Napa Valley Wine Train
• Best Spas are Golden Haven with a wonderful couples mud bath & Lavendar Hill offers an incredible volcanic mud bath for two in a private cottage.
• Best horseback riding is at the Larson Family Winery
• Best cup of coffee belongs to Napa Valley Roasting Co.
• Best chocolates can be enjoyed at Annette’s or Woodhouse
• Best tapas and sangria is to be savored at Zuzu
• Best bubbly tasting is at Schramsburg
• Best olive oil tasting is at Round Pond Winery Olive Mill
• Best bakery is Bouchon Bakery
• Best sip n cycle tour is Napa Valley Bike Tours
• Best F1 racing experience is at the Jim Russell Racing School { which I can personally say they are a fun and exciting experience since my son use to do karting lessons and practice there }

This is only a small list of the BEST in Napa Valley.  Plan a honeymoon, anniversary or just a relaxing trip to Napa and let us know what’s on your list.

I’m talking about a honeymoon in Versailles in continuing with our Marie Antoinette theme this week. Even French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife, model and singer Carla Bruni, weren’t allowed to stay IN the Chateau de Versailles. But there are still lots of other great options. Sarkozy and Bruni reportedly stayed at a nearby hunting lodge and were later seen taking a stroll, hand-in-hand, in Versailles’ gardens on Sunday, a day after their small, private wedding at the presidential Elysee Palace.

I recommend a long romantic getaway at the Trianon Palace & Spa in the heart of Versailles. You can go visit Paris, which is just 11 miles away. If you can tear yourself away from treatments at normal the new Spa Guerlain of the Trianon Palace. Pure luxury.

How about the 7 hour Cocooning Impériale Treatment: 5-Senses Hydrotherapy, Body Polish, 60 minute Guerlain Impériale Massage, Intensive Facial, and Intensive Hand & Foot Therapy. Just what every girl needs to recover from her wedding. If you can stand being away from your honey that long. I’m getting woozy just thinking about it!

And, of course, no trip to Versailles would be complete without at least a day or two exploring Marie Antoinette’s old stomping ground, the Chateau de Versailles. This would be such a lovely honeymoon for history buffs!

According to Forbes Magazine these are 10 wonderful locations to check out when planning a destination wedding.  I think it would be great to have your wedding here and then extend the fun into a honeymoon.  What do you think?  Your favorites?  Or do you have a place you think should be on the list? 

Keawala’i Congregational Church  Maui, Hawaii  {dates back to 1855 and overlooks the beach and beautiful sunsets}

Villa d’Este   Lake Como, Italy  {16th century estate surrounded by 25 acres of gardens.

The Wakaya Club & Spa  Fiji Islands {a private island all inclusive resort }

Inverlochy Castle   Fort William, Scotland  {a true castle that even the Queen has stayed here}

Guana Island  British Virgin Islands  {privately owned island with 850 acres of natural beauty and beach}

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge  Tanzania  {a true safari lodge on the edge of the crater and the Serengeti}

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park  Australia  {the Red Rocks of Australia provide a beautiful sunset wedding backdrop}

El Tamarindo Beach & Golf Resort  Manzanillo, Mexico  {luxury and beauty on Mexico’s Pacific Coast}

Caneel Bay  St. John, USVI  {a beautiful, nautural resort created by Laurance Rockefeller with seven white beaches}

Hotel Plaza Athenee   Paris, France  {a true luxury hotel of Paris, just off the Champs Elysee and of course it’s Carrie Bradshaw’s favorite place to stay when in Paris; they even have a Sex in the City package that includes a shopping guide for shoes in Paris with your VIP boutique contact for personalized service!}

Tara & Justin were clients of mine earlier this year.  They live in Chicago, married in a beautiful spring wedding in Ft. Myers, FL & chose to have a honeymoon in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  I asked her to send me a few pictures of their honeymoon to share with everyone. They stayed at the Sandals Royal Caribbean.

She raved about the resort, and of course, the Jamaican sunsets!

The resort has the elegance and old world feel of British Colonial.  It offers a private island for guests and the lists of amenities is extensive. 

 If you’re in the mood for a Caribbean get away, Tara highly recommends the resort.  Thanks for sharing your honeymoon photos.  We’re always on the lookout for fun and exciting honeymoons or travel photos.  If you have some you’d like to share, drop us an email at flyawayphotog@gmail.com.

Since yesterday I talked about eco-friendly weddings, I thought that I’d feature a fabulous eco-friendly honeymoon location today. Turtle Island is ultra-private and ultra-luxurious, always limited to only 14 couples. It seems tailored made for a dream honeymoon.

This stunning island was the site of both the 1949 and 1980 Blue Lagoon films. Okay, this one is not for the budget-minded but talk about gorgeous. This is definitely on my wish list. You can even rent the entire island! If you have $300,000, that is. Maybe next year…

Turtle Island is also one of the world’s leading sustainable tourism destinations.
* Four acre organic garden provides the island with fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, and spices
* Planting of more than 300,000 trees over more than 30 years developing into lush forest land
* Environmental audit every five years from independent US Agency
* Green Globe 21 benchmarking of environmental management
* Preservation of mangroves and coconut groves
* Introduction of freshwater ponds to encourage bird life

Imagine two weeks of relaxing with gentle breezes & fantastic sunsets.  Picture the houses, the Mediterrean, the fabulous food.  Well one of my past couples, Jin & Matt, chose a two week honeymoon in Greece & I knew I had to share it with everyone.

Here are some gorgeous shots of their two week trip, that included Athens, Santorini and Naxos.  First up was Athens with the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

Small out of the way taverna in Plaka for romantic dining.

Temple of Poseidon at sunset.  So golden and warm.  How gorgeous is that!?!? 

They stayed the night near the Temple and then took a 4 hr. ferry ride to Santornini.  They views they had from their hotel patio were spectacular!

Jin & Matt enjoyed the strolls around the island, the volcanos and mingling with the locals.

From there it was a 2 hour ferry ride to Naxos where they enjoyed more great food, beautiful sunsets and a guided horseback riding trip.

Thanks so much to Jin & Matt for sharing your pictures.  Here’s one last shot of the sunset from Greece.