Whether you’re the next Rico Suave or asked coyly by Grandma every Thanksgiving if she’ll ever have grandbabies, chances are you’ve daydreamed about your future proposal. What will go down–quite literally — the day you hear these four petrifying yet glorious words: “Will you marry me?” But things have gotten a tad more complicated since dad wowed mom with some store-bought chocolate and cheap wine after proclaiming his adoration and proposing some decades ago. We live in a time where out-of-the-ordinary proposal packages are the norm and will most likely be immortalized forever on social media. Sound like high pressure?
“Proposing is one of the most nerve-wracking moments in your life, even if you know your partner is going to say yes,” says Kara Harms, travel blogger at Whimsy Soul. “Throw in logistics and getting all the little details right in a location you aren’t familiar with, and it can be paralyzing. My husband admitted he held off proposing for months just because he wasn’t sure how to do it.”
Luckily, we’ve gathered some of the world’s finest hotel proposal packages deliberately designed to alleviate stress while still giving you all the credit in BAE’s eyes.
Why does proposing on the road require that extra help? “When traveling, you’re a visitor and have less familiarity with the locale that’s different from your home,” explains Brandon Berkson, founder of luxury hotel concierge Hotels Above Par.
“Let your host, the hotel, ensure everything is seamless and taken care of, from start to finish. In the end, you don’t need to be a hero. Have someone help you with the proposal process when on holiday.”
Below is our selection of 10 hotels and resorts with unique proposal packages that make asking that anxiety-inducing question a whole lot more memorable — and a bit more manageable!
We hope you love the spaces we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
1. The Marquette Hotel — Minneapolis, Minnesota
Photo: The Marquette Hotel
Bachelorette fans may recognize Minneapolis’ The Marquette Hotel as the heavily-featured hotspot of a recent season. A spot romantic enough for reality TV in this Midwestern hidden gem also dazzles commoners with the “Say ‘I Do’ with a View” package. This unique proposal package takes engagements to literal new heights at the iconic Windows on Minnesota, a venue proudly perched on the 50th floor of the city’s IDS center, with birds-eye views of the downtown cityscape, a backdrop of twinkling lights setting a sexy ambiance.
No details are left spared; the couple will celebrate with a bottle of Champagne and a complimentary night in one of the hotel’s guest rooms. Romance connoisseurs can purchase add-on indulgences, including an upgrade to one of The Marquette’s luxuriously-appointed suites, chocolate-covered strawberries, rose petals, candles, or even a professional photographer to capture the magic.
Price: The “Say ‘I Do’ with a View” package starts at $500.
2. Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa — The Maldives
We get it: it seems pretty overwhelming to figure out where to propose in the Maldives, that picture-perfect archipelago of islands in the Indian Ocean. Luckily Emerald Maldives Resort and Spa takes the lead with their curated proposal packages.
Before the trip, guests will be connected with the savvy Engagement Concierge to map out their dream proposal. The groom-to-be will be whisked on a tour of the island to decide on a perfect location–whether it’s a private, candlelit dinner on the beach or while exploring the circus of marine life on a snorkeling excursion.
Especially romantic setups include an underwater diving proposal and a private cinema showing on their pristine beach and if said video is of your dearest memories together, please bring extra tissues.
Price: The Engagement Concierge is at no extra cost, and the activity cost varies.
3. Six Senses Zighy Bay — Musandam Peninsula, Oman
You’ll forget about the proposal butterflies when 960 feet above sea level, flying like the native hawk over Oman’s dramatic and verdant mountain range. Six Senses Zighy Bay, a bespoke village-inspired Omani resort, is nestled in the jagged coastline of the Musandam Peninsula. And while the five-star property is metaphorically jaw-dropping, their “Paraglide Proposal” package quite literally is.
Here’s the nitty-gritty: One minute, the future betrothed is on the launch pad at 960 feet above sea level, and the next, they’re enjoying panoramic aerial views of the Al Hajar Mountains, the expansive Gulf of Oman, and even some ancient fishing villages sprinkled in. As they come to descend with a soft landing on the pristine white sands of Zighy beach below, their soon-to-be fiancé will be bearing a “Will you Marry Me?” sign made of sticks and stones on the beach, of course, with Champagne to follow.
Price: The “Six Senses Zighy Bay’s Paraglide Proposal” package starts at $2600 for accommodations and the paragliding experience.
4. Four Seasons St. Louis — St. Louis, Missouri
Four Seasons St. Louis will ignite sparks quite the literally. The five-star property’s Sky Terrace rooftop stretches eight stories above this Midwestern metropolis, looking out over the storied Mississippi River, with that shiny Gateway Arch always in view. This romantic perch is the ideal spot to pop the question, as fireworks burst against a backdrop of wide-open skies and the shimmering edifice (cue Katy Perry). As if your own fireworks aren’t extra enough, the entire experience can be customized to include Champagne, music, and flowers.
Price: An hour-long proposal experience with fireworks begins at $4,000.
5. Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs — Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs may be associated with golf retirees and overpriced health retreats, but it’s also the unconventional romance spot you’ve been looking for. The Kimpton The Rowan Palm Springs “Just Say Yes!” package brings romance to literal new heights, as the hotel’s rooftop is the regions’ tallest building — and lest we forget the view of the San Jacinto Mountains and desert landscape from above the forest of palm trees!
