Welcome to Paradise: The Most Luxurious Hotels in the World
By Dr. Noel Norcross – March 1, 2011
What’s your dream vacation? Does it involve sunny days and tranquil nights on your own private tropical island? Is it an eco-adventure that allows you to enjoy the world’s natural wonders and wildlife? Or, is it being pampered in a sleek and modern suite with every possible amenity and a bustling city just outside your door? Luxury can mean different things to different people, but no matter who you are, there is likely a hotel somewhere in the world that looks like your version of paradise. In fact, some of the world’s finest resorts offer services that you may have never even dreamed of.
If you’ve ever planned a trip away from home, you may have spent some time investigating hotel properties and discovered that they are often ranked by stars. On any booking website, you will see hotels ranging from half a star up to five stars, but did you know that there are six and even seven-star hotels?
The first seven-star hotel in the world was the Seven Stars Galleria in Milan, Italy. Housed in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which was built in 1876, the hotel features hand-painted, vaulted ceilings, and to make sure that your every need is met, every room has a private butler. While some might think that staying in a historical landmark might be overwhelming, the Seven Stars tries to make every guest feel comfortable by providing personalized amenities. With designer furniture, linens, and toiletries; 24-hour room service; and activities, meals, and even your favorite flowers arranged upon request, the seven suites at the Seven Stars will not make you feel at home, but rather as though you’re somewhere even better. In the 160-square-meter “Ambassador Wing,” which includes two master bedrooms, two lounges, and a meeting/dining room, there are six LCD televisions (one of which is in one of the four bathrooms) sprinkled throughout and a laptop computer in each bedroom, in case you can’t quite tear yourself away from the outside world.
At the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the 202 suites range from 170 to 780 square meters, and each of the 27 floors has its own Guest Services desk. In addition to hidden technology controlling temperature, lighting, and curtains, every room features full-size Hermes amenities and a “pillow menu” with a range of pillows and quilts to choose from. There’s also a Jacuzzi/spa bath accompanied with a “bath menu” including music and aromatherapy bath oil options that your butler can prepare at a moment’s notice. If the sky’s the limit, you might want to request the “Royal Suite” on the 25th floor, which includes a private elevator and movie theatre. In the master bedroom, reachable via a marble and gold staircase, you will find a rotating, four-poster canopy bed.
The third seven-star hotel in the world, the Emirates Palace is also in the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi. It hosts 302 “Grand Rooms” and 60 suites of varying degrees of decadence, all decorated in “a masterful blend of Arabian regal splendor” including “acres of gold leaf.” If you want the best, choose one of the centrally-located “Palace Suites” which feature Swarovski crystal chandeliers and three bedrooms apiece decorated in silks and marble and equipped with Jacuzzis and rain showers in the bathrooms. As is standard with hotels of this caliber, guests enjoy around-the-clock butler service.
There are a few other seven-star hotels reportedly under construction including ones in China, Iran, Pakistan, and the Philippines, but since there’s currently no international governing body that decides how many stars a hotel has, remember that one man’s five-star hotel might seem like a seven to you. Here are a few more amazing hotels that might be worth saving up for; just don’t expect to want to leave your room to see the surrounding sites:
If you want to immerse yourself in natural beauty while being pampered, consider the all-inclusive Wakaya Club on Wakaya Island in Fiji where you can arrange for private use of one of the many beaches on the 2,200 acre property. There are ten 1,500-square-foot cottages decorated with natural touches including lava rock shower stalls, woven bamboo wall coverings, and indigenous timber flooring. Because of its remote location, you will arrive at the hotel, not by limousine, but the resort’s private plane, which will pick you up at Nadi International Airport free of charge and deliver you to your room equipped with chilled champagne and sarongs, slippers, and robes that are yours to keep. In addition, guests are guaranteed early morning check-in and late afternoon check-out, all meals and beverages, unlimited use of the fully-stocked mini bar, and two scuba tank dives per person per day.
One of the most impressive dwellings on Wakaya is “Vale O” or “House in the Clouds,” a 12,000 square-foot villa on a 16-acre hilltop property that can accommodate up to six people. It includes a rock-rimmed pool with a waterfall, a tennis court, and a private gym. If you can’t make it to Wakaya this year, perhaps it’s worth the wait, as Wakaya’s ultimate experience, “Sega Na Leqa” (Fijian for “No Worries”), will not be available until 2011. This space will include “floor to ceiling glass panels to better appreciate this extraordinary location that overlooks a turtle sanctuary.” Guests will also enjoy a dedicated household staff including a personal chef and an on-call driver, and the 38-meter infinity edge pool.
A few thousand miles east of Wakaya is the Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, India, a hotel that has been on the top ten hotel lists of the Travel Channel and Travel + Leisure. The suites in this lakeside hotel include private heated swimming pools and the ubiquitous promise of personal staffs. For memorable dining experiences, guests are ferried across the water to an elegant floating restaurant. The hotel has been designed to resemble a traditional Indian palace featuring “rambling courtyards, gentle rippling fountains, reflecting pools and verdant gardens.” The 2,650-square-foot “Kohinoor Suite” features breathtaking views, a 20-meter pool, fireplaces, and a master bedroom complete with a wooden sauna.
Finally, as with any list of top hotels, we’ll end with one, in this case, The One Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia. As with all of the hotels mentioned here, guests of The One are treated to lavish accommodations and attentive service. However, here there is only one breathtaking suite. You have the whole hotel, which includes a lobby and boutique, to yourself. In addition to tailoring the suite to your personal tastes and needs, the staff—always reachable via the private cell phone given to you upon arrival—includes a stylist, photographer, and videographer. Both meals and spa treatments are made to order for you to enjoy in your quarters. In the bathroom, there’s a two-person tub with underwater lighting and a rainfall shower, and on the rooftop, there’s a Jacuzzi and a spectacular outdoor sound system, so you can enjoy the stars as you relax in the evening and plan your next trip to paradise.
