Don't Take a Vow of Poverty: Go to These Affordable Honeymoon Resorts Instead
Instead of asking your friends for a toaster, you can use the honeymoon registry at Sunset at the Palms in Negril, Jamaica, for spa services. (Courtesy: Sunset at the Palms)
By Jamie Beckman
Real talk from a bride-to-be: Never did I fully comprehend the huge buildup and subsequent letdown of sketching out a honeymoon plan until I got engaged. Years ago, before even I met my fiancé, I naturally assumed that the grown-up me would go on a romantic, Ulysses-esque epic honeymoon journey. Maybe we’d see the Acropolis in Athens, swing through the Piedmont region of Italy to sample Barolos, stop in French Polynesia to admire exotic birds from an overwater bungalow, take the train to the South of France for aromatherapy in fields of lavender, taste street food in Thailand, and then spend a night or two in L.A. in a hotel with a full view of the Hollywood sign en route home to New York… I’m exaggerating, but you get the idea. I was gonna go big.
Now close your eyes and imagine the sound of a record needle screeching and young dreams shattering, because that’s what happened when I entered the preliminary figures for my wedding budget into an Excel spreadsheet. That initial lump sum of money that would have been perfect for embarking on a mini ‘round-the-world excursion quickly got chopped in half, and then in half again, and then in half again due to the cost of having to actually get married and hold a reception. Whatever amount is left over is fair game, but waving buh-bye to all of that cash is, ironically, heartbreaking. To all the brave couples who eloped; created a honeymoon registry on a site like Honeyfund, Zola, or Blueprint Registry; or threw a modest wedding in order to spend on a massive trip later, you have my utmost respect…and envy.
Like many of you who are mapping out a post-wedding escape, I’m going to have to cut honeymoon costs where I can once we nail down a destination. But if there’s one thing I believe, it’s that Budget Travelers shouldn’t have to sacrifice the perks they fantasize about in order to vacation within their means. In that spirit, we found six affordable honeymoon resorts and hot spots that not only welcome newly married couples, but offer a slew of free extras—we’re talking complimentary bubbly, on-the-house farm-to-table meals, and free activities like nighttime concerts. Because when you’re looking to take a breather from wedding madness and get to know your partner better, those little add-ons are priceless…or so I’ve heard.
Negril, Jamaica: Sunset at the Palms
Prepare for Romance with a capital “R” at the all-inclusive, adults-only Sunset at the Palms resort, which consistently gets high marks from travelers for its romance quotient and intimate, tropical atmosphere (think 10 acres of lush gardens and rustic, elevated treehouse-style bungalows with Asian-inspired decor).
Cost: From $226 per couple, per night, all-inclusive
Perks for lovers: Stay five nights or more and get a free bottle of champagne and 15 percent off spa services. (Mention the Free Honeymoon Package.) An upgrade to the Romance at Sunset package that includes a massage and four-course dinner is available at an extra cost, but if you’re trying to work within your budget (and who isn’t), the Sunset chain offers a honeymoon registry through Honeymoon Wishes so your guests can gift you everything from safaris to indulgent spa services like milk-and-honey body wraps. There is, however, a service and handling fee of up to 9.65 percent that you and the gift purchaser are responsible for, so if that bugs you, you might be better off asking for cash-stuffed envelopes instead.
Related: 21 Girl Trips You Absolutely Love
Walla Walla, Washington: Marcus Whitman Hotel
The wine country in Walla Walla. (Photo: Richard Duval)
How does a no-cost glass of wine or two sound after all that anticipated wedding hooplah? If your answer is “oustanding,” consider Washington’s wine country, says Dr. Pepper Schwartz, author of Places for Passion. The Marcus Whitman Hotel downtown can serve as home base. “There are numerous wine tasting places within a few blocks, many of which will not charge for the chance to sample their wines,” she says.
Cost: From $125 per couple, per night
Perks for lovers: The Marcus Whitman has a free hot breakfast, and complimentary wine from surrounding tasting rooms is plentiful, even on non-“barrel” weekends, when winemakers show off their new vintages and dole out samples. Check out the Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance’s website for more information.
Related: 30 Places Every Kid MUST See
Nassau, Bahamas: Breezes Resort & Spa
(Photo: Breezes Resort & Spa/Facebook)
Who wants a free wedding? “Super-inclusive,” no-tipping-allowed Breezes Resort & Spa on Nassau’s Cable Beach offers a complimentary Endless Love package that provides a wedding planner, cake, officiant, marriage license, bouquet/boutonniere, champagne, music and festive decor, and four guest passes. Also available gratis upon request: a sand ceremony, jumping the broom, and a unity candle lighting. Aside from weddings, the 391-room resort has a restaurant equipped with loveseat-style tables for two in their Garden of Eden restaurant and a rule that all resort guests must be 14 years or older.
Cost: $200 per person, per night, all-inclusive (check the resort’s deals page for discounts)
Perks for lovers: Did we mention the free wedding? Even if you’re getting hitched somewhere else, all honeymooners get in-room fresh fruit and sparkling wine.
Marfa, Texas: El Cosmico hotel and campground
(Courtesy: El Cosmico/Facebook)
Earthy couples, if all you want after you tie the knot is calm and reconnection in a hip, artsy, pared-down atmosphere, El Cosmico “nomadic hotel and campground” in the Texas desert is for you. Pick a tepee, yurt, trailer, or tent to sleep in—but know that this isn’t your grandpa’s campsite. You’re welcome to go spartan with an $85-per-night tent and use the communal kitchen and bathhouse, but even the top-end restored vintage Imperial Mansion trailer is affordable at $170 a night, and it comes with its own full kitchen, bath, heat/AC, and private cedar deck, with two Acapulco chairs for gazing out on the West Texas evening together.
Cost: From $85 per couple, per night
Perks for lovers: Quiet hours start at 11 p.m. every night. Free outdoor concerts called Sunset Soundtracks occur under the stars at regular intervals, as do reasonably priced classes like craft-spirit-making sessions. When evening rolls around, rent a wood-fired hot tub for four hours for $85—the hotel will stoke the fires for you (don’t worry, that’s not a euphemism).
Related: World’s Most Beautiful Places
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Barceló Bávaro Beach
(Courtesy: Barceló Bávaro Beach)
If a veritable king and queen’s banquet of honeymoon perks at a value rate appeals to you and your new spouse, Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, offers nice extras for cheap, says Susan Breslow, honeymoons expert at About.com. One example: the adults-only, all-inclusive resort Barceló Bávaro Beach, a 589-room behemoth with nine à la carte restaurants perfect for having romantic dinners sans the buffet-table lines.
Cost: From $168 per person, per night, all-inclusive
Perks for lovers: Barceló’s In Love package is completely free. Here’s what you get: a room upgrade, late check-out, a bottle of sparkling wine delivered to the room, honeymooners’ T-shirts (because why not?), a 15 percent discount on spa services, a 10 percent discount on tours with Vacaciones Barceló, and a printed picture from the photo shop.
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania: Glasbern Inn
(Courtesy: Glasbern Inn)
R&R is inescapable at the Glasbern Inn, a country retreat that offers elopement packages (larger, full wedding packages are available too). As honeymoon accommodations go, relationships expert Schwartz says the half-timbered rooms, fireplaces, and beautiful grounds are darn near unbeatable, especially in the wintertime.
Cost: From $150 per couple, per night
Perks for lovers: A full country breakfast for two is included, as are free farm walking trails for private strolls. Even one of the least expensive Main Barn rooms has a whirlpool and a separate private sun room.
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