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ELLE's top 10 Honeymoon travel destinations
Money can't buy you love, but it sure can set the mood. ELLE chooses 10 exclusive destinations far from the madding crowd.
By Rita Silvan, Noreen Flanagan and Nicolette Linton
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CANADA
French kiss
Montreal's gourmet cuisine, lively bar scene and fashionable boutiques are always a draw for city lovers -- and there are any number of minimalist boutique hotels to choose from. (Hotels Le Germain, Nelligan and Saint-Paul spring to mind.) Then there's the new kid on the block, the W Montreal. It boasts three 3-metre-high waterfalls in the lobby, voyeur showers in the suites and an extremely attentive whatever/whenever concierge service for the seriously sedentary. When you step outside for a change of scene, head to Alto Palato on Saint-Laurent Boulevard for bellinis made with prosecco, vodka and Campari. Follow this up with a romantic dinner at the much-lauded Ristorante Brontë. (Their yummy Panettone Pain Perdu is to die for!)
Romantic side trip Drive 90 minutes north of Montréal to the ski hills at Mont-Tremblant in the Laurentians or 90 minutes east to the Eastern Townships' Hovey Manor, a romantic lakeside inn with roaring fires, sleigh rides and an extensive wine cellar.
Holiday read Canada Reads 2005 contender No Crystal Stair by Mairuth Sarsfield.
Best time to go Any time.
Most romantic room An Extreme Wow suite at the W or the Cartier Suite at Hovey Manor, which has double whirlpool bath, a large deck and a private dock with canoe and kayak.
For more info Hovey Manor: www.hoveymanor.com; The W: www.starwoodhotels.com.
JAPAN
Now and Zen
Take a step back in time to Gion, the Geisha district of Kyoto, where kimono-clad geishas still entertain clients with songs and dancing, demure conversation and drinking games. Stay in one of Kyoto's oldest traditional inns, the Tawaraya Ryokan. Its simple yet elegant rooms feature futons, tatami mats and wooden soaking baths alongside the most exquisite ikebana flower arrangements and antique Japanese furniture. For the ultimate Zen experience, drift around Kyoto's many temples, tea houses and gardens. Kyoto is at its loveliest in the springtime, when locals celebrate the arrival of the cherry blossom with outdoor hanami parties and picnics.
Romantic side trip Head for the nearest onsen, or natural hot spring, for a mineral-rich soak. (Tip: soak up and rinse off before getting in.) Most of the onsens are sex-segregated, but your honey will appreciate your newly minted baby-soft skin.
Holiday read Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.
Best time to go Spring and fall.
Most romantic room The ground floor's Fuji and Midori rooms have private landscaped gardens.
For more info 011-81-075-211-5566.
SOUTH AFRICA
Fair game
The Londolozi Private Game Reserve prides itself on its exemplary conservation record, but ecotourism doesn't have to mean roughing it. A member of Relais & Châteaux, this award-winning safari destination is lavish in the extreme. Four exclusive "camps" have been set up in dense forest on the banks of the Sand River (in the morning, guests wake to the sound of hippos snorting), and a number of their suites have private cascading plunge pools, outdoor showers and decks. Londolozi offers magical moonlit bush dinners, and skilled guides are available to take guests on viewing drives twice a day to spot the Big Five (lions, leopards, elephants, rhinoceros and wild buffalo).
Romantic side trip Londolozi offers the best leopard viewing in Africa, so hire a guide to get you up close and personal.
Holiday read Nobel Prize-winner Nadine Gordimer's Jump and Other Stories.
Best time to go May to August. Most romantic room Suites in Londolozi Tree Camp are elevated 21 metres above the Sand River.
For more info www.ccafrica.com.
UNITED STATES
California dreamin'
In the early 1950s, Deetjen's Big Sur Inn was a place that attracted eccentric artists, beatnik writers and A-list Hollywood actors. They came to this secluded spot for inspiration, bohemian adventures and romantic trysts. Today, in-the-know couples make their way to the rustic, rambling resort located about 240 kilometres south of San Francisco on California's Central Coast. Staying at the inn is surprisingly affordable because the Deetjen's Big Sur Inn Preservation Foundation operates it on a non-profit basis. Built by Norwegian émigré Helmuth Deetjens in the 1930s, the cabins and suites are decorated in a charming mix of fine linens, fresh flowers and velvet drapes. Open the windows for a view of the redwoods of Castro Canyon or to hear the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing below.
Romantic side trip Try hiking in the Santa Lucia Mountains, followed by champagne on the outdoor deck at Nepenthe Restaurant (www.nepenthebigsur.com.).
Holiday read Found in every room, Deetjen's Diaries contains candid accounts of the lives and loves of previous guests.
Best time to go Any time.
Most romantic room The Honeymoon.
For more info www.deetjens.com.
Photography of W hotel's Wunderbar courtesy of W hotel
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