expensive

Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega-rich

2009-10-01T18:30:00.000+02:00

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

2009-03-02T00:19:00.000+01:00

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

Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

2008-12-20T14:04:00.000+01:00

These towering mountains provide the best skiing in North America, with the biggest vertical drop. It's funny what a difference 30 years and $600 million can make. Whistler's charming village offers everything snowboarders and skiers crave: cafes, international stores and over 100 restaurants that cater to all tastes including Chinese, French, Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Thai.

Food is key after partaking in the activities that really make Whistler legendary. Whistler quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the strongest contenders for the much disputed title of "World's Greatest Ski Resort." Over the past decade, Whistler was consistently voted "Best North American Ski Resort" by North Americans. The Japanese repeatedly rank it as their favorite international destination.

Must-stay ski resorts: Crystal Lodge, Summit Lodge and Spa

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3c_travel_top_ten.html

Kitzbuhel, Austria

2008-12-20T14:03:00.000+01:00

While St. Anton holds the crown of "Europe's liveliest ski resort," and Innsbruck is home to one of Europe's liveliest and most beautiful cities (the International Olympic Committee must have thought so as well, as the city hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976), Kitzbuhel is considered the "Pearl of the Alps" and is the most famous holiday resort in the Austrian Tyrol. This 700-year-old village offers visitors the charm of an alpine village. Skiing began here in the winter of 1892.

Must-stay ski resorts: Apartment-Hotel Almhof, Best Western Premier Kaiserhof

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3c_travel_top_ten.html

Zermatt, Switzerland

2008-12-20T14:02:00.001+01:00

While neighboring Gstaad is one of the world's top resorts with its three five-star hotels and St. Moritz is more popular, most rank Zermatt as Switzerland's top resort. A remarkably peaceful getaway, the village is peaceful thanks to its car-free environment. Amazingly picturesque, Zermatt holds the world's second biggest lift-served vertical drop and receives huge snowfalls thanks to its altitude (and some help from snowmakers on the lower slopes).

Must-stay ski resorts: Riffelalp Resort, Grand Hotel Zermatterhoff

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3c_travel_top_ten.html

Vail, Colorado

2008-12-20T13:59:00.000+01:00

Legendary Vail markets itself as "America's favorite resort" and deserves to be ranked amongst the world's top five all-around ski resorts. As the largest single ski area in the United States, Vail offers roughly 5,300 acres of skiable terrain. And let's not forget the fastest high-speed detachable quads on one mountain. Vail offers much more with several art galleries, museums, ballooning, dog sledding, ice skating, hockey, snowmobiling, and much more.

Must-stay ski resorts: Lion Square Lodge, Vail Cascade Resort & Spa

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3b_travel_top_ten.html

Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta

2008-12-20T13:58:00.001+01:00

Located in the heart of Canada's Banff National Park, Lake Louise ranks as one of the most scenic mountain resorts in North America, if not the entire world. Banff/Lake Louise has three different ski areas (Mount Norquay/Mystic Ridge, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise) that are roughly 31 miles apart.

The Insider's Guide to the Best Canadian Skiing has labeled Norquay as "an unforgiving brute legendary for its unrelenting vertical and monster moguls."

Must-stay ski resorts: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Banff Aspen Lodge

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3b_travel_top_ten.html

Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta

2008-12-20T13:58:00.000+01:00

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

2008-12-20T13:57:00.000+01:00

Host of the world's first Winter Olympic Games in 1924, Chamonix ranks among the elite of contenders for the title of "World's Most Famous Ski Resort." Located at the foot of Mont-Blanc, it's the highest peak in the Alps and the second highest in Europe (top elevation 15,771 feet).

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc holds bragging rights for its vertical drop of 9,209 feet and for having one of the world's longest runs (Vallée Blanche) at 13.7 miles.

