We all know money can't buy happiness but it can buy an overnight stay in one of the world's most expensive hotel suites (with all the added extras). From lavish penthouses to apartments favoured by royalty and even an underwater suite, nearly all of these suites can only be booked exclusively on request, but there's no harm in dreaming a little, right? All prices correct at the time of writing.
Click through the gallery to discover some of the world's most expensive hotel suites...
The Maldives is all about over-water villas, but guests at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island can take it a step further by booking The Muraka suite. This two-level, three-bedroom residence features a special underwater chamber that allows guests to snooze 16 feet (5m) below the waves on the Indian Ocean seabed, while being immersed in all the luxuries the exclusive island resort has on offer.
Guests can access the underwater chamber via a private lift or a wood-clad spiral staircase. This is where the master suite lies, offering mesmerising views of the Maldives' ocean life from a 180-degree curved acrylic dome. Rates for this secluded suite start from £7,975 ($10k) per night. It has another bedroom and a sun deck with a pool and ladder that leads down into the rippling blue waters.
The Rosewood in London is one of the city's most luxurious hotels, located in a stunning Grade II-listed building. The hotel is home to the extraordinary Manor House Wing. An ultra-exclusive residence, the 6,295-square-foot (585sqm) living space is so large that it has its own London postcode, different to that of the main hotel itself. The suite has a private lift and entrance as well as a kitchen and full butler service, offering all the convenience of a serviced apartment and a hotel rolled into one.
The sprawling residence can be configured to host as many as seven bedrooms and offers a lounge, library with study, dining room, powder room and six full bathrooms along with three half baths. Guests are also treated to fresh complimentary flowers, a free minibar, fruit bowl and a revolving selection of treats as well as a carefully curated wine selection. The suite costs an average of £12,000 ($15,000) per night.
Designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld, the two apartments at Hôtel de Crillon – Concorde (pictured) and Eiffeil, plus the neighbouring Choupette Room – are often combined to create one large suite with three bedrooms reaching a size of 3,606 square feet (335sqm). One of Paris's most iconic and historic hotels, Hôtel de Crillon's lavish fourth-floor apartments are full of art and antiques – including chandeliers from Lagerfeld's private collection – and beautifully decorated with custom furniture.
There's a private bar, underfloor heating and incredible views overlooking the Place de la Concorde. Some of the most impressive design elements include marble from a closed quarry in Italy and a carpet that incorporates hammered metal. All this luxury comes with a hefty price tag: the Concorde apartment starts from £21,676 ($27,400) per night, with a minimum two-night stay.
This 10,000 square foot (930sqm) South Beach hotel suite, only available by request, has a southeast Asian inspired decor and aesthetic. The Setai's vast penthouse, which spans the entire 40th floor, has four bedrooms – two with chic king-sized four-poster beds, one queen and one twin perfect for kids. It also has four-and-a-half bathrooms (hello, Jacuzzi tub).
There's also a stunning private rooftop terrace with an infinity pool all made even better with those jewel blue sea views. When the day's activities have worn the guests out, there are two living areas with TVs and floor-to-ceiling windows for more ocean views, as well as a fully equipped kitchen, plus in-room dining is available 24/7. Everything you'd expect for the £26,000 ($33k) nightly rate (as reported in the Miami Herald).
One of Geneva's most exclusive accommodations, the Royal Penthouse at the Mandarin Oriental offers privacy, luxury and sweeping views of the city. Priced at £26,300 ($33k) per night, the three-bedroom suite boasts an emperor-sized bed in the master bedroom, three bathrooms and a large entertainment area. Guests are welcomed by creative in-suite gifts and can make the most of the in-suite wellness facilities.
The suite is accessed via a private lift and also offers a kitchen and dining area. Perhaps its most breathtaking feature, though, is its elegant terrace, overlooking the snow-capped mountains, Geneva's old town and the Rhône river. Guests staying at the suite can also enjoy the services of a dedicated concierge who is able to organise tours, dining and chauffeur services.
Located on the 50th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, the two-bedroom Suite 5000 is a personal art gallery for guests with annual exhibitions of New York-inspired works. The suite spans 3,300 square feet (307sqm) and features two bedrooms (with an additional connecting room if required). In addition to the sleek decor in shimmering silver and grey hues, there's a Swarovski crystal hanging wall installation in the dining room.
More Swarovski crystals illuminate the large custom soaking tub in the master bedroom, which comes complete with a bedroom-sized closet. There's plenty of room for entertaining with a dining table for 10 and free Champagne, pastries and fruit on arrival comes as standard. All this attention to detail comes with a price tag of £28,800 ($36k) a night.
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Built in 1904, the St Regis hotel is bound to impress guests with its opulent interiors, which feature marble elements, lavish crystal chandeliers and decorative murals. The extravagant Presidential Suite, once a favourite of Salvador Dalí, has large windows looking out onto both Central Park and Fifth Avenue and a butler is on hand to arrange a spin in the hotel’s Bentley Mulsanne. The suite measures 3,000 square feet (270sqm) and has two luxury bedrooms.
At an eye-watering £28,000 ($36k) a night, the suite is designed to mirror the style of a grand apartment. Notable features include a wood-panelled library, luxury dressing room, spa-style bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub in the master bedroom, plus balconies looking out to spectacular views of the city.
You'll find the stunning Parisian Apartment on the sixth floor of the Mandarin Oriental on Rue Saint-Honoré in the 1st arrondissement. There are four bedrooms and two generous living areas, including a cosy reception area (pictured) that's flooded with natural light. The apartment was designed by French interiors duo Gilles & Boissier and the elegant, calm space is typical of their style.
