Honeymoons for spa-lovers

Wedding planning certainly tests your tolerance for stress. After your aisle-walking days are behind you, bring on the relaxation at these wellness destinations.

Wedding planning certainly tests your tolerance for stress, but after your aisle-walking days are behind you, it is time to bring on the relaxation. Get your blood pressure back to pre-engagement levels at one of these save or splurge spa honeymoons destinations

Europe high budget: San Quirico d’Orcia, Italy

A honeymoon in the Tuscany region of Italy is a true Italophile’s
fantasy. Book a room at the Hotel Adler Thermae
in the Orcia Valley, just an hour from Chianti; the view from the outdoor spa
pool is right out of a Renaissance painting and the stone grotto pools are
enriched with healing salt from the Dead Sea. Indulge in spa treatments from
the Treatments for Twosomes menu – an antioxidant-abundant wine bath in the local
Brunello would be particularly in the spirit. Spend a week there — ideally
during the autumn harvest season when Tuscany is in its grape- and
olive-picking glory.

Europe low budget: Istanbul, Turkey

Spa-loving, history-buff honeymooners should spend
some time in Istanbul.  After all, Turkish
baths have been considered an art form for hundreds of years. Step back in time
to 1741 for a scrub under the stately domes of Cagaloglu Hammam, a bathhouse popular
among locals, tourists and even Hollywood royalty. The White House Hotel  is a short walk away and has 24-hour room
service, an amenity that honeymooners often appreciate. Istanbul’s tulips and
poppies are in bloom in April, adding romance to an already romantic city — and
your hammam-hopping will require at least a week’s stay. Just note that men and
women generally relax in separate sections of the spas.

 Americas high budget: Sedona, Arizona

Sedona — a bold green desert with flora-framing, rich,
red sandstone formations — is the perfect place for some post-wedding Zen. Its
artistic-meets-holistic vibe tends to attract healers and those wanting to be
healed. Connect as a couple with a treatment for two, like the dosha balancing wrap,
where you are massaged while swaddled in warm, herbal-infused sheets. The Mii Amo spa at the Enchantment Resort offers
a similar treatment to overnight guests. Visit this area any time of year and
stay as long as your stress level requires.

Americas low budget: Buenos Aires, Argentina

It takes two to tango, especially in Buenos Aires, the
unofficial tango capital of the world. Sign up for lessons at Complejo Tango,
which also has dinner-show packages. After a night of dramatic deep dipping, try
a Scottish shower (which alternates hot and cold water) at the Relax Spa at the
Duque Hotel. This
southern hemisphere city of three million is best if you are having a wedding November
through March — and you will want to spend at least a week here, if not two.

Caribbean high budget: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

On “Provo”, as the island is called, the highlight of
your honeymoon can be found underwater — there are wild turtles, barracuda, a
pod of dolphins may even swim alongside your boat. After a few hours in the sea,
honeymooners at the famed Parrot Cay
hotel can book Ayurvedic therapy, an ancient Indian tradition that re-stabilizes
their body. Turks and Caicos is best for a week, between December and May.

Caribbean low budget: St John, US Virgin Islands

With its lush grounds and 11 tennis courts, Caneel Bay is the honeymoon hotel on St John in the US
Virgin Islands. But the premium eco-tent rates at the Concordia Eco-Resort will not
set lovebirds back a bundle. Massages are offered in-room or on your private
deck. You can also practice yoga with an ocean view for an affordable $10 a
class. Visit St John between January and March and stay for as little as a long
weekend. Namaste.

Asia-Pacific high budget: Bali, Indonesia

You will want to stay a full two weeks in Bali, where they
believe in Tri Hita Karana, a three-pronged life balance philosophy: harmony with God, harmony with fellow humans and harmony
with nature. Start your stay at The Villas Bali Seminyak  with a jet lag remedy, complete with
peppermint-infused foot bath. (They also often offer massages at their Prana
Spa as booking bonuses, so be sure to ask.) Bali is hot-hot-hot all year long, so
pack your sunscreen.