Must-stay ski resorts: Auberge du Bois Prin, La Vallee Blanche

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3b_travel_top_ten.html

Stowe, Vermont

2008-12-20T13:55:00.001+01:00

One of the most renowned and picturesque ski resorts on the map, Stowe offers traditional New England charm and the biggest vertical drop in the area. Stowe's two ski areas are Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. The latter actually backs onto Smugglers' Notch's terrain. As a result, Stowe is amongst a handful of American resorts that have a lift-link to another resort. Stowe offers over 90 shops and 60 restaurants to make sure that visitors do not trek too far away during their stay.

Must-stay ski resorts: Stowe Mountain Lodge, Inn at the Mountain

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3b_travel_top_ten.html

Mont-Tremblant, Quebec

2008-12-20T13:54:00.001+01:00

French Canadian joie de vivre meets luxury at Mont-Tremblant. A skier's paradise since 1939, Tremblant is Eastern Canada's best-known ski resort. It was the first resort to open in Canada and the second in North America. What makes Tremblant even more special is that it is only an hour away from Montreal.

Must-stay ski resorts: Fairmont Tremblant, Club Intrawest

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3_travel_top_ten.html

Cortina, Italy

2008-12-20T13:53:00.000+01:00

Perhaps this is where Alberto "La Bomba" Tomba got his start. Cortina's ski resorts match any others in the Alps and the city served as the host of the Olympic Games in 1956. Similar to Zermatt, Switzerland, life in Cortina revolves around a traffic-less street. One of the world's first ski resort cities, Cortina is also Italy's most stylish place to be.

Must-stay ski resorts: Rosa Alpina, Dolomiti Wellness Hotel Fanes

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3_travel_top_ten.html

Aspen, Colorado

2008-12-20T13:51:00.000+01:00

Want to ski with the rich and famous? If yes, then Aspen is the place to be. Aspen is known for its steeps and its four mountains that are not linked. This Colorado ski resort accommodates all by featuring excellent terrain for all skier levels.

Filled with steeps and bumps, Aspen Mountain has fantastic groomed intermediate runs as well. The mountain is also a great choice for experts, who can access hundreds of acres of terrain off the backside. As the city with great ski resorts of choice for those who are "better off," Aspen has a tendency to get slightly expensive.

Must-stay ski resorts: Sky Hotel, Hyatt Grand Aspen

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/travel/3_travel_top_ten.html

Val d Isere - Tignes

2008-12-20T12:32:00.000+01:00

Country: France
Altitude 1550 m - 3450 m
Total length of ski trails : 300 km
Button lift : 36
Two-seater chair lift : 4
Gondola lift : 6

Val d'Isere and Tignes share more than 300 km of this well-known French ski resort. The 1992 Winter Olympics were held here and every December it is host to World Cup races in skiing. The ski resort was named after one of the most famous French skiers Jean - Claude Killy.

This ski resort has 20 green, 60 blue, 35 red and 16 black slopes and is suitable for both beginners and professional skiers. Skiers are taken to the resort by 90 drag lifts so lineups are rare. Night skiing is also available.

Espace Killy did not forget about snowboarders, which is why there are two snowparks that offer a variety of activities for "boarders" (Quarterpipe, Halfpipe, Tables, Slides, Jumps).

Ski lifts:

Button lift : 36
Two-seater chair lift : 4
Gondola lift : 6
Alpine train : 2

Ski resort information:

Altitude 1550 m - 3450 m
Total length of ski trails : 300 km
Level of difficulty of the ski slopes : intermediate
Cross-country trails : 44 km
Relatively demanding paths 75000 m
Demanding paths 27000 m
Undemanding paths 198000 m

http://www.adriatica.net/ski/ski_resort_en__4ji3m3g3o3m3gh5ji3p__.htm#

The Fairmont Hotel

2008-12-20T12:24:00.000+01:00

San Francisco

The Fairmont Hotel
Penthouse Suite
$10,000 per night

The 6,000-square-foot Penthouse Suite at the Fairmont Hotel on San Francisco's Nob Hill takes up the entire eighth floor of the hotel and has three bedrooms, a dining room that holds 50 people, an eat-in kitchen and a two-story, domed library with a ceiling painted with the constellations. There is also a billiards room covered floor-to-ceiling in Persian tiles, and four fireplaces inlaid with lapis lazuli. The bathroom fixtures are made of 24 karat gold, and a secret passageway is concealed behind the bookshelves on the library's second floor. Famous guests who have used the suite include former Secretary of State Edward Stettinius, who used the Penthouse Suite in 1945 as his temporary headquarters when the United Nations charter was being drafted, and Sean Connery, who received a memorable onscreen haircut here in the 1996 action thriller The Rock.

