When the £1,000-a-night hotel arrived in London a few years ago, it caused quite a stir, representing a new level of luxury – and a new type of guest willing to pay for it. These days, a stay at a top hotel in the capital, and many other destinations besides, could set you back considerably more than that, as accommodation prices climb higher and higher.
But when it comes to hotels, is the most expensive necessarily the best? Might there be bigger and better rooms, superior views, flashier spas and more polished service at other, cheaper places?
We’ve found the top-priced hotel in 10 key destinations, from European cities to tropical island paradises, and asked our relevant expert if it’s the best, or whether there’s somewhere else that’s better for a splurge stay.
London, England
The Emory
From £943.50
This all-suite hotel from the Maybourne group broke the £1,000-a-night barrier when it opened next to sister hotel the Berkeley in 2024, but, at the moment, you can stay there for just under that. It’s a more discreet proposition than its neighbour and is home to a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant, ABC Kitchens, a rooftop bar and a spectacular pool.
Our expert’s verdict
I prefer fellow Maybourne hotel Claridge’s. The Emory has chic, contemporary suites and I love the rooftop bar and ABC Kitchens, but its location in that traffic-clogged stretch of Knightsbridge just doesn’t do it for me. The old-school atmosphere, warm welcome and heart-of-Mayfair location of Claridge’s, which, by the way, is still constantly adding new things (Jammy Dodger tart from the new bakery, anyone?), is just cooler. Francesca Syz
Paris, France
Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
From £1,737
Palatial comfort, exquisite, old-world refinement and the most extravagant flower arrangements in Paris sum up this historic hotel by the Champs-Elysées. Combined with its aristocratic atmosphere is a sumptuous spa and a whole galaxy of Michelin-starred restaurants.
Our expert’s verdict
In a city with 12 “Palace” hotels – a distinction awarded to France’s five-star crème de la crème – being the best is no mean feat. Glamour and XXL Eiffel Tower views at the Peninsula, Le Bristol’s huge rooms and peerless patisserie, and grande-dame soul at the Ritz and Lutetia give the George V a serious run for its mega-money. Yet the unrivalled choice of once-in-a-lifetime gastronomic dining in its one-, two- and three-Michelin-starred restaurants, freshly refurbished rooms and ethereal, utterly bewitching floral art secures this 1928 icon top spot. Nicola Williams
Venice, Italy
Belmond Hotel Cipriani
From £1,594 when the hotel reopens in April
A Venetian legend since it was founded in the 1950s, Cipriani remains an enduring paragon of understated luxury. Quite apart from its idyllic location on the island of Giudecca, the hotel (ranked number 12 in the 2024 Telegraph Hotel Awards) offers elegant rooms, impeccable service, verdant gardens and the biggest swimming pool in all of Venice. St Mark’s Square is only a five-minute private boat ride away.
Our expert’s verdict
The Cipriani faces stiff competition from Venice’s major players: Aman, the Gritti Palace and Hotel Danieli. The Danieli suffers from the crowds on busy Riva degli Schiavoni. Aman enjoys a more exclusive setting, romantic Grand Canal views and sumptuous frescoed interiors. Intimate Gritti – super-central on the Grand Canal – exudes patrician charm. Yet the Cipriani is, quite simply, “serenissima” – the most serene. Kate Bolton-Porciatti
Sicily, Italy
Four Seasons San Domenico Palace
From £1,302 when the hotel reopens on March 1
This magnificent former monastery dating back to the 14th century has been a hotel since 1896. The charm that enticed Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo and Humphrey Bogart, among many other celebrities of their day, remains, as do the hotel’s links to the screen – most recently as the setting for season two of The White Lotus. It stands on the cliffs overlooking the Ionian Sea in Taormina, with Mount Etna to its right and the town’s ancient Greek theatre to its left. The 21m infinity pool is among the world’s most beautiful and the restaurant has a Michelin star.
Our expert’s verdict
Although it remains a showstopper, since San Domenico Palace became part of the Four Seasons group it has inevitably lost some of its character and since White Lotus, is now rather crowded with jet-setters. It is thus beaten for authenticity and a sense of place by Belmond’s Grand Hotel Timeo, which was the first ever hotel in Taormina and still maintains the lure it has had since 1873 as an essential stop for European aristocracy on the grand tour. It is as elegantly understated as the San Domenico is now bold; a place for those who have seen it all and want the finer things in life without the fuss. It is the true grande dame of Taormina, perfectly coiffured, wearing real jewels and rising far above the showy world of the screen. Mary Lussiana
New York, USA
Aman
From £2,006
A luxury bubble of chic tranquillity, high in the sky off Fifth Avenue, with spectacular views of the Midtown skyscrapers and a vast, lavish spa. The beaux-arts Crown Building in which Aman has resided since opening in 2022 was the first home of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) at the end of the 1920s. Rooms come with glass-encased fires and huge egg-shaped bathtubs. Top marks for the truly OTT details such as the rattan iPhone coasters to protect the hinoki-wood omakase counter in the restaurant.
