The 9 most romantic hotels in the world to propose

For the most romantic moment of your life, you’ll want to propose in a suitably-special setting. Thanks to staff that go the extra mile to help you plan, as well as grand and romantic locations, these hotels have all been highly-reviewed as perfect places to pop the question.

Arctic TreeHouse Hotel in Lapland, Finland

Wake up to views of Lapland’s Arctic forest from the foot of your fur-covered bed at the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel. Here, luxurious, cubic huts feature Nordic design elements like wood, glowing lamps and natural materials to create warmth, while the north side of the hut is a floor-to-ceiling window with metres of snow coating the ground just outside. Try to time your proposal to coincide with the Northern Lights for an added bonus.

The Villa Casa Casuarina in Florida, USA

For a grand gesture, what could be better than the unbridled grandeur of Villa Casa Casuarina, the former home of Gianni Versace? The suites of this massive Miami mansion are arranged around a courtyard of fountains, palms, mosaics and marble statues, though you can also propose on the beach (just opposite). There are frescoes, a 54-foot outdoor pool lined with 24-karat golden tiles and an amazing Villa Suite; previously the boudoir of the fabled designer himself, featuring two balconies and a truly enormous bed.

Cragwood Country House Hotel in Cumbria, UK

Having inspired the great Romantic poet, Wordsworth, with its vast expanses of silvery water and rocky fells, the wild and windy Lake District is perfect for popping the question. Right on the shores of Lake Windermere, Cragwood Country House Hotel is a grey stone, Edwardian mansion on a 20-acre estate with manicured lawns, formal gardens and woodland that leads all the way down to the water’s edge – there’s a private pier for guests to arrive or depart by boat. And after a cinematic proposal, the interiors (wood panelling, decorative fireplaces and vintage leather armchairs) are especially conducive to cuddling.

Palazzo Guicciardini in Florence, Italy

The only downside in taking your proposee to the Palazzo Guicciardini for the occasion is that it’s so fanciful they might suspect something’s going on. Right in the centre of Florence, minutes from the terracotta-tinged riverside, the Ponte Vecchio and other major landmarks, this historic palazzo was once home to the powerful Guicciardini family. There are only eight suites, each of ballroom-proportion with high, stuccoed ceilings, carved wood panelling, frescoes by Italian artist, Poccetti, and a Renaissance gold and pastel colour scheme.

Hôtel D’Aubusson in Paris, France

Proposing in the Paris, aka the City of Love, is a classic. And Hôtel D’Aubusson captures everything you could want in terms of Parisian romance. Situated in a 17th-century townhouse in the swanky and central St-Germain-des-Prés area, its rooms are generously large for Paris and flanked in historic tapestries and Regency antiques. Whether you want to pop the question in your French aristocratic-style suite or atop the Eiffel Tower, the hotel staff will make sure champagne and flowers are ready for the big moment.

Katikies Hotel in Santorini, Greece

Each room at Katikies Hotel in Greece is its own whitewashed, cubist cottage built into the cliffside facing Santorini’s volcanic caldera. Its rooms are spotlessly, stark white in heavenly Greek Island style, with private plunge pools and balconies. Then there are the three shared infinity pools, whose icy-blue water blends into the sky, and a candle-lit, rooftop restaurant. Propose over an authentic Greek dinner watching the sun set over the Aegean Sea.

Matamanoa Island Resort in Fiji

With beaches so idyllic you’d think it was Photoshop, Fiji is a dreamlike setting for those looking to propose. On a tiny, tropical island whose sugar-fine sands can only be reached by boat or helicopter, Matamanoa Island Resort is a property with luxury, beachside bungalows. Snorkel around the island’s coral reef, swim in the infinity pool, stargaze, play tennis, take Fijian cookery lessons and enjoy massages beside the ocean.

Yehelim Boutique Hotel in Negev, Israel

Just a short drive from the Dead Sea and the ancient citadel of Masada, Yehelim Boutique Hotel is surprisingly opulent seeing as it’s in the middle of the desert. Rooms open onto private terraces with views of arid, biblical landscape, broken up only by the blue of the Dead Sea and the odd shepherd herding his flock through the hills. Watch the sand turn from caramel to umber to violet from an outdoor jacuzzi as the sun goes down, or practise morning yoga on the terrace before an abundant Israeli breakfast (reviews praise the hotel just as highly for its proposal backdrop as for its delectable breakfast spread).

Ikhaya Safari Lodge in Cape Town, South Africa

Toast your proposal with views of the Constantia Valley and vintages from the property’s own wine cellar at Ikhaya Safari Lodge, not far from Table Mountain. On an isolated spot on the hillside, this stone and thatch property has been revamped in the style of a sophisticated South African lodge surrounded by verdant gardens. The staff also goes out of its way to make sure your proposal is extra special; from rose petals on the bed to champagne in the sub-tropical garden.