desperate for honeymoon suggestions.... please help
May 18, 2007, 9:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 87
desperate for honeymoon suggestions.... please help
it is time for me to look in to our honeymoon destination in October of this year. It is something that i have been thinking about, but don't know where to start.
price wise: i would like to spend $15,000. i don't know if that is too much or too little.
starting date --- october 14th, 2007
length of time: she would like to go away for three weeks, but i would prefer between 2 - 3.
my ideas are heading to a nice destination for 2 weeks rather than a lesser vacation for 3 weeks. please keep in mind that i have travelled before for a lot less, and a lot longer, but this is a honeymoon.
what she wants: a period at a beach. she doesn't want to be packing up every day moving to the next place. she wants to do something that we won't be able to do later.
what i want: exclusive, private... but not necessarily a beach. i wouldn't mind a beach for a few days, but i am not a beach person. the last thing i would want for a honeymoon is to be bored out of our minds for three weeks on a beach. i like cities or destinations where we can explore.
possible destinations:
asia --- (i've been around asia and would love to return). possibly beach in malaysia/thailand, head to singapore, then hk or tokyo? a lot of positives: diversity, close destinations, etc. negatives: flight length, too much to do
caribbean --- there were a few threads about some luxurious places in the caribbean that i can't find. i have been to a few islands, but i am not looking to do that again. the positive is that from yyz, it isn't too far.
australia/new zealand --- i don't know much about this part of the world in terms of honeymoon ideas. pos/negatives: i don't know
italy, eurpoe --- i love italy in the 'offseason'. i've been numerous times, so this may be something that i shouldn't consider for a honeymoon. i have family there, so i have can have a lot of local suggestions. would sicily be warm enough at that time of year? would a beach be a possiblitiy?
fiji/maldives --- suggestions welcome and needed.
hawaii --- this destination seems easy for some reason. is it too easy? it has the beach requirement, plus other attractions (?).
cruises --- i don't know of any cruises that we would want to take, but they can be a good way to have variety and stability... i don;t know which area would be good to cruise during that time of year.
membership --- i don't have any real rewards that are mandatory. i am a member of the fairmont and omni clubs, as well as starwood. but i will use this as a stepping stone to more points. i can fly air canada for points or use BA for my 200,000+ points.
keep in mind that we will be going to south america in january to see some friends who live there... so i wouldn't want to go there in october.
please give me suggestions. i appreciate any feedback. i will try to answer any questions within a day as i don't always have internet access. i want to decide soon, but am all over the place.
thanks,
snace
price wise: i would like to spend $15,000. i don't know if that is too much or too little.
starting date --- october 14th, 2007
length of time: she would like to go away for three weeks, but i would prefer between 2 - 3.
my ideas are heading to a nice destination for 2 weeks rather than a lesser vacation for 3 weeks. please keep in mind that i have travelled before for a lot less, and a lot longer, but this is a honeymoon.
what she wants: a period at a beach. she doesn't want to be packing up every day moving to the next place. she wants to do something that we won't be able to do later.
what i want: exclusive, private... but not necessarily a beach. i wouldn't mind a beach for a few days, but i am not a beach person. the last thing i would want for a honeymoon is to be bored out of our minds for three weeks on a beach. i like cities or destinations where we can explore.
possible destinations:
asia --- (i've been around asia and would love to return). possibly beach in malaysia/thailand, head to singapore, then hk or tokyo? a lot of positives: diversity, close destinations, etc. negatives: flight length, too much to do
caribbean --- there were a few threads about some luxurious places in the caribbean that i can't find. i have been to a few islands, but i am not looking to do that again. the positive is that from yyz, it isn't too far.
australia/new zealand --- i don't know much about this part of the world in terms of honeymoon ideas. pos/negatives: i don't know
italy, eurpoe --- i love italy in the 'offseason'. i've been numerous times, so this may be something that i shouldn't consider for a honeymoon. i have family there, so i have can have a lot of local suggestions. would sicily be warm enough at that time of year? would a beach be a possiblitiy?
fiji/maldives --- suggestions welcome and needed.
hawaii --- this destination seems easy for some reason. is it too easy? it has the beach requirement, plus other attractions (?).
cruises --- i don't know of any cruises that we would want to take, but they can be a good way to have variety and stability... i don;t know which area would be good to cruise during that time of year.
membership --- i don't have any real rewards that are mandatory. i am a member of the fairmont and omni clubs, as well as starwood. but i will use this as a stepping stone to more points. i can fly air canada for points or use BA for my 200,000+ points.
keep in mind that we will be going to south america in january to see some friends who live there... so i wouldn't want to go there in october.
please give me suggestions. i appreciate any feedback. i will try to answer any questions within a day as i don't always have internet access. i want to decide soon, but am all over the place.
thanks,
snace
May 18, 2007, 9:48 pm
#2
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,553
Welcome to the Luxury Forum, snace
Flyertalkers love discussing honeymoons. It would be helpful if you told us where you are based.
