This month, we went looking for new Smith hotels in Fiji. Our search uncovered Dolphin Island, a private-island stay just north of Viti Levu. In the Indian Ocean, we plotted a romantic rendezvous at Anantara Kihavah Villas, a desert-island dream of a hotel in the blue-gold Maldives.

Next, we went coastal in south-east Asia, discovering Bunga Raya (above), an eco-chic escape in Sabah, Malaysia, and Fusion Maia Resort, a luxe beachside retreat in Hoi An, Vietnam, that offers unlimited spa treatments. Oh yes.

In Transylvania, we braved vampires for cosy Copsamare Guesthouses (left), a rustic retreat spread across three houses in a sleepy village. Over in LA, we braved egotistical film directors for Petit Ermitage, a laidback Hollywood hideaway with resident butterflies and hummingbirds.

Down under, we tasted our way through the Hunter Valley at gourmet getaway Spicers Vineyards Estate, then went glamping at Spicers Canopy, a hotel with 10 luxury tents and 8,000 acres in Scenic Rim, Queensland.

Check back next month for new hotels in the UK, Naples, the Bahamas and Los Angeles.

Another trio debuts in New Orleans, as we reveal the fruits of our first foray into Louisiana – namely, Soniat House, a colonial-creole townhouse in the French Quarter, International House Hotel, a white-columned bolthole on the corner of Camp Street, and Loft 523, a set of Italianate designer apartments. Up north in New York state, Capri joins us in the happening Hamptons.

In the UK, the grand old charm of Ellenborough Park caught our eye, an outdoorsy estate in the Cotswolds with 90 acres and a gun room to its name.

We also voyaged to Italy, calling in at lesser known Le Marche, a rural region that’s home to fairy-tale farmstay, Casa San Ruffino.

As for city slickers, we revisited Madrid and found two refined retreats in high-end Salamanca, both of which come with rather special dining options: Hotel Unico is home to the Michelin-starred Ramon Freixa, and Villa Magna (above) offers a Cantonese restaurant, as well as the elegant main affair.

In India, we found Aman New Delhi, our first design den in downtown Delhi, with a serene spa, regular art events and its own custom-cool auto rickshaw. Across the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, we fell for two romantic Maldives marvels on castaway atolls: Naladhu, an intimate, reef-fringed retreat, and Baros (above), a lagoon-luxe getaway with overwater villas.

Finally, we hightailed it to the heart of Bali, where view-blessed Viceroy Bali in a rustic Ubud valley took our fancy.

Next month we’ll be treating you to more stylish new stays, with heavenly hideaways in Mexico City, Turkey and Sri Lanka…

The Tube has got sweatier, Brits are getting their toes out and, next door to Smith HQ, the strange half-naked man has started watering his plants again. This means two things: summer is a comin’ and it’s holiday time. Our latest crush is the Maldives, the pearl in the Indian Ocean, and more seductive and colourful than the swimwear-clad contestants at a Miss World competition. Given our penchant for blue seas and skies, white sands, fine food and infinity pools (did we mention private fleets?) there’s only one place we want to stay. Even its name makes us happy: Huvafen Fushi…

Style Maxi-minimal dream come true
Setting Ocean colour scene

Why this week? We’d go every week if we could. Luckily for us, the resort’s current boutique hotel discount (25 per cent off stays for Smith members) means even more reason to jet off, sink into sun-warmed sands and dip our toes in sapphire seas.

Our favourite bits This hotel doesn’t hide its charms under a bushel – the sea-and-sand setting will wow you immediately. Another shot of azure comes from the large lagoon-like infinity-edged pool, which bleeds into the watery horizon of the Indian Ocean. By night, it’s romantically lit with fibre-optic lights and reflects the inky sky. Did we mention the world’s first underwater spa, designed by the ever-innovative Richard Hywel Evans and offering award-winning treatments? Ooh, and the boat fleet and diving centre for energetic types?

