Ah, honeymoon. The period when spouses haven’t begun bickering on piled-up dishes, toilet seat positions and whose hair is all over the floor.
All the more reason you should cherish this brief moment. Make it count. Throw a dart on a map, book a flight with travel360.com, get a room at AirAsiaGo.com!
Now on to the question, how much do Malaysians typically spend on a honeymoon? We asked seven married/attached couples, all of whom are aged between 25 and 34 and reside within the Klang Valley:
- Marianne, actress and designer
- Hairul, senior executive in data science
- YL, senior executive in recruitment
- Melissa, freelance social media manager
- Sherene, business development
- Yvonne, senior executive in customer relations
- Tarm, management consultant
1. How Much Are You Willing to Pay for the Hotel?
Yvonne and Marianne: “RM1500 at most per night.”
Sherene: “Depends on what I’m looking for. If I want that 5-star experience, I’m willing to spend from 1.8k to 3k per night. Take note that this is for two adults, all inclusive – meals, beverages, activities, and spa would be a bonus. And in one of the nicest rooms, over-water suites/villa!”
YL: “RM500? People always accuse me of being atas. I just want comfort, you know. And I will splurge for the sake of my family.”
Compared to the others, YL doesn’t seem to be splurging at all. However, if you guys out there are like Sherene, here’s where you can look for 5-star accommodation near Maldives (or any 5-star hotel for that matter, you can change the location and filter by Property Class).
2. What Is the Most Important Thing You Look for in a Hotel?
YL: “Cleanliness, unique interior design, high-quality bedding, good service.”
Yvonne: “Nice late breakfasts – I wish hotel breakfasts would last till 11am cause I don’t want to wake up early for breakfast during my honeymoon…”
Marianne: “Location, privacy, soft bedsheets, elegant and crisp-smelling entrances and rooms, well-furnished/decorated room and a nice bathtub.”
Some of these requirements are very specific, especially ‘elegant and crisp-smelling entrances and rooms’. We wish such features were advertised in every hotel brochures.
3. Would You Stay in the Hotel for Most of the Time or Go out Sightseeing?
According to one unsolicited opinion, let’s call him Mr N, “If it’s a honeymoon I imagine some people would be locked in their rooms throughout their time away if you know what I’m saying…”
We don’t know what Mr N was saying but seems like these couples beg to differ:
Hairul: “Out and about because it is about the destination, not the hotel.”
Melissa: “For our honeymoon, we went sightseeing. But we did spend a little more time in the hotel than usual holidays because our honeymoon was right after our wedding, so we were exhausted from the wedding! We slept in a bit during the first few days of the honeymoon and ate at the buffet downstairs and in the restaurants nearby. But other than that, we were still out exploring till late.”
4. Are Hotel Services and Amenities Important to You?
Yvonne: “Of course, yes!”
Hairul: “Buffets, yes. Especially breakfasts. Restaurants and other amenities not so much because most of the time I’ll be out. It’s important that it’s Instagrammable :P”
Melissa: “Depending on the location. If my destination is like the Maldives or Inle Lake in Burma then yes, it’s very important because these destinations are secluded and away from city/town. So no food or activities nearby.”
We got mixed answers on this one. But one thing for sure, Maldives is unsurprisingly, a popular destination for honeymoons. And you guys know where to look for cheap and comfortable hotels near the Maldives.
5. Would You Rather Go to a Beautiful but Packed Destination, or Lesser Known but Fewer People?
Marianne: “I would pay a higher price for beautiful but private-type environments.”
YL: “For a honeymoon, lesser known and fewer people. Meant to spend more time with your loved one than getting caught up in a host of activities and people in the locality. And after a crazy wedding planning period, we would just want time to unwind at a place that is less hectic and less crowded.”
Sherene: “I think I’m leaning towards ‘lesser known with fewer people’ because more people means slower hotel service, food finishes faster and the beach has no spot for you to put your beach towel down and relax, and you’ve no privacy.”
Hairul: “Both, because both are beautiful. But fewer people would mean a more affordable hotel.”
It seems like we have a consensus on this one. If you haven’t planned yet, you can also pick Malaysia as your destination, where you can get a room in Kota Kinabalu for as cheap as RM392 per person!
How Do You Spend Your Honeymoon?
Despite being in our late 20s, most of us here in travel360.com are single (email us for further inquiries). So by default, we would look for the most affordable AirBnB around. However, married couples have different needs (of course), so we are fascinated to hear about the differences.
How about you, how do you typically spend your honeymoon? Share with us in the Facebook comments section!