Following the Q, couples can celebrate with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and a dinner for two at their otherworldly rooftop, 4 Saints. Of course, a personal photographer is on hand to capture the (hopefully) affirmative response, and the hotel suggests you book a night in one of its lavish suites to get jiggy with it afterward.
Price: The “Just Say Yes!” package starts at $1,400 per person.
6. The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills — Los Angeles, California
We wouldn’t expect The City of Angels to serve anything less than over-the-top extra-ness…ever. And The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills, an urban recluse frequented by many A-listers, certainly doesn’t disappoint with their engagement experience. You and your darling will have intimate access to the property’s rooftop — an 11,000-square-foot Penthouse Suite. Even more, the hotel provides a confidential consultation with a gemologist from VRAI, inviting your future mate to fawn over and be fitted for their engagement ring. Of course, the celebration will continue, with an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s suites, in-room Champagne, and desserts in the shape of VRAI diamond jewelry.
Price: The package is entirely customizable, depending on the desired premier suite and VRAI diamond budget.
7. The Augustine Hotel — Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, taking the superlative for Europe’s Most Romantic City with its embellished castles and ornate building, is an obvious overseas destination proposal chosen for intrepid lovebirds. And The Augustine Hotel, a former monastery turned luxury retreat minutes from The Charles Bridge, delivers the pinnacle proposal package. In warm weather months, lovers will be ensconced by flowers in the hotel’s tucked-away rose garden. While indulging in the six-course tasting menu for two, premium wines and Perrier-Jouët Champagne, the darlings will be treated to a live music performance of their choice. Of course, a proposal in a rose garden necessitates a bouquet of roses (provided by the hotel — don’t worry!) to bestow upon your future wife afterward. Because we all know Thomas Holcroft was correct when he said that both “love and a red rose can’t be hidden.”
In Prague’s more moody winter, the proposal dinner is moved into a private dining room with a cozy fireplace in the fairytale suite. The quintessential ending to your fairytale proposal is staying in the hotel’s Tower Suite, formally an astronomical tower, with a panoramic 360-degree view of Prague. Move over Kate and William — this is how the real royals do it.
Price: The package is around $1,170 for two people.
8. The River House at Odette’s — New Hope, Pennsylvania
You and your sweetheart will be feeling the heat quite literally with the “Fireside Proposal Package” at The River House at Odette’s, a charming boutique hotel anchored on the Delaware River in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The property boasts a fabulous covered outdoor space, Odette’s Overlook, with sweeping river vistas and an oversized stone fireplace for sipping cocktails on chilly nights.
This proposal package, which can be booked in winters from January until March, is the ultimate choice for nature-aficionados seeking something rustic yet romantic. It includes private sunset cocktails and canapes at Odette’s Overlook fireplace (hello, hot romance!) A photographer will be hidden to capture the proposal, and Champagne is chilled and waiting for a congratulatory toast afterward.
The heat continues afterward with a congratulatory dinner at ROOF, their exclusive, private members-only club open to overnight guests at the hotel. You can cozy with your lovebird overnight at one of River House’s premier suites, complete with a roaring fireplace and a dozen roses. We’re getting hot just thinking about it.
Price: Varies, depending on how comprehensive package is.
9. Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes — Orlando, Florida
Orlando is more than fanny packs and oversized Goofy t-shirts. It’s actually quite the romantic town, and nowhere is that epitomized more than the Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes 10 minutes from the commercial action of the city and two minutes from the natural action of the surrounding sunken wetlands.
Though there is a vast variety of intimate proposal settings on the resort’s 500-acre property, the sunrise swamp boat trip may be the most memorable. Okay, while boglands saturated with alligators, snakes, and other vile rodents (oh my), may not initially seem like the fairytale proposal location, the Ritz somehow creates a fairytale experience grander than neighboring Disney World.
Here’s how it works: A golf buggy will pick you both up from the hotel, swerving through the property and to your chariot AKA a two-person canoe on the marshy river (and we promise you won’t be fighting off crowds here!) The enchanting Everglades your backdrop, we can almost hear cartoon Louis a la Princess and the Frog serenading you as you get down (metaphorically — tipped canoes aren’t sexy) and propose.
Continue the post-proposal abundance of aphrodisiacs at the hotel’s famed restaurant, Knife and Spoon, conceived and led by award-winning Chef John Tesar, with a menu created with local ingredients found on the property.
Price: The cost varies depending on the time of year, chosen room, etc.
10. Napa River Inn — Napa, California
Photo: Shutterstock/Cheng Cheng
There is nothing like a glass of bubbly (or six) to calm those pre-proposal jitterbugs. Napa Valley, long revered as the ultimate romantic getaway for wine connoisseurs and gourmands, has long been a popular proposal spot. However, Napa River Inn, Downtown Napa’s highest Michelin-rated hotel, is particularly adorable with its “I Will” package (not to be confused with its equally eccentric “I Do” package for newlyweds.)
One of the hotel’s top concierge associates will be available to direct you to Napa Valley’s most romantic spots. Most unique in the “I Will” package is the optimal excitement of a customizable flash mob proposal along the Napa River. The couple can enjoy four nights in a romantic suite at the hotel with breakfast in bed, rose petals, fresh flowers, chocolate, and special linens as well. Lastly, the package includes local Napa Valley-produced diamond ring selection and delivery. No detail — or grape — is spared in this comprehensive package.
Price: The cost of the “I Will” package is $6,500, not including the cost of the ring. 