We also love the fact that there’s a restaurant for almost every day of the week: fine fishy dining around the open kitchen at Salt, set in an overwater pavilion; spa cuisine at Raw; all-day low-key dining at sandy-floored lagoon-view Celcius; wine-matched meals at Vinum; pizza under the palm trees at Fogliani’s. We’ve left the best ’til last though – each room has its own private plunge pool, and the three pavilions are incredible; the Beach Pavilion is everybody’s favourite.

Mr & Mrs Smith say ‘As soon as we’re left on our own, I test out the speed dial for Lime, Huvafen Fushi’s spa, and book myself a treatment called Essential Hands on the basis that if they say it’s essential, who am I to argue? Mr Smith, meanwhile, has uncovered the in-bungalow dining menus and is reading aloud from them in rapt tones – like an epicurean episode of Jackanory… There’s also an activity list for the week. We particularly love the idea of a guided snorkel, in which a marine biologist will take you to the best spots on the nearby reef and tell you about the sealife you’ll see. How he’s going to do that underwater is anyone’s guess. Flashcards?

That evening, tired from our long journey, we manage to stay awake just long enough to enjoy an amazing meal of freshly landed seafood at Salt, the resort’s fine-dining restaurant, before succumbing to that enormous bed. The next morning, though, we awake to a glorious day – something that Huvafen Fushi knows how to make a proper event of. The wall of windows opposite our bed has remote-control blinds, so that you can sit up and watch as your deck, your infinity pool, the bright-blue Indian Ocean and equally azure sky are dramatically revealed, one by one. We lazily wander to Celsius, the island’s main restaurant, for breakfast. The resident Head of Fruit (yes, really) gets us to try dragonfruit and mangosteen for the first time, and despite Mr Smith’s doubtful expression, we both decide they’re quite delicious.’

Read our full review of Huvafen Fushi, Maldives…

What? Red Carpet Diamond Chandelier Earrings. Sixteen beautiful and soft rose cut diamonds are surrounded with 410 round brilliant cut diamonds, set in 18-carat white gold – sophistication that wouldn’t look out of place in Red Carpet Central, aka, Los Angeles.
Worth? £16,100
And by the week? £525
Wear them at: Maison 140, LA. The Stateside former residence of silent-movie beauty Lillian Gish has all the swank of a Hollywood film set: Far East meets West Coast as bold Oriental prints preside over vintage French furniture and deco pieces put together with a Modernist’s eye.

What? Kaleidoscope Bangle. This rainbow-bright diamond and gemstone bangle features topaz, tourmaline and citrine set in 18-carat yellow gold – its colourful, undulating design brings to mind seaside and bougainvillea-bold shades (even if it is October).
Worth? £10,925
And by the week? £730
Wear it at: The Oberoi, Mauritius. Glamour-on-sea perches on the shores of this luxurious Indian Ocean island overlooking Turtle Bay. Don’t let the thatched roof fool you, the resort’s restaurant – an open-sided pavilion – warrants elegant evening attire. Mr Smith can admire your wristwear while you feed him morsels of classic European, Asian and local Creole cuisine.

What? South Sea Pearl Necklet. Diamond spacers show off delicate strands of pearls, descending to a huge South Sea pendant of a pearl. This is perfect bridal material, but why save it for matrimony?
Worth? £3,620
And by the week? £245
Wear it at: Mollies, Auckland. This hip harbourside haunt amid the bars and restaurants of Ponsonby is a store of vintage details, classic furnishings and understated finesse – with smart clientele well able to appreciate your South Sea stunner.

What? Mr Dragonfly brooch. There’s an ethereal meets art deco feel to this emerald-, garnet- and diamond-studded invertebrate – pin to a black dress or plain shawl in a bid to distract fellow diners.
Worth? £2,580
And by the week? £175
Wear it at: Hotel Britania, Lisbon: Forties-built with strong art-deco leanings, this Portuguese bolthole is the perfect partner. Up the glamour ante at aperitif time with your borrowed brooch, as you sink into a squishy sofa in the hotel’s sheeny shiny retro Bar do Império.

