Almost all high-end hotels boast about their impressive suites, but only a select few of these rooms get the accolade of being called the most extravagant of the bunch. Luxury suites aren’t a new phenomenon, but the caliber of this top room category debuting at upscale properties worldwide in recent years is another level altogether, according to Jack Ezon, the founder of the luxury travel company Embark Beyond. “The latest suites aren’t necessarily the biggest, but they feature incredible design and one-of-a-kind collectibles, from furniture to art,” he says. “Every little detail has been thought out.”
The Belle Etoile Suite at the Le Meurice in Paris is a prime example (from $28,300 a night). The seventh-floor penthouse accommodation features a 360-degree view of the city that includes 18 landmarks—the Eiffel Tower, Palais Garnier, and Place Vendôme are all on the list. It’s hard to top the terrace here, which is immaculately landscaped to mirror the Tuileries Garden in front of the property and spans 3,000 square feet.
Belle Etoile’s design is a collaboration between Charles Jouffre, Margaux Lally, and Luc Berger and plays up elements such as bronze and gold shades, lightly aged oak, and formal furniture in various materials like silk. The long dining table seats 10, and the cinema-style sitting room is meant for entertaining family and friends. Then there’s the marble-clad bathroom—a retreat unto itself—where guests can see the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre while taking a soak in the oversized tub.
Le Meurice’s general manager, Franka Holtmann, describes a stay in Belle Etoile like being in your own Parisian apartment. “You get views of iconic landmarks and are in opulent surroundings that are very private,” she says. “There is a sense of home.”
The Eden Suite at La Réserve Eden au Lac in Zurich is another at the top of the list (from $3,760 a night). It debuted last year as part of a two-year restoration project led by Philippe Starck and features glass walls separating the living area from the bathroom, four ironwork balconies, and views of both Lake Zurich and the Alps. In a nod to the waterfront setting, Starck incorporated nautical touches in the suite such as wooden oars and paintings of sailboats.
In New York, the suite talk—no pun intended—is about the new Presidential Suite at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, which, with a night’s stay going for $40,000, is the priciest one on our roundup. Once a private residence, it takes up the entire 26th floor and gets bragging rights for its floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase 360-degree views of the city, including Central Park. The suite has three bedrooms, a spacious living room, a media area, a full kitchen, and a gallery with a grand piano; design details include gold leaf murals at the entrance and Venetian plaster walls.
Other examples of the suites worth the hype include the Christopher Columbus Suite at the Eden Rock – St Barths’ (from $4,438 a night), which is situated on the edge of a cliff that overlooks St. Jean Bay—a stretch of water that Columbus sailed when he discovered the island. The 2,600-square-foot space has a terrace, a hot tub, a large living room, sleek contemporary furniture, a library, and a sleeping area with an oversized bed.
In Riviera Maya, Mexico, Hotel Escenia has a suite named after the property (from $3,200 a night) that has more than 1,400 square feet of outdoor space, including a rooftop terrace. The Escenia has a domed living room, plunge pool, and seating area with ocean views; a Peloton is also included.
One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro offers the 4,000-square-foot Suite One (from $6,600 a night). With a chic modern aesthetic, it has indoor and outdoor fireplaces, an outdoor terrace that features bay, marina, and mountain views, and a private wine vault.
The last suite on our list is debuting in January at The St. Regis Cairo: The 3,228-square-foot Royal Suite (from $15,020 a night) has two bedrooms, a gym, a media room, and a balcony with panoramas of the Nile. The embroidered wallpaper, mosaic wall, and antique furniture are some of the features included in the design; a contemporary metal lantern above an ornate stone medallion is another noteworthy point.
With prices that command well into the four or five figures to check in for the night, it might seem hard to believe that these accommodations are in high demand, but Ezon, of Embark Beyond, says that they have never been so popular. “Most luxury hotels are selling their suites before their regular rooms,” he says. “The people who are flush with money are anxious to use it after spending so much time in a lockdown. They’re traveling the world with friends and family and looking to mega suites as a place for gathering and entertaining, making up for lost time.