http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Guide/Hotels/Fairmont_Hotel-San_Francisco.htm

Hotel Cla di Volpe

2008-12-20T12:23:00.000+01:00

Costa Smeralda

Hotel Cala di Volpe
Presidential Suite
$13,879 per night

The Costa Smeralda ("Emerald Coast"), on the eastern coast of Sardinia, became famous during the 1960s when the Aga Khan bought it and convinced his jet-set friends to start building villas and a yacht club on the beautiful but previously undeveloped island. The coast also served as the backdrop to the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. One of the Aga Khan's acquisitions was the 100-room Hotel Cala di Volpe, where the late Princess Margaret celebrated her 37th birthday in 1967.

The split-level Presidential Suite, which is located in the hotel's tower, has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two sitting rooms. The highlight is the private, outdoor saltwater pool on the second floor. The style is rustic but luxurious, with whitewashed walls, exposed beams, thick down cushions and wooden accents. The bed frames are wrought iron, and the tiles are hand- painted ceramic. The suite also has its own gazebo and solarium, as well as a DVD library and Bang & Olufsen stereos.

http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Guide/Hotels/Hotel_Cala_di_Volpe_Costa_Smeralda.htm

Westin Excelsior

2008-12-20T12:22:00.000+01:00

Rome

Westin Excelsior
Villa La Cupola
$14,312

Rome's "Villa La Cupola" suite within the Westin Excelsior has all things Roman and excessive--a cupola, a Pompeii-style Jacuzzi pool, frescoes and stained glass windows--except, perhaps, a vomatorium. Located on the fifth and sixth floor underneath the cupola of the hotel (which was made famous by Fellini's movies), the suite covers 6,099 square feet and has an additional 1,808 square feet of balconies and terraces. While it only has two bedrooms, five more can be joined to it. The entire suite was just remodeled in 1998 for a cost of around $7 million.

So what did the face-lift entail? The cupola itself is entirely hand-frescoed, and the fifth floor features the master bedroom, a terraced study that was paneled in Italian walnut and a living room. The stained glass windows in the living room detail allegories of a mythological figure paired with a modern one, such as Atlas and Television, Hypnosis and Neurosis, Hermes and Marketing, and Hermaphrodite and Fashion. The downstairs also has a private kitchen, and the dining room features an antique Murano glass chandelier, a private wine cabinet and an antique mosaic-tile-covered dining room.

And that's just the beginning. What really makes this suite over the top is a private cinema with Dolby surround sound. Such luxury makes even the private elevator that leads up to the fitness area and Jacuzzi--complete with mosaic floors, vaulted ceilings and frescoes--seem ordinary. (The painted horizons on the frescoes were designed to match perfectly with the real Roman one.) Now that's living la dolce vita. The suite with two bedrooms costs 11,400 euros (approximately $9,880); with the five optional bedrooms the price is 16,500 euros ($14,312).

http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Guide/Hotels/Westin_Excelsior-Rome.htm

The Martinez Hotel

2008-12-20T12:19:00.000+01:00

Cannes

The Martinez Hotel
Presidential Suite
$18,000 per night

The Martinez Hotel in Cannes likes superlatives and bills itself as having the biggest, most expensive and only terraced penthouse suite on the Cote d'Azur. Perhaps some of this is Gallic swagger, but the price of the suites--$18,000--certainly makes them one of the most expensive in Europe. Both penthouse suites are 8,000 square feet and are decorated in the hotel's signature Art Deco style, with streamlined furniture, silk curtains and teak parquet floors.

