April 3, 2007
Honeymoons for the rich & famous or the regular people
I took my honeymoon in Rome and Assisi with short trips to Perugia, Florence, Venice, Naples, and Capri. We dealt with crowds, especially on the trains and buses but we loved it. Of course the crowds weren't busy trying to take pictures of us but that's what celebrities must deal with.
To get away from the paparazzi, celebrities are going for honeymoons in remote locations like Bora Bora where many hotels get their own island. French Polynesia and Fiji are also recommended for private high-class honeymoons. Fiji’s Turtle Island Resort is where Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, along with Britney Spears and Kevin Federline honeymooned. Their marriages were about as short as the honeymoons...
San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California might be better luck. Honeymooners in Montecito have included Julia Roberts and Danny Moder as well as Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. Less recently, it was JFK and Jackie Kennedy. "The future first couple probably paid $27 a night, the going rate then. But today you'll pay more than 100 times that — $2,990 a night — to sleep in the 1,621-square-foot Kennedy Cottage, which reopened last weekend after a yearlong restoration."
And there's the most private resort in the Caribbean, La Samanna in St. Martin. Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette aren't complaining about it... Now most of us can't afford the same luxury or privacy that celebrities need, but we can still go to the Caribbean, possibly on a cruise, possibly on a niche cruise, possibly on a honeymoon gospel cruise to the Bahamas though this couple had some bad luck on the way.
There are honeymoons closer to home (like Cape Fear in North Carolina). The name might sound like bad luck, but "its beautiful, uncrowded beaches and nearby estuarine reserves provide a true haven for sunseekers, beachcombers and nature lovers."
Las Vegas is another popular wedding and honeymoon spot in the US. But beware gifts from strangers. I read recently that George Clooney met a honeymooning couple in an elevator and since they were on a non-celebrity budget had no Grand Canyon helicopter ride planned. Clooney paid for it, but apparently some serious wind made it rather dangerous. It was probably fine and the magazines are making a big deal out of nothing, but that's the story I read. By the way, my sister did this and loved it.
Some people probably hate the idea of honeymooning in Vegas even if you mix in some Grand Canyon and San Diego. Some people definitley hate the idea of honeymooning in Disney World. Yet the people who honeymooned in Disney seemed to love it.
The Pocono Mountains, used to be called "The Honeymoon Capital of the World," but they seem to have lost that reputation. My parent spent an anniversary there 5 or so years ago and got the heart shaped bed and all that. The tacky part is fine if the hotel is clean but my parents weren't too happy with the hotel or its service. However, now I'm told that the Poconos are cleaning up some.
Going back to celebrities, but this applies to everyone, a honeymoon doesn't have to be a resort on the beach or some famously romantic city like Rome or Paris. For example, comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, the Borat start who is going to marry Australian actress Isla Fisher is said to be planning some kind of elephant trek.
Also, rich or not, checking out if any valuable rings or whatever are covered by your travel insurance would be prudent. You might also consider a honeymoon gift registry instead of a traditional wedding gift registry. Your loved ones can pay for spa treatments, helicopter rides, or whatever.
Posted by James Trotta at April 3, 2007 6:37 AM | TrackBack