DIY Massage

These luxury properties offer private hands-on instruction for couples who want to help each other relax during and after the honeymoon.

Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa

coconut bay

Life is a breeze at Coconut Bay, St. Lucia.

This hideaway on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia contains a quiet adults-only enclave with its own guest rooms, pool, beach, fitness center and last but not least a wonderfully relaxing spa. Called Kai Mer, French Creole for “house by the sea,” the spa has outdoor manicure/pedicure patios, treatment rooms with magnificent ocean views and private outside showers, and a menu of services using ingredients that celebrate the bounty of the sea. You can sign up for the 90-minute massage instruction session that’s held on a patio overlooking the ocean. What could be better than learning the art of bodywork with your new husband to the murmuring sounds of the nearby sea? The spa’s pick-your-own aloe treatment is perfect for those of you who may forget to reapply the sunblock, and the reflexology treatment, which is performed seaside, accompanied by sweet, fruity cocktails, will make you appreciate your feet as you never have before. For more information visit coconutbayresortandspa.com.

Mohegan Sun

mohegan sun

Magic hands at Mohegan Sun

The slots are great and so are the bars and restaurants at this huge resort in southeastern Connecticut. And don’t miss the 60-shop mall and the cabaret theater. But we think you’ll really hit the jackpot at the Elemis Spa, an oasis of pampering that features lots of couple’s treatments. First, there’s the hour-and-45-minute Strawberry Moon ritual, with its sexy, flower-filled bath for two, followed by chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne. There’s a couple’s massage and hands-on instruction by staff practitioners. You’ll also receive jasmine-infused massage oils to take home with you, so that you’ll be able to recreate your experience once the honeymoon is over. For more information visit mohegansun.com.

Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island

sandals royal bahamian spa resort

Leave stress out of the picture at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort.

This all-inclusive couples-only resort sits on a secluded strand of Bahamian beach, with its own romantic private island beckoning beyond the waves. Head straight for the spa and sign up for the In Each Other’s Hands massage class. The spa’s relaxation experts will show you how to customize your massage oil, and then teach you basic bodywork techniques. For even more pampering, follow up your class with the two-hours-plus Wrapped in Romance package, featuring an island sugar and orange scrub for two, a seaweed wrap and a whirlpool soak with champagne. Last come side-by-side warm stone massages. Another signature treatment: The Tropical Bliss massage. It may seem like a standard Swedish massage at first, but the application of warm sand to your feet makes for a very happy ending. For more information visit sandals.com.

Photography: (from top) Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa—St. Lucia; courtesy of Sandals Resort; courtesy of Mohegan Sun.