If you’ve just won the lottery and you’re looking to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip (and make a one-time-only splurge), a number of hotel rooms are now totally within your budget, with nightly price tags that equal a year’s salary—or the GDP of a small island nation.
From the $20,000 Presidential Suite at Milan’s Hotel Principe di Savoia to the $50,000 Four Seasons Hotel New York’s Ty Warner Penthouse, these elite spaces have more than just a top-notch mini bar.
Travelers who can casually drop $75,000, for example, can customize the color scheme in their Grand Penthouse at New York City’s The Mark hotel. Guests can also host a dinner party for as many as 24 people in the spacious dining room—or just ask Chef Jean-Georges to create an exclusive meal for them on the rooftop terrace.
It’s not just the in-room amenities (think: a Steinway grand piano, private heated pool, and a library stocked with antique books) that entice high rollers to crack their wallets open wide. VIP access and royal treatment, like 24-hour suit tailoring from Bergdorf Goodman and a veritable fleet of butlers to serve you endless champagne and caviar, are included in your room rate.
While most of us will never be able to afford the digs, dreaming—and gawking—is blissfully free. Though we can’t promise you won’t be jealous of the outrageous views (or the perks) that are available to big spenders living the suite life.
Ty Warner Penthouse in the Four Seasons Hotel, New York City
Starting Rate: $50,000
This penthouse suite bears the name of the hotel's owner, and it does its namesake proud with design by architects IM Pei and interiors conceived by Peter Marino. The 4,300-square foot space has just one bedroom (a 600-square foot master suite filled with 18th-century Japanese silk pillows, hand-stamped Venetian velvet, Thai silk with 22-carat gold threads, and custom-designed furniture). Chill out in the spa room, peruse the extensive library stocked with hundreds of volumes on art and culture, play the suite’s grand piano, or soak in the chromatherapy infinity soak tub with views of the city below. Penthouse guests have access to a chauffeured Rolls-Royce Phantom, a personal trainer, and full spa treatments, unlimited caviar and champagne and a butler to serve it all. The penthouse sits on the top floor of one of Manhattan’s highest hotel, soaring 700-feet over the streets of the city and offering 360-degree-views of Manhattan.
Grand Penthouse at The Mark in New York City
Starting Rate: $75,000
In 2015, The Mark opened one of the most expansive—and one of the most expensive—hotel suites in the world. Their two-story Grand Penthouse has over 12,000 square feet of space, including a 2,400-square-foot outdoor terrace. The suite has five bedrooms with custom-made furniture designed by Jacques Grange and customizable color schemes and linens. Highlights in the master suite include a floating gas fireplace, his-and-her dressing rooms with walk-in closets, twin bathrooms with heated floors, and an infinity deep-soaking tub. You could, understandably, spend an entire vacation in the bedroom, but we recommend you get out a bit. After all, the Grand Penthouse also boasts a private library, two bars, a dining room big enough for a dinner party with 24 of your closest friends, and a living room that transforms into a ballroom. Star chef Jean-Georges, who operates the hotel’s signature restaurant, can create a private meal for you on the rooftop terrace, which offers breathtaking views of the city, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Central Park. If you’re in NYC for an event, the hotel offers in-suite hair styling by Frédéric Fekkai Salon and round-the-clock suit tailoring from Bergdorf Goodman.
Royal Penthouse Suite at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva, Switzerland
Starting Rate: $59,000
If your entourage is larger than Beyoncé’s, check into the Royal Penthouse Suite at Geneva’s Hotel President Wilson. The largest suite in Europe occupies the entire top floor of the hotel, with 12 bedrooms, 12 marble bathrooms (stocked with Hermès bath products), and sweeping views of Lake Geneva. The biggest hotel room in the continent features, naturally, one of the biggest TV screens in the world (a mammoth 103-inch Bang & Olufsen creation), a Steinway grand piano, and a collection of antique books and artworks that would make many museums jealous.
