Congratulations! You’re officially married and now it’s time to celebrate. Your honeymoon may be a few months away, but you still deserve a post-wedding break. Just a couple days away to celebrate your recent nuptials, unwind after all that wedding stress, and enjoy your early days of being a newlywed.
We’ve put together a short guide to help you plan the perfect luxury mini-moon. It features some of our favourite UK, Europe and international destinations including romantic five-star hotels and things to do.
The Lake District
The Lake District, secluded in the northwest corner of England, offers stunning natural beauty and is one of the UK’s most popular national parks. Romantic 19th-century poets wrote about the regions picture-perfect craggy hilltops, mountain tarns and shimmering lakes. It’s still easy to feel the romance in this breathtaking location and today, the Lake District is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Things to Do
The Lake District is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. You can take romantic, leisurely walks through the woods, sip champagne on lake cruises, or picnic on the shores of glittering lakes. Nestled amongst the lakes, you’ll also find quaint country pubs, delightful restaurants, homes of literary greats like Beatrix Potter, and historic buildings.
Rydal Mount. Rydal Mount was home to the famous poet Williams Wordsworth and offers visitors a chance to learn about this literary great. You can stroll through beautiful gardens that Wordsworth landscaped himself, take a look inside his ‘writing hut’ and browse through his library. The surrounding postcard-pretty village of Ambleside is also worth a visit.
The Lakes Distillery. Drinking should be a part of any mini-moon and The Lakes Distillery is the perfect place to whet your whistle. The Lakes Distillery creates gin, whisky and vodka using locally sourced ingredients, making it a popular Cumbria destination. You can tour the facilities to learn about the distilling process or book a tasting to experience the spirits first-hand.
Lake Windermere. A visit to the Lake District would be incomplete without spending time at the region’s beautiful lakes. Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England and one of the Lake District’s prettiest. There are tons of ways to experience the lake such as walking, climbing, cycling or even Segwaying around it. You can also hire a rowboat to explore further.
Where to Stay
Tucked between the trees lies some of the UK’s best and quaintest luxury hotels.
Brimstone. Located in the heart of the Lake District in Langdale valley, the Brimstone offers country hospitality with a touch of elegance. Rooms are stylish and incorporate elements of the surrounding environment to create a unique, welcoming vibe. Hotel staff are available to pamper guests with room service, tourist information, valet parking and much more. There’s also an exclusive spa offering a range of luxury treatments inspired by the Lake District landscapes and onsite bar and restaurant serving traditional British cuisine.
The Samling. Based on the shores of Lake Windermere, The Samling is an exceptional luxury Lake District hotel. Most rooms have sweeping lake views and offer the highest level of comfort. You can have a romantic meal for two at the onsite restaurant, which features one of the world’s best wine lists.
Gilpin Hotel & Lake House. At this lakeside luxury hotel, each of the twenty-five bedrooms has views over Lake Windermere and the nearby surroundings and most lead directly onto the garden. For a special stay, choose one of the rooms featuring a private cedarwood hot tub or book a spa lodge with rainmaker showers and steam rooms, hydrotherapy hot tubs and sauna. Hotel staff are on hand to make sure your stay is an unforgettable experience.
When to Visit
As a UK based destination, it’s best to visit during the summer, between June to August, as this is when you’ll have the greatest chance of sunny skies. The shoulder seasons of April to May and September to October are also a good time to visit as there are fewer crowds and you’ll have this stunning location to yourself.
Paris
Also known as the city of love, Paris is an excellent choice for a luxury mini-moon. Whether you steal a kiss atop the Eiffel tower, cuddle into a snug corner of a Parisian cafe or get sexy with a show at the Moulin Rouge, Paris is bursting with romantic activities. There’s also a fantastic collection of luxury hotels, plenty of opportunities for candlelit dinners and some of the world’s best wine. You can’t go wrong by booking a luxury mini-moon Paris.
Things to Do
Eiffel Tower. Kissing at the top of the Eiffel Tower, with sweeping views across the entire city as your backdrop, is probably one of the most romantic activities in Paris. Initially built in 1889 as a temporary exhibit for the World Fair, the Eiffel Tower quickly became a world-famous landmark and one of the top must-see sites in Europe.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. It’ll be hard to not fall in love with the grandeur and awe-inspiring beauty of the Cathedral Notre-Dame. With its stunning rose windows, towering bell tower and intricate gargoyles, this cathedral is perhaps one of the prettiest examples of French Gothic architecture. Do not miss this Paris attraction.
Louvre. As the world’s largest museum, you could spend days admiring the Louvre’s 35,000 masterpieces and antiques. Top highlights include Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the Great Sphinx of Tanis. The Louvre offers a range of excellent self-guided walking tours to help you make the most of your visit.
