Across Inspirato’s collection of 900+ luxury vacation options, there are numerous places for a romantic getaway, from remote tropical islands to serene mountain peaks and everything in between. With the right company, a romantic experience can be had anywhere, but few countries are as renowned for their charm as Italy.
This summer, Inspirato Members Charles Worden and Erika Palmaer experienced Italy’s allure first-hand — and marked a major milestone — in one of its dreamiest destinations: Lake Como.
The trip started when Erika’s sister suggested Lake Como as the family’s next vacation. “She’s always the one who goes through the Inspirato website to find the next cool place,” Erika said. Lured by the lake’s beauty and eclectic history, Charles, Erika, and a group of their family and friends took a weeklong vacation to Inspirato’s Vista Lago residence, located right on the water. “It was a wonderful house,” Charles said. “Everything seemed original with a lot of character and the town was great. You could walk to everything, like the local bar and pizza joint.”
Beyond enjoying Lake Como’s excellent restaurants and numerous activities, Charles had something else up his sleeve: he was planning to propose to Erika during their time in Lake Como. Charles’ Member Care and on-site destination teams arranged logistics for the big moment, including a local musician, decorations, and a private boat with a captain. Even better, his Destination Concierge offered something even more important: “She definitely calmed me down when I got nervous.”
When the day arrived, the whole group decided to get dressed up for a nice dinner at their residence; everyone but Erika knew what was coming next. Just before they were about to sit down and dine, Charles asked Erika to take a walk outside. “She looked like she knew something was unusual,” Charles said.
They strolled to the residence’s lakefront yard to find a boat decorated with flowers and champagne. With a captain manning the oars, Erika and Charles cruised around the lake before pulling up to a piece of the shoreline, where a local musician was strumming his guitar and playing “I Will” by The Beatles, one of the couple’s favorite songs.
The pleasant sounds and beautiful scenery created the perfect setting for the big moment. Charles got down on one knee and proposed… and Erika said yes.
“There were people on their balconies giving us cheers and toasting us,” Charles said. “It was great.”
The couple took one more leisurely stroll around the lake in their boat before heading back to their Inspirato Residence, where their family and friends were waiting. “There was a telescope in the house, probably as a decoration, but they pulled it out to the backyard and were able to watch us. They were spying on us,” Erika said with a laugh. The group then celebrated with a comforting, home-cooked meal made right in their Inspirato Residence.
Throughout the rest of their vacation, the newly engaged couple and their companions explored the various towns around the lake, including Bellagio, Argegno, and of course, Como itself. Their explorations were easy thanks to the lake’s system of ferries.
“We definitely didn’t need a rental car because it was so easy to travel from place to place by the ferry,” Erika said. “It was really convenient to have the ferry come up right next to the house.”
One highlight was a lavish Fourth of July event at the iconic Villa d’Este hotel, complete with fireworks and live music. “We were joking that was our engagement party. It was really fancy night,” Erika said.
Before their October 2018 wedding, Erika and Charles have a few more Inspirato vacations planned. Along with their families, they’re visiting the award-winning Ocean House resort in Rhode Island, and spending Christmas in St. Michaels, Maryland.
Inspirato Members rely on the club for unforgettable vacations, whether they’re traveling for milestones like an engagement or simply getting away from their daily routine. Don’t miss any stories about how Inspirato Members experience the world: subscribe to IN the Details and learn more about joining the club.