What? Art Deco Pink Sapphire Pendant. A rosy hued drop pendant secured in 18-carat white gold, with a few diamonds for good measure – take it to Florida and let the Sunshine State’s rays bolster its resplendence.
Worth? £2,750
And by the week? £180
Wear it at: The Setai, Miami. At this landmark South Beach hotel, you can’t overdress. Your (don’t tell ‘em it’s rental) necklace against the hotel’s ravishing retro glitz is the olive in your super-stylish, pre-dinner martini.

We cross our garden, unlock the gate and make our way over to the Oberoi’s main pool – a black volcanic rock-framed delight lined with deep-blue tiles and surrounded by statues. ‘It’s like being in an Indiana Jones film,’ says Mrs Smith as she breast-strokes her way across the pool while attempting to keep her hair and Ray-Ban Wayfarers from getting wet. ‘Follow me,’ she says, speaking in the conspiratorial tone she uses with our young nieces.

So we swim from the end with the long-nosed, big-lipped Easter Island-esque statues, past the half-submerged goddess heads and under a vast iron bell to the restaurant end of the pool. Here, at a table just two feet from the turquoise, beach-lapping waters of the Indian Ocean, we eat a delicious fish salad. Were the fish on our plates any fresher, they’d no doubt be attempting to leap back into the sea. But thankfully it’s just us who take to the waters for a post-prandial paddle. We walk hand-in-hand along the line where waves break gently on the shore, emerging only occasionally from the swell to feel warm white sand between our toes and inhale clear, salt-tinged air into our lungs…

Read the rest of the Oberoi hotel review here. Every time we publish a new hotel write-up from one of our panel of independent reviewers at Mr & Mrs Smith, we’ll let you know here on the Smith Travel Blog. We visit every property in our hand-picked hotel collection, and get it reviewed by a real-life couple to make sure it meets our ridiculously high hotel standards.

Our only brief to these boutique-hotel visitors is to go with their real-life Mr or Mrs, check in anonymously, have a jolly good fun (but critically minded) time and then report back to us with a no-holds barred account. If you fancy checking out who’s on the Mr & Mrs Smith reviewer panel, do the clicky thing – otherwise have a look back at the blog in the coming weeks, as we’ll be introducing you to some of our under-the-covers style spies.

If there’s one homewares shop that lets customers get a little boutique-hotel chic to go, it’s Graham & Green in Notting Hill. And now they have an outpost in Reading too. I grabbed a minute with one of its owners to ask him how he gets his travel kicks.

What is your favourite place in the whole world?

My colonial Portuguese villa in Goa in India, which I spent a year renovating. It’s in a tiny village called Assagao near Mapusa, where there’s a great market. It hadn’t been lived in for 40 years and we opened it all up, whitewashed throughout, added a water feature to the courtyard, kept all the original capiz-shell shutters, restored the big hardwood doors and replaced the mud floor with a yellow-dyed concrete floor.

What was your best ever holiday?

We had our honeymoon in Morocco and stayed at this lovely riad in Marrakech near the medina. It had this amazing ambiance in the evenings – they’d play opera and the mix of classical with the calling to prayer was really romantic and theatrical.

And the most memorable sight you’ve ever laid eyes on?

The Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan is incredible – loads of travelling gypsies gather to trade and if you get there a week before there are thousands of camels in the desert. All the ladies are dressed up and there’s an amazing fun fair – we didn’t dare go on the rides, but we did hire a couple of horses.

Smith card holders can get an exclusive 20 per cent discount on Graham & Green purchases: just go to our current shopping offers.

