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Thursday 18 September 2014

11 OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE HOTELS


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11 Of The World’s Most Expensive Hotels
By Robert James,
Hi Consumption, 11 September 2014.

For most of us, price is a significant factor when choosing a hotel. We’re looking for comfort, location and amenities, but we don’t want to go crazy with the bill. Rarely do we find ourselves saying, “I don’t care what it costs, just book it.” The hotels on this list, however, or at least the rooms on this list, do not fall into that category. If price is of any concern, it’s probably best to give them a miss. In tracking down the most expensive hotels in the world, we quickly learned that the most expensive tend not to even list prices. This made the task much easier. Any hotel or resort that didn’t list a price, automatically made the list. In that sense, a lot of these hotels are priceless. [List in no particular order.]

1. The Lanesborough, London

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Cost: US$13,000 Per Night

In comparison with most of the hotels on this list, The Lanesborough, at around US$13,000 a night, is a bargain, one step up from the YMCA. This is England, so forget infinity pools, saunas, and your own private basketball court with inlaid bar. Instead you get a drawing room, a study, and a view of Buckingham Palace.

2. Hotel Cala di Volpi, Italy

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Cost: US$45,000 Per Night

Built in the style of a traditional fishing village on the island of Sardinia, the Cala di Volpi has more Mediterranean charm than the Amalfi coast. The Presidential Suite has a private swimming pool, a fitness centre, and a solarium, because when you’ve just spent all your savings on a room for the night, the last thing you want to do is go outside in the sun.

3. Laucala Island Resort, Fiji

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Cost: US$40,000 Per Night

On the island of Fiji, Laucala Island Resort is one of the most sumptuously exotic places to spend the night in a hotel. Here’s where you can snorkel among brightly coloured coral, ski, go horseback riding, or play golf. Even go deep sea fishing. The Hilltop Estate Owners Accommodation is luxury among luxury, and can run you, allegedly, upwards of US$40,000 a night, which, quite honestly, sounds just a little excessive. But no worries, supposedly, before you can stay here, you need an invite from the owner, Dietrick Mateschitz, who also owns Red Bull.

4. Burj Al Arab, Dubai

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Cost: US$2,000-$12,000 Per Night

No list of the world’s most anything would be complete without an entry from Dubai. From the world’s most artificial city comes the Burj Al Arab, billing itself as the world’s first and only 7 star hotel, built to look like a sail boat and perched on an artificial island. There are no rooms at the Burj, only suites. They come with everything you can think of, and much that you didn’t. If you want, you can have a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce. Need a private butler to help with the toilet paper? No problem. Helicopter arrival? Yes. Chakras out of whack? Indulge in an organic body wrap or hot stone massage to get them realigned.

5. Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris

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Cost: US$30,000 Per Night

On the fifth floor overlooking Europe’s capital (well, some people think it’s Europe’s capital) is the Royal Suite, the largest four-bedroom suite in Paris. Gone is the smash and grab of Dubai, and in its place are 18th century panellings, damasks (weaved fabrics), and luxurious silks, all of it creaking with Parisian chic, antique furniture, and old money.

6. The Four Seasons, New York City

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Cost: US$30,000 Per Night

For the US$30,000 or so that a stay in the Ty Warner Penthouse costs - once you get above US$25k the exact amount doesn’t really matter, it’s a lot - you get a heated toilet seat and a bed that’s higher than anyone else’s in New York, plus a lifetime supply of Beanie Babies. Dripping with onyx, rock crystal and 22 carat gold silks, if this isn’t relaxing enough, there’s always the waterfall in the Zen room. Why is there always a Zen room? Just once, couldn’t we have a Dick room?

7. Raj Palace, India

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Cost: US$45,000 Per Night

The Maharaja’s Pavilion is just one of the Presidential Suites at the Raj. The other is the Shahi Mahal, due to open in October 2014. The Pavilion is a four floor apartment. The first floor is for your secretary. Your vacation museum, in case you were wondering, is on the second floor. The third floor is where you’ll find the library. For any of this to make sense as a vacation spot, possibly you need to be running a country. The fourth floor used to be the Pleasure Pavilion, which if you get lucky, it could easily be again. The Maharaja used to live here, and since he was essentially the king, the whole place is quite lavishly decorated. And, rumour has it, reasonably expensive, too.

8. The Connaught Hotel, London

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Cost: US$24,000 Per Night

We like the Connaught because it’s a small, refined hotel that doesn’t try to be on everyone’s list. You stay at the Connaught because you know it’s there and not everyone does. It offers a quiet, sophisticated air, a place where you can sit in the lounge and still read a newspaper without anyone bothering you. It’s expensive, but not so expensive, unless you’ve rented the Apartment for the night, with its 24-hour butler service, Michelin star chef, and 3,000 feet of opulence. There’s no bungee jumping at the Connaught.

9. Grand Resort Lagonissi, Greece

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Cost: US$40,000 Per Night

Some people will tell you that the Royal Villa at the Grand Resort Lagonissi is the most expensive hotel suite in the world. We couldn’t even find the price, that’s how expensive it is. Rumour has it that it’s around the US$40,000 mark. If you have to ask, clearly you can’t afford it. This is mildly disturbing, as before we checked in at the Ramada, we wanted to know the price. Located on the Athens sea front, the Royal Villa is equipped with all the trappings you’ve come to expect when you put up the equivalent of a down payment on a home for a few hours kip. Marble bathrooms, butler (well, butler’s quarters at least), heated indoor pool, gym, private wooden terrace, works of art, dining room and fireplace, and this is what really sold it for us, hi-speed Wi-Fi.

10. Hotel President Wilson, Geneva

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Cost: US$65,000 Per Night

The Royal Penthouse Suite at Hotel President Wilson bills itself as the largest and most luxurious hotel suite in the world, and we’re not about to argue. With 12 marble bathrooms, its own gym, a billiards table and a Steinway grand piano to tinkle on (on the off chance that all the bathrooms are being used), you’ll also be able to take in the panorama of the Alps from the wraparound terrace over a morning bowl of Alpen. Also, the windows are bullet proof glass, so if a jealous friend manages to shimmy up the outside and take a shot at you, no problem, it’ll bounce right back. At US$65,000 for one night, the Penthouse Suite also comes with staff, including guides to show you around town. But having just spent 65 grand, do you really want to go out?

11. Lover’s Deep, St. Lucia

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Cost: $150,000 Per Night

The ultimate expense in overnight accommodations, however, surely must be this one, which is not a hotel in the usual sense, but a submarine - also not in the usual sense. For 87,500 English pounds, per person, per night, that’s almost US$150,000 per person, per night, you get to experience a luxurious sub equipped with your own personal crew, along with other good things. Since it’s been provocatively designed with only one thing in mind - membership in the Mile-Low Club - presumably there will be at least two of you, making it, at US$300,000, surely a night to remember. At least, we certainly hope so.

[Source: Hi Consumption. Edited. Some links added.]


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