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The Grapeful Wed

Honeymoon & Travel Advice

Travel tips from the globetrotting experts of boutique hotels

The Grapeful Wed

Wine Country honeymoon tips from Mr and Mrs Smith

With a combination of glorious scenery, year-round sunshine and, of course, delicious drinking, wine regions can be the perfect honeymoon destinations. And nothing says seduction like a chic chardonnay or a sultry Shiraz at sunset. Here, international travel experts Mr and Mrs Smith offer their rundown of the greatest grape escapes in the world.—Tamara Heber-Percy and James Lohan

NAPA VALLEY

Countryside California vineyards
Country life wine and dine

Why go? The vineyards may not be as extensive and the wineries not as grand as their European counterparts, but what Napa lacks in old-world traditions it makes up for with warmth and informality. Forget about snooty sommeliers and their pompous pretensions—here wine tasting is always a pleasure rather than a trial. With impeccable French-inspired cuisine, sun-kissed climate and beautiful scenery, it’s one of the most relaxing and rewarding places to start your life together.

Star wines cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, zinfandel
Others merlot, pinot noir, sangiovese, sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc, malbec, syrah, pinot grigio

Where to stay in Napa Valley

Milliken Creek Inn

Set beside the scenic Silverado Trail on the grassy banks of the Napa River, Milliken Creek Inn is a classic clapboard California home, with the added luxuries of an indulgent organic spa, huge hydrotherapy tubs and daily visiting vintners eager to share their wares.

Where to stay in Napa Valley

Poetry Inn

This secluded and intimate Napa Valley retreat in the charming Stags Leap district feels more like a luxurious private holiday home than a stuffy hotel. Sit on your terrace, sip a glass of fine wine from the private cellar, and drink in soothing views of the Napa countryside. Open-air showers, alfresco massages and indulgent three-course breakfasts will set you up just right for days discovering the region's vineyards and wineries.

Where to stay in Napa Valley

Calistoga Ranch

Cradled among the pines and oaks, this supremely romantic resort is seamlessly woven into the forest alongside its own vineyard. Vintners from all around the area visit Calistoga throughout the year; the restaurant wine list is long enough to wallpaper a living room, and the mineral spa even offers to soak you in the stuff. So if you’ve got a taste for the great grape, you may have found the ideal retreat.

More about Napa Valley

PROVENCE

Countryside scenes from Van Gogh
Country life whole lotta rosé

Why go? Not only does Provence boast breathtaking sun-soaked landscapes and world-class eating and drinking, but each slice of the province has its own distinct flavour. The southwest in particular is a land of light and color, where the languid river Rhône winds its way through fruit orchards, vineyards and fields of lavender before melting into the watery maze of the Camargue. From the dramatic clifftop village of Les Baux, set among the olive groves, vines and craggy uplands of the Alpilles, you can look out across the land that inspired Van Gogh: sunflowers and starry, starry nights.

Star wines semillon, cabernet sauvignon, rosé made with carignan and mourvedre grapes
Also grenache, cinsault, syrah, chardonnay, viognier

Where to stay in Provence

Domaine des Andeóls

At first glance, Domaine des Andeóls is a cluster of classic stone houses set in the inimitable Provence countryside. Get closer, however, and you’ll discover a thrillingly contemporary boutique hotel packed with original modern art, Starck furnishings and eye-poppingly designed furniture. The restaurant kitchen runs under the watchful eye of Michelin darling Alain Ducasse, the spa features a Turkish hammam and a heated pool, and acre upon acre of sculpture-dotted grounds, lavender fields and olive groves stretch into the horizon.

Where to stay in Provence

Château de Masillan

This stylish hotel near Avignon and Orange is a luxurious château retreat that combines contemporary flair with traditional comforts. Antique mirrors, Murano chandeliers and 18th-century chaises longues complement Château de Massillan's recently refreshed decor. An excellent restaurant, serving modern French cuisine, also offers a fine selection of regional wines.

Where to stay in Provence

L'Oustau de Baumanière

Set among the villages and vineyards of countryside near Les Baux de Provence, where Van Gogh and Cézanne found their inspiration, this chic country retreat is famed for its haute cuisine—especially delicious when washed down with a glass of the estate’s own wine, L’Affectif. The rooms are light and airy, blending the hotel's 17th-century origins and handmade furniture with modern-day surround-sound extras.

More about Provence

TUSCANY

Countryside ancient towns, fertile slopes
Country life pleasures for every palate

When Mother Nature was handing out charm, she really piled the goodies up high when it came to this patch of Italy. If the slopes dotted with cypress trees and olive groves don’t win your heart, the aromas and flavors of the flourishing farmlands and vineyards will. Flawlessly preserved Renaissance treasures in culture-packed ancient cities scream out for attention, but Italy’s other great art—its winemaking—is best appreciated out in the Chiantishire countryside between Florence and Siena, or around Montepulciano and Montalcino. Whether you feel like touring medieval hilltop villages, hitting the designer boutiques or flopping on a lounger for two for sun-kissed poolside snoozing, Tuscany’s allure can be enjoyed at every pace.

