A great hotel suite can do many things. It can envelop us in plush surroundings, often crafted by well-known architects and designers and filled with high-end materials, technology and furnishings. It can pamper us with luxe amenities and services, whether in-room pools and saunas or access to on-call butlers and private chefs. And it can help us relax and disconnect from the everyday while also connecting us to a destination via its décor, its locally influenced mini-bar or just its spectacular views.
These days, however, when most of us are getting a little tired of living within the same four walls, luxury hotel suites are also serving as inspiration—for future getaways, postponed celebrations and bucket-list travels. From a Greek sanctuary with two hanging bed-topped pools, a coastal Mexican treehouse and a Japanese penthouse with views for days to a New York City retreat that comes with helicopter transfers and the services of a wellness healer, here are 10 suites we can’t wait to book in 2021.
-
Panoramic Ocean Treehouse, One&Only Mandarina
Image Credit: Courtesy One&Only Mandarina Opened this fall in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit, along the Pacific Ocean coast, One&Only Mandarina’s 81 acres are home to over 50 species of ancient trees—chief among them the Grandmother Tree, which is thought to be 235 years old. To help preserve the unique landscape, the 105 accommodations are dotted around the property and include cliffside villas and treehouses set among the canopies. Perched 39 feet above ground, the Panoramic Ocean Treehouses feature water views, extended terraces, plunge pools and butler service, plus amenities like handwoven kimonos and custom-made bath products. Elsewhere on the property, find dining by Chef Enrique Olvera, a beach club, cascading infinity pools, an outdoor endurance course, a spa offering Tata Harper treatments and a kids club designed by an Academy Award-winning art director. Rates start at $1,210; oneandonlyresorts.com.
-
Jackie Gaughan Suite, El Cortez Hotel & Casino
Image Credit: Courtesy El Cortez Hotel & Casino Operating in downtown Las Vegas since 1941, the family-run El Cortez is both the city’s longest continuously running hotel and casino and the only casino on the National Register of Historic Places. Built and named for the previous owner, the Jackie Gaughan Suite is itself a time capsule—in this case, of the 1980s. Gaming pioneer Gaughan and his wife, Bertie, lived in the 2,700-square-foot suite for nearly 25 years, and general manager Adam Wiesberg tells Robb Report that the hotel has “left it mostly untouched as a tribute to their legacy.” As a result, you’ll find blush pink upholstered walls (chosen by Bertie herself), original carved wood doors with brass “J” and G” door handles, marble bathtubs with golden swan water spouts, and a vintage intercom system. The two-bedroom, 2.5-bath suite—which also has a full kitchen and a lounge/playroom—is available only upon request so that the management can vet potential guests to ensure that they will leave the room in pristine condition. Interested parties should call or email the hotel team for more information and availability. Rates starting at $1,500 per night; elcortezhotelcasino.com.
-
Calilo Suite, Calilo
Image Credit: Courtesy Calilo Set on a 1,000-acre estate on the Greek island of Ios, the luxe, all-suite Calilo boutique hotel—which opened in 2019—has been sustainably built into a hillside overlooking crescent-shaped Papas Beach. While all of the suites boast private outdoor spaces and pools (either single or multi-leveled), each one has been individually designed and decorated, making it tough to pick a favorite. One clear choice, however, is the dramatic Calilo Suite, which launched in August after 13 months of construction. A stark contrast to the typical blue-and-white palette you’d find on nearby Mykonos and Santorini, the suite is lined with gray marble and features an indoor cave pool with picture window and hanging bed, a round marble bathtub and a large outdoor terrace with a second pool, swim-up bar, natural rock shower and more hanging loungers. With all the space and amenities, it’s easy to stay cocooned in the suite, but if you can tear yourself away, you’ll find resort features such as botanical gardens, 20 rock pools, a farm-to-table restaurant and an on-site helipad, plus walking trails and serviced beach cabanas. Rates start at approximately $2,425 per night; calilo.com.