Penthouse Suite at Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez in France
Starting Rate: $37,000
The Hotel Martinez was opened by the son of an Italian Baron in 1929, and it has been making royalty feel right at home ever since. For the most regal experience, guests check into the seventh floor Penthouse Suite: a 3,000 square-foot space that looks out over the Boulevard de la Croisette is one of the largest in Europe. Clearly subscribing to the philosophy that more is always better, the suite boasts two living rooms, two dining rooms, and four king-size bedrooms. There’s also a private 3,000-square-foot terrace with a jacuzzi. It's the most perfect place in the region to sip champagne and admire the views of the Bay of Cannes.
Presidential Suite at the St. Regis New York in New York City
Starting Rate: $35,000
If you truly like to feel at home in your hotel room, head to the Presidential Suite at the St. Regis New York—one of the best hotels in New York City. The three-bedroom, four-bath suite brings all the comforts of a grand apartment to a 3,340-square-pad overlooking Central Park. There’s a full kitchen and formal dining room for hosting all of your fancy dinner parties, as well as a large foyer, living room, wood-paneled library, floor-to-ceiling windows, and large balconies with views of the park. Even the master suite is above and beyond, thanks to a dressing room, a bathroom outfitted with a jacuzzi tub, and a bedroom so luxurious no one would blame you for skipping a Hamilton performance. Guests also have access to the hotel’s butler service and Bentley fleet.
The Royal Suite at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai
Starting Rate: $27,000
Guests in the 8,400 square-foot, two-story Royal Suite are whisked to the 25th floor in a private elevator to enjoy uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf. The two-bedroom suite is outfitted with high-end sleep technology, including a pillow menu, Egyptian cottons, Eiderdown duvets, remote curtains, and posture-controlled king beds. There are two master bathrooms, each with full-size jacuzzi tubs and separate five-head rain showers. There are even his-and-hers sets of full-size Hermès products in each. Other highlights are the well-stocked library, private cinema, dining room for 12, and the world’s largest brigade of butlers, available 24 hours a day. If you can't pull yourself away from the lavish digs for the famed breakfast buffet at the hotel’s restaurants, you can always request it be sent to your suite.
The Penthouse at The Cove Atlantis in The Bahamas
Starting Rate: $20,649
The two-master bedroom Penthouse Suite at The Cove Atlantis in Paradise Island is a 4,070-square foot Bahamian oasis. Enjoy the ocean view from floor-to ceiling-windows or your wraparound balcony. When you tire of staring at the crashing waves, there’s a media room with a complete theater system and a 10-seat dining room with a private, on-demand chef. Alternatively, head to The Cove Club (a special retreat for guests staying in the suites) for a breakfast feast before spending the day at the resort’s 141-acre water park, Aquaventure. Here, you'll find 18 water sides, 11 pools, 14 lagoons featuring 20,000 aquatic animals, three white-sand beaches, and two river rides.
Royal Suite at Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris, France
Starting Rate: $20,000
If you book the Royal Suite at the Dorchester Collection’s 100-year-old Hôtel Plaza Athénée, the VIP-treatment starts when hotel staff retrieve you from the airport and whisk you to the largest hotel room in Paris. Classic interiors are filled with 18th-century antiques, but the room has plenty of modern tech amenities, too. Think: nine television screens hidden behind mirrors, a jacuzzi, a steam room, and even free Wi-Fi (a rarity these days). The suite has four bedrooms with designer linens and a pillow menu, four bathrooms stocked with upscale toiletries, three living rooms, a dining room, and a private kitchen. Pour yourself a glass of complimentary Krug champagne and toast to the City of Lights as you gaze at the Eiffel Tower from your room.
Presidential Suite at Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, Italy
Starting Rate: $20,000
Celebrate la dolce vita in the Presidential Suite at Hotel Principe di Savoia. The 5,400-square-foot room sits 10 floors above the the Piazza della Repubblica, offering splendid views of the city below. The three-bedroom, five-bathroom suite is filled with art and antiques, flowers by Armani, and décor that pulls from both Italian as well as French design. Inside the living room you'll find a working fireplace, and you'll discover the bar is stocked with Krug Champagne. A private chef helms the kitchen and can prepare risotto alla Milanese or a plate of pane e salame at a moment’s notice. To remind you that life is fleeting and should be enjoyed, the room features a Pompeii-style spa with a large private swimming pool, whirlpool, jacuzzi, sauna, and a Turkish bath.