While many of the hotel's rooms are painted in bright colors (peach, lime green), the penthouse suites are decorated in muted, understated tones (brown, cream and tan). Each suite has two bedrooms, a Turkish bath, kitchen, personal sauna and views of the Lerins Islands as well as the entire Bay of Cannes. The wraparound terrace is 2,000 square feet and can comfortably hold 100 people. It also has a Jacuzzi. Technophiles will appreciate the Bose plasma screen televisions and telephones and the DVD library. A private butler is on call 24 hours a day, and other amenities include use of a limousine, open bar and the option to join both suites into one très grand apartment.

The overarching attitude for the suite is "never say no to anything," which we hope is the case when you're paying $18,000. One Saudi sheik liked the suite so much he wanted to rent it for five years. The hotel said non.

http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Guide/Hotels/The_Martinez_Hotel-Cannes.htm

The Atlantis

2008-12-20T12:14:00.000+01:00

The Atlantis
Atlantis Bridge Suite
$25,000 per night

The Atlantis Bridge Suite has the distinction of being the most expensive hotel suite in the world---it's $25,000 a night. So what do you get for that kind of money? For starters, location, location, location. The Bridge Suite is located on top of a bridge that connects the two Royal Towers buildings, so it overlooks the entire resort
and marina.

The ten-room suite is decorated in red, black and gold (lots of gold) and comes with its own butler, bar lounge and entertainment center as well as 12-foot ceilings. The master bedroom has a sitting area, his-and-hers closets, and hand-painted linens. The bathrooms have chaise lounges, marble baths, and dolphin fixtures. For those who are picky about their personal space, there are two separate master bathrooms. The kitchen also has its own entrance so the butler or cook neverbothers you.

http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Guide/Hotels/The_Atlantis.htm

President Wilson Hotel

2008-12-20T12:11:00.000+01:00

Geneva

President Wilson Hotel
The Imperial Suite
$23,000 per night

At the sleek, modern President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, security takes as much precedence as luxury. Faster than you can say "Frette linens," the hotel's staff reassures guests that the security in the Imperial Suite is among the best in the world, ideal for celebrities or traveling heads of states who visit the United Nations headquarters next door at the Palais Wilson. (Considering how tight-lipped the hotel management was about the suite, guests can be assured of total secrecy.)

The Imperial Suite, which takes up the entire top floor of the hotel, is reached via a private elevator and has four bedrooms, all of which overlook Lake Geneva. The suite is decorated in a contemporary style, with marble and hardwood floors, and the bay windows overlook Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. Off of the master bedroom is a dressing room as well as a study, and the suite has five bathrooms, all with mosaic marble floor, and a Jacuzzi and steam bath in the main bath. The living room has a billiards table, a library and a cocktail lounge with a view of the water fountain, and can accommodate 40 people. The dining room seats 26 people around an oval mahogany table. For the security-conscious or merely the paranoid, the Imperial Suite is also equipped with bulletproof windows and doors. The price of the hotel is 40,000 Swiss francs
(approximately $23,600)

.http://www.hospitalityguild.com/Guide/Hotels/President_Wilson_Hotel-Geneva.htm

One vs. Only Ocean Club - Paradise Island

2008-12-20T10:54:00.000+01:00

Location. Set above a tranquil beach that
stretches along Paradise Island's north shore, the One & Only Ocean Club is positioned on 35 tropical acres. The Ocean Club Golf Course is located less than one mile from the resort.
Hotel Features. Originally, Huntington Hartford II purchased this estate as a retreat for his jet-set crowd. Since that time, the resort continues to draw entertainment luminaries, royalty and politicians from around the world. The beachfront DUNE restaurant offers a dinner menu with Bahamian accents. Breakfast selections include smoked salmon, semolina cakes with roasted pineapple and Gruyere omelets. The Library Bar serves Cuban cigars, fine brandies, cocktails and wine. Evian-water mists and afternoon sorbet offer heat relief at the gardens that feature a large outdoor pool surrounded by palm trees. The Versailles-inspired gardens harbor giant statues of Franklin D. Roosevelt and David Livingstone, and a 12th-century Augustinian cloister that Hartford purchased from William Randolph Hearst. The health spa employs Asian holistic therapies and includes a beauty salon. Decorated with Balinese carved-wood and Thai silk pillows, each villa includes side-by-side Japanese treatment tables.

