After months of planning a wedding, a honeymoon is the perfect excuse for newlyweds to enjoy some much-needed relaxation and dedicated alone time. It’s a chance to celebrate your love, reflect on the wedding, and unwind after the big event. Some choose to use honeymoons as an opportunity to tick off that bucket-list destination, traveling to far-flung lands or booking a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, while others opt for a laid-back staycation, exploring spoils closer to home and avoiding the stresses of long-distance travel.
Whatever you decide, honeymoons are meant to be enjoyed to the fullest—so below, we’ve asked our travel editors for their top honeymoon tips, from the things you should avoid doing to items you should remember to pack.
How to plan the perfect honeymoon
Tell the hotel it’s your honeymoon
Hotels love to have reasons to spoil their guests, so a honeymoon is the perfect excuse. Wherever you decide to go, don’t forget to tell your accommodation the reason for your trip. Staff might upgrade you to a larger suite, add in some welcome drinks on arrival, or put some Champagne in your room.
Don’t overplan
As much as you might want to pack in as much as possible into your itinerary, you’ll likely be exhausted after all the wedding organizing and socializing. Book a few things you know you won’t want to miss, but be sure to factor in time to relax properly. You’ll never regret having time to do nothing but enjoy each other’s company for a little while.
Book via a travel agent
Many hotels and travel agencies cater specifically to honeymoon stays. “A good resort tailored to honeymoons is great because they tend to throw in loads of romantic extras like dinner on the beach or couples massages,” says Megan Wilkes, Condé Nast Traveller UK’s art production manager. “We planned ours through a travel agent, which I definitely recommend—you can give them any budget and the kind of trip you want, and they’ll do all the hard work for you.”
Go somewhere neither of you have been before
A honeymoon is an excellent opportunity to begin making new memories together as a married couple. A perfect way to start doing just that is by choosing a destination that neither of you has visited before. That way, you’ll both feel like you’re exploring equally and will discover new things as a duo.
