Photogenic gets even more meaning when you book into one of these properties with gorgeous gardens.
By: Jenna Mahoney-AS SEEN IN BRIDAL GUIDE MAGAZINE-
Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort
This pampering Hawaiian resort is an elevated ode to all things wellness and the ethos of the archipelago. Set on the tiny so-called Pineapple Island AKA the isle of Lanai near idyllic Maui, the breezy retreat is positioned in a magically verdant tropical setting. Accommodations and 10 spa hales (bungalows) open to the rich foliage, offering an indoor/outdoor experience that is distinctly Hawaii. The treatment rooms also boast outdoor showers, private plunge pools and intimate lounge areas, while the on-site Nobu has tables positioned in a glass pavilion, the better to savor the natural surroundings (room rates start at $980 a night with a two-night minimum stay).
Cliveden House
English gardens are famous for their structured layouts and year-round riot of flowers and greenery. True English gardens are a marriage of order and nature, and invite visitors to experience the Zen of wandering amid the tranquil setting. Experience a whopping 376 acres of classic English plantings when you book into the Cliveden House, a charming country estate set just 45 minutes from London. The bucolic setting, which is partly supported by the National Trust, boasts a rose garden, a walled garden, a water garden and more. All are accessible via charming walking routes (room rates start at about $628 a night).
Weekapaug Inn
A saltwater pond and the Atlantic Ocean cradle the 33-room Weekapaug Inn, an allseason Rhode Island retreat that has been welcoming discerning guests since the late 1890s. Here, visitors indulge in all the simple pleasures of a seaside getaway with kayaking, beaching, lawn games, and guided stargazing all on offer. In season a pretty pool and dining alfresco are also popular amenities, as is wandering the picturesque landscape. Of course, there’s the shoreline, but what truly stands out here are the hydrangea-laced gardens. Robust with local fl ora, they’ve been featured in many discerning journals and serve as an excellent way station for myriad bird species (room rates start at $445 a night).
Nayara Gardens
Frogs, sloths, monkeys — oh my! This is the rainforest of Costa Rica, a vibrant ecosystem ripe with dense foliage and fauna. A stay at this luxurious property gives guests an opportunity to delight in the epic garden-laden landscapes on the private terraces, outdoor showers, handmade hammocks, and Jacuzzi tubs in each of the 44 villa accommodations. Wildlife viewing can happen from any of these vantage points or on guided excursions at all hours. There’s morning bird-watching, nighttime frog tours and a sloth sanctuary on site thanks to the hotel’s investment in reforesting more than 1,000 Cecropia trees, the sloth’s main food source (room rates start at $500 per night).
Royal Mansour Marrakech
There are grand hideaways and then there is this exquisite Moroccan property, where 53 ultra-private, multistory raids (villas) are ensconced within spectacular gardens all set behind towering stone walls. Sprawling over nearly three acres, the grounds are ripe with ancient palm and olive trees — some of which are three to seven centuries old—a host of fragrant pomegranate and citrus trees, picture-perfect flowers, and an herb and vegetable garden, which is sourced for many of the meals. The hotel’s eateries all have garden-adjacent areas and an intimate space aptly called The Nest is positioned above the trees for private dining parties of up to eight guests. A greenhouse welcomes wellness and creative activities including photography, pottery and embroidery (room rates start at about $1,490 a night).
Dollenberg
However cliché it sounds, the epic scenery of Germany's Black Forest is the embodiment of the word pastoral. Here, towering pines give way to verdant tree expanses dotted with gingerbread-like houses and their photogenic flowers. The esteemed Dollenberg, a family-operated hotel for a couple generations, is an idyllic hideaway in this wonderland that is just as pampering as it is picturesque. Here flower boxes hug the hotel's multilevels of balconies that house both seating for award-winning eating and private nooks where guests can repose. The grounds also include a spectacular terraced garden that’s latticed with walking paths and punctuated by benches for admiring the epic German landscape (room rates start at about $383 a night and include breakfast).
