Real Honeymoon: Curacao & Aruba

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

A lot of the “Real Honeymoon” contributors on the blog so far live on the west coast, so that’s my guess as to why there have been so few posts about Caribbean honeymoons. (Based on proximity alone, it seems like west coasters are more apt to book honeymoons in Hawaii while east coasters prefer the Caribbean.) But fear not, because Shirine and Dave shared the following about their fun yet relaxing honeymoon in Curacao and Aruba:

When and where did you honeymoon?

July 2011: Hyatt Regency, Curacao* & Westin, Aruba.

 How long was your trip?

2 weeks (1 week in Curacao, 1 week in Aruba).

 How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We were looking for somewhere tropical that we both haven’t been before. We didn’t know anyone who had been to Curacao and Aruba, so we thought it would be a fun adventure and something new to experience.

 The best part about our honeymoon was…

Getting pampered and relaxing on the beautiful beaches!

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

We would have stayed longer in Curacao (The Hyatt was amazing – great service, beautiful hotel and privacy), and we would have either skipped Aruba altogether or stayed at the Hyatt in Aruba (not the Westin, if we go back we will stay at the Hyatt).

 How much planning did you do in advance?

We didn’t do too much planning in advance, although we booked the flights/hotels a good 6-8 months before our trip to get better rates. We didn’t want the honeymoon to be planned in advance so we pretty much waited until we arrived in both locations and went with the flow which worked out perfectly for us.

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Real Honeymoon: Greece & France

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I haven’t met my sister’s friends Erin and Austin before, but after reading about their honeymoon in Greece and Paris, I feel like we have a lot in common. Prioritizing their honeymoon around beaches and good food? It’s like we have ESP or something. Check out their amazing honeymoon in the Greek Isles and Paris below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Santorini, Mykonos, and Paris [June 2013].

How long was your trip?

Santorini for 3 nights, Mykonos for 3 nights, and Paris for 7 nights.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

One of Austin’s best friends was getting married in Mykonos, so we planned our wedding dates to coordinate. We also really wanted to go to France because going to fabulous restaurants is one of our favorite things to do!

The best part about our honeymoon was…

I don’t think I can narrow down one best part because there were so many awesome things we did. Food was definitely one of the highlights. We heavily researched our restaurant selection for Paris and it really paid off; we had unforgettable food and dining experiences. We also had a great time celebrating Austin’s friend’s wedding, it was a beautiful setting at the lovely Mykonos Grand Hotel. Another highlight was the boat ride we took in Santorini. Only one other couple was on the boat, and they were also on their honeymoon! It was beautiful, the crew cooked us an amazing lunch, and our boat even got a visit from a playful dolphin! In Paris we also did a lot of walking through neighborhoods and sitting on park benches – it was fabulous.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I would have packed warmer clothes and closed toed shoes for Paris! We were there the second week in June, but it was fairly chilly and it even rained for one whole day.

How much planning did you do in advance?

I planned a lot in advance, but most of the planning was food related. I made dinner reservations for most nights of the trip about a month ahead of time. One of our friend’s travels the world just to eat delicious food, so we had awesome restaurant suggestions to work with. I also looked at all the menus and read tons of Yelp reviews. We were only disappointed with one restaurant (L’Atelier de Joel Robouchon) mostly due to their terrible and overpriced wine suggestion. I also booked the catamaran trip ahead of time in Santorini.

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Real Honeymoon: Italy

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Like some of their closest friends, Shira and Marc decided to honeymoon in Italy earlier this year. Read all about their incredibly romantic Italian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We went on our Honeymoon to Italy on May 20, 2013. We started our honeymoon in Positano (with day trips to Capri and Ravello), then went to Rome, Tuscany, Florence, and Venice.

Beautiful Positano

How long was your trip?

15 days (May 20-June 5).

Striking a pose at the Roman Colosseum

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We both agreed that Italy would be the most romantic place we could go for our honeymoon. Plus, as an art history major, I have been dying to go to Italy my whole life and my parents also went for their honeymoon. Marc had already been to Rome so we decided to spend more time in Positano, Tuscany, and Florence.

Not too shabby of a view from Castello Banfi in Montalcino

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Definitely the food and wine. Every meal (and snack) was amazing — it was so fun to try new things.

A gorgeous meal at Le Sirenuse in Positano

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

The weather. Apparently this was the first May in 200 years that felt like winter. It probably rained every other day at some point. Normally Italy is supposed to be hot in May, but this year it wasn’t.

How much planning did you do in advance?

