Honeymoons— that sweet reward after the wedding day mayhem has subsided,
when the two of you get to jet off on your first vacation together as a Mr. and a Mrs.
Of course, Miami and South Florida are chockfull of extravagant resorts, so if staying
close to home is better for budgeting your time or your nest egg, consider one of
these nearby resorts from Palm Beach to Key West to Naples (and everywhere in
between). We've even thrown in one lavish Caribbean escape if the temptation for
something foreign is too strong to resist. Bon voyage!
The Miami Beach Edition
Check into one of Miami Beach's chicest new hotels for a glamorous honeymoonstaycation at The Miami Beach EDITION. Whether it's fine dining at chef Jean-George Vongerichten's Matador Room or a playful couple's skate at their basement ice skating rink adjacent to Basement nightclub, there are plenty of romantic diversions at this oceanfront resort.
But let's get down to business and talk rooms. If you can swing it, book a two-story bungalow (from $5,800 per night) and succumb to the sexy serenity of an oversized bedroom with a plush king-size bed and enormous pillows and bathroom with rainfall shower. Pour yourselves some bubbly and step onto the wraparound balcony to canoodle on a full-size daybed topped with pillows overlooking the pool and ocean. Nothing is quite as impressive, though, as the lower level bathroom with en suite, personal-size dry sauna, a double shower with horizontal and vertical jets, and an enormous marble soaking tub accessed through one continuous hallway. Don his and hers, soft-as-gossamer, plush white robes with hoodies and make the most of your love nest. Book a standard guest room and treat yourselves to daily breakfast in bed (or at Matador Room or Market) with the "Rise and Shine On" package (rates from $679). 2901 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 786-257-4500.
The Biltmore Hotel
For a healthy and holistic honeymoon, check into Coral Gables' Biltmore Hotel and its newly launched Benessere wellness program, with overnight packages starting at $436 per night. Inspired by the naturally healthy Mediterranean lifestyle (Benessere means wellbeing in Italian), the program pairs fitness classes with tailor-made spa treatments and a juice. Choose from Clean and Green (spin class + seaweed leaf cocoon body wrap + green lemonade), The Balanced Guru (yoga + Abhyanga massage + alkalizer juice) or Strong is the New Skinny (circuit training + deep tissue massage + pumping iron juice).
Sign up for a Benessere healthy cooking class with The Biltmore's executive chef and come home with a few new recipes to put to use with your wedding gift home appliance swag. Take advantage of the historic hotel's rolling green golf course, the 700,000-gallon pool and a romantic dinner at Palme d'Or for fine French cuisine in an elegant setting. Florida residents enjoy a complimentary buffet breakfast daily and valet. 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables; 855-311-6903.
Conrad Miami
Brickell's luxurious Conrad Miami is celebrating marriage equality with a special LGBT "It's About Time!" honeymoon package (rates start at $319 per night). Couples can take advantage of the city and the sea with a fabulous room in the Conrad's tower overlooking Biscayne Bay and beach passes to the Hilton Bentley Beach Club in South Beach where lounge chairs, towels and an umbrella await. The package includes a special chef's menu for two at Atrio Restaurant and 50 percent off a couple's massage at the spa. 1395 Brickell Ave., Brickell; 305-503-6500.
Boca Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
The iconic Boca Resort & Club, famous for its Moorish pink palace design, is an all-encompassing world of luxury and activities. Its Waldorf Astoria Spa is inspired by Spain's Alhambra Palace where treatments begin with a 50-minute Ritual Bath prelude. You'll be guided through a steam room, sauna, whirlpool, waterfall shower and private mineral bath in a palatial setting with mosaic tile and Cypress woodwork carved into in grand arches to lull you into utter relaxation. Then, reunite with your beloved in the couple's spa suite for 80-minutes of pure massage heaven.
For the beach-loving couple, Boca Resort also offers surf lessons and the FlowRider
surf simulator at its Beach Club. Summer rates start at $199 per night. 501 E. Camino Real; Boca Raton; 888-543-1277.
