4 Honeymoon Locations Where You Can Sit Back and Relax

You’ve just pulled off the wedding of your dreams—and now you need a nap. On a beach. Or by an infinity pool. Or in Iceland. Put your feet up at one of these resorts that specialize in peace and pampering. 

Where

Montenegro

Why Here 

Carved from a 15th-century fishing village on the glittering Adriatic Sea, this private-island resort is a place to sunbathe, swim, hit the spa, eat grilled fish, and embrace the silence: There are just 50 rooms (from $900 a night) on 79 acres. 

When to Go 

May or September, when it’s not too crowded. 

How to Get There 

Fly into Tivat via Frankfurt; the Aman will arrange a car for the half-hour drive.

Step Inside

Strolling among the red-roof stone buildings, pink sand beaches, and cobblestone courtyards shaded by olive trees, cedars, and pines, it’s easy to see why Novak Djokovic decided to get married here almost immediately after his 2014 Wimbledon win. 

Day Trip 

Ask the hotel to arrange a car to take you wine-tasting at nearby family-run vineyards, where you’ll sip fruity, full-bodied reds made from the Vranac grape. 

Date Night 

Steps from a beach and surrounded by natural springs, Ćatovića Mlini Restaurant serves up fresh grilled octopus daily. Reserve a spot on the terrace.

Where

Nesjavellir, Iceland

Why Here 

This secluded, architectural hotel (from $270 a night) rests amid hilly, moss-covered lava fields near Lake Thingvellir, which means you’ll enjoy soothing views from the resort’s small spa, geothermal hot tub, and stylish bar. 

When to Go 

For fewer tourists, spring or fall; for Northern Lights, October to March; for hiking, June to September. 

How to Get There 

Fly direct to Reykjavik on Icelandair.

Step Inside

From both the bar and the spa, you can gaze at snowcapped mountains, the misty lake, and, if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights. For leg-stretching, take to a hiking trail that starts at the hotel entrance and leads up and over verdant hills. While Ion feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere, it’s actually convenient to Iceland’s famous Golden Circle, a driving route that passes an active geyser, a 105-foot waterfall, and the geothermal power station. 

Day Trip 

Go for a soak at the Blue Lagoon, an aqua geothermal spa about an hour away that everyone visits—for good reason. 

Date Night 

Drive an hour to Dill in downtown Reykjavik for a whimsical Nordic prix-fixe menu (think Arctic char that’s smoked underground for an entire winter) with wine pairings.

Where

Turks & Caicos Islands

Why Here

Ask a frequent-flying A-lister (Kate Moss, for one) for her favorite beach resort, and she’ll overwhelm you with raves about this hotel (from $500 a night), which sits on its own island a half-hour speedboat ride away from Providenciales, Turks & Caicos’s most populated isle. For one, Parrot Cay’s white sand beaches don’t have crowds, and they do have some of the clearest waters in the Caribbean. 

When to Go 

December to mid May, when temps hover in the 80s. 

How to Get There 

Providenciales is a nonstop flight from Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, and New York.

Step Inside

With their high ceilings and canopy beds, the 72 all-white suites and villas seem to slow your heart rate upon entry. Find further chill time in the Como Shambhala Retreat spa, where you can meditate, practice yoga, or get a tension-erasing Ayurvedic massage.

Day Trip

On Middle Caicos, Turks & Caicos’s largest island, you’ll swim and cliff-walk at Mudjin Harbor before watching locally built sailboats race at Bambarra Beach.

Date Night 

If you must leave the island, book a round-trip boat ride, then a table at Infiniti, the oceanfront restaurant at Providenciales’s Grace Bay Club.

Where

La Cruz de Loreto, Mexico

Why Here 

A luxe eco resort 60 miles south of Puerto Vallarta, Hotelito Desconocido Sanctuary Reserve & Spa (from $450 a night) isn’t a breeze to reach. But the payoff for your efforts is absolute serenity in one of the resort’s 27 palafitos, thatched-roof bungalows on stilts, which are arranged around sandy lagoons or on the Pacific-side beach. 

When to Go 

October to March for the turtle-watching. 

How to Get There 

Fly to Puerto Vallarta and the hotel will collect you for the two-hour drive.

Step Inside

Mornings might be spent reading on your terrace, afternoons involve aguas frescas by the saltwater pool on the shore, and when evening comes, it’s margaritas and local surf-and-turf at one of the resort’s two restaurants. A romantic bonus: There are no electric lights, meaning everything’s candlelit after dark.

Day Trip

Set sail to deserted islands on the hotel’s catamaran, or visit the property’s nature sanctuary to release thumb-size baby sea turtles into the ocean. 

Date Night 

It’s unlikely you’ll want to leave, but if the mood strikes, drive an hour to Tehuamixtle for the region’s best oysters, octopus, shrimp, and ceviche under the palapa at Restaurant Cande, on Tehua Bay, which overlooks the water.