8 Epic Babymoon Hotels in the U.S.

For more than 30 years, the Post Ranch Inn, which sits along a cliff 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean, has been a go-to retreat for devotees who believe well-being starts with a place that honors its natural environment—and treads lightly on it, too. Big Sur architect Mickey Muennig designed the 40 guest rooms that rely on solar power; all were fashioned out of recycled wood, and the structures blend in with the Santa Lucia Mountains. Views through enormous windows face either the Pacific Ocean or the mountains. Wellness plays a role in every experience on offer, whether it’s a reflexology treatment, a shaman healing session, a doctor-led sleep program, or a private guided hike or meditation session in the nearby ancient forests.

Nature may have spent 12 million years creating the rock formation that is the centerpiece of this 1,300-acre Hilton Curio Collection resort in the foothills of the Sonoran Desert, but late-coming humans have done a commendable job of adding the finishing touches. Although the Boulders, with its casita accommodations blending into the landscape, its championship golf courses, and its upscale shops, is as luxurious as any resort in the Scottsdale area, it’s also where guests are most likely to feel they are truly in the desert. An early-morning walk along groomed paths, when the first rays of light are turning the landscape golden, is as likely to produce the sounds of woodpeckers or owls calling from their nests in saguaro cacti as it is the whack of a ball against club or racket.

The sweet smell of plumeria floats on gentle trade winds into each guest room at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. When entering the room, you may be surprised that floor-to-ceiling picture windows and a beautiful private lanai (patio) beckon you to step back outside—closer to the rhythmic surf and paradise in nature. In the hotel’s main building, each morning you can wake up to warm accent colors in your room that recall the previous evening’s sunset. Natural light fills the entire space and you can brew a lovely cup of Kona coffee before leaving your room to face the world. A 2009 remodel of the main building rooms along with a 2013 beachfront wing renovation enable guests to unwind in the comfort of updated interiors that still remain true to Laurance S. Rockefeller’s original vision.

Occupying a full block in the heart of downtown, Belmond Charleston Place is the largest luxury hotel in the city and has all the perks a seasoned traveler might require, from a saltwater pool with retractable glass roof to old-school shoe shine services. The Market Street entrance leads right to the grand lobby, with its imperial open-arm staircase, 12-foot crystal chandelier, and Italian marble floors. The old-fashioned Southern elegance is echoed in the guest rooms, done up in mahogany and damask.

The property’s ground floor is the closest thing downtown Charleston has to a mall, hosting some 26 stores and boutiques including Kate Spade and Louis Vuitton. It’s a great home base for exploring the city, with additional entrances on Meeting and King streets. And don’t forget to scope out the gorgeous Art Deco Riviera Theater across King Street—a 1930s movie palace turned event space.

Tucked away on a bend in the road on the northern part of Collins Avenue, the Soho Beach House feels surprisingly removed from the Miami Beach bustle. Once inside, however, especially on a weekend, it’s evident that the hotel is hardly a secret. Weekend brunches bring throngs of hungry locals, who rave about the charcuterie and cheese spreads. Lots of common areas—two pools (one is adults-only) and several open-air eating spaces—contribute to a constant social hum, as does a packed events and activities schedule. The hotel’s members-only club, allowing access to a private library and dining room, among other things, adds an air of exclusivity that makes Soho Beach House even more popular. The hotel makes liberal use of rough wood walls and a furnishing aesthetic that draws on a “little bit of everything” approach, with mismatched furniture and decor. For the most part the rooms have a rustic, homey feel in keeping with the hotel’s overall vibe, but numerous amenities—including classy home-style minibars—help justify the price.

This English-inspired hotel has been the place to stay in New Orleans for basically forever—well, since it opened in 1984, at least. It’s plush without being pompous, stately without being too serious, though it should be said that this is the kind of place where gents might wear a pocket square and watch fob and feel right at home. The $8 million art collection, which includes original works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Huysman, is museum-worthy (you can even take an audio tour), and the 4,500-square-foot spa, part of the 2012 $22 million renovation, is one of the city’s most luxurious. Other notable upgrades include the lobby cocktail bar—a more feminine alternative to the leather-clad Polo Club Lounge, and an outdoor pool.

The most enviable address in Waikiki, the beachfront Halekulani is all about restrained elegance and pitch-perfect service. The hotel dates back a century, though it was entirely rebuilt in the 1980s—and the room decor—fifty shades of white and plantation shutters framing the turquoise sea—complements the scene outside. The beach itself is small and usually mobbed, but the pool is a dream—a giant oval big enough for laps, and quiet enough (few kids here) for a long doze under your chaise’s umbrella. The grassy courtyards and seaside restaurants are just as improbably serene; some might say stuffy, but for others, the reliably hushed atmosphere is a welcome tonic to the hubbub of Waikiki, just outside the Halekulani’s marbled entrance.