Travel Reports
Gay Honeymoons
We asked our favourite travel suppliers to come up with some inspiring honeymoon ideas, ranging from £1000 to Elton John extravagance.
Beautiful Benidorm.
Benidorm is not quite the bucket-and-spade destination of dirt-cheap beach holidays of yore. Located approximately 2.5km from both the old town district of Benidorm and the main beaches, Villa de los Sueños offers first-class facilities and breakfast served until 2pm for those long, romantic lie-ins. It’s an exclusive guesthouse with a charming atmosphere set in 6000 square metres of its own Mediterranean garden and with picturesque views of the neighbouring mountains (the Altana). Hosts Uwe and Oliver lay on themed evenings if you want to mix it up a little.
Getting There: Seven nights (including flights on BA from Gatwick) costs from £498 per person, staying in a deluxe room. Contact Man Around on 020 8902 7177 or www.manaround.com (see links).
The Hotel Abbadetta in the Marche region of Italy is the latest acquisition of gay tour operator Man Around. Part of a €20m investment by the company into the region, the Abbadetta is withing easy reach of the 13th century fortified village of Acquaviva Picena, with spectacular views across the rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves. This undiscovered gem of Italy offers peace and tranquility for shysters and is the perfect place to explore the medieval and modern treasures of the Marche region. If you can tear yourselves away from one another, the hotel also offers courses in Italian cooking, painting and languages. When it’s time to shop, there are factory outlets for all the local fashion brands – Prada, Armani, Paciotti – with plenty of bargains.
Getting There: Seven nights in a double room (with balcony) costs from £495 per person including flights from Stansted on Ryanair. Call Man Around on 020 8902 7177 or log on to www.manaround.com (see links).
Caribbean – No Go?
According to Daniel Walker, general manager at R2 Travel you can buy a lot in the Caribbean for £2000, “but some islands aren’t especially friendly and some, while perfectly pleasant, aren’t necessarily ideal for a honeymoon.” He recommends the half-French, half-Dutch island of St. Martin / St.Maarten. Extremely gay-friendly, the French part is the most stylish with small wooden pastel-coloured houses, excellent dining and great opportunities to stock up on duty-free gadgets. The Grand Case Beach Club is located right on the seafront and combines traditional relaxed Caribbean atmosphere with professional service-orientated staff. Rooms are large and either ocean or garden-view, while dining by candlelight will add to the romantic honeymoon mood. It’s the little touches that make it really special, like the birdhouses which attract hummingbirds. Bananaquits and other exotic species.
Getting There: Seven nights on St Martin costs from £1954 for two, including flights (via Paris with Air France), accommodation, transfers, taxes and breakfast. Contact R2 Travel on 020 7284 4694 or email emquiries@r2travel.com to design your own honeymoon.
Party In Peru.
Peru may not be the first place you think of as a gay destination, but the situation in South Ameirca is changing fast, especially if you travel with a gay tour operator like Man Around. They have an eight night / nine day package to Peru, including passes to the gay bars in the capital, Lima, and the city of Cusco, a visit to the Sacred Valley, an excursion to Machu Picchu in a vistadome train, two nights in the jungle and a city tour of the ruins of Cusco, including the Sacsayhuaman Inca Fortress and Puca Pucara. Combine it with a seven night stay on your return in the glamarous city of Miami, staying at the Clinton South Beach, and you have a trip that pretty much covers all bases.
Eight nights in Peru and seven in Miami costs from £2479 per person, including all taxes and surcharges from Man Around. Call 020 8902 7177 or log on to www.manaround.com (see links).
Out In Africa.
South Africa was one of the first countries to officially announce its interest in the gay honeymoon market, and it promptly launched an advertising blitz, attracting same-sex couples to Cape Town. But while one end of the country is party heaven, the other is a haven for wildlife and a dream honeymoon destination. Africa Travel Centre has an eleven day self-drive tour to the Kruger, staying at the Lion Sands Reserve at River Lodge on the banks of the Sabie River. Luxury thatched, air-conditioned bedrooms have indoor and outdoor showers and a wooden deck for the best wildlife sightings. The rooms are linked by raised walkways, and facilities include two swimming pools, a secluded bird hide, private hammocks and a health spa for post or pre-bush walk indulgence. From the Kruger you can then fly to Cape Town for four nights at the chic Kensington Place and pick up your hire car for a drive into the Cape Winelands, staying three nights in Franschhoek at the Klein Genot Wine and Country Estate, giving plenty of time to toast each other’s eternal happiness.
