People have been sharing their living spaces with travelers for a very long time. In ancient times, these early hotels mostly served merchants and other travelers. Eventually, in the Roman Empire, a series of lodges called mansiones were established to accommodate travelers on commercial or government business.
By the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution kick-started the modern idea of hotels. According to experts, the dawn of the railroad also boosted modern hotels — mostly because people were traveling more, which increased the need for lodging.
In modern times, hotels are used for everything from vacations to business trips. In most cases, it’s not hard to find rooms for less than $500 per night, but some luxury hotels can cost thousands.
Here are the top 10 most expensive hotels in the world.
- Royal Suite at the Burj Al Arab
- The Royal Suite at the Plaza Hotel
- Ty Warner Penthouse at the Four Seasons
- The Muraka
- Hilltop Villa
- Harbour House
- The Penthouse at The Mark
- The Royal Penthouse Suite at the Hotel President Wilson
- Empathy Suite at the Palms Casino Resort
- The Submarine Hotel
Location: Dubai
Unique Feature: Situated in a sail-shaped building
Size: 780 square meters
photo source: news.com.au
photo source: news.com.au
If you’re looking for something that looks more like a castle than a hotel, this Royal Suite is for you. The massive, 780-meter space is filled with colorful touches like gold-plated pillars, artistic carpeting, and luxurious furniture.
Worried about having enough space? This place has you covered. The sprawling unit has a huge dining room, plenty of sleeping space, and a private library.
About all that sleeping space: Although the Royal Suite has some relatively standard beds, the master bed rotates. It’s not clear why it rotates, but you can pay $24,000 per night to see what it’s like.
Oh, and there are several jacuzzis. Of course.
Did you know?
Most hotels offer basic shampoo and soap, but this suite offers bath products from Hermès, a French luxury goods brand.
Location: New York City
Unique Feature: Private elevator access
Size: Up to 4,500 square feet
photo source: theplazany.com
photo source: theplazany.com
At the Plaza Hotel, luxury is all in the details. Just look at that bath featuring gold details. Then there’s the plush bedding and vaulted ceilings. If it looks expensive, that’s because it is. This suite costs up to $35,000 per night.
So beyond those luxury details, what do you get for such a steep price? Overall, the Royal Suite has up to 4,500 square feet of living space packed with everything you could possibly need. There’s a 12-person dining table, a private library, a living room with a grand piano, a fully equipped fitness room… the list goes on.
If all that living space doesn’t tempt you, maybe this will: the Royal Suite also comes with a butler. Yes, really.
Did you know?
As of 2013, the Plaza was undergoing a $135 million renovation.
Location: New York City
Unique Feature: 360-degree views of the city
Size: 4,300 square feet
photo source: fourseasons.com
photo source: fourseasons.com
Ty Warner Penthouse is a sprawling, 4,300 square foot home away from home. The huge living space offers a unique view of New York City, with massive windows throughout to maximize those 52nd-floor views.
Beyond a private spa and mother of pearl inlays, the Penthouse offers chauffeur services in a Rolls-Royce and massages upon request.
Like many luxury hotels, this place offers a huge master bathroom with expensive touches. In the case of the Ty Warner Penthouse, those expensive touches include Chinese Onyx (a rare gemstone).
If you’re ready to book a stay, expect to pay about $45,000 per night.
Did you know?
Despite its massive size, the Four Seasons recommends this penthouse for no more than three guests at a time.
Location: The Republic of Maldives
Unique Feature: Partially underwater
Size: Unknown
photo source: businessinsider.com
photo source: businessinsider.com
The Muraka is an underwater hotel. Seriously.
This incredibly unique hotel is located in the Maldives, a stunning island nation in Asia. If the country’s natural beauty isn’t enough for you, the Muraka offers the unique opportunity to dive under the ocean and sleep among the fish. The amazing space offers an underwater portion and an above-water portion. Under the sea, guests enjoy views of the sea life and plenty of room to hang out. Back upstairs, a bath facing the ocean is waiting alongside more bedrooms.
Altogether, this hotel has enough room for nine guests and costs $50,000 per night.
Did you know?
If you’re worried about security, the Muraka has space to house your own private security guards.
Location: Fiji
Unique Feature: Private nanny services during your stay
Size: Over 13,000 square meters
photo source: dailymail.co.uk
photo source: dailymail.co.uk
Hilltop Villa is really more of a mansion than a hotel room. The huge space includes 25 rooms, each featuring a private pool and a relaxing tropical aesthetic. Individual rooms can be rented, but that’ll still cost you about $6,000 per night.