At this very moment, my son and his wife are honeymooning in Hawaii at the Four Seasons on the big island. They are supremely happy. Easy trip from LAX/KOA.
Flyertalkers love discussing honeymoons. It would be helpful if you told us where you are based.
At this very moment, my son and his wife are honeymooning in Hawaii at the Four Seasons on the big island. They are supremely happy. Easy trip from LAX/KOA.
May 18, 2007, 9:54 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 87
Welcome to the Luxury Forum, snace
Flyertalkers love discussing honeymoons. It would be helpful if you told us where you are based.
At this very moment, my son and his wife are honeymooning in Hawaii at the Four Seasons on the big island. They are supremely happy. Easy trip from LAX/KOA.
Flyertalkers love discussing honeymoons. It would be helpful if you told us where you are based.
At this very moment, my son and his wife are honeymooning in Hawaii at the Four Seasons on the big island. They are supremely happy. Easy trip from LAX/KOA.
thanks. for the suggestion
May 18, 2007, 10:00 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 87
edit...
we would like to spend LESS than $15,000. i don't know if that is too much or too little. i would prefer to be under $10,000 but it quickly gets expensive and i don't want to 'cheap-out' for a once in a lifetime honeymoon.
we would like to spend LESS than $15,000. i don't know if that is too much or too little. i would prefer to be under $10,000 but it quickly gets expensive and i don't want to 'cheap-out' for a once in a lifetime honeymoon.
May 18, 2007, 10:14 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: MIA/ATL
Posts: 1,482
greetings snace,
maldives would be a great place for a honeymoon. but you must keep in mind they are pretty far from yyz, and there are no direct flights to the maldives (MLE) from europe. some think this is a good thing, limiting the number of tourists, etc.
from yyz on EK and AC:
a quick quote came back at $1800 USD. you would probabley want to stop in dubai though.
there is a wide range of hotels in the maldives depending on how much you want to spend.
is the $15000 in USD or CAD? most hotels will run $500-1000 USD/night...
maldives would be a great place for a honeymoon. but you must keep in mind they are pretty far from yyz, and there are no direct flights to the maldives (MLE) from europe. some think this is a good thing, limiting the number of tourists, etc.
from yyz on EK and AC:
YYZ-xLHR-DXB-MLE-xDXB-xLHR-YYZ
there is a wide range of hotels in the maldives depending on how much you want to spend.
is the $15000 in USD or CAD? most hotels will run $500-1000 USD/night...
May 18, 2007, 10:32 pm
#6
Moderator: Delta SkyMiles, Luxury Hotels, TravelBuzz! and Italy
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 26,553
Oh, so easy to fly from Canda to Hawaii. My kids are at FS Hualalai. After the adrenalin rush from the wedding and all of the hooplah, the FS Hualalai has been perfect. Think Hawaii on 1K per day. Cucumbers on your eyes, Evian Sprizers on your face and an easy flight to your destination. BTW, they adore the outdoor showers. It's your honeymoon. Don't complicate it by going too far away. Just a suggestion.
May 18, 2007, 10:46 pm
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: NYC (formerly BOS/DCA)
Programs: UA 1K, IC RA
Posts: 60,745
We went to Australia and loved it. Did a week in Sydney and then a week up at the reef. Found some great secluded hotels with literally our own private beach and easy access to the reef and Port Douglas.
What we liked about this is that it was a great mix of city/exploring and beach/relaxation.
But it is far away.
What we liked about this is that it was a great mix of city/exploring and beach/relaxation.
But it is far away.
May 19, 2007, 7:01 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....43&postcount=7
4 threads at the top here
Maldives resorts have the best value, but it sounds like you want to avoid that kind of isolation. regarding getting there, isn't YYZ-SIN-MLE possible?
edit - i see it was silly of me for thinking so
i would suggest looking at private villas in Bali and Phuket. for example, i personally love the location and design of these >
http://www.shalimarvilla.com/ Bali beach
http://www.lagencliff.com/ Bali cliff
http://www.aleenta.com Phuket resort with baechfront villas, not luxury
you could also do 1 or more Amanresorts, especially in Bali/Indonesia, which start at $700. like Amankila (beach) + Amandari (jungle)
in Phuket there is also Amanpuri and Trisara.
sounds like you have a bunch of miles/points to help you with flight cost. ^
i would personally prefer beachfront, like FS Punta Mita, as opposed to FS Hualalai. (which starts at $5000 for beachfront) Mexico/Latin America would be another spot for places like FS Punta Mita or villas, but the value is better in Asia, i'm not sure its necessarily that much farther, and it seems to me the overall destination in terms of stuff to do would be better.
OTOH maybe beachfront should be avoided if OP doesnt want his wife to simply be out the door onto the beach every morning.