Getting There: Eleven days in South Africa costs from £1695 per person, based on two sharing, including return flights on BA. Call Africa Travel Centre on 0845 450 1541 or log on to www.africatravel.co.uk (see links).
Get Down Under.
With money to burn and time on your hands, a trip to Australia could seal the knot you’ve just tied. Andrew Roberts at Amro Holidays recommends a lengthy honeymoon, exploring the length and breadth of Oz at the wheel of a BMW roadster. Starting off at the spa resort of Hepburn and Daylesford, a stay at the Springs Spa Resort includes a Jet Lag Recovery package of spa treatments and relaxation therapies guaranteed to set you up for a move to nearby Melbourne for the “best arts and culture on offer in any Australian city,” vibrant nightlife and a swim in your hotel’s (The Adelphi) glass-bottomed lap pool, which extends out over the street! At the wheel of your Beemer you will then explore the Great Ocean Road, along the stunning coastline of Victoria, past the 12 Apostles, to Adelaide, where you’ll spend a few days before heading to the Red Centre and Uluru (Ayers Rock). Says Roberts, “There’s just one place to stay in Uluru for a honeymoon couple, and that’s Longitude 131, a collection of meticulously designed luxury tents on an isolated sand dune close to the mighty rock.” From Uluru, you’ll travel to the east coast and the exclusivity of Wilson Island, set on its own spectacular reef “with just a handful of laidback holiday shacks with every creature comfort imaginable.” Play Robinson Crusoe enjoying beach picnics and guided nature walks in what Condé Nast has described as one of the world’s hottest destinations.
“No trip down under is complete without some time in Sydney,” says Roberts, suggesting a Champagne Breakfast at the top of the 300m high Sydney Tower. Return travel is first class on BA just to round things off.
Getting There: Expect to pay around £5000 per person (excluding flights). Contact Amro Holidays on 0870 990 7404 or log on to www.amroholidays.com for more (see links).
At The Copa, Copacabana.
Whether you want to smoke a cigar in sultry Cuba or dance the tango in downtown BA, bespoke tour operator Alexander & Stuart (now part of Western & Oriental) has the solution. They can tailor-make almost any tour you want and when we asked them where they’d send a happy same-sex couple for their post-nuptials there was no hesitation. “Rio! Probably the most glamorous city in the world and the perfect setting for a stylish honeymoon.” Rio is certainly back in fashion and always comes close to top in those gay must-see lists. “Your first stop must be the celebrated Copacabana Palace,” says Linda Stuart. “Located overlooking Copacabana Beach, and with a guset list including royalty, film stars and the music world (the Rolling Stones stayed there on the Rio leg of their World Tour and had an elevated walkway built from the beach back into the hotel) it’s still the hotel to choose.” Rio has no shortage of sightseeing on offer, with Corcovado Mountain and the statue of Christ The Redeemer dominating the skyline.
After your festive time in Rio continue on to fashionable Buzios by private limousine. This chic and trendy beach resort is known as “the St. Tropez of South America,” and the best place to stay is the lovely Casas Brancas, a boutique hotel in the heart of town, overlooking the ocean. Here you can relax to the mellow sounds of the Bossa Nova and sip champagne as you watch the sunset from the hotel’s fabulous restaurant. There are over 20 stunning beaches to explore: Azeda Beach (which can only be reached by foot); João Fernandinho, with its calm crystal waters; and Geribá Beach, frequented by the beautiful people. If you want to continue on into the night, enjoy a romantic stroll to the vibrant Rua das Pedras for some electric and sophisticated nightlife and a caipirinah or two.
From £4120 per person, including Club Class flights on BA, four nights accommodation at the Copacabana Palace (ocean-view room), six nights at Casas Brancas (De Luxe room), breakfast, transfers and guides (they can arrange a local gay guide if you wish). Call Western & Oriental on 0870 499 1111 or write to Western & Oriental, 38-44 Gillingham Street, London SW1V 1HU. UK.
