Relax After the Wedding Rush with a Spa Honeymoon

Spa honeymoons have grown steadily in popularity, and it's easy to understand why. Wedding planning is a months-long project that leaves most couples feeling drained and overwhelmed. A relaxing honeymoon gives the body and mind a chance to reset, and doing that together creates a kind of intimacy that activity-heavy itineraries rarely match.

On spa honeymoons, couples can connect through wellness rituals and activities. Couples who choose a honeymoon spa retreat often describe the experience as their first real opportunity to be fully present with each other in a long time. Saying no to planned itineraries, schedules, or other people's expectations is a real relief. Saying “yes” to a spa honeymoon doesn't mean you’ll be doing nothing… It means doing things slowly and intentionally, on your own terms.

You know you want a spa honeymoon, but how do you plan it? Well, you start by choosing your ideal honeymoon spa resort. Not all spa resorts are created equal, so make sure you do your research before choosing.

First, make sure you seek out a spa and wellness hotel where you can design your spa honeymoon experience à la carte. Look for resorts that offer romantic, side-by-side massages, relaxing thermal circuits, and treatments designed specifically for two. 

Second, check out their honeymoon spa suite options. Do you want to have your own jacuzzi, terrace, or plunge pool? Perks like these will elevate your honeymoon spa experience considerably and help you create unforgettable memories.

Third, consider the resort’s other offerings too. Do you want to stay at an all-inclusive resort? Is a belly-up bar or direct beach access important to you? Maybe you’d enjoy a joint yoga retreat or round of golf on the hotel grounds. Making a list of must-haves for your honeymoon spa resort is a great starting point.

Once you have a sense of what you're looking for, the next step is finding the destination that delivers it. Here are four of the best relaxing honeymoon destinations to consider, each home to some of the finest honeymoon spa resorts in the world.

The Riviera Maya stretches along Mexico's Caribbean coast for miles and miles, combining turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, and a concentration of natural and cultural attractions that make it one of the most compelling spa honeymoon destinations in the Americas. The ancient ruins of Tulum sit dramatically above the sea. Cenotes, crystal-clear freshwater sinkholes sacred to the ancient Maya, dot the jungle inland and make for extraordinary swimming. The Great Maya Reef, the second largest coral reef system in the world, runs just offshore. And woven through all of it is a hospitality infrastructure that has spent decades perfecting the art of the relaxing honeymoon.

For couples looking for an all-inclusive spa honeymoon in the region, the Barceló Maya Riviera is worth a serious look. Sitting within the Maya Grand Resort, this five-star adults-only resort sits directly on one of the most spectacular stretches of Caribbean beach in Mexico, with a U-Spa spanning over 32,000 square feet, an infinity pool that merges with the sea, and more than 500 rooms with ocean views. Plus, 110 of its rooms feature private pools. 

Andalusia is one of Europe's most compelling regions for a relaxing honeymoon, and not just because of its beaches. The south of Spain moves at its own pace: long lunches, warm evenings, flamenco drifting from somewhere down the street, and a landscape that shifts dramatically from the snowcapped peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the wide Atlantic coastline of Huelva and Cádiz. Add to that the Moorish architecture of Granada and Seville, some of the finest food and wine in Europe, and over 150 protected natural spaces, and you have a destination with genuine depth for couples who want more than a sun lounger.

For a honeymoon spa retreat on the Atlantic coast, the Barceló Punta Umbría Mar is designed with couples in mind: large rooms with sweeping sea views, a wellness center and spa, and the kind of unhurried atmosphere that makes it easy to lose track of what day it is. With direct access to the beach via a picturesque wooden walkway, get ready to disconnect from the real world and connect with your new spouse. 

Further along the coast in Cádiz, the Royal Hideaway Sancti Petri is a 5-star seafront hotel featuring the largest spa in Andalusia and a varied array of spa treatments too. When booking your room, you can choose from themed suites with a whirlpool bathtub on the terrace. (Or, if you’re ready to splurge, book the presidential suite and enjoy the whirlpool bathtub plus a private pool!)

If you’re looking to immerse yourselves in nature, the Barceló Aracena in Huelva sits within the Sierra de Aracena natural park, one of Andalusia's most beautiful and least-visited landscapes, with wellness and fitness facilities and the kind of quiet that city life rarely offers. This is a great spa honeymoon destination for those seeking to mix time outdoors with time at the spa.

Sharm El Sheikh sits at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Red Sea delivers some of the clearest, warmest water on the planet. The coral reefs here are extraordinary and are home to vibrant, intact ecosystems teeming with marine life that draws divers from around the world. Above the surface, the desert mountains of Sinai frame the coastline in dramatic colors, creating a landscape unlike anything in the Caribbean or Mediterranean. For couples who want to take their honeymoon spa vacation off the beaten path, Egypt delivers that feeling from the moment you arrive.

The Barceló Tiran Sharm sits above a private beach with sweeping views across the Red Sea, offering spa facilities and a pace of life that make it easy to spend entire days in a state of total relaxation. It also sits in one of the world's great scuba diving locations, so couples looking for a honeymoon with adventure and relaxation can move effortlessly between the treatment room and the reef. Few honeymoon spa destinations offer that particular combination anywhere in the world.

The Canary Islands sit just off the northwest coast of Africa, close enough to feel warm year-round but firmly European in character. The archipelago's islands each have a distinct personality, but all share the same essential appeal for honeymooners: reliable sunshine, dramatic volcanic landscapes, excellent food, and a pace of life that makes slowing down feel entirely natural. The year-round mild climate makes the Canary Islands one of the most dependable relaxing honeymoon destinations in Europe.

On the island of Gran Canaria, the Royal Hideaway Santa Catalina, is one of the most storied properties in Spain. The hotel opened its doors in Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1890, and it was thoroughly renovated and reopened in 2019. Its spa offers a full menu of treatments including globally-inspired massages, personalized facial treatments, and a hydrotherapy circuit. Foodie couples will also love this hotel for its famed restaurant, MuXgo. It’s the first in the Canary Islands to receive a Michelin Green Star for sustainable cuisine.

On the island of Tenerife, the Royal Hideaway Corales Villas in Costa Adeje takes a different but equally compelling approach to the spa honeymoon experience. This hotel’s dry spa features treatments with volcanic muds, clays, and healing minerals that merge with Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) techniques to promote your overall well-being (physical, spiritual, and emotional). If you and your spouse are looking for a unique spa experience in Spain, this is a great option.

The beauty of a spa honeymoon is that it’s meant to be relaxing and requires little planning. That said, a few ideas can help you get the most out of the experience.

• Book your couples' treatments in advance, particularly if you're traveling in peak season.
• Many resorts offer a signature treatment designed around local ingredients or traditions, and these tend to be the most memorable.
• Structure your days loosely. Go for a morning treatment, then a long lunch. Spend the afternoon by the pool and go out for an evening meal and cocktail. Don’t rush it. Enjoy each other.
• Most honeymoon spa resorts offer in-room spa services for couples who prefer complete privacy, and a honeymoon spa suite with its own outdoor space makes those moments especially easy to enjoy.