Our expert’s verdict
Like other big city Amans, this is an urban resort with sky-high prices. The gym is perhaps the most impressive of any hotel in New York and the 20m pool lined with firepits is extraordinary. It’s a great hotel, with fabulous bathrooms in the bedrooms. But for a splurge stay I’d go for the Mark, which feels much more “New York”, or Four Seasons Downtown, which has a better location than the Aman – within walking distance of Manhattan’s cooler neighbourhoods. Mark C O’Flaherty
Cape Town, South Africa
The Silo
From £1,597
With its legendary façade of faceted windows, the repurposed Silo – above Cape Town’s major contemporary art museum – is by night a glowing beacon, by day a glittering jewel. These are plush, opulent cocoons offering unparalleled harbour and mountain views, and serviced by an ace team.
Our expert’s verdict
There is nothing like the Silo; not in Cape Town, nor in the world. Where else can you lie in bed gazing at a flat-topped mountain dwarfing all human endeavour, boats moving out of Table Bay harbour like tiny toys in a giant’s bath tub? For a cosseted front-row seat of the world’s most geographically arresting city, the Silo can’t be beaten. Pippa de Bruyn
St Barts, Caribbean
Fouquet’s Saint-Barth
From £1,882
This hotel, in the island’s capital, Gustavia, comprises just 21 light-filled rooms overlooking the red roofs of the town and its pretty harbour. There is a spa and yoga centre, all rooms come with a plunge pool and the restaurant delivers superb French cuisine laced with Caribbean flavours.
Our expert’s verdict
Fouquet’s is charming, but a stay in the French overseas territory of Saint Barths is best done right on the beach. Baie des Flamands is considered the island’s loveliest, on the wilder north-west coast, and right on it is Cheval Blanc, the only hotel on St Barts with a “Palace” ranking. With stylish interiors, food courtesy of Paris-based Jean Imbert and signature dusty-rose toiletries with an unforgettable fragrance, this should be on every hotel bucket list. Mary Lussiana
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
From £985
Every room at this superyacht-shaped hotel has a balcony and its design is something of a new proposition for Dubai. Unlike sister hotel the Burj Al Arab, which is all gold-dipped glitz inside, Marsa presents a more understated vision of high luxury with wooden surfaces, soft silk carpets and hand-blown crystal lights. The pale colour scheme is designed to evoke “golden hour” (the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset) and the whole hotel does seem bathed in a warm light.
Our expert’s verdict
Even for Dubai, the Marsa is incredibly fancy. Its Iliana Pool Club is encased by Bali levels of greenery (special in this desert city) and its breakfast buffet is arguably the most sophisticated in the Gulf states (if not the world). This is the first Jumeirah resort to truly challenge the supremacy of the brand’s flagship Burj Al Arab, but it’s ditched the gold-plated gimmickry for a more sophisticated approach: this hotel sets a new benchmark for luxury in the United Arab Emirates. It’s the best place in Dubai to splash cash right now. John O’Ceallaigh
Maldives
Velaa Private Island
From £3,353
This ultra-luxe overachiever is a haven for the world’s elite. It’s home to the nation’s largest wine collection, an acclaimed fine dining restaurant, Aragu, and everything from air-conditioned squash and tennis courts to a climbing wall. The enormous villas come with private butlers and their own pools.
Our expert’s verdict
Velaa has a beautiful natural island location with plenty of corals and marine life in the immediate vicinity. Service is superb and no expense has been spared on the design or facilities, which include a golf course and an overwater spa with a snow room. Unfortunately, most guests hide out in their villas, meaning the vibe is so low-key it’s barely audible. Instead, I’d skip across the Noonu Atoll to Soneva Jani, where you can enjoy your privacy or socialise when you feel like it. Lee Cobaj
Tokyo, Japan
Aman
From £1,716 after the peak of cherry blossom season
No surprises to see two Amans on this list. The ultra-high-net-worth individuals’ hotel group of choice opened this, its first city hotel, back in 2014, spanning the cloud-brushing apex of a 38-storey skyscraper. Minimalist interiors of wood, paper and stone constitute a soothing modern riff on Japan’s traditional design heritage, alongside spacious light-flooded suites offering bathing with a view. The seriously impressive spa is home to an onsen-style stone bath as well as a 30m swimming pool.
Our expert’s verdict
Countless luxury hotels compete for attention across Tokyo’s skyline – from the bejewelled elegance of Bulgari and the buzzy, contemporary edge of Tokyo Edition Toranomon Hills, to the cinematic views and gourmet pizzas on offer at the Mandarin Oriental. But when it comes to next-level escapist urban serenity – perhaps the most precious luxury commodity in the sprawling megalopolis – with flawless contemporary design thrown in for good measure, Aman Tokyo is in a league of its own. Danielle Demetriou