Many travelers, especially those traveling with their families or for business, opt to splurge on a suite for extra room to spread out. But added space isn’t the only reason to upgrade your digs. In some cases, reserving a suite unlocks special perks like private guides, access to your own speedboat, free-flowing champagne, and VIP dining experiences—not to mention bragging rights.
From the world’s largest overwater villa to a designer suite on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, here are 5 suites worth the expense.
Gili Private Reserve (pictured) A Robinson Crusoe fantasy come to life, the Private Reserve at Gili Lankanfushi is the world’s largest overwater villa, stretching across the Indian Ocean in multi-level tiers. Guests spend their days lounging by the infinity-edge pool and in the overwater catamaran nets; working out in the air-conditioned gym; pampering themselves with treatments at the private couples’ spa (complete with a steam room and indoor/outdoor treatment rooms); and sliding down the top-deck waterslide into turquoise waters. Running late on dinner reservations? Luckily guests of Gili Private Reserve have access to their own speed boat, which they can use to travel around the resort or farther afield. By night, enjoy movie screenings at the private cinema, and retire in the guestrooms (of which there are two en suite master bedrooms and a guest suite), which have doors that open to the breathtaking scenery. Other perks of the Private Reserve include a fully equipped kitchen and the option to curate your own wine selection from the 400-label cellar.
andBeyond Phinda Mountain lodge Family Suite Designed to provide the right balance of privacy and together-time, the Family Suite at andBeyond Phinda Mountain Lodge is cleverly laid out to help you make the most of your group safari getaway. A central living room connects the two wings of the suite, each of which have bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms and outdoor showers, and interleading children’s rooms. A private veranda off the shared lounge offers panoramic views of the surrounding bush (keep your eyes peeled for the Big Five) and connects directly to the lodge pool. But that’s not all — book the Family Suite and you’ll get your own dedicated private guide and vehicle for exploring the lodge’s 70,560 acres of protected wildlife land, where wildlife like cheetah, black rhino, and nyala roam. The Marylebone Suite Get the royal treatment in London by booking the lavish Marylebone Suite. Offering 860 square feet of living space, it’s like owning your own stylish pied-a-terre in the heart of the city, steps from Hyde Park and Manchester Square. The best place to take in the views is the suite’s Scandi-style terrace, complete with a retractable roof and blinds, plush sofas, a fireplace and TV. Or relax inside, where a Julian Chichester dining table, a marble bathroom and whirlpool bath, freshly cut flowers, and complimentary selection of alcoholic and soft drinks will make you feel right at home. Other perks of booking the chic suite include VIP airport pick-up (London City & Heathrow only, one way), in-suite check-in, and access to a dedicated guest liaison who can hook you up with dinner reservations, in-room meals, or anything else you should need.
Master Casita at Paradero Todos Santos Guests of Paradero Todos Santos’ indulgent Master Casita can do as much (or as little) as they want, enjoying access to all the resort’s immersive experience from energizing morning yoga, and taco tours, to farming tutorials, cliffside champagne tastings, and sunset walks. No matter what activities they partake in, guests will come back to the ultimate hideaway in Todos Santos: spread over three floors and designed to feel like a luxurious home away from home, the Master Casita comes with a kitchenette, a spacious dining room, and a plunge pool and suspended “star net” with 360-degree views of the mountains, the Las Palmas Beach, and the La Mesa farming fields. Like all of Paradero’s suites, the Master Casita embraces triangular geometries—a sacred symbol of the Mayan culture–to promote a sense of balance and wellbeing.
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train In June 2023, eight new suites will be unveiled aboard the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train. Two original 1920s and 30s carriages, accommodating just four suites on each car, will be carefully restored, their design inspired by pastoral European landscapes and featuring plush fabrics and furnishings from renowned brands and makers like Majorelle, Dufrene, Leleu, Rousseau, and Lalique. The La Forêt Suites will evoke Germany’s Black Forest, while the La Campagne Suites will be adorned with rich velvet greens and intricate flower marquetry in homage to Northern Italy’s rolling pastures and vineyards. Les Montagnes Suites will mirror the mountainous peaks of Austria’s Arblerg massig, and Les Lacs Suites will reflect the serene beauty of the likes of Lake Zug in Switzerland and Lake Como in Italy. The suites are portals to the golden day of train travel, with luxuries like private marble ensuite bathrooms and lounging areas that transform into either double or twin beds by night. Additional amenities might include personal 24-hour cabin stewards, complimentary kimonos and slippers, and free-flowing champagne. Cheers!