Step outside and there's a 2,476-square-foot (230sqm) leafy terrace with blonde parquet flooring. There's an outdoor dining area, lounge seats and a pergola, and the layout is organised according to the season. All this comes with a lofty price tag – around £30,000 ($38k) per night.
Explore more of Europe's iconic hotels loved by the rich and famous
On the second floor of a 19th-century Ottoman palace in Istanbul, the £30,400-per-night ($38k) Sultan Suite has floor-to-ceiling sash windows with stupendous views of the Strait of Istanbul. There's an opulent main living room with a 12-seat dining table and two bedrooms with ornately carved king-sized beds and more of the same great views.
This luxury hotel is the only one in New York that’s a National Historic Landmark, having played host to many famous faces since its inception in 1907. The most decadent accommodation here is the Royal Suite, featuring crown moulding and gold chandeliers in almost every room. Large enough to accommodate six people, the suite has three bedrooms and is accessed via a private lift.
The suite has a formal entrance gallery, a stately living room with a grand piano, a dining table large enough for 12 and a separate library. Available in various configurations as a one-, two- or three-bedroom suite, its 4,500 square feet (418sqm) will cost guests around £32,000 ($40k) a night.
The Harrods (penthouse) Suite at Cala di Volpe in Sardinia's Costa Smeralda is an elegant and relaxing space with an architecturally striking interior and inviting outdoor dining area. There are three bedrooms and four bathrooms across two floors and guests have use of a 24-hour butler and chauffeur.
But the most exciting feature of this exclusive £33,000-per-night ($42k) suite is its huge private terrace with its breathtaking infinity pool, complete with integrated bar. The Mediterranean terracotta design vibes continue from the inside out and there are idyllic views across the Cala di Volpe bay.
This grand turreted Edwardian building in London's Knightsbridge is just as exquisite on the outside as it is on the inside. The hotel's interiors were given a new lease of life by designer Joyce Wang after a roof fire in 2019 and that includes the exceptional Mandarin Oriental Penthouse too. Yours for £34,900 ($44k) a night, the penthouse pad features views across leafy Hyde Park as well as the city's twinkling skyline.
A tribute to the man who "built Monaco", the elegant suite is named after Prince Rainier III, sometimes probably better known as Grace Kelly's husband. With two bedrooms, a private pool and a separate dining and sitting area, the suite is 8,934 square feet (830sqm) and is available from £40,000 ($51,000) a night, for a minimum of two nights.
The suite features sculptures created by the late Prince as well as paintings and original photographs from his personal collection. Outside, there's a two-level terrace offering breathtaking views of Place du Casino and a gorgeous panorama of the Mediterranean Sea as well as Monaco, France and Italy in the distance. A heated infinity pool, with counter-current swimming jets, completes the exquisite outdoor space.
With a long and illustrious history, this Cannes hotel embodies luxury and elegance of a bygone era. A popular choice among film stars during the city's namesake film festival, the hotel's Penthouse Suite is simply breathtaking. One of the largest in Europe, the 13,500-square-foot suite (1,250sqm) comes with a butler and a large panoramic terrace overlooking the Boulevard de la Croisette, the bay of Cannes and the hotel's private beach.
Designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon, two suites ('Actress' and 'Producer') can be combined to create three or four bedrooms, a separate dining room and a spacious work area. There's also access to a private garden and one of the marble bathrooms has a soaking tub. A one-night stay here is rumoured to cost around £40,100 ($51,000).
All of the Faena Hotel is pretty exceptional, from its custom murals by Juan Gatti to Damian Hirst's gilded woolly mammoth skeleton, but the Penthouse Suite takes things to new levels of outrageous luxury. Occupying 1,450 square feet (135sqm), the suite features five bedrooms with furnished balconies, dining rooms and spacious gathering areas across two levels and panoramic ocean and Miami Beach views stretch beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The suite's (and the hotel's) elegant design comes courtesy of film director Baz Luhrmann and his wife, set designer Catherine Martin, and features custom furnishings by Frank Pollaro with plenty of ivory and gold accents. Relaxing in such impressive surroundings doesn't come cheap though – although the price fluctuates quite a bit depending on season, a night here can set guests back as much as £52,100 ($66,000).
The preferred choice of celebrities attending the Met Gala every year, The Mark is already exclusive as it is but its Penthouse Suite is utterly unattainable for most. One of the largest hotel suites in the world, it comes with five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a terrace overlooking Central Park and a price tag of £60,200 ($76k) a night.
One of the world's most expensive hotel suites, you’re almost guaranteed to rub shoulders with the well-heeled at the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva. The Royal Penthouse Suite comes with a Steinway grand piano, billiards table, private butler and views over Lake Geneva. With 12 bedrooms, guests aren't short of space to host either – especially handy when you're the head of state or a foreign dignitary looking to welcome other VIPs.
The largest suite in Europe, it boasts 12 full bathrooms (two with Jacuzzi and hammam) for each of its 12 bedrooms, two dining rooms with private chef, a private lift and two secluded terraces. There's also lots of added security like a panic button, bullet-proof windows and security cameras. Rates start from a reported £65,000 ($82k) per night.
Unveiled in 2019, the Empathy Suite at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas will set you back a jaw-dropping £160,500 ($203k) for a minimum two-night stay. A 9,000-square-foot (836sqm), two-level masterpiece by artist Damien Hirst, it's not your usual hotel room. The suite is decorated with sharks suspended in formaldehyde and in addition to a 24-hour butler service, guests staying at the suite also receive chauffeur service and £8,000 ($10,000) credit at the resort.
The suite has two master bedrooms, a salt relaxation room and a Jacuzzi overlooking the Strip. The suite also houses six original works by Hirst as well as custom furniture with his signature motifs, including a 13-seat curved bar filled with medical waste. Prospective guests have to apply to stay first in order to then be invited to book.