Destination Weddings and Honeymoons

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Recently my hubby and I took a dream trip to Thailand, finally cashing in on frequent-flier miles and hotel-rewards points we had been squirreling away for years. We stayed at three different Marriott properties while we were there, but our favorite by far was the Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa, just featured this past Monday on The Bachelorette! 

We were upgraded unexpectedly to a garden-view pool villa, my first time ever having a private plunge pool. Um, yeah. I’m in love. There really is nothing better than stepping out of your sliding-glass doors directly into a refreshing pool, completely hidden from the outside world by a tropical garden and a high privacy wall.

We did manage to pull ourselves away from our villa for excursions like a hike to Bangpae Waterfall and a tour of mystical Phangna Bay. But honestly, it was a challenge to leave our cozy quarters, which were equally charming inside, with a king bed, a sitting area, a large bathroom with a garden-view shower, and best of all, a cathedral bamboo ceiling.

Other perks at the resort were the gorgeous breakfast spread we enjoyed each morning on the terrace of Loca Vore restaurant, the beachfront infinity pool and the unspoiled sands of Mai Khao Beach.

If Thailand is on your radar for your own honeymoon journey, the resort’s new Renaissance Rose & Romance package is a steal at $2,580. The price includes a two-night stay in the same pool villa in which bachelorette Ashley Hebert stayed during her time at the resort; daily buffet breakfast for two; a private speedboat trip to James Bond Island in Phangna Bay (plus a romantic picnic lunch on its secluded beach); a signature spa treatment for two; and a dinner for two on the beach or in your villa. Visit www.renaissancephuket.com to book. (I’m tempted to go back!)