Editor’s Note: Some of the information below may be out-of-date. Anguilla, the Florida Keys and St. Barth were heavily impacted by Hurricane Irma. Please visit caribbeantravelupdate.com, fla-keys.com or the specific hotel’s website for updates.
These plush honeymoon destinations have lured a constellation worth of stars like Jessica Simpson, Drew Barrymore and Kim Kardashian. Find out which destinations are jet-set favorites — and why you should consider them for your own romantic getaway.
It's little wonder stars have fallen under the spell of Italy's Amalfi Coast, tucked just south of the city of Naples, with its charming hillside villages, citrus groves and to-die-for Mediterranean views. Following actress Reese Witherspoon and agent Jim Toth's wedding at her ranch in Ojai, California, the photogenic pair jetted off for few days of bliss in Positano, one of the region's most scenic towns. After taking a boat ride around the bay and browsing shops filled with hand-painted ceramics and bottles of limoncello (the local lemon-based liqueur), they were spotted spoon-feeding each other pasta and grilled fish with fennel at Ristorante Bruno.
Other Amalfi Coast fans include True Blood co-stars and newlyweds Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer, who strolled the pretty town of Ravello, stopping for lunch at an outdoor cafe. Their home base? Le Sirenuse, a family-owned boutique hotel overlooking the bay of Positano that's long been a magnet for mega-celebs. Lauren Bush (niece of former President George W. Bush) and David Lauren (son of designer Ralph Lauren) were also rumored to have had a hush-hush honeymoon on the Divine Coast.
One of the Caribbean's lesser-known gems, this sleepy 16-mile-long island with 33 beaches — ranging from crescent-shaped beauties to secret coves accessible only by boat — is a no-brainer for privacy-seeking honeymooners like Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom and Australian model Miranda Kerr. The couple stayed in a two-story ocean-view villa at the Viceroy, a stylish whitewashed resort nestled between Meads and Barnes bays. After leisurely walks along powder sands, the newlyweds shared an alfresco dinner at Italian-inspired Coba restaurant.
For such a small isle, there are plenty of things to do in Anguilla, including charming art galleries housed in West Indian cottages, funky lobster and barbecue-chicken joints like Scilly Cay (on its own island), and dance-till-dawn reggae bars serving frosty Carib beers. But with their villa's A-plus amenities — plunge pool, spa deck, outdoor shower, personal butler and full kitchen with private-chef services — who could blame them for staying put? Here's wishing them better luck than another pair of Anguilla honeymooners, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, who celebrated at Cap Juluca in happier times.
Bali's mystical charm is contagious — just ask Chris Pratt and Anna Faris, who spontaneously decided to tie the knot while attending their friends' destination wedding here in 2009. The island's tropical setting and exotic Hindu culture set the stage for romantic honeymoons too: Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross spent their 2014 post-wedding escape at The St. Regis Bali Resort, perched on the white sand of Nusa Dua. Couples can have a private dinner at Cloud Nine Crystal Chapel, sip Bali Mary cocktails at the beachside Vista Bar, or ask their personal butler to draw an intimate bath with soft candlelight, aromatic oils, tropical floral arrangements and chilled wine.
Hawaii is no doubt one of the most popular honeymoon destinations, and for good reason — untouched beaches, rugged volcanoes and a rich culture create an unforgettable experience for any couple who makes the trip. Perhaps that's why Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green chose the Big Island, where they got their first taste of wedded bliss at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in 2010. Bon vivants can sip locally grown Kona coffee, enjoy an in-room massage, and visit one of the resort's five restaurants serving fresh, local fare and tasty mai tais.
This Central American country flaunts endless eco-adventures, from surfing at Playa Negra to hiking beside a 9,700-foot volcano — which made it perfect for tennis hunk Andy Roddick and model wife Brooklyn Decker, who ditched the courts and cameras for a luxury barefoot honeymoon at the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. On their agenda: an exhilarating zip-line ride through a cloud forest and some downtime at the resort, where they could soothe sore muscles with his-and-hers organic coffee scrubs, chill on the crescent-shaped beach (staff keeps the mango smoothies coming) and dine on ceviche and spiny lobster with sweet plantains.
The property's bamboo-and-wood Canopy suite (with a bay-facing deck and plunge pool) affords maximum privacy — save a few capuchin monkeys in the trees. Perhaps the Roddicks were inspired by another athlete-model pair, quarterback Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen, who had a second wedding in Costa Rica at the supermodel's home in the Pacific coastal town of Malpais before honeymooning in her native Brazil.
In 2014, Backstreet Boy Nick Carter and new bride Lauren Kitt sought fun in the sun on a new boat in the Florida Keys — 800 colorful islands stretched across 113 miles. Details haven't leaked as to their honeymoon hideout, but topping our list of possibilities is Little Palm Island Resort on Little Torch Key. The 5.5-acre private isle has just 15 bungalows holding 30 oceanfront suites. Newlyweds can indulge in a couples massage at Palapa Point, or take inspiration from Carter and go deep-sea fishing.
