Honeymoons Archives - Smashing the Glass

Calling All Jewish and Jew-ish Couples: Take the Journey of a Lifetime with Honeymoon Israel

22/10/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

Photo: Honeymoon Israel

If you’re a regular reader of STG, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that I love Israel. From the landscape to the culture to the spirituality to the history to the food (THE FOOD!), it’s a truly incredible country.

Photo: Betsy Biglin / Honeymoon Israel

Being half Israeli myself, it’s a place that’s especially close to my heart – and one I think every Jewish and Jew-ish couple should take the time to get to know a little better.

Photo: Lindsay Arnold / Honeymoon Israel

There’s no question that it’s a fab vacation spot, whatever your interests, and it’s also the perfect place to explore your Jewish (or Jew-ish) identity – whatever your background, connection to Judaism, or political views on Israel.

Photo: Honeymoon Israel

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about Honeymoon Israel, a fantastic organization on a mission to bring Jewish life and understanding into the home of every Jewish or Jew-ish couple, in a personal, meaningful, and agenda-free way – through highly subsidized couples’ trips to Israel!

Photo: Lara Sparks / Honeymoon Israel

On a Honeymoon Israel trip, the two of you will spend nine exhilarating, romantic, and memorable days exploring Israel in luxury, alongside 19 other couples from your home city. You’ll take in all the classic tourist spots – the Western Wall, Jerusalem’s Old City, the beaches of Tel Aviv – and also catch some unique experiences you wouldn’t get on a standard vacation, like meals with local families and meetings with high-level public officials and business leaders.

Photo: Whitney Kirk / Honeymoon Israel

It’s also a chance for you and your partner to step back, recharge, and take some time to reconnect with each other and with other Jewish and Jew-ish couples at a similar stage in life from your city. A Honeymoon Israel trip will support your exploration of Jewish life and empower you to find your own connection to Judaism, individually, as a couple, and as part of a larger community.

Top Honeymoon Destinations for 2020/2021 {with Abby Taubman}

27/06/2019 by Karen Cinnamon

Photo courtesy of Gili Lankanfushi

This is a guest post by Abby Taubman of Colletts Travel.

The Honeymoon

A once in a lifetime holiday or a short break to unwind after the big day. Wherever you choose to go you want it to be romantic, memorable and special. When the world really is your oyster it is hard to pinpoint where you both want to go that will fit with your budget, time frame and that perfect mixture of two people’s ideal holiday.

Photo courtesy of St Regis Mauritius Resort

I have compiled a small, yet perfectly formed list of some my top destinations that may help you narrow down those ever-growing honeymoon destination lists appearing in your google searches. My list will cover long haul to short haul, beaches to cities and everything in between. So sit back, relax and let the honeymoon bucket list dreaming commence…

Photo courtesy of Niyama Private Island, Maldives

India & Maldives

India – a classic honeymoon destination. From the vibrant and buzzing cities of the Golden Triangle in the North to the calm and relaxing countryside of the South where a journey on the backwaters is an absolute must; India is a country that really offers it all and a country I instantly fell in love with the first time I visited.

Northern itineraries include cities such as Delhi, Agra where the famed Taj Mahal is, Jaipur and Udaipur. Before ending in Mumbai. Those itineraries exploring the South include Munnar, Alleppey, Pune Kumarakom and of course Cochin.

Photo courtesy of Vakkaru, Maldives

Because of the wonderful location of India, you can combine your amazing adventure with a beautiful beach where you can sit back, relax and reflect on everything that has just happened. My recommendation would be the pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters of the Maldives – a location that is at the heart of the saying ‘sit back, relax and unwind.’ A choice of islands, board options and budget allows all travellers that little slice of heaven.

Photo courtesy of Auberge du Soleil

California & Hawaii

The best way to describe any honeymoon here is romance, sunsets and wine. Your choice of cities and locations allows you to mix and match all three.

Picture this: you and your partner cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible car, the wind blowing in your hair with only the Sat Nav directions to argue about. Together you can explore the beautiful scenery down the Highway 1 and stop in places such as San Francisco, The Big Sur, Carmel, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. And for those of you who fancy a little detour why not add in Napa Valley and Yosemite National Park.

Photo courtesy of Montage Laguna Beach

Combine your California road trip with the tropical state of Hawaii. Hawaii is a true bucket list location. Your days could be spent zip lining, snorkelling or hiking in the morning followed by relaxing afternoons on the beach and romantic dinners watching the sunset. A winning honeymoon combination all round.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Kyoto

Japan

Japan allows you to tick off your honeymoon bucketlist whilst also visiting THE hot travel destination right now. With the 2020 Olympics coming up this country is full steam ahead in giving tourists an amazing holiday.

There are only a few beaches but that doesn’t mean it can’t make for a perfect honeymoon. Take the speedy bullet train between cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone and Osaka to really explore the whole country. Famous for its cherry blossom, the crazy lights of Tokyo and of course its food, Japan will give you a non-stop action packed honeymoon that will leave you wanting to return!

Is the Buddymoon the New Honeymoon?: Here’s Why You Should Consider Bringing Your BFF’s Along for the Ride {with Mr & Mrs Smith}

22/03/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Your honeymoon should be the trip of a lifetime. Of course you want to capitalize on the chance to spend quality time with your new spouse, but what if you brought some of the other most important people in your life along for the ride too?

Today we’re talking about how you can have it both ways with Elise Tagatac, who heads hotel partnerships for Mr & Mrs Smith, the award-winning boutique-hotel booking business boasting a collection of more than 1,000 boutique and luxury hotels (all hand-picked and anonymously reviewed).

