'Royal' Babymoons Fit for a Queen
Who wants to take a regular babymoon when there are royal babymoons to be had?
June 6, 2013— -- If there's a way for the hotel industry to exploit an earth-shaking event to its benefit, you can bet it will find it. Case in point: the impending birth of the royal baby.
The babymoon -- a trip taken by expectant parents to relax together one last time before their little one arrives -- is a well-established trend. But now the hotel industry brings us the option of a royal babymoon. And after all, who wants to take a regular old babymoon when there are royal babymoons to be had?
Never mind that Kate and Wills reportedly took their babymoon in February, on the island of Mustique (remember those controversial photos?). Also never mind that Kate, who is weeks away from giving birth, has absolutely no business being on an airplane between now and her due date.
PHOTOS: Will and Kate's Royal 'Babymoon'
And never mind the fact that several of these packages also carry a royal price tag -- one goes for $6,000 for a two-night stay.
Read on for "royal" babymoons fit for a (future) king or queen.
Draycott Hotel, London and Ellenborough Park, the Cotswolds, $2,600
"The mom-to-be will feel like the Duchess of Cambridge herself as she is greeted with sparkling cider and roses upon arrival, while champagne will await her partner," said the hotel. A two-night stay includes a prenatal massage for the mom-to-be; a voucher for a local London restaurant so the couple can enjoy a night out together; and ice cream delivered to their room before bed. Guests will depart with a signature Draycott Teddy as a gift for the newest family member.
The couple will then travel to the only five-star hotel in Cotswolds, where, during their two-night stay, they'll enjoy dinner for two; spa treatments, including a 25-minute prenatal body treatment, while her partner gets an aromatherapy massage.
Stateside, at least two hotels are jumping on the babymoon bandwagon.
Trump Hotel, New York, $6,000
The Trump Hotel New York has created a Trump Royal Heir Package for expectant mothers and fathers. The bundle includes a two-night stay in an executive room stocked with a prenatal pillow, massages for both mom-and-dad-to-be, in-room breakfast for two and a selection of special teas, smoothies and mocktails. The package also includes $3,000 worth of gift cards to spend at Neiman Marcus, FAO Schwarz and Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry.
Royal Palms Resort & Spa, Phoenix, $1,600
The aptly-named Royal Palms in Phoenix, Ariz., offers the Babymoon Bliss package, which includes two nights' accommodations, a photography session of mom-to-be's "bump" plus a $25 print credit; a "whatever-your-craving" in-room amenity plus cigars and cognac for dad; a prenatal massage for mom and a theputic massage for dad; selection of complimentary in-room movies such as "Expecting Moms," "Looks Who's Talking," "Three Men and a Baby," including a variety of gourmet popcorn, sparkling water for mom-to-be and chilled beer for dad-to-be.
Elsewhere, travel website HotelsCombined.com has come up with several babymoon packages around the globe.
Esencia, Riviera Maya, Mexico, $2,959
With an offer of round-trip transfers, daily breakfast and a three-night stay in a stunning ocean view suite, the Esencia already attracts its fair share of soon-to-be parents. The hotel's babymoon package goes even further and includes a "Nine Moons Essence of Life" massage, prenatal yoga lessons and a romantic candlelit dinner. In hopes that couples will return along with their new bundle of joy, Esencia also provides a gift certificate to celebrate the child's first birthday where his or her bill will be on the house.
Casa Velas Hotel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, $295 per person per night
The Babymoon Package at Casa Velas Hotel includes a stay in a Grand Class Suite for future mamas and papas as well as massages, breakfast in bed, and a couple's photo shoot where guests receive 20 printed photos to take home. The package also comes with a body cream set, a book of baby names and a specially prepared meal to enjoy on the flight home.
Hoteldorf Gruner Baum, Austria, $1,310Mums-to-be at this luxury resort receive a spa package totaling a whopping 210 minutes in addition to a ride in a horse drawn carriage (even though Kate opted to ditch this transportation option for her wedding), a gourmet chalet dinner and an ice cream treat to be shared in-room upon return. This is a four-night package.