The quasi-elopement-honeymoon.

RW and I decided to use some money we were given as a wedding gift to fund a two night stay in Quebec City (the European vacation for those who can't afford the full plane ticket) the weekend we get married. I dug around a bit on the Internet and asked a few people who know the city and ended up taking a Frommer's recommendation for the "Best Boutique Hotel": the Auberge Saint-Antoine. It's definitely not cheap but when I saw the pics on the site I was totally smitten.

Yup, having grown-up staying in mostly Best Westerns and Motel 60s, I'll admit I'm a sucker for a pretty hotel.

It can't hurt that the Auberge is on the site of a 19th-century maritime warehouse and incorporates the historic stone walls of the old building along with artifacts dating to the 1600s into many of the rooms. We didn't go so far as to get a "thematic" room which are decorated to look like the inside of a sea captain's living quarters - opting instead for a room with a terrace, fireplace and/or soaker tub. Yum.

We also booked the "gourmet package" which includes two dinners, one at the in-house restaurant Panache and the other at L'Echaude, a classic bistro-style restaurant. Double yum. Drool.

Even though I've always thought of the idea of a honeymoon as slightly tacky, ever since I was in Quebec City for a conference last year I've wanted to go back and explore it with RW. I guess I'll just have to use marrying him as an excuse.