A travel club for true hotel connoisseurs, Mr & Mrs Smith is a brand that I’m absolutely obsessed with. Mr STG and I planned our own honeymoon (to the Bellevue Syrene on the Amalfi Coast!) with Mr & Mrs Smith, and we were just bowled over by the ridiculous beauty and off-the-charts service. Ever since, they’ve been our go-to when searching for a weekend getaway destination, and they’ve never let us down — on the contrary, they continue to surpass our expectations time and time again.

Photo courtesy of Elise Tagatac

As the head hotel hunter for this fab company, Elise knows more about planning the ultimate honeymoon than just about anyone. So what did she do for her own honeymoon?

Elise had the absolutely genius idea to split her big trip into two: the first half was a buddymoon — a holiday to a romantic destination with a group of friends — where she, her new husband, and their crew took in the splendor of India. The second half saw the newlyweds taking off solo, first to take in some of India’s most romantic spots, and then for private island paradise in the Maldives.

I just love the idea of a buddymoon, and it’s one that’s been gaining popularity among newlyweds. It’s not only a great way to include some of your nearest and dearest in a very special experience, but it can also lead to super savings in the form of group discounts, shared villas, and so on.

And given that a honeymoon is usually a fairly long trip, dividing it up between group time with your buddies and one-on-one romance with your honey, as Elise did, makes perfect sense. Her honeymoon hit the perfect combination of togetherness and alone time, adventure and relaxation, with Mr & Mrs Smith’s unwavering commitment to absolute luxury underlying every step.Continue Reading

Top Five Above & Beyond Honeymoon Hotels {with Mr & Mrs Smith}

15/02/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

After months, possibly years, of planning a wedding, you need — no — deserve to unwind together in the lap of luxury as newlyweds. Luckily, we know just the people to help you out: Mr & Mrs Smith, who happened to help founder, Karen, with her honeymoon planning. We are BIG FANS!)

With so many amazing potential honeymoon spots to choose from, this year your trip starts with the hotel… And nobody knows more about picking out the perfect hotel than Mr & Mrs Smith.

In case you didn’t know, Mr & Mrs Smith is the travel club for hotel lovers. Each stay in their collection is a destination itself and comes with the all-important Smith stamp of approval; none more so than the 10 hotels shortlisted in the 2018 Mr & Mrs Smith Awards’ Above & Beyond category.

Seamless service

These Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are made even more special (if that’s possible) with seamless service and a generous spirit. Going the extra mile is the rule, not the exception, so it’s safe to say you’ll be well looked after. We really wish we could show you all of them, but we’ve had to narrow the list down to our five favourites.

Oh, and just to make things even easier for you, the Smith24 team can take care of everything from hotels and villas to itineraries and flights, so all you have to do is relax and have the time of your lives.

And now, without further ado, and in no particular order, we present the five stays that stole our hearts.Let us know your favourites in the comments below!

1. Chamba Camp Thiksey, Himalayas, India

The winner of the Above & Beyond category in the Smith Hotel Awards 2018, this breathtaking property is set an impressive 3,500 metres up in the Ladakh Valley.

Now, let’s talk service… What could be more decadent than having a personal butler assigned to each ultra-luxe tent? That’s right — everything is taken care of, so you’re free to enjoy exploring the mountains and watching the local dancers strut their stuff at dinner each night.

Every last detail has been thought of here — there’s even a well-stocked snack drawer for those who get peckish in the middle of the night. Above and beyond even the hotel’s lofty altitude…

Find out more about Chamba Camp Thiksey and book your stay here.

Top 5 Honeymoon Destinations for 2018 {with Mr & Mrs Smith}

18/01/2018 by Karen Cinnamon

Planning a wedding is one of the most exhilarating, magical and, let’s face it, stressful experiences of your life! After pouring so much of your time, energy, heart and soul into your big day, you absolutely need, no, deserve a proper break in the lap of luxury.

Deciding on the perfect destination to start your married life can be tricky, which is why we’ve brought in some real experts in hotel curation to help narrow it down – Mr & Mrs Smith.

Mr & Mrs Smith is the travel club for hotel lovers: an award-winning boutique-hotel booking service specialising in the world’s most seductive stays. Founded in 2003, there are now more than 1,000 boutique and luxury hotels in the collection, all hand-picked and anonymously reviewed.

For anyone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure of staying at an incredible Mr & Mrs Smith property, they are so divine that even if you never left your hotel or villa, you would still have an amazing stay – they’re basically destinations within themselves, and come with a round-the-clock service from in-house travel specialists, Smith24! Oh, and if this piece leaves you full of wanderlust, you can even create a honeymoon gift list and request donations from your loved ones towards your ultimate Smith-inspired honeymoon.

Their iconic Get a Room! gift cards are also available to purchase through the Mr & Mrs Smith shop – winning wedding gift inspiration indeed!

In 2018, booking your dream honeymoon starts with the hotel – which means Mr & Mrs Smith is your secret honeymoon weapon, especially with its helpful itineraries! Here are a few of our favourite hidden gems!

1. Sumba Island, Indonesia

If you’re looking for an idyllic break that’s steeped in local culture, traditions and history, as well as the opportunity to surf some world-famous breaks, then the gorgeous Sumba Island in Indonesia is definitely one to daydream about – and then turn into a reality.

Packed with lush vegetation, coconut and papaya trees, Sumba Island is the perfect choice for travellers who want to stay away from touristy crowds and opt, instead, for something off the beaten path. Stay at Nihi Sumba Island, which has been shortlisted in the World’s Sexiest Bedroom category of the Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Awards 2018.
Continue Reading