If you’ve ever planned a trip away from home, you may have spent some time investigating hotel properties and discovered that they are often ranked by stars. On any booking website, you will see hotels ranging from half a star up to five stars, but did you know that there are six and even seven-star hotels?
The first seven-star hotel in the world was the Seven Stars Galleria in Milan, Italy. Housed in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which was built in 1876, the hotel features hand-painted, vaulted ceilings, and to make sure that your every need is met, every room has a private butler. While some might think that staying in a historical landmark might be overwhelming, the Seven Stars tries to make every guest feel comfortable by providing personalized amenities. With designer furniture, linens, and toiletries; 24-hour room service; and activities, meals, and even your favorite flowers arranged upon request, the seven suites at the Seven Stars will not make you feel at home, but rather as though you’re somewhere even better. In the 160-square-meter “Ambassador Wing,” which includes two master bedrooms, two lounges, and a meeting/dining room, there are six LCD televisions (one of which is in one of the four bathrooms) sprinkled throughout and a laptop computer in each bedroom, in case you can’t quite tear yourself away from the outside world.
At the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the 202 suites range from 170 to 780 square meters, and each of the 27 floors has its own Guest Services desk. In addition to hidden technology controlling temperature, lighting, and curtains, every room features full-size Hermes amenities and a “pillow menu” with a range of pillows and quilts to choose from. There’s also a Jacuzzi/spa bath accompanied with a “bath menu” including music and aromatherapy bath oil options that your butler can prepare at a moment’s notice. If the sky’s the limit, you might want to request the “Royal Suite” on the 25th floor, which includes a private elevator and movie theatre. In the master bedroom, reachable via a marble and gold staircase, you will find a rotating, four-poster canopy bed.
The third seven-star hotel in the world, the Emirates Palace is also in the United Arab Emirates, in Abu Dhabi. It hosts 302 “Grand Rooms” and 60 suites of varying degrees of decadence, all decorated in “a masterful blend of Arabian regal splendor” including “acres of gold leaf.” If you want the best, choose one of the centrally-located “Palace Suites” which feature Swarovski crystal chandeliers and three bedrooms apiece decorated in silks and marble and equipped with Jacuzzis and rain showers in the bathrooms. As is standard with hotels of this caliber, guests enjoy around-the-clock butler service.
There are a few other seven-star hotels reportedly under construction including ones in China, Iran, Pakistan, and the Philippines, but since there’s currently no international governing body that decides how many stars a hotel has, remember that one man’s five-star hotel might seem like a seven to you. Here are a few more amazing hotels that might be worth saving up for; just don’t expect to want to leave your room to see the surrounding sites:
If you want to immerse yourself in natural beauty while being pampered, consider the all-inclusive Wakaya Club on Wakaya Island in Fiji where you can arrange for private use of one of the many beaches on the 2,200 acre property. There are ten 1,500-square-foot cottages decorated with natural touches including lava rock shower stalls, woven bamboo wall coverings, and indigenous timber flooring. Because of its remote location, you will arrive at the hotel, not by limousine, but the resort’s private plane, which will pick you up at Nadi International Airport free of charge and deliver you to your room equipped with chilled champagne and sarongs, slippers, and robes that are yours to keep. In addition, guests are guaranteed early morning check-in and late afternoon check-out, all meals and beverages, unlimited use of the fully-stocked mini bar, and two scuba tank dives per person per day.
One of the most impressive dwellings on Wakaya is “Vale O” or “House in the Clouds,” a 12,000 square-foot villa on a 16-acre hilltop property that can accommodate up to six people. It includes a rock-rimmed pool with a waterfall, a tennis court, and a private gym. If you can’t make it to Wakaya this year, perhaps it’s worth the wait, as Wakaya’s ultimate experience, “Sega Na Leqa” (Fijian for “No Worries”), will not be available until 2011. This space will include “floor to ceiling glass panels to better appreciate this extraordinary location that overlooks a turtle sanctuary.” Guests will also enjoy a dedicated household staff including a personal chef and an on-call driver, and the 38-meter infinity edge pool.
A few thousand miles east of Wakaya is the Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, India, a hotel that has been on the top ten hotel lists of the Travel Channel and Travel + Leisure. The suites in this lakeside hotel include private heated swimming pools and the ubiquitous promise of personal staffs. For memorable dining experiences, guests are ferried across the water to an elegant floating restaurant. The hotel has been designed to resemble a traditional Indian palace featuring “rambling courtyards, gentle rippling fountains, reflecting pools and verdant gardens.” The 2,650-square-foot “Kohinoor Suite” features breathtaking views, a 20-meter pool, fireplaces, and a master bedroom complete with a wooden sauna.
Finally, as with any list of top hotels, we’ll end with one, in this case, The One Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia. As with all of the hotels mentioned here, guests of The One are treated to lavish accommodations and attentive service. However, here there is only one breathtaking suite. You have the whole hotel, which includes a lobby and boutique, to yourself. In addition to tailoring the suite to your personal tastes and needs, the staff—always reachable via the private cell phone given to you upon arrival—includes a stylist, photographer, and videographer. Both meals and spa treatments are made to order for you to enjoy in your quarters. In the bathroom, there’s a two-person tub with underwater lighting and a rainfall shower, and on the rooftop, there’s a Jacuzzi and a spectacular outdoor sound system, so you can enjoy the stars as you relax in the evening and plan your next trip to paradise.