Star wines Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino
Also Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Morellino, Muscat

Where to stay in Tuscany

Castello di Vicarello

Castello di Vicarello has had 900 years to cultivate its air of mystery, so it’s no wonder that it can seem like a building stolen from a dream or a fairy tale on your first approach. Despite the ethereal air, aspects of this rustic-luxe boutique hotel couldn’t be more down-to-earth: authentic home-cooked Tuscan cuisine straight from a traditional farmhouse kitchen, a working vineyard and olive grove, and the warmest welcome in northern Italy.

Where to stay in Tuscany

Borgo Santo Pietro

This classic-luxe Tuscan villa captures all that is good and great about the Italian way of life: refined furnishings in a restored 13th-century period property, gorgeous grounds punctuated by cypress trees and stone fountains, fabulous food and wine, and a pleasing menu of gentle outdoor activities and sensual spa diversions. Borgo Santo Pietro is just right for bone-idle aristocrats and bohemian urban escapees.

Where to stay in Tuscany

Villa Bordoni

Scottish restaurateurs Catherine and David Gardner took three years to refurbish and restore Villa Bordoni, a 10-room villa in the rolling countryside, perfectly placed for wandering through Chianti’s vineyards. The restaurant is the jewel in Bordoni's crown, so prepare to eat fabulous fresh Tuscan fare around the clock. There’s an excellent selection of Chianti Classico from local winemakers—the Montrachet-like 2001 vintage from Querciabella is liquid heaven.

More about Tuscany

CAPE WINELANDS

Countryside verdant coastal wilderness
Country life adventure on a grand scale

If variety is the spice of life, this slice of South Africa has to be one of the spiciest spots on earth. It’s a feast of beauty, with rolling vineyards for starters and milky lagoons for dessert. The Garden Route offers a breathtaking journey from Cape Town past Stellenbosch and the surrounding Winelands down to the coast, comprising drink-it-all-in vineyard vistas and rugged mountain panoramas along the way. Between them, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek supply the majority of South Africa’s New World wines, and the landscape is as lush and lovely as you’d expect.

Star wines pinotage, semillon, sauvignon blanc
Also Shiraz, merlot, pinot noir, chardonnay

Where to stay in Cape Winelands

La Residence

Presiding over Franschhoek’s valley of vines, La Residence is a mini, modern Versailles with a contemporary shell and a romantic colonial interior: Everywhere the eye comes to rest there’s a Persian rug, exotic antique or fine artwork. This Winelands estate will make you feel as though you've been whisked off to your own private palace to live in the lap of luxury.

Where to stay in Cape Winelands

Hawksmoor House

This unique guesthouse stay allows you a nostalgic glimpse into South Africa’s vintage winelands world: lingering breakfasts on the veranda, vineyard walks, sundowners on the stoop and indulgent dinners in an 18th-century dining room. All this bewitchingly unpolished perfection is just 30 minutes from Cape Town, and Hawksmoor House is ideally placed for exploring the winelands—starting with nearby Stellenbosch.

Where to stay in Cape Winelands

Schoone Oordt

Among the neat trees and quiet streets of historic Swellendam, you'll find the pretty Victorian facade of Schoone Oordt country house, a boutique bed and breakfast set among clipped lawns, fountains and rose gardens on the doorstep of the Winelands and the scenic swaths of the Garden Route. Stay here en route to Plett, or escape the bustle of Cape Town for a few days R & R in the idyllic Western Cape countryside…

More about Cape Winelands

HUNTER VALLEY

Countryside vine-lined hills
Country life semillon, Shiraz and sauvignon—sublime

One of the global capitals of New World winemaking, Australia’s green and glorious Hunter Valley is the ideal destination for antipodean explorers looking to combine the palatable with the picturesque. When 18th-century settlers first landed in New South Wales, they made sure they brought some grape vines with them. Thanks to such forethought, the Hunter Valley is now Australia’s most famous wine region. Just a two-hour drive from Sydney, the slopes of the Lower Hunter are home to the highest concentration of vineyards and are peppered with dinky market towns such as Branxton and Lovedale and quaint rural idylls such as Wollombi. As you’d expect from a celebrated wine region, the quality of the food has developed to match the drink, and you’ll find some very fine dining indeed in the Hunter Valley’s elegant restaurants.

Star wines semillon, Shiraz, sauvignon blanc
Also riesling, merlot, tarrango

Where to stay in Hunter Valley

Tower Lodge

The Hunter Valley’s sprawling vineyards and villages make an ideal setting for a weekend “in the country.” Tower Lodge succeeds in making each guest feel like lord and lady of the manor, with luxurious space, attention to detail and focus on sheer comfort. It is possibly the best place to be during a gray and dreary weekend, where you can pretend that life is really all about log fireplaces, tasty food and good wine—just as it should be.

Where to stay in Hunter Valley

Tonic

Tonic offers the kind of laid-back living that wannabe jackaroos go to bed dreaming about. Made up of four separate iron, timber and glass buildings and set in gardens that are filled with native grasses and plants, the hotel overlooks a series of creeks and dams, while the Brokenback mountain range lines the horizon. Sunsets are predictably jaw-dropping.

More about Hunter Valley

For food and wine advice, click here.

For more honeymoon and travel advice from Mr and Mrs Smith, click here.

Courtesy of Mr and Mrs Smith

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