Here she reveals her favourite wedding-dress designers, UK wedding venues, caterers and honeymoon destinations…

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DEBORAH JOSEPH’S LITTLE WHITE BOOK

THE DRESS
Fishtail or fairytale? A-line or slinky? Choosing your wedding dress is the biggest fashion decision a woman will make in her lifetime. And finding the right designer/retailer to ensure you are top-to-toe perfect is essential. Luckily, the UK has a range of incredible places to buy from.

My favourites? Pronovias on Bond street is perfect for brides who want glamour and flamboyance; Jenny Packham’s wedding dresses (available nationwide) are unique with a boho twist; and Caroline Castigliano’s dresses are perfect for that classic, traditional look.

THE VENUE
The first thing you need to do after he’s popped the question is choose your venue and make sure it’s free on the date you want to get married. You need to ask yourself the following question: do you want to marry in the city, the country, in a stately home, or in in a marquee wedding at home? Then you can start your search.

I had a city wedding and married at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, but other venues I love include London’s Claridges, The Grove (half an hour from London), Blenheim Palace, and Stoke Park.

THE CATERING
Although the day is about you and your husband, for a truly great wedding, you need to make sure your guests are well watered and well fed. Lunchtime weddings are cheaper than evening weddings as you don’t need to serve a three course meal and guests tend to drink less alcohol. Buffet-style receptions can also be a good budget option. If you’re getting married in a hotel, they will usually work with reputable catering companies, which they will recommend to you.

Alternatively, three of my favourite catering companies are: Celia Clyne based near Manchester; and Rocket and Blue Strawberry in London.

THE HONEYMOON
The time of year you get married will influence where you go on honeymoon. If you’re marrying in the summer, Europe, and West Coast America are fabulous (California’s Napa Valley is beautiful and great for wine-tasting; and the London West Hollywood in Los Angeles is a new favourite). For winter honeymoons, head to Australia, a safari lodge (Sasaab in Kenya is truly special), the Caribbean, or – my favourite – the Maldives.

I honeymooned at the Conrad Maldives and can honestly say it was the most incredible holiday of my life. My top tip? Even if you’re looking for an adventure honeymoon, give yourself at least a few days of relaxation as you’ll be exhausted from the wedding!

Why to go Safaris epitomise romance, with spine-tingling safari drives, the thrill of a close encounter with nature’s biggest and strongest beasts and tall tales told round the campfire. In the spectacular Kruger National Park, wildlife abounds: there are white rhino and buffalo in the densely wooded southwest; and the eastern plains play home to wildebeest, impala and zebra – in turn attracting prides of lions. After a few days of safari drives, you’d have to have been pretty unlucky not to have seen the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino.

When to go Winter (July–September) is the dry season and is the best time to spot game, although it will be cold at night; there’ll be plenty of newborns in summer (November–December) but it will be hot and humid.

Where to stay Safari honeymoon hotels in Kruger include luxury lodge Lion Sands; modern-among-the-trees Singita Lebombo; and safari-and-spa stay Tintswalo. See more safari lodges…

THE CLASSIC BEACH HANGOUT

Coastline Lush, sun-kissed Thailand
Coast life Beach-basking and bar-hopping

Why to go Providing the blueprint for the perfect honeymoon getaway, this tropical Thai island ticks all the white-sand, blue-sky boxes and promises a hedonistic fortnight of sun-lounging, spa pampering, sundowners and fragrantly spiced food. If you’re feeling energetic, rent a boat and explore the hidden coves of the Ang Thong National Marine Park, or kayak off gorgeous Cheong Mon beach.

When to go Koh Samui’s hot-weather high season is from May to November, ideally coinciding with the late-summer wedding window. It’s still pleasantly sunny during the off-peak periods, although be prepared for rain.

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in Koh Samui include hilltop spa retreat Six Senses Hideaway Samui; secluded seaside stay Anantara; designer beach bolthole The Library.

