Shortcuts to Paradise

Montego Bay’s
pristine white sand; Photograph Courtesy of Istockphoto

GREAT ESCAPE #3: JAMAICA
JetBlue began nonstop service from Logan to Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport this year, and US Airways has upped its nonstop winter service to five days per week. What better reason to jet off to the posh 400-acre Half Moon resort in nearby Rose Hall? Just hours after leaving Boston, you’ll hit the sand on Sunset Beach or splash in one of the property’s 51 — yes, 51 — swimming pools. And say goodbye to all the stress you accumulated while planning the wedding: The resort’s new 68,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor spa, Fern Tree, is a pampering palace that offers everything from yoga and massage to hydrotherapy. For the ultimate splurge, try consulting with the “spa elder,” who will customize a treatment for you using botanical ingredients grown on-site. Then again, you might prefer to hole up in your plantation-style room — or your own private villa. It is your honeymoon, after all. Doubles start at $400; 888-830-5974, halfmoon.com.

The pool at the Westin Dawn Beach; Photograph by Warren Jagger Photography

GREAT ESCAPE #4: ST. MAARTEN

St. Maarten instantly became more appealing to New Englanders when JetBlue added direct service from Boston to the Caribbean isle in 2008. Not that it wasn’t already enticing. The split-personality island — half Dutch colony, half French — is a taste of Europe in tropical surroundings. Get a sprinting start on your relaxation by checking into the Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa. It’s just a few miles from where flights touch down, but feels worlds away. Think: a freshwater pool with a swim-up bar, an unbeatable location on Dawn Beach, and the Hibiscus Spa, the largest on the island. Since this is gambling territory, you’ll also find a Vegas-style casino on the property. Go ahead, hit the slots. Your wedding ring is your new lucky charm. Doubles start at $302; 599-543-6700, starwoodhotels.com.