Rob and Esme Page can offer honeymoons for much less, but when we asked them what they could do if money were no object, they started talking supersonic jets, helicopters and a private island on the Zambezi. They’ve launched a novel scheme to help cut the cost of your honeymoon – the Safari Roots Honeymoon Voucher System. It works much like a wedding gift list except, instead of buying you a toaster (which you probably already have – twice) each of your wedding guests are invited to contribute to your honeymoon cost. They can even request an add-on extra (such as hot-air balooning). They simply send a cheque to Safari Roots which is then banked against the cost of your honeymoon and when you come to pay you will be given the amounted discount. On arrival at your destination you are handed a welcome card with messages from all those who have contributed.
You’ll need a lot of friends if you want to take a month long trip to Southern Africa which includes a stay on a private island in the Indian Ocean, diving with Great White Sharks and coming face-to-face with a Silverback Gorilla. You can also learn to pilot that supersonic jet and invite six of your best friends to join you for a colourful Bush party at the end of your trip.
Getting There: Price is on application, but don’t expect much change out of £50,000. Call Safari Pride on 01736 367 635 or log on to www.africansafariroots.com (see links) for simple, luxurious and authentic honeymoon safaris.
Go For Broke(back).
Funky Personality Hotel, Hotel Metropolis in downtown San Francisco has a Brokeback Mountain package among its quirky offerings, which includes an overnight stay, a six-pack of beer, Rough Rider condoms, a pony stick, a sheepskin throw and two cowboy hats, all for $149 per night. You even get to keep the goodies when you check out.
Each of the 105 rooms is decorated around the theme of the elements, so choose earth, wind, fire or water when you book and be sure to check out the holistic well-being centre. And if you’re in San Francisco before December 8th 2006 then why not try the Shake, Bake and Spin. No, it’s not a new cult in alternative therapies but the highly engaging exhibition dedicated to the centenary anniversary of the 1906 earthquake!
Getting There: Flights to San Francisco cost from £299 return with British Airways. Call 0870 850 9850 or log on to www.ba.com. To take advantage of the Brokeback Package at the Metropolis Hotel call 001 415 885 0200 or log onto www.hotelmetropolis.com (see links).
The Two Hemispheres Package.
Straddle the equator in Ecuador. “South America has change dramatically in the last few years in its attitudes to same sex couples,” says Andrew Roberts at Amro Holidays. He suggests a mix of the Inca culture of Peru with the Spanish culture of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Flying via Amsterdam you can avoid the US if immigration gives you cause for concern (HIV positive passengers have been refused entry, even in transit) and fly straight to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, “probably the most outstanding example of a Spanish colonial city in South America.” From here it’s just a few miles north to the equator where you can take romantic photos with one foot in each hemisphere. It’s a two hour flight from Quito out into the Pacific and the Galapagos Islands where you can join the Floreana Yacht on a seven day cruise in the company of 14 other gay and lesbian passengers. Swim with sea lions and watch the Frigate and Boobie birds peck at your shoes while local guides explain the complex concepts of evolution.
For the second week Roberts suggests heading for Cusco high in the Andes Mountains. The Hotel Monasterio will be your base, offering luxury rooms and facilities just a stone’s throw from the main city square. The Hiram Bingham train is now operated by the Orient Express group and it will transfer you in traditional splendour on the three-hour journey to Machu Picchu. There, an overnight stay in the gay-friendly Sanctuary Hotel should include a candlelit dinner al fresco overlooking the magnificent citadel.
Trips to Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands start from around £2250 per person, including flights. Call Amro Holidays on 0870 990 7404 or log on to www.amroholidays.com (see links).
Live Like A Queen.
Red Carnation Hotels were supporting the gay and lesbian traveller long before Civil Partnerships had entered into the political arena, so you are guaranteed a warm welcome from their service-oriented staff. They have a package that is fit for a queen – and perfect for a honeymoon in London.
Stay two nights at the Rubens Hotel at the Palace and you’ll be treated like royalty. Upon arrival your personal butler will show you to an ultra-luxurious room, unpack for you and fulfil your every whim throughout your stay (as long as it is legal and clean). You can then take a leisurely stroll past Buckingham Palace and into St James’s Park, have tea in the hotel’s Palace Lounge, sit down to a magnificent meal with wine in the award-winning Library Restaurant and after a good night’s sleep (perhaps) feast on a full English breakfast for two before setting off for the State Apartments at Kensington Palace.
Getting There: The Rubens Hotel Live Like Royalty package costs from £369 for two and is available from July 26th until September 24th 2006. Call 020 7834 6600 or log on to www.rubenshotel.com for further details (see links).
Andrew Copestake