Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega-rich

Most of us have simple demands when it comes to travel lodging– a bed, a bathroom, a TV and wi-fi. There are others, however, whose demands far eclipse the simple convenience of your basic hotel room. When the world’s most wealthy travelers take a vacation for their own, they are treated to suites that cover entire floors of a hotel building, rooms that include a personal butler, hell– some even come with their own private helicopter. Take a peek into the experience of the world’s most wealthy travelers. Here are 10 of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world.

10. $15,500 a night – Imperial Suite, Park Hyatt-Vendôme

Paris, France

Situated on the second floor of the Park Hyatt-Vendôme’s Haussmanian building is the hotel’s 750 square-foot Imperial Suite. Thise pricey suite has high ceilings, a dining room, kitchenette and bar. When visitors tire of toiling, they relax with an “In Suite Spa” that comes outfitted with a steam room, Whirlpool and built-in massage table.

9. $16,000 a night – Royal Suite, Four Seasons George V
Paris, France

The George V in Paris boasts a pair of “sumptuous” Royal Suites that each come with private terraces and rooms filled with antique furniture. Each suite has a marble entrance, a full kitchen, a sauna and a separate bathroom for guests. The expensive 2,600 square-foot suites are split into separate spaces for sleeping and entertaining, both of which also have a private office.

8. $17,500 a night – Royal Armleder Suite, Le Richemond
Geneva, Switzerland

Le Richemond’s Royal Armleder Suite reopened in 2007 after an extensive restoration of the hotel’s seventh floor, which the luxury suite occupies the entirety of. The suite is bedecked in gold, mosaics and parquet floors and has a 300 square-foot terrace with stunning views of Geneva and the nearby Alps.

7. $18,000 a night – Royal Suite, Burj Al Arab
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A two-story suite that centers around an epic staircase, Burj Al Arab’s Royal Suite has Carrara marble floors, mahogany furniture and a master bedroom with a rotating four-post canopy bed. Guests enjoy Hermes bathroom products, Faubourg fragrances, their own private elevator and cinema and for a bit extra– a chauffeur driven Rolls Royce or helicopter.

6. $18,200 – Ritz-Carlton Suite, The Ritz-Carlton
Moscow, Russia

Floor-to-ceiling windows outline the Ritz-Carlton Suite at the hotel chain’s Moscow location. Imperial furniture fills the 2,500 square-foot suite, which comes with a heated floor, a grand piano and a library. The suite has views of the Kremlin, Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral and visitors get to enjoy five meals a day and their very own KGB-approved autonomous energy supply system and secure telecommunications array.

5. $25,000 a night – Bridge Suite at The Atlantis
Paradise Island, Bahamas

The 10-room Bridge Suite at Bahamian resort The Atlantis fills the entire space linking the hotel complex’s two flagship towers. Forbes reports the suite has hosted guests including Oprah and Michael Jackson. [pic via flickr]

4. $33,000 a night – Royal Penthouse Suite, President Wilson Hotel
Geneva, Switzerland

President Woodrow Wilson reportedly suffered from high blood pressure, so it’s safe to assume he would have appreciated a stress-free stay at President Wilson Hotel’s Royal Penthouse Suite. Consuming the entire top floor of the hotel, the four-bedroom suite can hold up to 40 guests in its cocktail lounge and is said to be the best digs for heads of state wanting to make an impression when they’re in town on United Nations business. [pic via guardian uk]

3. $34,000 a night – Ty Warner Penthouse, Four Seasons
New York

The Ty Warner Penthouse practically floats in Manhattan. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround all sides of the massive suite, surrounding guests in 360-degree views of the city skyline from atop Manhattan’s tallest hotel. The nine-room suite has walls inlayed with mother of pearl, gold and platinum-woven fabrics, and the room itself includes a private butler, unlimited global calling and TVs programmed to receive every channel in the entire world.

