Each located in an area of extraordinary beauty, these romantic hideaways provide the perfect setting for a blissful honeymoon.
Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Italy
With its landscape of rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves and twisted cypress tree-lined roads, it’s no wonder Tuscany conjures thoughts of romantic escapes. You can daydream about owning your own Tuscan farmhouse while staying at the idyllic Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco estate in the heart of Unesco World Heritage Site, Val d’Orcia. Owned by the Ferragamo family and run by Rosewood, this hotel is a lesson in effortless Italian style, with each restored 17th and 18th-century farmhouse-turned-villa celebrating the region’s heritage and Tuscan lifestyle. Soak up the surroundings from your private pool, terrace and surrounding gardens, and dine on the seasonal cuisine of chef Enrico Figliuolo, washed down with the estate’s own wines. Take home your own Tuscan cookery skills by taking a masterclass at La Canonica Cooking School.
Image: Instagram @rwcastigliondelbosco
Eolo, Patagonia, Argentina
Some say Patagonia is among the world’s most romantic landscapes. With its wide open space, huge skies and a view of the mountains, Eolo epitomizes this resounding appeal. The farmstead-style hotel sits within a 10,000-acre estancia between El Calafate and Los Glaciares National Park. Here amid the dramatic peaks, glaciers and lakes of the Andes, the hotel combines understated yet luxurious interiors with views over the surrounding landscape. The hotel complements these cozy interiors and breathtaking views with a restaurant serving fine dining plates incorporating Patagonian flavors and with its celebration of Argentine wines. Days are best spent in the great outdoors. When you’re not visiting one of the region’s iconic sites, you can explore the estancia on foot, by bicycle or on horseback.
Image: Instagram @eolo_patagonia
Babylonstoren, South Africa
South Africa’s verdant Winelands are often the setting for scenic weddings and honeymoons, pairing the appeal of its vineyards and wineries with an exceptional food scene and close proximity to Cape Town and the long dramatic coastline. Babylonstoren is housed in a Cape Dutch farmhouse dating back to 1692. The ultra-chic interiors here combine the building’s fireplaces and gables with white-washed walls and modern furnishings by designers including Philippe Starck. As well as having an outdoor pool, the hotel is home to a hot spa featuring salt room, sauna and vitality pool, but reflecting one of the region’s greatest draws, the hotels places much of its focus on its culinary offering. The home-cooked food here showcases local ingredients, including produce from the Babylonstoren garden, and while making its own wine, the hotel offers tastings and winery tours.
Image: Instagram @babylonstoren
The Samling, UK
Tucked into a 67-acre estate overlooking Lake Windermere, The Samling has one of the UK’s most stunning settings. Here in Cumbria’s Lake District, days are best spent exploring the rolling landscape, following its cycling trails and footpaths to historic sites and the region’s most breathtaking viewpoints. While the setting alone is enough to entice guests to the hotel, it’s the food that many travel here for. Led by chef Peter Howarth, the kitchen cooks up seasonal dishes using fresh ingredients from the estate’s gardens and woodland as well as produce sourced from across Britain. Try dishes like slow cooked Lancashire suckling pig and Nam Jam langoustine with finger lime, spiced langoustine and coconut broth on a seven-course tasting menu paired with superb wines. Then, spent the night in one of the four signature suites: Kentmere, Elter Water, Windermere and Blea Tarn. Each one has its own individual style and lake or garden views.
The Datai, Langkawi, Malaysia
Hidden in the lush rainforest of Langkawi—a verdant jungle clad island off Malaysia’s west coast—this recently refurbished hotel aims to exist in harmony with its natural surroundings, immersing guests in the tranquil setting. Thatched villas with private pools dot the forested hillside, looking over the Andaman Sea and down to the white sand shores fringing this island. The resort has its own private beach, three spectacular pools (one overlooking the rainforest canopy), and a streamside spa where rainforest plants play a part in treatments based on traditions of the Malay culture, Ramuan. You can dine in the stilted pavilion and Malaysian restaurant The Gulai House, or at the beach club and bar, but the most romantic option is a private candlelit dinner on the beach.
Image: Instagram @thedatailangkawi
Fogo Island Inn, USA
Remote and breathtakingly beautiful, Fogo Island Inn is surrounded by nothing but the rocky landscape of Fogo Island’s north coast and the sea it faces onto. The modern structure partially sits on towering stilts, standing out for its contemporary design with floor-to-ceiling windows that make the most of the sea and sky views, and stylish interiors integrating aspects of traditional Newfoundland outport design. When you’re not out trekking along the island’s ancient footpaths, you can curl up with a book in the Heritage Library, watch a movie in the hotel’s cinema and soak in the roof deck’s outdoor hot tubs. The captivating high-ceilinged, glass-sided dining room makes it possible to look out at icebergs and perhaps even breaching whales as you tuck into fine dining plates showcasing local ingredients, beneath the contemporary chandeliers.
Image: Instagram @fogoislandinn
The Cotton House, Mustique
Laidback, intimate and ultra-exclusive, this tiny Caribbean island is the ideal spot for a luxury honeymoon. Base yourself at the enchanting boutique hotel, The Cotton House, for its lush 13-acre beachfront gardens, white villas exhibiting French West Indies architectural design and stylish interior décor. Indulge in treatments using the organic ila range at The Cotton House Spa, enjoy long leisurely breakfasts out on the veranda, and try the rum cocktails at the sociable bar of the Great Room. Each week, the hotel hosts its Mustique Company cocktail party here. For the most seclusion, stay in one of the resort’s light and airy cottages with private outdoor deck facing onto the tropical gardens.
Image: Instagram @cottonhousemustique
Eagles Nest, New Zealand
This modern lodge sits on a private 75-acre expanse of land overlooking the Bay of Islands. The lodge combines the sleek contemporary design of its glass-walled pool villas crafted from natural materials, with a celebration of the surrounding landscape and unspoiled nature. This picturesque region is ideal for sailing, kayaking, bush walking and mountain biking, and you can set out on scenic helicopter flights, romantic picnics and horseback treks through the forest. Food and wine is an integral part of the experience. Dishes showcasing local ingredients are created at the restaurant, Gourmet Epicure, and local wineries offer cellar door tastings and tours.
Image: Instagram @eaglesnestnz
The post The Most Romantic Hideaways for your Honeymoon appeared first on Elite Traveler.