4 threads at the top here
Maldives resorts have the best value, but it sounds like you want to avoid that kind of isolation. regarding getting there, isn't YYZ-SIN-MLE possible?
edit - i see it was silly of me for thinking so
i would suggest looking at private villas in Bali and Phuket. for example, i personally love the location and design of these >
http://www.shalimarvilla.com/ Bali beach
http://www.lagencliff.com/ Bali cliff
http://www.aleenta.com Phuket resort with baechfront villas, not luxury
you could also do 1 or more Amanresorts, especially in Bali/Indonesia, which start at $700. like Amankila (beach) + Amandari (jungle)
in Phuket there is also Amanpuri and Trisara.
sounds like you have a bunch of miles/points to help you with flight cost. ^
i would personally prefer beachfront, like FS Punta Mita, as opposed to FS Hualalai. (which starts at $5000 for beachfront) Mexico/Latin America would be another spot for places like FS Punta Mita or villas, but the value is better in Asia, i'm not sure its necessarily that much farther, and it seems to me the overall destination in terms of stuff to do would be better.
OTOH maybe beachfront should be avoided if OP doesnt want his wife to simply be out the door onto the beach every morning.
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 19, 2007 at 8:05 pm
May 19, 2007, 10:05 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 87
thanks for the suggestion about the maldives.
Oh, so easy to fly from Canda to Hawaii. My kids are at FS Hualalai. After the adrenalin rush from the wedding and all of the hooplah, the FS Hualalai has been perfect. Think Hawaii on 1K per day. Cucumbers on your eyes, Evian Sprizers on your face and an easy flight to your destination. BTW, they adore the outdoor showers. It's your honeymoon. Don't complicate it by going too far away. Just a suggestion.
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost....43&postcount=7
4 threads at the top here
Maldives resorts have the best value, but it sounds like you want to avoid that kind of isolation. regarding getting there, isn't YYZ-SIN-MLE possible?
4 threads at the top here
Maldives resorts have the best value, but it sounds like you want to avoid that kind of isolation. regarding getting there, isn't YYZ-SIN-MLE possible?
thanks for the bali and phuket ideas. i will look there. as well, the links with the other threads are useful as well. i've already recieved a great deal of information from those threads. specifically, i wanted some feedback on my situation (time of year and needs).
i never thought of it that way.
May 19, 2007, 10:40 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
personally, if i got married tomorrow, i would go to FSLG (maldives), probably for about a week.
thinking about it more, id narrow what i suggested above to
amankila + lagen cliff villa, and maybe amandari if that is appealing
thinking about it more, id narrow what i suggested above to
amankila + lagen cliff villa, and maybe amandari if that is appealing
Last edited by Kagehitokiri; May 19, 2007 at 2:00 pm
May 19, 2007, 1:09 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 389
i have posted a few times about a trip we took to French Polynesia. Might push the upper end of your price range, but it was truly amazing.
We spent one week on a small yacht / cruise www.boraboracruises.com circling French Polynesia then we spent a week on a small island near Bora Bora called Tahaa. The rack rates on the website will be high. I don't know if we just got lucky based on timing or they didn't have a good marketing dept at the time (Nov 2005) but the ship was only had about 20 people on it and we went through a travel agency (www.pacific-for-less.com) and paid substantially less than what was advertised on the company's web site.
We spent one week on a small yacht / cruise www.boraboracruises.com circling French Polynesia then we spent a week on a small island near Bora Bora called Tahaa. The rack rates on the website will be high. I don't know if we just got lucky based on timing or they didn't have a good marketing dept at the time (Nov 2005) but the ship was only had about 20 people on it and we went through a travel agency (www.pacific-for-less.com) and paid substantially less than what was advertised on the company's web site.
May 19, 2007, 1:19 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: FLL -> Where The Boyars Are
Programs: AA EXP 1.7 M, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*, AARP Sophomore, 14-time Croix de Candlestick
Posts: 18,669
May 19, 2007, 1:41 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NYC/SFO
Programs: UA 1K*MM, AA PP
Posts: 1,097
I would seriously consider a Western Med cruise, either starting or ending in Italy. I'm not a hot weather person, so I'm going to Italy late November, but mid-October should be quite warm and nice still, yet the largest summer crowds will be gone.
The advantage of a cruise, of course, is you unpack once, and then you get to see many places, you also get to just chill on the sun deck if you don't feel like doing anything. For really nice and upscale I'd check WindStar (tall ships, sails are *so* romantic!)
On the downside, the nicest suites/cabins are probably already sold out and you'd have to waitlist (cancellations usually come 90 days in advance when final payment is due).
Cruiseline will also be able to sell you an additional stay before or after, or you can do it on your own.
The advantage of a cruise, of course, is you unpack once, and then you get to see many places, you also get to just chill on the sun deck if you don't feel like doing anything. For really nice and upscale I'd check WindStar (tall ships, sails are *so* romantic!)
On the downside, the nicest suites/cabins are probably already sold out and you'd have to waitlist (cancellations usually come 90 days in advance when final payment is due).
Cruiseline will also be able to sell you an additional stay before or after, or you can do it on your own.