We are excited to announce that our new website is now live! It features new destinations, ideas for great experiences, testimonials, spectacular photography, and many tips and pointers for planning amazing honeymoons.
We welcome your input and comments - let us know what you think:
We look forward to helping you with your honeymoon plans - just give us a ring or send us a message!
After dealing with the joys of the airport and settling into your “comfy” airplane seat, you reach into your carry-on to pull out your i-Pod-Pad-Touch. But instead of enjoying the sweet sounds of Michael Bublé, you find yourself fighting to untangle your silly ear buds. End the frustration by picking up a pair of Zipbuds ($39.99). The left and right wires are integrated into a zipper so you simply zip them up when done – presto, no more tangles.
It’s a beautiful evening in Australia’s Hunter Valley and you and your partner are just finishing off a delicious locally produced Shiraz. Keep the memories alive by bringing a bottle home without worrying about wine-soaked clothing. The inflatable VinniBag ($28) surrounds your precious juice with a protective air-sealed chamber. It’s also reusable, recyclable and TSA-compliant.
Are you familiar with the concept of a "Bucket List"? If not, it's is a list of all those things you want to see and do before you depart this earth.
Naturally, many people have some type of travel on their Bucket List - there are so many great places in the world! Some people want to see wild animals on an African Safari, for others it's to stroll the neighborhoods of Paris, dive the Great Barrier Reef or even visit the Great Wall of China. Really, a Travel Bucket List could contain anything that's truly interesting to you, that you wouldn't want to miss at some point.
When planning your honeymoon, it's good to think about what would be on your list, if you haven't already developed one. It's fun to dream big, and totally appropriate too - the honeymoon is a once in a lifetime experience, after all! And how wonderful if time and funds permit you to visit one your list's must-see locations with your new spouse?
Granted, what you envision for your honeymoon may not be what's on your Bucket List. You may just need 7 days of chill time on a beach in a good resort after surviving the hectic wedding prcess, and the thought of a busy itinerary in Asia is not your idea of fun at this point in time. Or maybe you don't have the time right after the wedding to go as far as your dream destinations require. This is definitely ok - the first goal should certainly be to fulfill your honeymoon objectives.
But, if your honeymoon objectives intesect with your Travel Bucket List, we encourage you to think about going for it! The fact it's your honeymoon will make the experience that much more memorable.
Packing efficiently – what to bring and what to leave at home – can be a major challenge for many travelers. The folks at Merrell have come up with a creative solution to this problem, at least for one product. Their Guise jacket is super lightweight, warm, and pretty sleek looking too. And as a kicker, it transforms into a soft neck pillow, meaning one less item to stuff into your carry-on bag!
So many great places, so little time! We'd like to share an excellent article on the World's Best Hotels and Resorts that was published in this month's Cigar Aficionado. The writer for this luxury lifestyle magazine convened a panel of travel industry experts, one of which was MoonRings' President, to determine which hotels and resorts represent the creme de la creme around the world. You can see the entire article at the link below:
Link to The World's Best Hotels and Resorts
In the article, our president keys in on such amazing places as The Four Seasons George V in Paris, Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli in Italy, The Singita Grumeti Reserve in Tanzania, Four Seasons Hualalai in Hawaii, and a number of other beautiful places to stay.
For a honeymoon, this list really does represent some of the finest places you could possibly experience. Granted, there are many other hotels and locations in which you can have a terrific honeymoon, and we look forward to helping you determine exactly where is best for you!
Above: Four Seasons George V, Paris; Singita Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania
Below: Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli, Italy; Four Seasons Hualalai, Hawaii
Last week the world celebrated the much anticipated royal engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. The media is buzzing with all kinds of questions about their upcoming nuptials. What dress will Kate wear? Where will the event take place? Will it be as lavish as Charles and Diana’s wedding?
