Helen James
From elegant overwater bungalows in sunny holiday destinations to ice hotels in Scandinavia or a unique hotel experience in an actual submarine, luxury hotels offer anything you can imagine. But which are the most expensive luxury hotels in the World, and even when money is no object, what does your money get you?
With the Summer holiday season well underway, many people are still planning their getaways and looking for last-minute deals or all-inclusive resorts that cater to everyone – from adults to children and even pets. The team at SuperCasinoSites was curious to find out just how expensive luxury hotels really are, and what services and amenities are typically included in the rate. We explored the most expensive destinations in the World, and picked the hotels with the highest rates to identify what is considered “luxury” and “high-end” in the hospitality industry in 2023.
We discovered that despite the large price tag, guests often need to pay extra for food, transport, and several other services. Also, the most famous and iconic hotels are not always the most expensive ones.
Methodology
Choosing the priciest hotels can be tricky, as rates vary significantly across different seasons, types of rooms, and the amenities included. A room at Dubai’s iconic Burj Al Arab can be booked for as little as $1,000 per night in July while larger and more exclusive suites can reach $30,000 or more in December. The type of hotel is also important – the above-mentioned submarine hotel, called Lover’s Deep, costs $292,000 per couple per night. Understandably, a regular hotel on land, though a luxurious one, cannot compare to this.
Consequently, we only considered traditional hotels for this list rather than over- or underwater hotels, yachts, villas, aparthotels, or privately managed properties. In addition, only hotels in the ten destinations considered the most exclusive ones as reported by Statista are included – namely the Cayman Islands, Abu Dhabi, Zurich, New York City, Reykjavik, Dubai, Las Vegas, London, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. We checked these places on Booking.com, choosing dates in July or December based on which time of the year is considered peak season. For example, we specified December 1 for the Cayman Islands, Las Vegas and the United Arab Emirates. For the rest, we looked for accommodation for July 24.
Another important fact to note is that, typically, hotel rates are per accommodation per night, and very few hotels, especially in the high-end segment, offer single rooms with single beds. In order to make the most of the rooms, we searched for single-bedroom accommodations with one large (queen or king-size) bed for two adults, choosing rates with breakfast included where available.
The Most Expensive Hotels in the World
Using the methodology explained above, the team at SuperCasinoSites compiled a list of ten luxury hotels. Although very expensive indeed, rooms in these locations are not restricted to the elite, and are available to anyone who can afford it.
All hotels listed below offer exclusive services such as a 24-hour front desk, concierge service, and valet parking, for example. Guests also get complimentary access to fitness centers, swimming pools where available, and a spa. The list of amenities included in the rates is seemingly endless but things such as spacious rooms, plush furnishings, free toiletries, bathrobes and slippers, as well as a flat-screen TV with cable or satellite channels, are a must.
Bulgari Hotel London – $1,951 per Night
Located in Knightsbridge next to Hyde Park, the Bulgari Hotel London is a contemporary-style hotel that is only a few minutes walk from Harrods. When booking a room at this 5-star hotel, guests should be aware that meals are not included, breakfast being the most affordable at $42 per person.
The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm – Dubai – $1,765 per Night
Dubai may be home to the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, and its original 7-star hotel, Burj Al Arab, but it is The St. Regis on the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah that is the most expensive in the city according to our research. The price of $1,765 per night includes breakfast, among other services. Pets, however, are not allowed.
The Beverly Hills Hotel – Dorchester Collection, Lost Angeles – $1,692 per Night
The Beverly Hills Hotel is a 5-star luxury hotel located on Sunset Boulevard and is also known as “The Pink Palace.” It was built in 1912, but since 1996, it has been part of the Dorchester Collection, which is owned by the Sultan of Brunei. The Eagles’ legendary song “Hotel California” is based on this very hotel.
The Ritz-Carlton, George Town, Cayman Islands – $1,573 per Night
While located near the beach, The Ritz-Carlton is not your run-of-the-mill beach hotel – it is a top end luxury resort, located roughly 5 km from Central George Town. Most facilities such as the pool or the gym are free for all guests and the rate listed here features breakfast.
Baur au Lac, Zurich – $1,535 per Night
Zurich, Switzerland is considered one of the most expensive cities in the World, and Baur au Lac Zurich is the most expensive place there. The hotel, which is near Lake Zurich, was established in 1844 by businessman Johannes Baur and is still owned by the Baur family today.
The Palazzo at The Venetian, Las Vegas – $1,399 per Night
The Palazzo is a luxury casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip and along with its sister resort the Venetian, it is part of a huge complex considered the second-largest hotel in the World after Malaysia’s First World Hotel. Although meals are not included in the rate, the hotel has 14 different restaurants to choose from, and even more bars and clubs.
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi – $1,361 Per Night
This is a Mediterranean-style beachfront hotel located on Saadiyat Island, a natural island only a 5-minute drive from Downtown Abu Dhabi via the Sheikh Khalifa Bridge. The hotel offers a free airport shuttle for its guests, which is essential since the resort is on an island. Oh, and there is a private beach available only to guests of the hotel.
The Mark New York, New York City – $1,208 per Night
The Mark is one of the finest hotels in New York City and is located in the posh Upper East Side of Manhattan, near Central Park. The rate listed here is for the most basic room you can book at the hotel while some of the suites cost more than $7,000 for a single night.
The Reykjavik EDITION, Reykjavik – $1,017 per Night
Iceland may not be the typical holiday destination, but for those who wish to visit this extraordinary place, the most stylish and modern place would probably be The Reykjavik EDITION. It is one of the two 5-star hotels in the capital of Iceland and for $1,017 per night, it offers one of the most affordable luxury stays on our list.
The St. Regis, San Francisco – $709 per Night
This is the third property from the St. Regis hotel chain on our list, and it is also the most expensive place to stay in San Francisco. For $709, the hotel offers stylish rooms, a modern fitness center, luxury amenities and services such as a concierge,
along with many other perks.
The Most Instagrammed Luxury Hotels
Based on this list of ten luxury hotels, we also discovered which ones are the most photogenic and aesthetically pleasing – at least according to Instagram users. We checked how many times each of the hotels had been tagged on the photo-sharing platform, and it seems that The Mark New York is the most popular setting for Instagram photos and posts. At the time of writing, it appeared in more than 48.5k posts on the app.
