What do Guests Really Get When Staying in the World’s Most Expensive Hotel Room
Last January, a viral post made an arguably astute anthropological observation: “There are two types of people in the world. The people that are in Dubai right now. And us.” The widely circulated sentiment was in reference to the opening of Atlantis the Royal Dubai, which made its official debut following three days of A-list parties attended by powers such as Kendall Jenner, Rebel Wilson, and Ellen Pompeo and culminated in a historic performance from none other than Beyoncé herself. But perhaps one edit should be made to the joke. There are not two, but three types of people: the final section encompassing those that stay in the hotel’s most lavish offering, the Royal Mansion.
At $100,000 per night, the property claims it is the most expensive hotel room in the world. (This is according to publicly shared room rates. The Empathy Suite at Palms Casino Resort previously held the title, though its rate has been decreased to $75,000 per night according to a representative at the property.) When planning the record-setting accommodations, “We wanted something to be very elegant, very grand, very rich; something that is universally appealing” Timothy Kelly, executive vice president and managing director at Atlantis, Dubai, tells AD. “We hoped the guests would be able to come in and feel at home.”
Designed by the GA Group, the suite spans four bedrooms, a living space, a dining room, a kitchen, a bar and game area, and an office across two floors, in addition to a 5,124-square-foot terrace with an infinity pool. Though a traditional penthouse may lead one to believe the best rooms need to be on the top of the building, the Royal Mansion breaks the mold. Instead, the room is situated across the 18th and 19th floors on the building’s sky bridge, offering commanding views in all corners of the suite to landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa, Ain Dubai, and the Arabian Gulf.
“You enter through these majestic, vaulted private foyers with a double-height ceiling,” Kelly says. “As you come in, you’ll also notice a lot of decorative pieces, which was really important to us.” The grand entrance sets the tone for the space that hosts heads of states, royalty, and global pop culture superstars. Inside, Calacatta marble largely defines the 12,140-square-foot space. It’s everywhere: cladding the walls in an ever-dramatic book-matched layout, padding the floor, sculpting the clean corners of the island in the en suite kitchen. “There’s a lot of marble, and it’s very bespoke, large, articulated pieces that are positioned in a way where the stone is serving as art,” Kelly adds. Though near synonymous with luxury, the material can also feel rigid, so gentle textiles like silk draperies, silk wool carpets, and 800 thread count bed sheets soften some of these harsh edges.
However, it’s not just the room’s beauty that was important to the Atlantis team. “It’s also about how we accessorize and ‘amenitize’ the space,” Kelly adds. To that end, there is no shortage of finery dressing the room, including electroplated gold toothbrushes, combs, and razors; Hermès bathroom products; Frette robes; an expansive pillow menu; 146-inch TV; and an exclusive Louis Vuitton Ping-Pong table; among other comforts.
It may sound lavish, but it’s, ultimately, not this list of offerings that make the space the pinnacle of A-list luxury. “Our clientele are very specific about their needs,” Kelly says. “They’re well traveled, experienced, sophisticated, and very personal about what they’re seeking.” At this level, the true mark of grandeur is flexibility, Kelly explains. Though the suite sleeps up to nine adults and four children as is, all of the rooms on the block it’s situated within can connect to the Royal Mansion, if desired. “It can actually make up to 16 additional rooms on top of the four rooms that you have,” Kelly says. “Its ability to expand is really unique.”
Additionally, the hotel team is comfortable curating bespoke experiences for Royal Mansion guests. “We have private trainers and gym staff available as well, and we can create a pop-up gym in the space,” Kelly explains. Some guests don’t want an office and that area is temporarily converted into another, for example, a massage room. “We’re able to mix and match as needed to really meet a lot of our guest’s needs.”
Privacy and security round out the suite’s offerings, which are perhaps as much of a requirement in the most expensive hotel room in the world as a bed or bathroom would be in any other accommodations. “Particularly at this level, customers are looking for ways in which they can enjoy their private time without being so visible in public,” Kelly says. A private elevator in the basement ensures high-profile visitors can access their room with little unwanted fanfare. The private kitchen means masters from the resort’s celebrity chef restaurants can prepare bespoke menus for the guests, who can enjoy them in the privacy of the suite.
There are also four bedrooms in the Royal Mansion, with the option of connecting an additional 16 rooms.
According to Kelly, it’s all of these elements—thoughtful design, luxury amenities, bespoke experiences, and enhanced privacy—that justify the $100,000 price tag. “It was about ensuring that we had all the elements that one would want and a private escape where people can entertain without being visible.”
This story originally appeared on Architectural Digest US