20 Top Hotels in Our Favorite Honeymoon Destinations

Mexican beach resorts are known for things like impeccable service and sheer number of pools. At the bottom of Mexico's Baja peninsula, the One&Only Palmilla stands out for its position on one of Los Cabos' only swimmable beaches—from which one can snorkel, dive, or fish—as well as its vast, adults-only infinity pool. Other highlights: an expanded spa, complete with a juice bar and barbershop, and the culinary stylings of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the new steakhouse SEARED.

A 20-minute private flight from Tahiti, the remote island of Tetiaroa is a real-life Shangri-la, occupied for centuries by Tahitian royalty before being turned into Marlon Brando’s private island turned eco-resort. Scattered between Turtle Beach and Mermaid Bay, 35 Polynesian-style villas have their very own white-sand beach, plunge pool, and bicycles with which to explore, while those seeking adventure can strike out for the atoll's other islands via paddleboard, kayak, or sailboat. Chef Guy Martin (whose Paris restaurant has two Michelin stars) mines the nearby gardens, orchards, and ocean for ingredients used in his exceptional cuisine—a bounty worthy of its fairytale setting.

It’s hard to imagine a more beautiful place to celebrate a new union than St. Lucia's Sugar Beach, set between the turquoise Caribbean Sea and the breathtaking Pitons—a World Heritage Site of dual volcanic spires. Honeymooners are treated like VIPs at the resident Viceroy, where champagne and gratis room upgrades (when available) are never out of the question. From opulent couples’ treatments in the Rainforest Spa to sunset cruises, scenic hikes, and PADI dives, the memories made here are sure to last a lifetime.

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This St. Regis is a study in ultimate privacy: spread over 44 acres, its palatial overwater bungalows—the largest in all of French Polynesia—feature glass viewing panels in the floor and authentic thatched ceilings, while a 13,000-square-foot Clarins spa occupies its own island. There's even a Romance Concierge who can ensure that healthy bouts of sunbathing are balanced out between canoe breakfasts or day cruises on the “Love Boat.”

More bucolic than beachy, the Four Seasons Resort Bali is the definition of lush. All 60 spacious suites are surrounded by tropical gardens and accented with show-stopping water features, including one villa whose infinity pool overlooks the Ayung River. The cultural heart of the island offers endless ways to fill the day (rice paddy tours, village visits, anti-gravity yoga, fire dances), but leave time to soak in the hotel grounds—perhaps with a romantic dinner at the dramatic rooftop Lotus Pool or a couple’s heart chakra ceremony.

Thoughts of an ideal honeymoon often conjure up images of brilliant sunshine—which makes Anguilla, with its near-perfect year-round weather, a prime destination. A property-wide renovation in 2014 gave Malliouhana a tasteful British West Indies island vibe. Scattered across 25 acres, the tropical getaway also includes a pristine beach, two infinity pools, and a nearby 18-hole golf course. Might we suggest pairing the sea-to-table cuisine with a bottle of fine Caribbean rum selected with the help of the on-site “rummelier”?

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"Mukul" is Mayan for secret, which might tell you something about the priorities at Nicaragua's first five-star resort. On an otherwise undeveloped stretch of the Emerald Coast, you'll find 37 blissfully private villa-style accommodations fitted with locally crafted furniture and their own plunge pools. Though indeed sprawling, Mukul offers an intimate experience that’s easily tailored to any desire, be it golf, gourmet dining, pampering, deep-sea fishing, or surfing.

With a name like Baccarat, you know you’re in for opulence. The heritage of the French crystal manufacturer is evident at every turn in its global flagship, from the crystal chandeliers and vases to antique pieces on loan from France. The hotel's Midtown address is an ideal jumping-off point from which to enjoy the best of Manhattan (the MOMA is right across the street). Alternatively, escape the hubbub from the comfort of your room, each a sophisticated oasis of neutral colors, custom-designed Mascioni bedding, and marble bathrooms. Have some unexpected downtime? Spend it dining on French small plates under the Grand Salon's 64-arm chandelier or getting rubdowns at the La Mer spa.

There's a certain level of decadence and luxury you can only find in India—and at the Oberoi Rajvilas. Reminiscent of a Maharajah's palace with pink arches and gold-leaf frescoes, its rooms, tents and villas—all with their own pools—are spread over 32 acres lush with indigenous flowers and exotic birds. For spiritual couples, there's meditation and yoga, while the more adventurous can ride elephants, take a cooking class, or dine under the stars between an ancient mansion and temple overlooking a tiered, lamp-lit garden.

Since the Four Seasons Lanai's grand opening in February, couples planning their Hawaiian escape have found a new spot to kick back. Spend the mornings watching dolphins and whales playing offshore from your poolside daybed; come afternoon, take in the surroundings via helicopter, yacht, or on a sunset horseback ride that follows a ridge overlooking nearby Maui. Foodies won't lack for options, either: book a meal at Nobu Lanai, customize a five-course dinner in a sanctuary overlooking Hulopoe Bay with a chef, or rent a 4x4 to pick up poke before enjoying it on a secret beach.