Not much planning — 10 hours. We hired a travel agent that was recommended by a friend and were able to focus on planning the wedding while they planned the honeymoon.

A romantic meal at Ristorante La Giostra in Florence

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Real Honeymoon: Hawaii

Posted on August 19, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

When people submit their honeymoons to the blog, I almost exclusively hear things from the brides’ perspective. So when Steph asked her husband Matthew to chime in on the honeymoon advice as well, I was pretty excited. (Don’t be shy, guys! You can send me your honeymoons, too!) It sounded like Matthew did a lot of the planning for their hawaiian honeymoon, so I’m really glad that he was able to share his enthusiasm about their trip as well. Read all about their honeymoon on the big island of Hawaii below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Steph: The Big Island in Hawaii.

Matthew: Hawaii: The “Big Island” [May/June 2012]

How long was your trip?

10 days.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

S: We knew we wanted something tropical, and we really wrestled with how far away we wanted to travel. We definitely wanted to relax, experience something new, and really treat ourselves, but we knew that the amount of time we could take off would be limited. Knowing that we were taking time off before the wedding, we settled on traveling to somewhere closer to California but still exotic. We threw around Mexico, but I (Stephanie) has a bad history of food poisoning and the like when traveling there, so we ruled it out. Growing up in North Carolina, Matthew had never been to Hawaii because of the distance, and I (Stephanie) had only ever been to Maui, so we landed on the islands. Matthew really spearheaded and executed all the planning, the accommodations, the research — you name it, Matthew was on top of it!

The best part about our honeymoon was…

S: sitting down to a late dinner at Hualalai, enjoying incredible food and wine but most of all recounting all our favorite parts from the wedding weekend and all our future plans ahead.

M: Going on dates with the love of my life for 9 straight nights :)

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

S: how long we were there! I could have done at least 2 more days.

M: Completely agree with Steph! When your co-workers have their heads down on their own projects, especially during the summer, what’s one week versus two? (Or three?). You only get one honeymoon, so fight for your time off! People understand. As long as it’s within your budget, take advantage of this once in a lifetime trip and take a few more days off :)

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Real Honeymoon: France & Monaco

Posted on August 12, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Valley Girl Jesse Draper and her husband Brian recently jetted off to Europe for a fabulous honeymoon in southern France and Monaco. Read all about their luxurious trip and check out their cute photos below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We honeymooned in June in the South of France. We actually started in Monaco and made our way through Provence and ended up in Nice. More specifically, we rented a car at the airport, went to Monte Carlo, Monaco, then to Aix-en-Provence, followed by Arles from where we did a day trip to Avignon and Les Beaux and we ended in Nice with a day trip in Cannes.

How long was your trip?

A luxurious two whole weeks!

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

I speak French and he had never been to France. He actually chose the destination. Since I was planning most of the wedding, his job was to plan the honeymoon, so I actually didn’t know much other than where we were headed when we took off to Europe which was very relaxing for me, everything was a bit of a surprise.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

I would have to say the luxury of time. It isn’t often you get time alone, in a foreign country nonetheless, to spend with your significant other (without technology or social interruptions). Typically when I have the opportunity to travel internationally I am trying to fit in as much as possible in a little amount of time. For example, I have 10 monuments marked in my travel book that I need to see in one day so I am running around. We spent quite a few days in each city, so we were really able to take everything in with a more natural feel. We wandered around the streets of Aix-en-Provence aimlessly and drove around the countryside looking for wineries, not sure where we were going to end up. It was so much fun! It was the perfect balance of relaxation and exploration. So the best part was the free time we had to spend together, that, and the chocolate, cheese, and wine that we consumed along the way, of course.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I really had such a great time, there’s not much to change. We decided we could do without Arles, the hotel options aren’t great there and it’s more of a historical town that you could hit on a day trip. Also, I wouldn’t change this because I had a lot of fun, he may say differently, but we went on a hike in Arles and got lost in the middle of the forest by this Van Gogh bridge and probably walked 5 more miles than we planned, so that might have been nice to know ahead of time, but had we known, then it wouldn’t have been such a fun adventure!

How much planning did you do in advance?

He did a lot of research and had general ideas of where we were headed, but all he booked in advance were the hotels and flights. We had a few days in each city which was plenty of time to relax and get to know the places easily and TripAdvisor is a lifesaver and we really based most of our meals off of what was recommended on their app.

