It’s a classic story. Girl meets boy. Girl and boy fall in
love. Girl and boy move in together. Girl and boy talk mortgages,
marriage, babies. And then? Nothing. Girl waits. And waits. And waits. Tired of waiting: nearly one tenth of proposals are
made by womenI want to grip Girl by the shoulders and give her a good shake.
“Why wait?” I want to bellow. Why hang around, expecting
him to do the ring-buying and organising and agonising? Be brave! If
you want to get married, don’t mope around dropping hints. Take
a risk. Does Girl know that nine per cent of proposals come from women
these days? I didn’t think so. And this is the year to do it.
It is a leap year and, traditionally, February 29 is the day when it
is “acceptable” for women to propose. So if you need an
excuse, seize this opportunity and do it. Ask him. A few words of warning, though. Keep it (fairly) simple, and keep
it private. Just because you want him to drop to one knee at the top
of the Eiffel Tower does not mean he’ll swoon if you do the
same. And be pretty sure he’ll say yes. Finally, a drink
beforehand won’t go amiss. Here are 10 ideas on where best to land your man - on February 29
or at any other time.advertisement
1. Stay in bed No, you can’t just roll over between your own grubby sheets
and pop such an important question. Choose instead an extravagant
four-poster in the moated Ch%26acirc;teau de Bagnols, a magnificent
13th-century castle in Beaujolais, 17 miles from Lyon. Start the
evening in front of the vast Gothic fireplace in the Salle des
Gardes restaurant. Feed each other morsels from the Michelin-starred
menu and indulge in the excellent wine list before heading upstairs
to, well, seal the deal.
Double rooms in the Ch%26acirc;teau de Bagnols (0033 474 714000, www.bagnols.com)
cost from %26pound;310 per night, room only.
2. Hit the bottle
Is it terribly unorthodox to get him drunk first? Surely not,
especially in the stunning surroundings of South Africa’s
Winelands. Spend a few days relaxing in Cape Town, then head to the
village of Franschhoek and do a leisurely circuit of the area’s
vineyards. After an afternoon of sipping vintages and staring out
over rolling valleys and jagged peaks, he’ll feel mellow enough
not to be shocked. Celebrate afterwards with an elaborate meal at
the Tasting Room (in Le Quartier Fran%26ccedil;ais hotel), rated one of the
best restaurants in the country.
A double room in Le Quartier Fran%26ccedil;ais, Franschhoek (00 27 21 876
2151, www.lequartier.co.za) costs from %26pound;240 per night,
including breakfast.
3. Climb every mountain
Set yourselves a challenge, such as the Inca Trail, to complete
together. Not only will you feel rather worthy, but you’ll find
the experience bonding - and end up in one of the world’s most
spectacular settings, to boot. Stay at the Sanctuary Lodge, right by
Machu Picchu, and creep out at dawn to watch sunrise together,
alone, over the ancient ruins. The mist-shrouded Inca structures,
early-morning Andean light and your spontaneous proposal should
prove utterly intoxicating.
A seven-day trip to Peru, including three days on the Inca Trail
and one night in the Sanctuary Lodge, costs from %26pound;3,810 per person
with Journey Latin America (020 8747 8315, www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk), including all
flights, transfers, accommodation and some meals.
4. Down the pub
Avoid his local - the last thing you (or he) will want is an
audience of his football mates. Instead, make a weekend of it in a
(really good) pub with rooms. The Star Inn in Harome, north
Yorkshire, has a dark, cosy bar where you can hide away with pints,
as well as an excellent Michelin-starred restaurant, plus cosy rooms
in a converted barn, opposite. Clear your heads next morning with a
brisk walk in the North York Moors National Park, nearby.
The Star Inn (01439 770397, www.thestaratharome.co.uk) offers double rooms in
the Cross House Lodge for %26pound;140 per night, including breakfast.
5. Feeling fiery
Choose a romantic landscape that reflects your passionate
relationship. Sicily’s volcanic Aeolian Islands are suitably
hot-blooded. By day, explore Lipari ’s black-sand beaches or
play Roman Holiday on the back of a Vespa. Evenings take on a more
dangerous edge: choose a night-time sail past Stromboli, the most
active of the volcanic islands. Watch the spectacular nocturnal
flashes of lava, vapour and ash illuminate the sultry sky from the
safety of the water, then kiss him passionately and stake your
claim.
Long Travel (01694 722193, www.long-travel.co.uk) offers four nights to the
Aeolian Islands from %26pound;498 per person, half board, including return
flights and island hopping.
6. Go gigging
Be impulsive and shout the question at Europe’s greatest
music festival, Glastonbury. Wait until the close of his favourite
band’s set; he should be feeling a bit reckless, and excited
enough by the music and mayhem to shout back a spontaneous
“Yes!” Just be sure, when you’re home and sober and
the mud has dried off your wellies, that he realises you meant it.
Glastonbury runs from June 27-29. Line-up and ticket
information: www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk.
7. Food with a view
For the finest views of the Manhattan skyline, bag (or, indeed,
book - several months in advance, for that matter) a window table at
Asiate, on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental. The
French-Japanese fusion cuisine is superb, but the real draw is the
view over Central Park. Add a bottle of bubbly, and he’ll be
swooning before you’ve even asked. You can smooth away any
pre-proposal jitters in the slick spa.
A double room at the Mandarin Oriental, New York (001 212 805
8800, www.mandarinoriental.com), costs from %26pound;358, room
only. Reservations for Asiate restaurant: 001 212 805 8881.
8. Whisky galore
If your man is fond of a wee dram, treat him to a crash course in
whisky blending at Glengoyne distillery. You start the day as
you’d hope: with a nip, in the lovely surroundings of a nearby
waterfall. Then it is off to the sample room for a lecture on
flavours, before you’re let loose with a flask and a row of
single malts. You can taste as you mix, which means you’ll both
be in suitably high spirits by afternoon’s end. Whisk him back
to the waterfall and say your piece.
Related Articles
No user responded in this post
Leave A Reply
Please Note: Comment moderation maybe active so there is no need to resubmit your comments