If you’re planning a holiday, but don’t have thousands of pounds to spend, what are your options? Jane Anderson, Editor of 101 Honeymoons, says it is possible to find something luxurious and exotic with a maximum price tag of less than £1,000 per person.
She advises couples to avoid the peak summer season and consider taking a shorter trip for “maximum glamour, minimum spend”.
Here are Jane’s suggestions for the best holidays available for less than £1,000 per person:
1. Rent a tree house with a copper bath near Bath
It might sound like a recipe for disaster, but if you’re not the types who are impressed by gold-plated taps and butlers at your beck and call, how about a few nights up a tree?
This could be a lot more appealing than it sounds if you swing over to The Treehouse at Harptree Court near Bath. This luxury hideaway has an ensuite bathroom with copper bath, double bed, Persian rugs and leather armchairs.
You’ll find underfloor heating and fluffy robes so you should be nice and cosy in there. The treehouse costs from £250 per night with Sawday’s Canopy & Stars.
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2. Cuddle up in a cosy farmhouse in Wales
Snowdonia must be one of the most romantic places in the world and it’s easy to reach from much of the UK. Stay at Cappele Cottage, a gorgeous farmhouse that has undergone a style transformation on the inside, with rolltop bath, Farrow & Ball colours, and contemporary furniture, whist retaining its original features such as whitewashed stone walls and wooden doors.
There are fabulous valley views from every room in the house – including the bathroom. If you’re the type of couple that loves long walks together, pub lunches and rummaging around farm shops, this is the perfect bolthole.
Seven nights costs from £1,145 or £600 for a three-night minimoon.
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3. Head to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland
You could travel half way around the world and still not find countryside as beautiful as the hills, lochs and glens of Scotland. And because you’re not shelling out your hard-earned savings on airfare, you can afford a little luxury and still stay under budget.
This Classic Scottish Honeymoon begins with a stay in a romantic hotel at the end of a glen two hours from Edinburgh and Glasgow. After two nights there, jump in your hire car and take a ferry to the Isle of Skye where you’ll stay in a friendly waterfront hotel with log fires and candlelit dinners.
The four-night honeymoon costs from £455 per person and includes breakfast throughout and a bottle of champagne on your first night.
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4. Stay in stylish Santorini
The volcanic Greek island of Santorini has become a favourite with well-heeled honeymooners for its stunning cliffside hotels and villas with dramatic views over the sea and caldera.
Santorini is not cheap, but you can keep the costs down by picking your dates and accommodation carefully.
Greece specialists Sunvil Discovery recommend a superior double room at the stylish cliffside Andromeda Villas in May for around £900 per person including Gatwick flights and transfers.
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5. Split to the Croatian Riviera
The Adriatic coast of Croatia – with its crystalline waters and dozens of unspoilt islands – has emerged in recent years as one of Europe’s most exciting new destinations.
Glamorous new hotels, clubs and bars have also made it an affordable alternative to the French Riviera.
The Hotel Damianii, which opened in 2012, is just 40 minutes from Split airport but has stunning sea views, a private sandy beach and 12 air-conditioned suites all with private hot tubs.
Seven nights in a junior suite with breakfast, flights and private taxi transfers costs from £885 per person with Completely Croatia.
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6. Sizzle in romantic Sicily
The Italian island of Sicily offers great beaches, historic sites, romance, fabulous food and a long season – ideal for a spring or autumn wedding.
The five-star Verdura Golf & Spa Resort is an ideal based for honeymooners. With an idyllic seafront location close to the temples of Agrigento, it has three golf courses, a health club with thalassotherapy pools and a choice of restaurants.
Kirker Holidays has four nights B&B for the price of three from £798 per person including flights from Gatwick, car hire and concierge service.
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7. Make for exotic Morocco
Although it’s less than four hours flying time from the UK, Morocco is as exotic as it is romantic. The specialist tour operator Lawrence of Morocco recommends three nights in Marrakech at Hotel Les Deux Tours in the Palmeraie with breakfast and guided tour of the city, followed by two nights half-board in the Atlas Mountains at Maroc Lodge which has just four pavilion suites set in beautiful gardens.
Honeymooners also enjoy a guided mountain walk. The honeymoon costs from £858 per person, including flights and private transfers.
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8. Hold a private pool party in Antigua
It is possible to bag a four-star hotel in the Caribbean if you shop around. Antigua is a good bet because it has a lot of direct flights from the UK, as well as great beaches and a wide choice of accommodation.
Seven nights at Sugar Ridge Hotel in Antigua starts from just £879 per person including free room upgrade – with four-poster bed and private plunge pool – plus a free bottle of bubbly on arrival and a one-hour couples spa treatment. The price also includes daily breakfast, flights and transfers.
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