Guestrooms. This resort offers 106 air-conditioned guestrooms in two wings reminiscent of West Indian colonial architecture. Each room includes a private balcony or terrace. Exceptional amenities feature 24-hour personal butler service, champagne and strawberries delivered every afternoon and daily fresh-fruit bowls. Extra-thick mattresses, Frette linens, comforters and pillow menus encourage sleeping comfort. Each room includes an entertainment center with 32-inch televisions and CD/DVD players. Two-poster beds with elaborately carved headboards, lacquered furniture, Art Deco chrome lamps and cocktail tables displaying a single orchid create stylish settings.

Expert Tip. Complimentary shuttles transport guests to the Atlantis resort where they have access to 21 restaurants and lounges, water attractions and 11 marine-life viewing lagoons. Also available are a teen club, the children's Discovery Channel Camp and a casino.

http://hrvatska.hotels.com/hotel-bahami/hotel-paradise-island/one-only-ocean-club/

Atlantis Royal Towers

2008-12-20T10:28:00.000+01:00

HOTEL DESCRIPTION

No place else captures the spirit of Atlantis quite like the signature Royal Towers. Immerse yourself in a one-of-a-kind celebration of the ageless story that inspired the Atlantis experience, and see what makes this iconic tower a favorite. Choose an elegantly appointed Guest Room, a luxurious Regal Suite, or the spacious surroundings and stunning water views of a Grand Suite.

Guest Rooms

These contemporary, spacious rooms open up to beautiful views from full or French balconies, and offer fully stocked service bars, along with either two queen or one king-size bed.

Regal Suites

In the comfort of your own suite, you’ll find the ideal spot to relax after a full day—or night—of play. Your suite includes a separate parlor area with an additional half bath, two walk-in closets, a luxurious master bath, and an optional full-size second guest room. Fresh flowers, slippers and robes make your stay even more enjoyable.

Grand Suites

The Grand Suites at the Royal Tower offer a higher measure of comfortable elegance. Beautiful water views from full balconies welcome the sea’s gentle breezes, while inside, generously sized rooms, fresh flowers, robes and slippers and a welcoming whirlpool bath let you savor your stay.

HOTEL FACILITIES AND AMENITIES

• Restaurant
• Business Center
• Shuttle Service
• Wireless Internet Access
• Tour & Excursion Centers
• Wheelchair, Mobility Scooter & Stroller Rentals
• Transit Lounge
• Baby-sitting
• Pool
• Gentle Travel

http://www.southtravels.com/america/bahamas/atlantisparadiseroyaltower/

World's Most Expensive Hotels

2008-11-30T20:17:00.000+01:00


	Click here for the slide show.

It should come as no surprise that the world's richest man, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, has been to two of the world's most expensive hotels--Frégate Island Private in the Seychelles and Fiji's The Wakaya Club. It helps to be a billionaire (or at least a millionaire) to be able to afford a stay there.

For the past two years, Forbes.com has been tracking the most expensive hotel suites in the world, but this year we decided to do something slightly different. Instead of looking at the most expensive penthouses and presidential suites at a hotel--because they will always be the priciest--we looked at the most expensive hotels in the world, where rates start at $1,395, our benchmark. Our list ranges from the $1,395-a-night Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys to the most expensive hotel in the world, The Mansion at the MGM Grand (nyse: MGM - news - people ) in Las Vegas.

The hotels on our list have quite a few things in common, apart from the number of zeroes trailing on the price tag and Gates as a guest. The list is dominated by African game lodges and private island resorts in far flung locations, such as The Wakaya Club and Turtle Island in Fiji, and Frégate Island Private. The resorts' remote locations drive up the sticker price of a room, since all supplies must be flown in and many of the hotels have to generate their own electricity and water.

