Close your eyes, let your mind wander and imagine your perfect, have-it-all honeymoon. If you’re picturing the most spectacular, breathtaking hotel in an intensely beautiful destination – complete with flawless service and a staggering attention to detail, then chances are, you’ve already visited Mr & Mrs Smith.
Mr & Mrs Smith is a brand I’m totally unabashed to say that I’m obsessed with. It never fails to disappoint. There’s nothing better than when a person, place or service exceeds expectations, not just meets them. And that’s what Mr & Mrs Smith do for me. I have been using their slick website for the last 6 years or so to find and book weekend breaks – and eventually our honeymoon – from their incredible collection of world-wide, soulful, boutique and luxury hotels, that range from the sublime to the ridiculously beautiful.
Mr STG and I have weekended at several of their recommended gems. From the love letter in art and architecture that is Villa Cora in Florence, to the insanely grand french Château de Bagnols, complete with fairy tale moat, drawbridge and honey- coloured stone towers, then back to the relaxed city-to-country retreat, The Pig in Hampshire. Each place was as spectacular as the one before and all shared the same impeccable service standards.
And no surprise really given that Mr & Mrs Smith was the brainchild of an inspired husband and wife team (James Lohan and Tamara Heber-Percy) who started the brand after enduring too many frustratingly mediocre breaks in hotels that didn’t quite live up to their brochure description or represent the stars they were brandishing. The chic duo upped the ante and created a real hotel guide for a style and service savvy market.
Our bedroom at Château de Bagnols (I kid you not!)
Our bedroom at the Bellevue Syrene
Booking my honeymoon with Mr & Mrs Smith
Mr STG and I didn’t think twice before booking our honeymoon with Mr & Mrs Smith. We had utter faith that they would deliver perfection when we most needed it. After organising my dream wedding and finding out the wonderful news that we were expecting our first bundle of STG joy, I was exhausted. I wanted some expert guidance on our honeymoon choices and needed the assurance that it would be just right. We wanted to relax, be totally pampered and go somewhere that Mr STG and I hadn’t been before. First destination Mr & Mrs Smith.
And lets just say that since our honeymoon at the Bellevue Syrene in the Amalfi Coast (yes, that’s what we chose!) our love affair with Mr & Mrs Smith has continued….
Me & Mr STG on our Mr & Mrs Smith honeymoon
My top 12 Honeymoon picks
Considering I’m only allowed one honeymoon, I thought I’d live vicariously through you lovely lot and share my top Mr & Mrs Smith honeymoon picks (one of them even has its own kosher restaurant!).
Their honeymoons are literally out of this world — you really can expect celestial massages, starlight dining and earth-shattering services. Whether you want a few weeks of long haul lounging or a mini-moon in a romantic city, their around the clock travel specialists Smith 24 can tailor a trip to your tastes and budget.
And if, like me, you’re the kind of person who relishes and savours impeccable service and style at every turn, join me in the love affair with Mr & Mrs Smith.
Top 3 for Adventurers
If it’s adventure you’re after, TreeHotel, in Norbetten Country, Sweden, is a fabulous choice… This has to be one of the only honeymoon destinations in the world that offers husky drawn sledge rides, ice fishing trips, and a possible peek of the Northern Lights from your treetop den.
If you’re looking for large doses of peace and quiet, AWASI in Patagonia, Chile is simply perfect. Set in acres of stunning South American countryside, complete with forests, mountains and lakes, you can spy on the dramatic peaks of the Torres del Paine from your bed and enjoy private trips around the national park.
Tsala Treetop Lodge in South Africa is a unique boutique resort giving you a mind-blowing, bird’s eye view of South Africa’s indigenous forest canopy from your luxurious stilted hut. Better still, it’s just 10km from the beaches, bars and boutiques of Plettenberg Bay.
Top 3 for Luxury Seekers
Live out your castaway fantasies at one of the unspoilt tropical islands at Song Saa Private Island Villas in Cambodia. Think intimate, luxurious and seductive — this place is truly special.
Muse St Tropez in France is a boutique bolthole in the heart of Ramatelle. A serene yet stylish sanctuary, away from the St Tropez glitz, you wont even have to leave your room for a massage…
You’ll have little incentive to ever leave your spectacular French-colonial bungalow in Hotel Le Toiny, St Barthelemy, a serene, hillside beach escape. Perfect, unspoiled sea views, private infinity pool and supreme island dining. The stuff of honeymoon dreams.
Top 3 for Pure Relaxation
On the wild, less visited shores of south-west Bali, a new level of luxury has arrived with Alila Villas Soori. Architecturally accomplished and sublimely minimalist villas overlook the cerulean Indian Ocean. Add a slick spa, decadent dining and you’re in pamper paradise.
The stunning hotel Hospes Palacio del Bailio, in Cordoba, Spain is alive with art. Boasting palatial dimensions, carved Moorish gates, Tuscan inspired frescoes and 16th century Spanish architecture, you won’t fail to be bowled over. Not least by its much acclaimed Andalucian restaurant, set amid Roman ruins. Certainly a trip to dine out on!
The cave-sheltered rooms, pergola patios and sun-drenched terraces tumble down the cliffside at Iconic Santorini in Greece. This traditional caldera-facing setting has been transformed with a perfect pool and an intimate spa.
Top 3 for Wellbeing
A striking sun-kissed mountainscape, Six Senses Douro Valley in Samodaes, Portugal is set in a dip in the unspoilt Douro valley. An immaculate high-end honeymoon destination, the valley is one of the world’s oldest wine regions and overlooks mesmerisingly ordered terraces of vineyards. Offering hikes and aerial yoga — your honeymoon really will be above and beyond.
Although it’s just a teeter from Capri Town’s main square, I’m not sure you’ll want to leave the super friendly five-star Capri Tiberio Palace in Italy. With a first class spa, indoor and outdoor pools and an outstanding Caprese inspired Kosher restaurant — Terazza Tiverio — with magnificent views over Capri, you have the makings of super chic relaxed honeymoon right there.
A wellbeing palace for dedicated yoga lovers, healthy-eating gourmands and anyone seeking tranquility, Sanarà Tulum is a sublime jungle-meets-beach Mexican hideout. Bright-white minimalist interiors echo the pristine white sands of the beach on your doorstep. Wellness programmes are available with an on-site nutritionist. What a beautiful and healthy way to start married life
So which of these makes your heart race? What kind of honeymoon are you dreaming of? Are you an adventure seeker or looking for a huge dose of 5-star, unadulterated luxury? It will be your first ever holiday with your “husband” so I recommend you make it epic with Mr & Mrs Smith…
That treetop lodge looks amazing! Think I’m going to have to add that to the list of places I need to visit!
And me Nathalie – and me !
oh this article makes me want to drop everything in the middle of the wedding season and escape to one of these gem locations! Excellent choice there! Will share with my wedding couples for sure.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jo! And I hope your couples will find the honeymoon they’re looking for with some of these ideas… Love Karen x
Wow – not sure I can muster much more after those fabulous pix and words. Looking for husband number three… hah, only joking!