Considered by many to be the most romantic region in Italy, Lake Como woos visitors with its Alp-studded backdrop and palatial villas. George Clooney even has a home here and joined the celebration when John Krasinski and Emily Blunt held their wedding at the circa-1873 Villa D'Este hotel.
After the I do's, the group partied on the Concordia yacht — but fun-filled boat rides on Italy's deepest lake aren't reserved for the rich and famous. Go water skiing, or sail into the historic town of Como or fairy-tale-esque Varenna. Back at the hotel, be pampered in the beauty center, or dance in the moonlight while musicians play on the terrace.
This south-of-the-border sizzler is a perennial favorite with A-listers seeking a little R&R — and those include plenty of Hollywood honeymooners. The 20-mile corridor bridging the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo offers world-class resorts, Mexican-fusion cuisine and outdoor adventures ranging from ATV desert rides to whale watching — and all just a 2½-hour flight from Los Angeles. Esperanza, An Auberge Resort, an exclusive 57-casita property on Punta Ballena, hosted singer-actor couple LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian, who sipped sunset cocktails by the hot tub and spent a day aboard a yacht, where they took turns jumping into the Sea of Cortez, catching rays and sharing smooches. (Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin also honeymooned here before consciously uncoupling.)
At the 173-room One&Only Palmilla, singer Kevin Jonas and sweetheart Danielle Deleasa treated themselves to poolside foot massages and 24/7 butler service, the latter complimentary for all guests. Other Cabo couples include Hilary Duff and pro hockey center Mike Comrie, as well as Khloe Kardashian and Mavericks forward Lamar Odom; both pairs opted for a private villa.
After their elegant event at Malibu, California's Church Estates Vineyard, actor Josh Duhamel and performer Fergie headed for posh One&Only Reethi Rah, where they indulged in butler-served private-villa dinners. At this secluded escape on a private atoll, guests arrive via luxury yacht, and smiling staffers graciously unpack visitors' bags on arrival. The creative couple spent intimate evenings in a thatch-roof overwater bungalow, complete with overwater wraparound hammocks, a custom-made terrazzo tub and a personal villa host. Their blissful days here entailed active pursuits like playing tennis, diving amid parrotfish and staying fit with a hatha and ashtanga yoga class in the oceanfront Chi Pavilion. But more relaxing pastimes are also on tap, from a champagne picnic on a deserted sandbar to a sunset sail on a traditional dhoni boat.
Other superstar couples who've enjoyed a Maldivian honeymoon: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, who island-hopped aboard a luxury yacht, and pop star Katy Perry and comedian Russell Brand, who indulged at Soneva Fushi by Six Senses before their boldfaced breakup 14 months later.
Basking in the sun, taking a dip in pristine waters and walking hand-in-hand along white-sand beaches — that idyll was enough to draw Adam Brody and Gossip Girl Leighton Meester to The St. Regis Punta Mita Resort for some post-wedding R&R in 2014. A few months later, Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson followed suit, lounging at the hotel's oceanfront infinity pool. Lovebirds who visit this 173-room property can nosh authentic Mexican cuisine at one of the three restaurants or book a session in the Couple's Luxury Suite at the Remède Spa.
The Republic of Seychelles, a 115-island country about 930 miles east of Africa, was relatively unknown until Prince William and Kate Middleton spent their 2011 honeymoon at its 11-villa North Island Resort. With temps averaging between 75 and 88 degrees — plus marine parks, natural reserves and bleach-white beaches galore — it's no surprise that this warm, exotic honeymoon haven is rumored to be the original site of the Garden of Eden.
More recently, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin also chose the private island for their newlywed getaway. The world's classiest couple may have enjoyed a bubble bath in one of the luxe bathrooms that have a panoramic view of the islands, or perhaps they got a couples massage at the "spa al fresco" on the deck that overlooks the Indian Ocean.
The très chic island of St. Barts, with its gourmet bistros, glitzy nightlife and designer boutiques, is a little slice of France in the Caribbean. It's long been a decadent playground for power pairs like Jay-Z and Beyonce — and now you can add reality stars to the mix. Former The Real Housewives of New York City cast member Bethenny Frankel and hubby Jason Hoppy had camera crew in tow when they stayed at Hotel Guanahani & Spa, housing 68 pastel-colored gingerbread cottages and a Clarins spa. While there, the couple swam off Saline and Gouverneur beaches, toured the mountainous interior in a convertible, and dined at sexy seafront spot Do Brazil, whose menu features salade nicoise, foie gras with chutney, and mahimahi in a creole sauce.
Other St. Barts fans include TV personalities Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo; after tying the knot at Sir Richard Branson's exclusive Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands, the couple visited by private yacht and were spotted frolicking and skipping pebbles on local beaches.