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Real Honeymoon: Southern Italy

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

While Italy has been the most popular honeymoon destination on this blog so far, Alex and Brandy’s trip is unique because they planned most of it only two weeks before they went! And from what Brandy sent me, it sounds like they did a more than excellent job with the last minute arrangements. Read all about their gorgeous Southern Italy honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We spent our honeymoon in beautiful Italy, spending time in Rome, Positano (on the Amalfi Coast), and Sicily. Our wedding was on April 27th, 2013- and we left for our “luna di miele” (as the Italians call it) about 2 weeks after the big day.

How long was your trip?

We spent 10 days in Italy, though we should’ve spent much longer!

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We narrowed it down the same way we usually narrow down all of our travels: food and drink. It had to be a place where our stomach would be happy, and then from there, we wanted to find a place that could offer both an urban landscape and some beautiful beaches. Southern Italy seemed to be the best bet on all accounts!

The best part about our honeymoon was…

It’s so hard to choose! The drive along the Amalfi Coast and our views from our hotel in Positano were amazing. Though at the time, Alex definitely wouldn’t have agreed that the Amalfi Coast drive was fun (we rented a car and he was the appointed driver). Afterwards, he did admit it was exhilarating. The views were spectacular! Same goes for our views in Positano – the bluest waters and gorgeous cliffs, plus lemons as big as your head! Sicily was also amazing, with wonderful seafood and cannolis, plus amazing white-sand beaches. Hello heaven!

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

We’d have spent more time in Sicily. There were so many towns to see, and we really didn’t get to explore Palermo as much as we wanted to. There’s such a vibrant energy to the region.

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Real Honeymoon: Mexico

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Katie and Bobby’s honeymoon was nearly a year after their wedding, but it was worth the wait! Read all about their relaxing Mexican honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We honeymooned at the Omni Hotel, Cancun, Mexico from April 25-30, 2013.

How long was your trip?

The best and most relaxing 6 days of our lives!

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination?

We waited to take our honeymoon until it was a good time to take vacation from work. So, almost 1 year after getting married, we decided the right time had come! We knew we wanted to be on the Caribbean and we were looking for an all-inclusive, so we booked our honeymoon through SniqueAway.com (now known as Jetsetter).

The best part about our honeymoon was…

There were so many great parts about our honeymoon it’s hard to choose just one. But, if I had to pick one, I think the best part was waking up and having breakfast on the beach looking out at the turquoise water. We decided not to have a set agenda prior to arriving at the resort, and adventured together each day. We booked two excursions once we arrived in Cancun through AquaWorld (booked at the Hotel). We chose the half day “Jungle Tour” and a day trip to Isla Mujeras. Isla Mujeras was our favorite! We hopped on an early morning (9 am is early on vacation) party boat and cruised out to the island. Once we arrived, we tanned in the sun on the white sandy beach, snorkeled, ate lunch, and shopped in town. We definitely would recommend the day trip to Isla Mujeras.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Booking the restaurant reservations at the Omni ahead of time is key. There are a couple of nicer restaurants at the resort that required reservations. We had to wait a couple of days for these restaurants to have availability. We made friends with a couple of waiters at the other restaurants on the property which turned out to be beneficial as they brought us “non-menu” dishes. Overall great service everywhere at this resort!

How much planning did you do in advance?

We had been thinking of destinations for a while, but really only spent about a month (or less) planning our trip. We decided in February to take the trip in April.

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Real Honeymoon: Kauai

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I’ve written several times before that my consultant friends really lived it up during their honeymoons (e.g. Seoul/Maldives Honeymoon & Hong Kong/Maldives/Tokyo Honeymoon), and Lauren and Chris are certainly no exception. Because both of them travel so much for work, the biggest priority for their honeymoon was to slow down and just take it easy. Read all about their incredibly relaxing Hawaiian honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

We honeymooned in mid-to-late June [2013] in Princeville, Hawaii which is locaed on the island of Kauai. We stayed at the St. Regis there for the entire trip.

How long was your trip?

Two glorious weeks.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We debated back and forth on this, because ultimately we vacation for “free” whenever we go anywhere so cost is less of an issue for our vacation planning. We are both consultants, so we have accumulated a lot of points over the years towards flights/hotels. We got married on the West Coast in Napa, California, so we debated going to Phuket or Bora Bora, but ultimately determined that neither of us felt like spending any MORE time in an airplane than we had to. We love Maui, so we figured why not try a different island!