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03 Venice

THE WORLD’S MOST ROMANTIC CITY
Cityscape Archipelago of alleyways
City life Walking on water

Why to go Mist rising over silvery lagoons; the rhythmic ‘doop’ of gondola oars striking the canal floor; masked figures darting behind Byzantine and Baroque buildings… Venice is a visual, sensual, historical treat, and if its maze of alleyways and many surprising sights fails to quicken your pulse, you may as well call it a day right now. Stray off the beaten track and you’ll discover your own classic Venetian vignette.

When to go Avoid August, which is hot, sticky and crowded. Autumn is our favourite time to visit; November is quietly fabulous when the city is cloaked in fog. February is great, especially if you’re going to a carnival ball, but you’ll have to book your hotel well in advance. Spring in Venice is also lovely.
Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in Venice include Baroque boutique hotel Ca Maria Adele.

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04 Indian Ocean

DESERT-ISLAND FANTASY
Coastline Nothin’ but blue skies
Coast life Coconuts, cocktails and coral reefs

Why to go When you dream of sailing into the sunset on a deep, glassy sea, it’s probably the Indian Ocean you’re imagining. Whichever island archipelago you choose, you’ll be rewarded with the classic escape-from-it-all tropical-island dream, with floating palm fronds, kingfisher-coloured lagoons, vanilla beaches and cornflower-blue skies. Scuba divers will be in seventh heaven on a Maldivian atoll; get a taste of the East in magical Mauritius; or go for untrammelled luxury on a Seychelloise private island.

When to go Between April and October for Mauritius, when the mercury doesn’t shoot up too and the island is at its driest. It’s incredible humid from January to March: frizzy hair and fainting spells might spoil the mood a bit. In the Maldives, you’d be very unlucky to get more than a few days’ rain on the trot, even in the Monsoon season (mid-May–November). The Seychelles are good year-round, but the islands are at their driest May–October, their wettest December–February, and their most humid October–April.

Where to stay Indian Ocean honeymoon hotels include Cocoa Island or Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives; Frégate Island Private, Round Island or Maia Luxury Resort & Spa in the Seychelles; Constance Le Prince Maurice or The Oberoi in Mauritius.

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05 The Garden Route

ADVENTURE ON A GRAND SCALE
Coastline South Africa’s coastal wilderness
Coast life The greatest show on earth

Why to go Hugging South Africa’s rugged coastline and passing some of the continent’s most beautiful landscapes, this fertile swathe of country is astonishing in its natural diversity – it’s a feast for the eyes, with dramatic cliffs, dense bushland and mighty mountains. And whether your idea of fun is whale-watching, beach barbecues or bravura bungee-jumping, one thing’s for sure: you won’t be short of things to do.

When to go With about 300 days of sunshine a year, the Garden Route is a good choice at any time. Areas such as Plettenberg Bay do get crowded in peak season, particularly at Christmas and Easter. Winter days from May to September will still be warm but temperatures dip sharply at night. July to November is the best time for whale-watching.

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in South Africa include private coast look-out, Castle on the Cliff; Nature’s Valley polo estate, Kurland; and East-meets-West escape, Ichibi Lakeside Lodge.

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06 Belize

FOR UNDERWATER EXPLORERS
Countryside A Central American beauty
Country life Piña coladas, getting caught in the rain

Why to go Belize offers not only glorious beaches and some of the best diving on our blue planet, but also jungle-clad mountains and Mayan ruins; it’s a stunning one-off, from its reef-adorned Caribbean coast to the inland Cayo, boasting lush rainforest, white-water rivers, sacred stalactite caves and plunging waterfalls.

When to go Belize has a year-round subtropical climate, but can be quite wet with brief but frequent showers and clouds outside of the driest months (January–May). August to October is hurricane season.

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in Belize include Francis Ford Coppola’s forest retreat Blancaneaux Lodge; private-island getaway Cayo Espanto; chic shore-shack Turtle Inn.