Where to Stay
Le Meurice. Located in central Paris, Le Meurice offers luxury on a grand scale. Each room has an 18th-century style with Louis XVI furniture and some offer views of the nearby streetscapes. There’s also an onsite two-star Michelin restaurant serving gourmet French cuisine in a romantic setting and a classy cocktail bar serving signature drinks. Guests can also enjoy an onsite spa and fitness centre and relax with a couple massage treatments.
Le Pavillon de la Rein & Spa. Housed in the famous Palace des Vosges in the Marais, staying at the Le Pavillion will make you feel like royalty. In addition to a range of elegant, luxurious rooms, there’s also an onsite spa and fitness centre with a hot tub and hammam. Guests can sample French wines in the hotel’s private lounge or hire a concierge service to escort them to nearby restaurants.
George V Paris. With a history that dates back to 1928, the Four Seasons Hotel George V has a timeless charm. Some of the suites have stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, while others look onto classic Parisian street scenes. Guests can dine at the hotel’s three onsite Michelin star restaurants or enjoy exclusive treatments at the decadent spa. There’s also an elegant swimming pool, a wine cellar stocked with some of France’s best wines, and a private courtyard.
Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Paris
When to Visit
Paris, like most of Continental Europe, has sunny, hot summers and cold, snowy winters. Top tourist attractions can become particularly busy during school holidays and as such the best time to visit is often during the shoulder season. The shoulder season of September to October is a great time to plan a trip as the city is quieter, but there are still plenty of sunny days and good weather.
Dubai
While slightly further afield, Dubai is a popular choice for a mini-moon destination as its glittering skyscrapers and world-class shopping experiences make it one of the trendiest cities in the world. In fact, Dubai features on UNESCO’s list of creative cities of design. Amongst the skyscrapers, you’ll also find out-of-this-world shopping experiences with malls shaped like Italian palazzos and Persian palaces and a fantastic range of cocktail bars, swanky rooftop terraces, high-end restaurants, and entertainment options like outdoor starlit concerns and world-class Dubai Opera.
Things to Do
Shopping. Dubai is a shopper’s paradise so much so that shopping could be considered a cultural activity. Shopping malls have innovative designs and offer surreal experiences like indoor ski slopes, giant aquariums or outdoor botanical gardens. For a more traditional shopping experience, head to Dubai’s souks where you can purchase everything from spices to textiles. The city also hosts two huge annual shopping festivals.
Dubai Glow Gardens. One of Dubai’s most romantic activities, Dubai Glow Garden is the world’s largest glow-in-the-dark theme park. You can stroll hand-in-hand through fanciful illuminated statues of giant coral reefs, exotic birds perched on gilded aviaries, replicas of local landmarks and much more. There’s also a seventies disco tunnel and onsite ice park filled with frozen statues.
Downtown Dubai. A visit to Dubai would be incomplete without exploring its downtown area. It’s here that you’ll find the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, the expansive, designer filled Dubai Mall and the dancing Dubai Fountain. Dubai Fountain is best viewed at night when it has regular light and music shows.
Where to Stay
Most of Dubai’s high-end, luxury hotels are based in the downtown area and are housed in towering skyscrapers. We recommend choosing a room on the top floor as these have sweeping views over the entire city.
Grand Hyatt. Grand Hyatt Dubai, based near the main shopping district, is an expansive complex offering landscaped gardens, outdoor and indoor pools and 13 different dining and entertainment venues. Restaurants serve food from across the world including Indian, Japanese and Singaporean dishes. There’s also an onsite spa offering exclusive treatments, state-of-the-art fitness centre and atrium with a tropical indoor garden.
Taj Dubai. Overlooking the Burj Khalifa, the Taj Dubai is a luxury five-star, Indian themed hotel. Guests can take advantage of the outdoor pool, modern spa and wellness centres, and a diverse range of classic and contemporary restaurants, lounges and bars. There’s even an onsite nightclub so you can dance the night away before crashing in your luxurious room.
Renaissance Downtown Hotel. From its central location, the Renaissance offers sweeping views of Dubai’s skyline and easy access to the city’s best sites. Each of the rooms has floor-to-ceiling windows so you can enjoy the stunning view without leaving your bed. At the Renaissance, you’ll also find an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, award-winning restaurants, classy cocktail bars, coffee shop, spa offering exclusive treatments, and a modern state-of-the-art fitness centre.
Read our guide to the best luxury hotels in Dubai
When to Go
Dubai experiences sunny days and high temperatures year-round. Temperatures remain consistently above 25°C, which is excelelnt weather for exploring the city and relaxing on the beach. One of the best times to visit is between February and April as the temperature is warm enough for sunbathing without being too hot or humid.