If you’re an avid traveller and have money to burn, these extravagant lodgings are well worth their US$100,000-per-night price tag.
For those wanting to escape the city and swap the sound of beeping car horns with the peaceful rhythm of the ocean, the secluded Banwa Private Island awaits.
Or, you can party like a rock star in the world’s most expensive hotel suite, overlooking the shimmering lights of the notorious Las Vegas strip.
Take your pick:
Option 1: Banwa Private Island, Philippines
Accessible only via helicopter or plane, Banwa Private Island is the epitome of tropical tranquillity. Known as the last ecological frontier, and located on one of the 7,000 islands in the Palawan archipelago of the Philippines, the island welcomed its first 48 lucky guests this month.
The resort’s one-, two- and four-bedroom beachfront villas each boast an infinity pool and jacuzzi, with chic interiors and stunning floor-to-ceiling windows that promise panoramic views from dawn until dusk. The owner’s exclusive residence is also available, which offers stunning, contemporary accommodation for a total 22 guests.
Integral to the Banwa ethos is the concept of a healthy mind, body and soul. While an organic farm supplies hand-plucked fruits and vegetables for the Latitude Restaurant and its Terrace Bar, seafood is caught in the nearby waters of the Sulu Sea.
And there’s no better way to enjoy happy hour and watch the sunset than by sipping on a handcrafted cocktail at Coconut Grove or Banwa Lawn. Fresh spring water is sourced from a naturally replenishing artesian well that sinks 152 metres below the powdery sand and is synced with the gravity of the ocean tides.
The resort’s Aquos Foundation is responsible for regenerating the surrounding reef and protecting the island’s native species, including the critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle and indigenous Tabon bird.
Facilities on the island include a gym and DIY juice bar, massage suite, Pilates studio, tennis court, soccer field and short-game golf course – complete with biodegradable golf balls made from fish food. Making the most of the surrounding azure sea, water sports include scuba diving and snorkelling, catamaran sailing, SeaDoo-ing and stand-up paddle boarding.
Option 2: Empathy Suite, The Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas
Bull sharks suspended in formaldehyde, graphics of oversized pills, and walls and floors patterned with butterflies are just some of the quirky features you’ll find in the new Empathy Suite at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The brainchild of British controversial artist Damien Hirst, this ultra-high-rolling suite has everything you need for a wild weekend in Sin City – assuming you can afford the US$100,000-per-night price tag.
For this reason, the Empathy Suite has neatly eclipsed the Mark Hotel’s Grand Penthouse in New York by US$25,000 per night. But, there’s one exception to the hefty room fee: Casino players with at least US$1 million in credit at the Palms can move in for free.
Spanning nearly 850 square metres over two storeys, it features two decadent master bedrooms and bathrooms, a movie theatre, sprawling lounge rooms, fitness centre, massage room and salt relaxation room. There’s also an infinity-edge plunge pool that jets out over the buzzing Las Vegas strip.
Hirst’s eccentric touches are apparent in every furnishing – from the curved bar with 13 its seats filled with medical waste and the fish design above, ‘Here For a Good Time, Not a Long Time’, to the translucent cabinets filled with pills and cubic zirconia gems.
In creating this lavish, liveable masterpiece, the contemporary artist worked in collaboration with New York firm Bentel & Bentel Architects and local firm Klai Juba Wald Architects.
The Empathy Suite is just one of the extravagant themed suites housed within the Palms. While the Hardwood Suite comes with a private basketball court, full locker room and two storeys in which to host post-game celebrations; the Kingpin Suite boasts private bowling lanes, game tables and a full bar – with personal bowling shoes and balls included. Vegas, anyone?
If you’ve still got money to burn, why not spend it on one of these extravagantly expensive private jet tours?