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07 Marrakech

EXOTIC AND EXCITING
Cityscape Minarets and mountains in Morocco
City life Mint tea, mules, medina mayhem

Why to go A three-hour flight from London transports you to North Africa; only a short hop from Spain across the straits of Gibraltar, but exotic, mysterious and a world away from modern Europe. A perennial favourite with the boho-chic jet-set, mediaeval Marrakech provides intrepid honeymooners with a glimpse of Berber, Arabic and Moorish heritage. A dawn hot-air balloon ride over rose-hued rooftops, with views of the ancient Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert, has to be one of the most romantic experiences on earth.

When to go Marrakech can be too hot to handle from June to August; we love autumn and spring, when sunny days and balmy nights allow for rooftop sunbathing and starlit dining.

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in Marrakech include elegant Arabesque riad Noir d’Ivoire; Palmeraie retreat Ksar Char-Bagh; and boutique guesthouse P’tit Habibi.

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08 St Barths

COSMOPOLITAN CARIBBEAN
Coastline French-Caribbean jewel
Coast life A-list beach lounging

Why to go As chic as Paris, as cosmopolitan as Cannes… St Barths may be a French-flavoured island with a jet-set fan club, but make no mistake, it’s still as laid-back and gorgeous as its commonplace Caribbean counterparts. More brasseries than beach shacks? Bien sur. Croissants for breakfast? Mais oui… Blue skies, sugar-soft beaches and aquamarine seas? Yeah baby! This is sophisticated honeymoon heaven.

When to go At the tail end of high season (January–April), room rates drop and the beaches empty out; but if you want to be seen with the in-crowd, Christmas and New Year is when the party sails into town. September–October is ‘rainy season’; the rest of the year, trade winds keep the temperature hovering pleasantly around the 30ºC mark.

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in St Barths include cottage retreat Hotel Guanahani & Spa; rarefied star stay Eden Rock; and jungle bungalow bolthole La Banane.

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09 Tuscany

RENAISSANCE ROMANCE
Countryside Cypress Hills of Italy
Country life Pleasures for every palate

Why to go Renaissance beauty Florence, mediaeval marvel Siena, cowboy country Maremma… why not go? Tuscany’s popularity might make you think it’s not the ideal place to get away from it all; but deep in the Chianti countryside, Tuscany’s glories can be enjoyed at every pace, from dozing in the shade of a tree to galloping cross-country with Maremma’s horsemen or hitting Florence’s fashion boutiques. Whatever your holiday wont, this corner of La Bella Italia won’t disappoint.

When to go The cities of Florence and Siena are best enjoyed outside the peak summer season; the countryside can be busy with tourists throughout summer, but once you’ve escaped to your honeymoon retreat, you won’t notice…

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in Tuscany include Borgo Santo Pietro near Siena; L’Andana in Maremma; Villa Bordoni in Chianti; JK Place in Florence.

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10 Napa Valley

WINE, DINE & UNWIND
Countryside Fields of dreams
Country life Havin’ a vine time

Why to go Napa may have been the setting for an ill-conceived stag do in the film Sideways, but it makes a wonderful backdrop to a honeymoon of wine, wooing and wandering in California. With impeccable French-inspired cuisine, a benign climate and some beautiful scenery, it’s hardly surprising that couples flock from San Francisco for some refined R’n’R. If you’re feeling flash, you could of course always charter a helicopter to buzz you to your boutique hotel…

When to go The exciting autumn harvest is known locally as ‘the Crush’. You might want to time your visit and go just after or just before, when the weather is perfect and the crowds less madding.

Where to stay Honeymoon hotels in Napa include ravishing retreat Calistoga Ranch; modern-day pleasure-centre The Carneros Inn; and lyrical hideaway Poetry Inn. See also Hotel Healdsburg in Sonoma County.

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For more honeymoon-holiday eye candy, check out our Top 10 Honeymoon Hotels feature.

Still not seen anything that tickles your fancy? Really? What are you, some sort of stone-hearted misanthrope?! Find your fantasy honeymoon destination with Mr & Mrs Smith…