A Travel Editor's Ultimate Honeymoon Picks

Honestly, this article was one of the hardest for me to write in the dozen years that I’ve been a travel editor. It was a difficult task to pick absolute favorites from my travels across the world. So, here’s a list of some of my most memorable experiences in the past decade. Bonus: I’ve added some of my fave travel tips. Bon Voyage!

Top Hotels

These spots have some similarities: the service is impeccable, the views are jaw-dropping and they all feel off the grid. Amanyara, on Turks & Caicos, offers serene accommodations scattered among tropical foliage, giving you the distinct feeling of being the only VIP guest. Don’t miss: Watching the sunset at the main pool (room rates start at $1,300 a night and include airport transfers and some activities; amanyara.com [1]).

Photo Credit: Aman Resorts

Of all the places across the globe that offer butler service One & Only Palmilla is a standout. My personal attendant sensed exactly when he was needed and when I wanted to be left alone. Palmilla also has one of the only swimmable beaches in Cabo. The floating beds at One & Only Palmilla are secluded and ultra romantic (room rates start at $585 a night; oneandonlyresorts.com [2]).

Photo Credit: One&Only Resorts

Yes, andBeyond Xaranna in Botswana is extremely remote, but what makes this place so special is the artful blend of the rustic, classic African-bush tents with fantastic modern amenities. I die for outdoor showers, so having one that opens onto the lush Okavango Delta is simply awesome (room rates start at $650 per person, per night, all-inclusive; andbeyond.com [3]).

Spectacular Spas

My husband is eh about spa-ing, so when he deems a place OMG-worthy, we’ve got a winner. Our most memorable pampering experience was the four-hour couples extravaganza at the the Mandarin Oriental, New York [4]. Set in a spa suite with a steam room, fireplace, bath-built-for-two and a traditional Thai bed, it features a two-hour massage, a meal and loads of time for lounging.

Photo Credit: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group 

I’m not one for Asian-inspired spas located anywhere but Asia, but the bungalow retreat at the One & Only Ocean Club [5] in the Bahamas works so well. Each treatment area has a private plunge pool and super-skilled therapists. The spa at Thailand’s Four Seasons Koh Samui [6]is also a collection of individual houses. A wooden path snakes through a jungly landscape to each treatment space, which boasts a plunge pool and great views.

Photo Credit: One&Only Resorts

Most Memorable Meals

I’ll never forget the spicy tofu entrée served at the tiny Hotel Lanai [7] in Hawaii. The meal was the right blend of fiery and earthy. At Jaleo [8] in Las Vegas, chef José Andrés has created a menu that is a delectable blend of traditional Spanish dishes and foamy gastronomical inventions. The dehydrated olives are out of this world and the desserts are must-save-spacers.

Photo Credit: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

In heaven they must eat the cheese plate dessert served at the White Barn Inn [9] in Kennebunkport, Maine. It was simple and spectacular.

Photo Credit: White Barn Inn

Travel Tip: Always wear slip on shoes with rubber soles at the airport. I prefer Toms. They have a nut of arch support and look cute at the beach, city or country.

Favorite Excursions

Of all the places I’ve visited in the world, perhaps none had such a profound impact on me as Machu Picchu. The ancient Incan complex high in the Andes truly is a mystical place with heaps of trails that weave among the pre-Colombian structures. I love snorkeling—it’s amazing to see a kaleidoscope of brilliant sea life below the water. The snorkeling in Lanai is great, as well as around the islands of southern Thailand, but the waters of Turks & Caicos have the most diverse fish—and colors. There are few things cooler than Jet-skiing around Bora Bora. Doing 360s and getting air while taking in the killer views of the South Pacific paradise is incomparable.

Photo Credit: Tahiti Tourisme

Special Historic Sites

Carcassonne, France, a medieval, walled city near Bordeaux is the definition of storybook with winding streets and terracotta-roofed buildings. And I adore Tulum, a Mayan ruin set high above a small beach with some of the best waves for body surfing. 

Photo Credit: Riviera Maya Destination Marketing Office

Amazing City Vistas

Hit the bar at the Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas [10] at dusk and marvel as the desert and the Strip turn pink  just before the night sky falls. The rooftop bar at the Thompson Hotel [11] in NYC is limited to guests and a handful of key-holders, which makes taking in the 360-skyline vistas crowd-free. There may not be any iconic buildings on view from the rooftop pool at the InterContinental Mumbai [12], still the city seems to twinkle far beyond the horizon.

Photo Credit: Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts

Travel Tip: Limit Yourself to five beauty products. I tote an all-over highlighter, mascara, concealer, lipgloss and Rosebud Salve.