New Jersey Bride Blog

Oh, how I wish the Four Seasons Hualalai had been in existence when I went on my honeymoon to Hawaii’s Big Island a number of years ago. This Zagat’s number-one rated resort in the world for 2008 offers 243 bungalow-style rooms with ocean views, five swimming pools, a great golf course, and four restaurants, all in a romantic eco-friendly setting. The wellness spa even offers outdoor treatments using indigenous Hawaiian ingredients such as macadamia nut, coconut, sugar, Lehua honey from Island bees, and Kona coffee beans. You don’t have to twist my arm…

If you’ve never been to a Four Seasons, you’re definitely in for a treat…and what better time for a treat than your honeymoon. Plus, the Big Island is such a wonderful place. From the deserted black-sand beaches and picture-perfect waterfalls to the award-winning golf courses and the active Kilauea volano (where you’ll feel like you’ve stepped foot on the Moon), the Big Island is one of my favorite places. (Don’t miss dinner at the Canoe House at the Mauna Lani Resort—you will not be disappointed!)

And now you can save a small fortune by taking advantage of the Four Season’s fourth-night-free offer (now through December 18). Rates start at $775 per night. If you book an oceanfront room or an executive suite, you can also choose either two rounds of golf per stay or two complimentary spa treatments. This special rate can be booked at fourseasonsresorts.com/hualalai or by calling 888-236-3026.

Are you in the middle of planning your honeymoon? Well, here’s a great new hotel that you should know about. The InterContinental Montelucia Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley, Arizona (montelucia.com), is opening its doors this fall, and it’s simply breathtaking. Built in a Spanish Andalusian style in the middle of the desert at the base of the Camelback Mountain, yet minutes from Old Scottsdale, this hotel is going to be one of the area’s premier destinations. It’s the InterContinental’s first property the United States, so you can bet that they’re pulling out all the stops. There are five pools with luxury cabanas, the Joya Spa, golf, and restaurants. The resort is reminiscent of a European town square, with villas, arching doorways, fountains, and floral walkways. And with more than 300 days of sunshine in the area, you’ll most likely be outside enjoying all that Arizona has to offer—hiking, hot-air ballooning, rafting, golf, horseback riding, and off-road desert tours.

Montelucia is also a great destination wedding location. From the Old-World styling of the Castillo Lucena wedding venue to the intimate garden-like surroundings of three wedding lawns, you have your choice of settings that best capture your style. And your guests will love the resort’s facilities. Have a private rehearsal dinner poolside, send your bridesmaids to a day at the spa, relax in the wine cellar, or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery. Call 480-627-3200 for reservations starting this fall.

At the end of June, I was lucky enough to take a trip to the Caribbean island of Nevis with my husband for my fortieth birthday trip. And while there, of course I had to check out everything this island offers for your destination wedding or honeymoon. I’ll be writing all about it in our next issue of New Jersey Bride, but here are some of the highlights:

This small island of just about 12,000 residents is a tiny gem located next to St. Kitts. We took a direct flight out of JFK into St. Kitts, then hopped onto a boat, which whisked us away to Nevis. As soon as we arrived on Nevis, I knew we were someplace special. It was quiet and calm and incredibly beautiful.

Our first stop was the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club (nisbetplantation.com), which truly is a wonderful place. With just 36 suites set on more than 30 acres of an historic sugar plantation that dates back to 1778, Nisbet is a private, romantic little piece of heaven set beachside on the Caribbean. “Barefoot elegance,” “casual luxury,” and “understated-yet-upscale” just begin to describe this special resort, perfect your honeymoon or destination wedding. With the absence of televisions, you fall asleep to the sound of the surf, and can feel yourself relax and unwind the moment you step onto the property, with palm trees lining the way to the beach. You won’t want to leave…

That is until you venture over to the Four Seasons Nevis (fourseasons.com/nevis/), which is every bit as fabulous, but in an entirely different way. The Four Seasons delivers on what you’ve come to expect from one of the masters of the five-star luxury resort: impeccable accommodations, a to-die-for location, fabulous food, first-rate activities, and service second to none. Every type of water sport is available, along with complimentary fruit smoothies, frozen pineapple, and chilled towels brought directly to your chaise on the beach. You have your pick of restaurants, along with award-winning golf and spa services. There’s no need to leave the grounds…but what fun would that be?

The island offers numerous other high-end resorts such as the Montpelier Plantation Inn (montpeliernevis.com), where Princess Diana would holiday with the boys; the Hermitage Plantation Inn (hermitagenevis.com), with its charming smattering of gingerbread-like cottages; and the Golden Rock Resort (golden-rock.com), a fun eco-resort with a one-of-a-kind sugar mill honeymoon suite.

Daily excursions consist of rain-forest hikes, horseback riding on the beach, snorkeling, horse-drawn carriage rides, sampling local restaurants, custom pottery shopping, and curing your ailments in the hot baths.

It’s absolutely an island you’ll discover on your honeymoon and will be sure to return to for future anniversary trips. There’s not many special places like this anymore….

For more images, click here.

I just landed in Barbados and can’t believe how beautiful it is here. This British-influenced island emits an air of luxury, charm, and entitlement that is simply divine, which is why so many celebrities and movie stars flock to this Caribbean island in search of privacy and relaxation. There’s even a Bentley parked at the airport, awaiting the trendy jet-setters that the day will surely bring. Nice touch.

And boy can Barbados deliver—it’s the perfect honeymoon spot or destination wedding locale.

I’m staying at the Treasure Beach Hotel (treasurebeachhotel.com) on the island’s west coast—often referred to as the “gold coast” due to the number of luxury resorts located here. Treasure Beach is a really nice “boutique” hotel, with a large European clientele. It actually reminds me of Melrose Place, in a simply charming way. The rooms all look out onto a courtyard, complete with a small pool, and views of the ocean. It’s very comfortable here, and a few guests tell me that they haven’t left the quiet grounds since they’ve arrived. You can lounge in the pool, sunbathe on the lounge chairs on the beach, eat all meals here, and partake in tea and sandwiches at 4:00 p.m. each day—very British! I could get used to this.

I’m touring the island tomorrow, so I’ll be sure to tell you about other great resorts and places not to miss!