This hotel also offers some unique services, including a private nanny and cook. You’ll also get a chauffeur for exploring your idyllic surroundings.
All told, this ultra-luxury hotel comes in at just over $61,000 per night.
Did you know?
The island this hotel is situated on is owned by billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz. Dietrich raked up all that money after confounding Red Bull in 1987. As of late 2021, Dietrich is worth about $24 billion.
Location: Hong Kong
Unique Feature: Floor-to-ceiling windows
Size: 12,000 square feet
photo source: elitetraveler.com
photo source: rosewoodhotels.com
Harbour House is situated on the 57th floor of the Rosewood Hotel in Hong Kong. The huge space offers floor-to-ceiling windows throughout so you can enjoy views of the city.
Although details about the expensive hotel are hard to come by, reports say the building features a stunning “sky garden.” Guests also enjoy a private bar and large, walk-in wardrobes.
As a hotel in the ultra-expensive Hong Kong real estate market, Harbour House costs a steep $65,000 per night. That price gets you five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and a private art collection right in your room.
Did you know?
Harbour House offers a fully equipped kitchen.
Location: New York City
Unique Feature: 26-foot-tall cathedral ceilings
Size: 12,000 square feet
photo source: insider.com
photo source: insider.com
The Penthouse at The Mark Looks more like a luxury apartment than a hotel room. The massive penthouse includes 12,000 square feet of living space and stunning, 26-foot cathedral ceilings that make you realize just how big the space really is.
As such a high-end establishment, this hotel is often used by the rich and famous. This particular suite was used by Meghan Markle for her baby shower — which was planned by Serena Williams.
Like the Royal Suite at the Plaza Hotel, this penthouse includes a grand piano in its large living room. The space also offers a billiards table, a library, a huge formal dining room, and more — all for the price of $75,000 per night.
Did you know?
The Penthouse at The Mark has a second level featuring a conservatory with views of the New York City skyline. Head up one more level and you’ll find a private rooftop terrace.
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Unique Feature: Overlooking Lake Geneva
Size: More than 18,000 square feet
photo source: townandcountrymag.com
photo source: townandcountrymag.com
For $80,000 per night, you can enjoy the same penthouse people like the King of Saudi Arabia and President Bill Clinton have used during trips to Switzerland.
The incredible space measures more than 18,000 square feet and features 12 bedrooms. So you should have enough room for a few people.
If you’re fed up with the Penthouse’s private entertainment room (which includes a vintage pool table), feel free to head out to your personal terrace with views of Lake Geneva.
If it gets too cold out there, head back in and enjoy your private jacuzzi and steam shower.
Did you know?
This penthouse is popular with heads of state because it’s so close to the United Nations’ headquarters.
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Unique Feature: Interior design by artist Damien Hirst
Size: 9,000 square feet
photo source: artsy.net
photo source: artsy.net
Empathy Suite was designed in collaboration with Damien Hirst, a multimedia artist known for his projects involving dead animals.
Although this 9,000-square-foot suite has a lot of features you’d expect to find in a luxury hotel, its most notable touches come from Hirst — including preserved sharks, fish skeletons, and a dizzying selection of colors and patterns across the furniture, walls, and floor.
Hotels in Vegas are usually pretty expensive, but this unique suite comes in at $100,000 per night.
Did you know?
Not everyone loves Empathy Suite and Damien Hirst. As one report put it, “Call it horrific, call it gaudy, call it selling out, but it is quintessentially Hirst, and quintessentially Vegas.”
Location: Underwater
Unique Feature: Guests stay in a real submarine
Size: Unknown
photo source: thetravel.com
photo source: thetravel.com
The Submarine Hotel is the most expensive hotel in the world.
The Muraka might be an underwater hotel, but it’s not a literal submarine.
That’s where the Submarine Hotel comes in. This crazy expensive hotel offers the unique chance to stay in a luxury submarine for $240,000 per night. Beyond views of the underwater world, guests enjoy a private chef, a butler, and a double bed. It’s hard to find other details about this exclusive getaway, but reports say the hotel offers “speedboat transfers,” presumably taking guests to and from the shoreline.
Did you know?
The Submarine Hotel can be moored near a sunken battleship in the Red Sea.