2. $40,000 a night – Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Palms Casino Resort
Las Vegas

Hugh Hefner’s Playboy-themed suite at the Palms Casino resort has a $700,000 jacuzzi that cantilevers out above the Las Vegas strip. The 10,000 square-foot, two-story suite comes with around-the-clock butler service and (of course) a rotating bed set beneath a mirrored ceiling. [pic via guardian uk]

1. $50,000 a night – Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi
Athens, Greece

The Grand Resort’s Royal Villa gives the world’s most exclusive guests a private version of everything imaginable. The only other people lucky guests have to see while secluded in their heated pool, steam room or private beach is the suite’s dedicated butler, chef and pianist.

http://stylecrave.com/2009-05-15/luxury-hotels-10-of-the-worlds-most-expensive-resorts/

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

GETTING THERE

This is my trip report from three trips to Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI). I was there in January, 1994, July 1995, and January 1995.

Tortola is one of the BVI and is located about 30 minutes from San Juan Puerto Rico by airplane. American Airlines flies there in small planes because the airport on Beef Island (adjacent to Tortola) has a rather small runway. Tortola is 95% mountains and the roads go up and down at seemingly 45 degree angles. However, I would recommend renting a jeep as that is the easiest way to travel on the island even though it is only about 20 miles from end to end.

Diving in Tortola

Dive operators include Underwater Safaris and Baskin-in-the-Sun which is under new ownership since a year ago. In talking to the instructors, many came to Baskin from Underwater Safaris because they too have a new owner and he does not understand how to be successful in the dive business. I was VERY happy with Baskin the first two trips to Tortola but was disenchanted the last time because they have turned the operations into a numbers game rather than depending on repeat business. This is sad because the instructors employed by the operation are quite good and very knowledgeable and with the new philosophy, their ability to give good service to guests is diminished. They have two locations: West End where I went, and Road Town. Road Town is primarily used to service the Prospect Reef Hotel while West End Services the smaller hotels like Sugar Mill and Long Bay Beach Hotel. There is a third dive operator on the island as well.

Baskin's dive boats are geared to handle up to 14 divers comfortably but most days we had significantly fewer and one day had only two, myself and an instructor. Baskin also has a much larger dive boat, Narcosis Two that is used on long trips, e.g. to the Chikuzin or for large groups. This boat is out of the Road Town location only.

I often prefer to go off with another person rather than staying with the group. Baskin allows this once they see how you dive, how much air you use, and how your buoyancy is controlled. I was even allowed (on a shallow, calm dive) to go off by myself without a buddy. (Horrors, I know. I came up after about an hour with 1300 PSI - actually I solo dive all the time when allowed) Dive sites from West End are about a half hour boat ride in a protected five mile wide channel that feels like open water without the waves. Dive sites from Road Town would be about 15 minutes less. There are usually more divers from the Road Town location, however and sometimes the number on a boat is substantial.

Arrow Crab

The dive package includes three boat dives per day. Shore diving is not really available. Night dives are available but extra. Virtually all dives sites have significant fish and coral populations. Some dive sites have greater chance of large pelagics. On this trip, for the first time, I was chased out of the water twice by sharks (7 foot bull sharks). However this was on the Atlantic side of Tortola which is rarely dived. Fish population is diverse and typical of the Caribbean but I saw a frog fish which is rare, a snake eel which is rare, and of course the standard assortment of rays and eels of different varieties. Angels include Queen, Gray, French, Rock Beauties. Many varieties of Parrotfish, tangs, damsels, chromis, etc.

Food on Tortola is a bit "pricey". The most expensive dinner was$38/person but it was also the absolute best (Sugar Mill); this is a must do restaurant. The Apple Restaurant had good conch and fish, Pussers had good deli food. Night life on Tortola is a bit sparse. What there is of it seems to exist in Cane Garden Bay on the North Side of the island.

Spotted Moray Eel

Costs vary depending on where you stay. The MOST expensive is Long Bay Beach Resort which has a gorgeous but not very functional beach. Nearly as expensive is Sugar Mill which is my current favorite if we ever return to Tortola. Both have a meal package but I would not recommend that in the case of Long Bay Beach Resort if you are willing to go around to other restaurants. Things are cheaper in the off season and having been there on and off season, there does not seem to be a difference. During the summer there may be less winds so the Atlantic Side is occasionally able to be dived and the diving is a bit more exciting on this side. In general, there may also be fewer fewer people. I stayed at Long Bay Beach Resort and found that quite satisfactory but the service and people at Sugar Mill are much better.

http://www.underwaterphotos.com/BVI.htm