Mention the South Pacific, and the images that come to mind involve secluded lagoons, fragrant floral leis and sexy overwater bungalows. When country crooner Carrie Underwood and NHL bruiser Mike Fisher wanted an exotic locale for their postwedding pampering, they chose a private-island escape: Le Tahaa Island Resort & Spa, on Motu Tautau. The lovebirds sunbathed on the deck of their overwater bungalow; other diversions may have included his-and-hers monoi-oil massages, breakfast in bed delivered via outrigger canoe, snorkeling the turquoise waters, and torch-lit dinners of grilled lobster with coconut and saffron risotto.
Rules of Engagement actress Sara Rue and beau Kevin Price chose a similar path, splitting their time between the Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa and the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, swimming in the lagoons and relaxing in thatch bungalows. Actor-agent duo Alyssa Milano and David Bugliari chilled out in The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, taking a cooking class and hitting the Miri Miri spa. (P.S. The hotel is a celebrity in its own right since starring in the Vince Vaughn island movie Couples Retreat.)
For an exotic honeymoon close to home, look into Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean. Its private-island resort of COMO Parrot Cay made headlines when Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner wed here in 2005. But the resort's Dream Day Getaway package — which includes time to snorkel, sunbathe and savor a romantic picnic on Iguana Island — is available for regular couples, too. You can also take your pick of dozens of soothing spa treatments at the Shambala Retreat, browse the onsite library, and cozy up together in a private villa or beach house, many of which have their own Jacuzzi.
Post Ranch Inn played honeymoon/babymoon host to Drew Barrymore and Will Koppelman in 2012, and the 39-room hotel also served as ceremony site for funny man Andy Samberg and singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom the following year. For outdoorsy types, the property has plenty to keep guests busy, from guided nature walks and stargazing to an edible tour of the chef's organic garden (save your appetite!). For something more low-key, there's also morning yoga, a full-service spa, a library and two infinity hot tubs overlooking dramatic coastal bluffs.
There's a kid inside all of us, and Big Bang Theory's Kaley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting are proof: The pair escaped to the happiest place on earth — Disneyland — for their 2014 minimoon (reports say Sweeting had never been before). While it's not known exactly where they stayed, Disneyland's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is the grand dame of park hotels, offering private poolside cabanas, showings of Disney favorites under the stars, and (most importantly) exclusive entrance into the Magic Kingdom.
If anyone knows luxury, it's Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. After their highly anticipated Florence wedding in 2014, reports are that the two headed to the Emerald Isle to honeymoon at the five-star Castlemartyr Resort near Cork City. Guests can go horseback riding, cuddle up in a horse-drawn carriage or even try their hand at archery. Indoors, taste authentic Irish whiskey at the Old Midleton Distillery, or get creative with world-famous craftsman Stephen Pearce and make pottery together (Ghost, anyone?).
Summer getaways to the island of Martha's Vineyard are the stuff of Americana legend: Kennedys and Clintons vacation here; Jaws was filmed here. Seth Meyers and Alexi Ashe added to the notoriety when they exchanged vows at an island farm in 2013. No word on a honeymoon for the pair, but the 96-square-mile Vineyard has plenty of romantic diversions, like parasailing, whale watching and bike riding. Another must: a spin on the circa-1876 Flying Horses Carousel, the country's oldest. The most romantic digs are found at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort hugging three-mile South Beach, which graces many "best beaches" lists. Couples can choose from garden studios, ocean-view suites and private cottages.
There's never a reason not to go to Paris, but it doesn't get more romantic than a honeymoon amid the City of Light's Beaux Arts palaces, graceful Seine river bridges and landscaped gardens. Before Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth hit the Amalfi Coast, they made a stop in Paris, where they devoted a few days to strolling hand in hand along the French capital's cobbled streets, stopping for a sweet snack at a crepe cart (sharing a kiss as they waited), and dropping some euros on Cartier and Hermes at Printemps department store. Fellow Francophile Isla Fisher and satirist Sacha Baron Cohen married in Paris and were rumored to have holed up in the lavish Coco Chanel suite at the five-star Ritz Paris, where they enjoyed room service (l'Espadon holds two Michelin stars) and walks on Place Vendome. British singer Lily Allen and painter Sam Cooper also flew here after their wedding and were spotted checking into the uber-hip Hotel Costes, dining at artist haunt Brasserie Lipp and touring the Musee d'Orsay.
It may not be the first place most couples think of when imagining a romantic honeymoon location, but this eastern African country is safer than its neighbor Kenya and offers a wealth of wildlife viewing in famed spots like Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. Just ask Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, who spent their 2012 honeymoon at the Singita Faru Faru Lodge, where sweethearts can sample a Serengeti stress-relief spa ceremony, a wine collection with more than 200 varieties, and safari adventures on horseback.