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If Santorini is referred to as the “honeymoon island,” then it can be argued that the Grace Santorini—fresh off a total makeover involving carved Greek marble in sultry rooms and suites—be called the “honeymoon hotel.” Watch the island's famous sunsets over the caldera from your own bed (complete with pillows and a fragrance of your choosing) or plunge pool, or at the agate bar in the Champagne Lounge. The hotel’s infinity pool is one of the island's most iconic, while the five-course breakfast degustation menu, served with champagne, is the stuff of legend.

For those looking to get as far away from reality as humanly possible, this eco-boutique resort is a shoo-in. On an isolated island in a Marine National Park off the coast of Mozambique, you'll find just 18 five-star villas reachable only by boat or helicopter. Here, it's white sand and turquoise water as far as the eye can see, and, by night, a sky filled with more stars than you've probably ever seen with the naked eye. Along with a butler that tends to every need, newlyweds also benefit from cups of bubbly, fine dining, whale-watching, and a one-of-a-kind African spa.

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Upon arrival at Amanpuri (meaning “place of peace” in Sanskrit), you'll know you’ve been transported somewhere magical. Inside a serene coconut palm plantation overlooking the Andaman Sea, 40 glamorous pavilions and villas (which come with two live-in staff members that attend to guests’ every need) border tropical gardens and soft, white-sand beaches. Relaxation here is paramount, but there are also plentiful opportunities for exploration, including scuba diving, waterskiing, golf, and cultural outings to any of the island’s 30 Buddhist temples.

Consistently ranked in the top echelons of five-star properties, Post Ranch Inn is the jewel of Big Sur. Its dreamlike, clifftop setting is a big draw, but there's also the unique blend of rustic and chic in its tree houses and suites, whose decks—and infinity pools—look out onto massive redwoods and the Pacific beyond. From multi-course meals at Sierra Mar to a couple’s shaman experience, yoga, meditation, and star-gazing classes, it’s all about getting intimate with the gorgeous environment—and the one you’re sharing it with.

Jaw-dropping is one way to describe the Amalfi Coast views from this adults-only, palazzo-turned-hotel, legendary for its highly personalized service and impeccable design. Each of the chic yet opulent 58 rooms and suites are distinguished by their colorful handmade tile floors and 230-foot perch above the sea. It's the same coveted view you get from Franco’s Bar, where you can spend afternoons sipping champagne and nibbling on fresh-caught oysters. Come sundown, the romance is palpable at the Michelin-starred restaurant, La Sponda, which is set aglow each night by hundreds of candles.

If total seclusion is your goal, consider one of Le Toiny’s 14 oceanview villas, where a recent coastal-chic renovation ushered in bespoke furnishings, large terraces, and private heated pools. For the days you do eventually emerge from your luxe cocoon, there’s a scenic trail that leads to the resort's own beach, which features a new beach club and comfy loungers (with full service) shaded by coconut palms. Have room to splurge? Ask the restaurant chef to design a personal menu for a romantic dinner right in your villa.

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Laucala is a compelling honeymoon destination for many reasons, not the least of which involves its perch on a 3,000-acre private Fijian island. There are plenty of places to cozy up without seeing another soul, like the pool and outdoor shower in each of the Fijian-styled villas. Turquoise lagoons are perfect for a dip or countless water activities (like outrigger canoes, scuba diving, and jet skis); otherwise, go horseback riding, tour the organic farms that supply produce for the island’s five restaurants, or steal away to the Spa Garden and Kitchen to create your own signature lotion.

It may not sit on tropical sands, but Matakauri Lodge, on New Zealand's South Island, still manages to ooze waterfront romance with its panoramic, postcard-perfect views of the Remarkables mountain range and Lake Wakatipu. Honeymooners can choose from 12 plush suites or the Owner’s Cottage and while away the hours either snuggling up by a fireplace with a glass of local wine or getting the adrenaline pumping via any of the area's outdoor pursuits. (Hang-gliding, buggy jumping, canyoning, and heli-skiing are just a few of the adventure options Queenstown has built its reputation on.) Just remember: their summer is our winter.

The freestanding Ocean Suites at the Jumeirah Vittaveli may sound exposed—floor-to-ceiling windows give way to panoramic Indian Ocean views; living rooms have glass floors—but they’re suitably secluded and sexy (there are also infinity pools and sunken indoor bathtubs). You could get away with never leaving your 3,000-square-foot hideaway (the spa will even prepare romantic baths), but then you’d miss out on private candlelit dinners on the beach, sunrise breakfast on a traditional boat, and diving or snorkeling over the vibrant reef and nearby boat wrecks.

When it opened in 1925, Le Bristol was a magnet for the era's Hollywood royalty—Rita Hayworth, Charlie Chaplin, Kim Novak. Today, it's a destination for food lovers thanks to an impressive collection of Michelin stars: three for the flagship restaurant Epicure and one for 114 Faubourg. But a fashionable location and starlet cachet aren’t the only things going for this City of Light hotel: personalized service goes above and beyond, rooms and suites with crystal chandeliers feel fit for kings and queens, and the La Prairie spa lends a new definition to the term "luxury."