Pop Goes the Question: Our Most Romantic Proposals

“Engagement Season.” Believe it or not, it’s a thing. Oh, and it starts right about … now.

If you’re on Facebook, you might already be aware of this fact, because your News Feed is full of “he popped the question!” and “she said yes!” posts from friends and family. It’s true, winter really is engagement season. According to a recent survey, Christmas Eve is the most popular day to propose, followed closely by Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

Love is in the air, folks, and it’s the real deal — the kind that results in marriage. Perhaps not surprisingly, we loooove love at Kimpton. So when someone approaches us for assistance with a proposal, we squeal from excitement, and then get right to work.

Here are a few great stories about some of our most romantic proposals — guests who got engaged with a little help from our Kimpton staffers.

Vincent and his girlfriend Stef planned a trip to San Francisco to celebrate his birthday. Little did she know, he had bigger plans than blowing out candles. Unfortunately, as the trip approached, he began to become frantic because he hadn’t settled on the perfect way to propose. He decided to give Hotel Palomar a call. After several texts, emails and phone calls with Team Palomar, Vincent decided a picnic overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge was the way to go. Armed with a picnic basket full of essentials and a spectacular view, Vincent asked Stef to marry him. Upon their return, Team Palomar had set up a framed photo of the couple in the lobby, where the newly engaged duo was greeted with a toast by guests and staff alike. When they got to their room, they were surprised to find flowers, macaroons, Prosecco and nostalgic photos scattered throughout the room.

Mr. Kelly proposed at The Surfcomber in Miami’s South Beach. Perhaps more noteworthy, he proposed at our daily Wine Hour, and the majority of the hotel got involved. In true Kimpton fashion, Mr. Kelly actually hula hooped as he listed all of the things he loves about his girlfriend in front of a delighted audience in the lobby. Then he dropped to one knee. Once she said yes, the hotel staff came out with a massive sign that read “Congrats, from Kimpton!” Guests cheered them on as they happily made their way to a hotel room filled with rose petals and bubbly.

Now’s the time I should tell you about my own engagement story at Kimpton. That’s right: I’m a Kimpton employee who got engaged at a Kimpton.

My boyfriend and I planned a weekend getaway to visit The Goodland — Kimpton’s newest hotel, and one that beckoned us with tall palm trees and Santa Barbara surf-chic décor. Chris had decided this was the weekend he was going to pop the question. He worked with the hotel in advance, which resulted in some of my Kimpton colleagues being privy to the fact I was going to get engaged before I was.

After a long drive down to Goleta from San Francisco, I opened the door to our hotel room to find dozens of roses, Champagne, and a nail polish station complete with file, remover and top coat. It dawned on me that I had perhaps (OK, definitely) expressed some concern to Chris that my nails would not be ring-photograph-worthy if and when he proposed. Chris got on one knee and proposed, with our dog as a witness. As predicted, my nails were in rough shape, so I painted them as we sipped Champagne, and then we texted a photo (no caption was necessary) to our family and friends. For the rest of the weekend, every staff member of The Goodland managed to find their way to us and offer their congratulations. We felt so special.

So there you have it. Stories of love and lifetimes together beginning at Kimpton. Planning on popping the big question anytime soon? I may be biased, but calling up one of our wonderful Kimpton concierges is a great place to start.