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Doing absolutely nothing for two weeks. We both have so much stress in our careers that we enjoyed the opportunity to do a whole lot of nothing. We really enjoyed the nightly champagne sabering in the St. Regis lobby, all of the amazing sunsets we saw at Hanalei Bay and a couple of the island restaurants (Bar Acuda and Mediterranean Gourmet). We spent 3 hours every day sitting at the pool bar hanging out with the bartenders and ordering lunch in “courses” only to be washed down with delicious Mai Tai’s and K’apaa Margaritas. We also went snorkeling and kayaking almost every day, which is so easy because its on your own schedule and does not have to be planned.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

I’d do more research on the room type at the hotel and pre-request. There are a couple of great websites that tell you the pros/cons of each floor/section of hotels. We had an amazing suite overlooking the bay, but I think ultimately would have been happier with a smaller room that had a balcony. We really love to sit outside at night.

How much planning did you do in advance?

None. We don’t often “plan” our vacations other than booking airfare and hotel. We really love to have no formal schedule when we aren’t at work.

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Real Honeymoon: Belize

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

I don’t know about you, but this week’s Real Honeymoon makes me want to book a trip to Belize as soon as possible. Matt and Agnes split their vacation time between the jungle and the beach, and the result was an exciting but very relaxing honeymoon that was perfect for these super busy lawyers. Read all about their incredible Belizean honeymoon below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

The night after our wedding, we caught a redeye flight to Belize and got there the following morning. We were there from June 17 through June 24. This is technically the beginning of the “off-season” and rainy season, but it ended up being the perfect time to go, because the weather is still really great, prices are lower, and it’s a lot less packed but still vibrant. We spent the first 3 nights at the Lodge at Chaa Creek, an amazing resort in the jungles of the Cayo district just a few miles from the Guatemalan border. Then we headed back to the Caribbean Sea where we spent the next 4 nights relaxing on the beach at Victoria House on Ambergris Caye.

How long was your trip?

Our trip was a total of 8 days and 7 nights (not long enough!).

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

We picked this location because we wanted to combine some great outdoor excursions with a healthy dose of beach relaxation. Victoria House came highly recommended by a friend of ours, and the Lodge at Chaa Creek partners with Victoria House to create an amazing Jungle/Beach package. At Chaa Creek we did some horseback riding, explored Mayan ruins, and really enjoyed being in the jungle. It rained a bit while we were there, but what is the rainforest without rain? Right? At Victoria House we spent the majority of our time just relaxing and sipping cocktails on the beach. But we also went on two amazing snorkeling excursions… the coral reef there is incredible. Coincidentally, we arrived in San Pedro (the main city on Ambergris Caye) during their week-long celebration to kick off their lobster season. We ate lobster for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and had an absolute blast.

The best part about our honeymoon was…

The tropical drinks (not sure how I’m going to live without Victoria House’s infamous frozen coconut mojito on a daily basis) and the lobster, of course.

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

If we knew then what we know now, we would have made the trip longer and brought less clothing and stuff. You basically live in your bathing suit, and so we didn’t use half of the things we had packed.

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Real Honeymoon: Mediterranean Cruise

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Peonies to Palm Trees

Remember when I wrote my confession that I like cruises? Well Sara and Morgan went on a pretty amazing one for their honeymoon in Europe. Read all about their voyage around the Mediterranean below:

When and where did you honeymoon?

Morgan and I went on a 10 day Mediterranean cruise at the end of September and into early October.

How long was your trip?

2 weeks…the 10 day cruise and a day in Rome on either side…plus travel.

How did you decide on your honeymoon destination(s)?

Morgan had never been to Europe and we wanted to experience as many places as possible with as little travel as possible. The cruise was perfect combination…we had so many great stops (Rome/Florence and Pisa/Monte Carlo/Barcelona/Mallorca/Sardinia/Naples/Sicily) without having to worry about how to get there or where to put our stuff!

The best part about our honeymoon was…

Touring the best parts of Europe during the day and gorging ourselves on multi-course dinners at night. I loved that we were able to be active and adventurous during the day and relax and enjoy ourselves at night. Not having to worry about getting from place to place (both us and our stuff) was a great bonus!

If I knew then what I know now, I’d change…

Don’t pack so much! I mean, did we really need 2 pieces of luggage each?? While it wasn’t a big deal while we were on the ship, schlepping all that baggage around Rome and the airports in 80+ degree heat was a mistake!

How much planning did you do in advance?

Almost all of it. On top of booking the flights, the cruise, and the hotel nights in Rome, we also pre-booked most of our tours. The only downside to that was that several of our tours got cancelled due to lack of attendees (it didn’t help that our cruise was 90%+ retirees and our chosen excursions were always pretty active) and we had to book tours we didn’t like quite as much. The only thing we really left unplanned was the sightseeing we did in Rome before and after the cruise.

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