Go Niche

SANDRA O'CONNELLon the things some may miss...

Thought hotel prices were going down? You were right. All except for one small but exquisitely formed subsector: the luxury suite. Prices here have gone up by an average of 10 per cent over the past year, with the world’s most expensive one actually doubling its rate. Where else are the rich to go to escape all our depressing recession-speak? It must be, like, totally boring for them.

According to Wealth Bulletin's 2009survey, the costliest suite on the planet is now the Royal Penthouse at Geneva's President Wilson Hotel (above), where one night's kip behind bulletproof glass

will set you back €43,000. Management at the hotel attributes the rate to “buoyant demand” from government officials and UN diplomats, otherwise known as public-sector workers.

Next up is the Ty Warner Penthouse (above) at the Four Seasons in New York, a bargain by comparison, at just €23,000. A couple of thousand less will bag you the Presidential Suite at Hotel Cala di Volpe, on Sardinia’s Costa Smerelda, or the Villa La Cupola Suite at the Westin Excelsior in Rome. The Presidential Suite at the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo, the Bridge Suite at the Bahamas Atlantis and the Imperial Suite at the Park Hyatt in Paris all come in at less than €16,000 a night. The Royal Suite at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai costs €13,000 a night.

Finally, the Royal Armleder Suite at Le Richemond, in Geneva, and the Ritz-Carlton Suite at Ritz-Carlton Moscow bring up the rear with a rack rate of €12,500 and €10,900, respectively. The latter even has its own panic room, for use, no doubt, should someone try to broach the topic of cuts.