Travel experts Mr & Mrs Smith have traveled the globe and selected their pick of the best luxury hotels in which to pop the question and help guarantee a resounding ‘yes’.
Finding ‘the one’ is the easy part… it’s choosing how and where to drop that knee that makes most men dizzy with nerves. The choice of location is key – no one wants to be caught going down the cliché route, but then again… who doesn’t want that swoon-worthy story to tell your grandchildren?
Continentale, Florence, Italy
Sleek, minimalist design, smart fashion photography and gorgeous contemporary touches at Florence’s Continentale (pictured in the lead image) help produce a winning counterpoint to the surrounding Renaissance architecture (all of the city’s masterpieces are within walking distance). Every ardour-inflaming angle of the hotel’s Penthouse Suite, set atop the 13th-century Consorti tower, is proposal-ready: lovebirds can spy the Arno from the canopied bed, the Duomo from the bijou terrace and Ponte Vecchio from the plunge-pool-sized bath tub. Ask hotel staff to arrange a seductive scene on your terrace or the hotel’s view-blessed rooftop bar La Terrazza overlooking the city.
Smith Extra: A bottle of wine and Salvatore Ferragamo bath products
Vomo Island Resort, Fiji Islands, Fiji
Jaw-dropping Vomo Island Resort in Fiji – set on a dinky, crocodile-shaped island in the easy-to-reach Mamanucas – offers pure shores, a crystal clear sea, and perfect settings for romantic surprises, especially when illuminated by candles at night. Sleekly designed with stylish local touches, all Vomo’s digs are dreamy, with simple mod-Fijian styling, ensuite showers and spa baths. There’s plenty to do in the day, from snorkelling, paddle-boarding, hiking up the hill for breathtaking views or circumnavigating the whole island. At night, arrange with staff to set up a candlelit dinner either on the villa deck or the button-cute beach of smaller sister island Vomo Lailai (just two minutes away by boat), where you can feel at ease tucking into eclectic, locally-produced dishes against a backdrop of the soothing sea.
Smith Extra: A private beachside dinner for two
L’Hotel, Paris, France
It may be the place where Oscar Wilde quipped his last, but L’Hôtel – an opulent boutique hotel on Paris’ arty Left Bank – is so much more than a fin-de-siècle relic. With a glamorous underground pool, a Michelin-starred restaurant and a bar beloved of the French capital’s style set, it is as much of a destination stay as ever. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to locations for that special moment… our favourite might be during an early evening stroll around the pool gardens, but choose anywhere in this charming hotel and it’ll remain romantically in your mind forever.
Smith Extra: Either a glass of champagne each or, if you choose to eat in the restaurant, a bottle of wine selected by the maître d’
Amilla Fushi, Maldives
Luxury resort Amilla Fushi shakes up Maldivian style like one of its poolside cocktails. Here, wooden walls and thatched roofs are swapped for gleaming white modern cuboids with private pools, as if Mies Van Der Rohe’s pavilion took a beach break. However, it has retained all that’s sacred about an Indian Ocean getaway: incredible snorkelling and diving, sand-set relaxation and five-star food. If you’re thinking of asking friends along on the trip (what better way to ease pre-proposal fears), be assured as all of the rooms are spacious and each house has a sizable private pool. We’d recommend the expansive Ocean Reef House or one of the secluded treehouses for a truly unique experience.
Smith Extra: A cookery lesson with one of the resort’s talented chefs
Keemala, Phuket, Thailand
Birds’ nests, seedpods, thatched hobbit holes: Phuket resort Keemala’s pool villas are incredible architectural anomalies nestled in glorious greenery and waterfalls, offering a magical hinterland backdrop. Keemala’s holistic philosophy proposes healing spa rituals, healthful home-grown cuisine and an eco-friendly ethos, bringing you close to nature. It’s the ideal place to celebrate love in quiet luxury, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better location than the private pool terrace overlooking your jungle paradise, or even your open-air bath tub, both of which are shielded of course from fellow guests’ eyes.
Smith Extra: A 90-minute Harmonising Massage for two in the spa
With Mr & Mrs Smith you’ll enjoy our best-price guarantee, as well as a little something extra on arrival at every hotel. To book, call toll free at 800 905 326 or visit mrandmrssmith.com.
