Luxury can be defined by a number of things, cost and exclusivity being the front runners, but it can also be determined by a certain feeling it brings the individual – a feeling of comfort and a sense of extravagance.
When talking about luxury travel, we could be talking about the world’s most expensive hotel suite, the Empathy Suite at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, or Dubai’s Burj Al Arab, which impressed a journalist so much upon the hotel’s opening they gave it its own ‘7-star’ rating. Or it could be the private villa you rented in Tuscany for your honeymoon, the beaches in Thailand you’ve lounged on, or even the Cornish holidays you took with family as a child.
Below, we are going to take a further look at five of the most luxurious places you can head on the planet, as decided in collaboration with Carmen’s Luxury Travel. Do any of your favourites make it on the list?
Maldives
For the ultimate beach holiday in which you can luxuriate, relax and live like royalty, it has to be the island country of Maldives. Encompassing 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks of which around 200 are inhabited, expect the ultimate private escape with your every whim catered to.
Stand out resorts have to be Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa, Anantara Kihavah and Veli, InterContinental Maamunagau Resort, The Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands, and Amilla Resorts and Residences, Baa Atoll which topped our ‘best hotel in Asia’ list at this year’s LLM Readers’ Travel Awards. Expect lovely amenities, idyllic villas and overwater suites, fine white sand beaches and cool design to leave you questioning whether you truly have entered paradise.
London
Fans of the British monarchy the world over travel to England’s capital to take the obligatory photo outside Buckingham Palace and to catch a glimpse of the famed crown jewels, but what else is there to see and do in this thriving city? Well, London has the most five-star hotels in the world with the like of The Connaught, The Savoy, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, The Langham, The Dorchester and many more offering exquisite suites, fine dining and excellent service as standard. There is a top level of shopping to be done here, iconic sights to see and plenty of multi-Michelin-starred restaurants to take in too.
Dubai
For sun, sand, superb service and some pretty stellar experiences, Dubai is the city that really shows off, not least for its architecturally stunning buildings. As mentioned, the Burj Al Arab hotel is a bit of a masterpiece with its gold leaf walls, Rolls Royce airport transfer, opulent royal suite and high-end restaurants, while Atlantis, The Palm, with its underwater suites, private beach and iconic location, certainly competes, as does the magnificent Bulgari Villa at Bulgari Resort and Residences. Add to this the range of shopping malls, thrilling activities and the opportunity to spot the world’s tallest building and you have quite the luxury destination.
Las Vegas
Understated isn’t really a word that is associated with the city of Las Vegas in Nevada, USA, but that’s part of what attracts the many millions of visitors a year to this glitzy and over the top destination. As we mentioned, the city boasts the world’s most expensive hotel suite at Palms Casino Resort, presumably to lure the high rollers of the world to the many casinos that operate in the city. The Skylofts at MGM Grand, Wynn, The Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace and more all offer opulence and fanciful facilities throughout to please all guests.
Switzerland
From stunning skiing destinations in winter to luscious lakeside retreats to head to in summer, the picture-perfect, compact country of Switzerland certainly pleases many a type of traveller. Le Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois overlooking the Rhine in Basel boasts an exquisite three Michelin Star restaurant along with opulent suites that have housed celebrities and world leaders alike, while Hotel President Wilson houses the largest hotel suite in Europe, with 12 bedrooms and panoramic views of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc.
If it’s wellness hotels you are after, then the country certainly knows what it’s doing here with a supreme selection of spa resorts with serene views ready and waiting to spoil you. What could be more luxurious than that?
