The best honeymoon hotels in the world

First up on our list of the best honeymoon hotels in the world is Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.

Taking a picture-perfect hillside spot in the Sabi Sands Reserve, this private game reserve is like nowhere you’ve ever holidayed before. It’s a must for animal lovers and adventure-seeking honeymooners. Don’t be surprised if you wake up to a big cat awakening from its own slumbers just yards from your backyard.

Stay in one of the premium lodges and spend your days safariing around the reserve, spotting all the big five and soaking up the glorious African sun.

Plus, with Ulusaba owned by Richard Branson, you can pretty much guarantee everything here feels lavish and expensive, like the luxurious on-site spa where you can enjoy a couple’s massage on your lazy days. 

Read our guide to the most ultra-luxury holidays in the world for more honeymoon inspiration. 

The Maldives’ Velaa Private Island is an ultra-secluded resort boasting world-class restaurants, a state-of-the-art golf course, and plenty of remote beach spots to relax and unwind. However, it’s the island’s honeymoon suite aptly-named the Romantic Residence that truly makes it one of the best honeymoon hotels in the world. 

Specifically designed to evoke love and romance, the large and stylish residence is the perfect place to escape the rest of the world for a while.

It’s perched on stilts and only accessible by boat, meaning you’ll have the whole place to yourself with no one to bother you or interrupt your alone time whilst you sip champers in your private hot tub.

Next on our list of the best honeymoon hotels in the world is Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection. If its picturesque clifftop setting and classic whitewashed design weren’t enough to bowl you over, you’ll also be tempted with first-class service, in-room spa treatments, yacht chartering, and a chance to dine in its Michelin-star restaurant.

This place is the absolute full package for honeymooning. You’ll wake up every day to unbeatable vistas of the Mediterranean Sea stretching for miles, best enjoyed from the terrace of your deluxe villa which comes with your own dedicated villa manager and private chef. 

If it’s high-end glamour you're after, look no further than The Setai, one of Miami Beach’s most luxurious hotels – so glamorous in fact, you’ll probably spot a few famous faces around the pool or at the bar as you grab your afternoon Mojito.  

This is the place to be when you’re after a combination of poolside serenity and nightlife liveliness.

With its prime beachfront spot, by day you can lounge hand in hand on the sands or indulge in a signature massage treatment at the spa – then as the sun sets, get dressed to the nines and head out together for a night dancing and cocktail-sipping at some of Miami Beach’s most exclusive upscale bars and clubs. 

With its spectacular mountainside views and sleek Bond-esque architecture, the 7132 Hotel in Vals, Switzerland is the perfect place for honeymooners looking to break tradition with cosy winter vibes over paradise sun – but this place also offers more than your average ski chalet getaway.

After spending the day on the nearby slopes and enjoying an après ski beverage or two, head back to the hotel for a dip in the thermal baths of the Zumthor-designed spa.

You can also dine in the hotel’s Michelin star restaurant and splash out on a helicopter ride offering stunning alpine views. The honeymoon opportunities are endless here. Who needs a sunny tropical beach when you have snow-capped Swiss mountains?

If you can’t deny your desire for a sunny beach-style honeymoon, check out the wonders of The Brando, a five-star resort residing on the French Polynesian island of Tetiaroa.

With its selection of private villas dotted around a glistening tropical lagoon, this place is one of the best honeymoon hotels in the world when you’re happy with that quintessential do-nothing type of white-sand escape.

Named after the 50s Hollywood star Marlon Brando who once called the private island of Tetiaroa his home, this hotel naturally oozes glitz and beauty – but sustainability is big here too. You’ll be invited to play your part in the hotel’s long-term commitments to protecting the island’s precious biodiversity.

Last up on our list of the best honeymoon hotels in the world is Hôtel Cap Estel, nestled nicely on a peninsula in the village of Èze the French Riviera. With its stylish sea-view rooms looking out at the glimmering waters of the French Riviera, this is the perfect spot for a tranquil honeymoon.

Choose to luxuriate in the hotel’s Sothys Spa or have a relaxing afternoon wandering around the village’s quaint cobbled streets and browsing local shops. Or for a more hedonistic night, head to the swanky casinos of Monte Carlo just a 20-minute taxi ride away. 

However you spend your time here, make sure you book a table at The Table of Patrick Raingeard, the hotel’s very own Michelin star restaurant serving all sorts of incredible fine dining-style cuisine made from ingredients picked from the on-site garden. 

How long should you book a honeymoon for?
There are no rules when it comes to how long you can and should honeymoon for – although some might opt for a long weekend, we say go as long as possible! It’s entirely up to you, but we think the optimum honeymoon length is around two weeks.

A fortnight means you’ll have plenty of time to truly relax or fit in any must-do day trips or excursions. 

When should you go on honeymoon?
Although it’s tradition for newlyweds to head off on honeymoon pretty much right away, this isn’t a necessity.

It’s perfectly fine for you to book it a week, a month, or even longer after the buzz of the wedding has settled – in fact, some couples find it a lot more convenient to wait a while until you’ve got more time to spare. It all depends on your wedding plans and what suits you best as a couple.