The Viceroy
Boasting Miami's longest infinity pool at 300-feet with breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay, The Viceroy is a sexy, stylish staycation for honeymooners. Snuggle up on a daybed by the pool with a pitcher of mojitos or get cozy over brunch at 15th & Vine restaurant. There's also Cipriani, the chic, nautical-inspired Italian stunner at ground level, for a romantic dinner with lovely views of the Miami River. Opt for the "Euphoria Romance" package, which includes two spa treatments and two glasses of bubbly along with breakfast for two daily (rates from $384 per night). 485 Brickell Ave., Brickell; 305-503-4400.
The Fontainebleau Miami
If you're the kind of couple who likes to party and dine together, check into the fabulous Fontainebleau for your honeymoon now that it's "Days of Summer" package is up for grabs (50 percent off your third night). There are so many restaurants and diversions here, you literally never need to leave the resort. Michael Mina's Stripsteak is the hotel's newest restaurant with sublime steakhouse fare, Hakkasan is your destination for haute Chinese in a sexy setting, and Scott Conant's Scarpetta will sate your appetite for fine Italian fare. Take advantage of the concierge's connections to snag prime tables and VIP entry to LIV where you can dance 'til dawn with your partner in crime. You know what they say, the couple that plays together stays together. 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-535-3283.
Sunset Key Cottages
Newly minted as a Starwood Luxury Collection Resort, Sunset Key is a 27-acreisland just 500 yards west of Key West accessible only by ferry. There are 40 private cottages that all feature spacious outdoor verandas with Adirondack chairs or private outdoor living areas. Canoodle in a hammock on the island's private beach or sunbathe by the lagoon-style pool. Book a couple's therapy in a spa suite featuring a private patio and full bathroom. As the name implies, Sunset Key is the ultimate destination for unobstructed sunset views, so align your dinner reservations at Latitudes accordingly. Enjoy a romantic meal of fresh spiny lobster or wagyu skirt steak on the outdoor patio as the sunset paints the sky brilliant shades of pink and orange. Rates start at $914 per night. 245 Front St., Key West; 305-292-5300.
Eau Palm Beach
Prepare to be wowed at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Its bright, cheerful guestrooms were designed by Jonathan Adler with crisp shades of blue and yellow inspired by Palm Beach's seaside riches. The Forbes Five-Star Eau Spa is indulgent and playful, offering Champagne, cupcakes and ambient house music, and is also tempered by a fitness center featuring yoga, Pilates and personal training. Book the Private Garden Villa with outdoor shower, bathtub and lounging area for a sexy couple's massage. You can also arrange for private, oceanfront cabana dining with a custom menu. Finish the evening by the fire pit with Champagne, s'mores and your sweety. Florida resident rates start at $199 per night with complimentary valet. 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan; 888-306-4894.
Naples Grande Beach Resort
The Naples Grande Beach Resort is fresh off an $18 million renovation, so jet off with your honey for a staycation on the Gulf of Mexico. Connect with each other and with nature on the resort's 23 coastal acres, which happen to be adjacent to a 200-acre protected mangrove estuary. Set out for morning walks on a boardwalk made of recycled milk jugs or take a complimentary open-air tram ride through the estuary together. With three lagoon-style pools, a sunset veranda and private beach, you'll find plenty of ways to unwind in the great outdoors. Florida residents receive 20 percent off best available rates. 475 Seagate Dr., Naples; 844-369-2490.
Malliouhana
Okay, this one technically isn't a staycation, but if you simply can't stay put in South Florida for your honeymoon consider a getaway to Malliouhana, a resort on the nearby Caribbean isle of Anguilla. The storied hotel debuted in 1984 as one of the Caribbean's first luxury resorts. It reopened in November 2014 after a three-year closure and 18-month restoration by Auberge Resorts. The result is a sublime escape that's part Beverly Hills chic and part F. Scott Fitzgerald on the Côte d'Azur.
The airy, tiered lobby sparkles with mosaic mirrored tile floors and a cerulean blue wall lined with vintage dive helmets leading to Caribbean views and tiered infinity pools with yellow ruffled umbrellas. Chef Jeremy Bearman's bluffside restaurant is shaded by a terracotta tile roof with endless views of the Caribbean. Formerly of New York City's Michelin-starred Rouge Tomate, famous for its elevated, healthful organic fare, Bearman brings the same approach to Malliouhana, working with local farmers, fishermen and purveyors to source the freshest local ingredients for inventive Caribbean fare. It's the perfect recipe for a dream-like honeymoon. Rates start at about $1,000 per night. Meads Bay, Anguilla 877-733-3611.