While jacking up prices is always a way to ensure exclusivity and create buzz, the formula works with the hotels on our list. The majority of these hotels continue to raise their prices each year, and seasonally as well. Turtle Island's high season rates start at $1,975 while low season rates start at (a mere) $1,646, which proves that values (and bargains) are in the eye of the beholder.

To put these prices in perspective, the worldwide average rate for a deluxe room in 2003--booked through American Express Corporate Travel--was $182. So what exactly are guests getting for $1,400, $2,000 or even $5,000 a night? Most of the resorts on the list are all inclusive, covering everything from food, expensive French wines, scuba diving and game drives to laundry service, which (when broken down) makes the room rate less outrageous. Guests are also paying a premium for privacy and location; many of the world's most expensive hotels, such as The Wakaya Club, have only a handful of villas and chances are rare guests will see another soul.

But at the world's most expensive hotel, The Mansion at the MGM Grand, the $5,000 price tag is simply for the room. Meals and alcohol are charged separately. What guests are getting for their money is plenty of space--the villas range from 2,400 to 12,000 square feet--as well as original Picassos on the walls, and the prestige that comes with being able to afford a room there.

The second most expensive hotel in the United States, Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys, has a similar pricing strategy. High season rates start at $1,395, and meals and activities are not included. But for San Diego resident Lynn Mercurio, 53, price is no object when it comes to luxury. Mercurio and her husband have been coming to Little Palm Island for ten years, and regularly spend about eight days there.

"We just want to go someplace where we can relax and shut down," she says. "I can't put a price on the value and the pleasure I get from returning there, and knowing that everything will be taken care of. The cost doesn't mean anything."

Mercurio says a main reason she returns to Little Palm each year is to "fall in love all over again" with her husband. While it's entirely possible to reconnect in a Sheraton, it's obviously much nicer (and more romantic) to be in a secluded resort with private beaches, 24-hour room service and oodles of space--as well as to be surrounded by a staff that never says no. Put another way, it's the difference between a vintage French champagne and a sparkling cider; they are both drinks but there's no comparison.

While the Little Palm is certainly expensive, it only ranks last on our list of most expensive hotels in the world. To compile the list, we looked at high season double room rates for each of these hotels, and indicated how the pricing system works (per person or per room). We did not include private island resorts such as Musha Cay in the Bahamas or Richard Branson's Necker Island, which can be rented in their entirety

http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/26/cx_cv_0226feat.html

expensive

Royal Resorts: 10 Outrageous Hotels For The Mega-rich

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

Paris, France

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

GETTING THERE

Diving in Tortola

Arrow Crab

Spotted Moray Eel

Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia

Kitzbuhel, Austria

Zermatt, Switzerland

Vail, Colorado

Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta

Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France

Stowe, Vermont

Mont-Tremblant, Quebec

Cortina, Italy

Aspen, Colorado

Val d Isere - Tignes

The Fairmont Hotel

San Francisco

The Fairmont HotelPenthouse Suite$10,000 per night

Hotel Cla di Volpe

Costa Smeralda

Hotel Cala di VolpePresidential Suite$13,879 per night

Westin Excelsior

Rome

Westin ExcelsiorVilla La Cupola$14,312

The Martinez Hotel

Cannes

The Martinez HotelPresidential Suite$18,000 per night

The Atlantis

The AtlantisAtlantis Bridge Suite$25,000 per night

President Wilson Hotel

President Wilson HotelThe Imperial Suite$23,000 per night

One vs. Only Ocean Club - Paradise Island

Atlantis Royal Towers

World's Most Expensive Hotels

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Fairmont Hotel
Penthouse Suite
$10,000 per night

Hotel Cala di Volpe
Presidential Suite
$13,879 per night

Westin Excelsior
Villa La Cupola
$14,312

The Martinez Hotel
Presidential Suite
$18,000 per night

The Atlantis
Atlantis Bridge Suite
$25,000 per night

President Wilson Hotel
The Imperial Suite
$23,000 per night