The top question on Ms. M’s mind is definitely, where will they honeymoon? With little information on the subject available, it’s difficult to say, but here are some exclusive and luxurious options that the world’s most famous engaged couple might consider…
Sport and adventure in New Zealand – Rumors abound that the couple plan to spend at least part of their honeymoon in New Zealand to see the Rugby World Cup (the prince is a big fan). The South Pacific destination is known for its Maori culture, jaw-dropping scenery and luxurious lodges. With glaciers, fjords, rugged coastline and snowcapped peaks, it’s a great place to be active, which is evidently right up Kate and William’s alley! The Owners Cottage at Huka Lodge on the North Island is one of the most secluded and exclusive hideaways in the world. The cottage is almost completely hidden from view and has 4 bedrooms, a living room and an infinity pool with views downstream to the powerful Huka Falls.
Safari in Botswana – Kate and William were engaged several weeks ago while vacationing in Kenya. If they are romantics at heart, Botswana could be a great honeymoon spot to recreate all the magic of their engagement safari, while experiencing a different African location and landscape. The off-the-beaten-path Selinda Reserve is an area of vast savannas and floodplains known for its numerous elephants, water birds, hippos and unique “surfing lions” who hunt hippos. Zarafa Camp is a romantic retreat with just four stunning guest accommodations where Kate and William can relax by their fire place or private pool and gaze out at the plains teeming with wildlife.
Sand and Sun in the Seychelles – After one of the couple’s “splits” during their nine-year courtship, they chose the islands of the Seychelles to rekindle their romance. During that trip, they stayed a lovely private island resort called Desroches Island Resort. For their honeymoon, they may wish to return the idyllic islands of the Seychelles, but kick the luxury and seclusion up a notch and stay at Villa North Island. North Island is a resort on a completely private island with just 11 villas. Villa 11 (aka Villa North Island) is a slice of heaven – tucked away in the forest with its own private stretch of white-sand beach, it has stunning views of the turquoise hues of the Indian ocean from nearly every vantage point. If Kate and William can’t unwind here, they probably can’t unwind anywhere!
Seclusion on a Private Yacht – With circus that will inevitably surround their wedding, the newly married couple may choose to honeymoon in the complete seclusion and privacy of a luxury yacht. This way they have the flexibility to visit the locations they are interested in without the prying eyes of other guests. A spring wedding would be prefect for yachting in the Caribbean and a summer wedding would allow for great cruising in the Mediterranean.
We’ll have to wait and see what they choose. Wherever they go, it will undoubtedly be an exclusive, romantic and luxurious vacation that they’ll remember and treasure for the rest of their lives.
Ms. M's latest voyage took her to the fabulous seaside Ponta dos Ganchos Resort in Brazil. Check out her full take on the resort on Facebook:
Okay, let's face it, most of us who are not of Indian descent may not choose to be married in India. Katy Perry and Russell Brand are certainly an exception! But they do have excellent taste and India is a fascinating country, so while perhaps not a perfect wedding locale, it could be an ideal honeymoon destination for some.
It's possible to do India in style. For example, Aman-i-Khas (click here), where Katy and Russell were married, is a member of the prestigious Aman Hotel Group. A stunning property and away from the hustle and bustle of major metropolitan centers, this is a luxury tented camp that is adjacent to Ranthambore National Park. When not enjoying a the peace of the resort or the bliss of the spa, guests go on twice-daily tiger safaris in the park, to obtain (hopefully) a glimpse of these magnificent cats. If you see one in the wild, count yourselves lucky! They are so rare that now is the time to go before they disappear.
The tents at Aman-i-Khas are all white, lending an air of romance when you enter. They have a huge sunken bathtub (which the resort will fill with flower petals to celebrate your occasion), a patio for lounging, a dressing area and a giant divan for a lovely afternoon nap. This is safari in style!
Aman-i-Khas and Ranthambore are close to Delhi and Agra (for the Taj Mahal) so you can easily combine a tiger safari wth some of the country's key sights. And many people will also tie in the gorgeous Maldives Islands (where Katy and Russell are on honeymoon - currently in a top secret location), which are great for a little R&R before or after the magic of India.