-
Empire Suite, Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
Image Credit: Courtesy Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown Debuting on January 1, this reimagined and renamed suite occupies half of the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown’s 24th floor, with 180-degree views that stretch from lower to midtown Manhattan. Design house Tara Bernerd & Partners has optimized the furniture placement to showcase the views and filled the spaces—which include a master bedroom, a study, living, dining and media rooms, two bathrooms and a kitchen—with soft silks, bold marble and walls lined with felt, inlayed wood and hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper. Along with the stunning design, the 2,400-square-foot Empire Suite comes with a host of perks for guests who book it at the best available rate, including roundtrip helicopter transfers (from all three major New York-area airports), limo transfers from the heliport, a multi-treatment spa retreat and a choice of either personalized Olivia Von Halle silk pajamas or Duke + Dexter slippers, all for two guests. Rates starting at $25,000 per night; fourseasons.com.
-
The Penthouse Suite, St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort
Image Credit: Courtesy St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort Introduced in November as part of this 483-acre Puerto Rico resort’s new $85 million beachfront condo development, the Penthouse Suite is the first in a planned collection of residential-style accommodations geared toward family travel. The four-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath suite stretches 7,694-square-feet and features a kitchen with Wolf & Sub-Zero appliances, soaking tubs, walk-in closets and views of the beach and Atlantic Ocean. The three terraces include a rooftop with an outdoor kitchen, BBQ and plunge pool. In addition to private elevator access, guests of the suite will enjoy signature St. Regis Butler service, as well as regular hotel services like housekeeping and in-room dining. Rates starting at $6,500 per night, with a five-night minimum; marriott.com.
-
Suite, Little Kulala
Image Credit: Courtesy Wilderness Safaris Reopened this fall following a redesign by Cate Simpson of Reflecting Africa, Wilderness Safari’s reimagined Little Kulala now has a clean, streamlined aesthetic inspired by the colors and textures of its Namib desert location. Built using sustainable methods, the 11 suites have been expanded to feature spacious decks, lounging areas and plunge pools—the latter a welcome perk after a day spent quad biking or climbing Namibia’s famous red dunes at Sossusvlei. Each suite also has a rooftop that can be used for sipping sundowner drinks and stargazing, and can be transformed into an outdoor bedroom—complete with plush bedding—for a sleepout under the spectacular desert sky. Rates starting at $680 per person, per night; wilderness-safaris.com.
-
The Ritz-Carlton Suite, the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
Image Credit: Courtesy The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko Opened in July in the heart of Japan’s Tochigi prefecture, inside the cedar-filled Nikko National Park, the Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, has been designed to encourage relaxation, cultural enrichment and communion with nature. You can do all that from a base at the Ritz-Carlton Suite, the 94-room hotel’s top accommodation. Located on the fifth floor, the 2,982-square-foot space features the best views in the house, with panoramas out to Lake Chuzenji and Mount Nantai visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows and from the balcony, which is furnished with daybeds and a telescope. The interiors were created with wood, stone, mashiko pottery and locally curated artwork, and have decorative elements inspired by traditional Kanuma-kumiko latticework. The spacious living area features a gas fireplace and a dining table that seats eight, the fully-equipped kitchen includes a wine fridge, and the open-plan bathroom has a rain shower and soaking tub. There’s also a wellness area with a gym and massage treatment room—though it’s worth heading down to the spa for a soak in the hot spring-fed baths. Rates start at approximately $8,250 per night; ritzcarlton.com.
-
Penthouse Suite, the Londoner
Image Credit: Courtesy The Londoner Following a roughly $400 million investment, the Londoner hotel is slated to open in the heart of the British capital’s Leicester Square neighborhood in April. Featuring interiors by noted design house Yabu Pushelberg, the 16-story property will house much more than its 350 guest rooms, including two private screening rooms, a gym and wellness center, a hair salon and separate barber shop, and six restaurants, from a tavern hosting live music to a Japanese-style rooftop lounge with firepits. The pinnacle of it all will be the duplex Tower Penthouse, a 2,153-square-foot haven with two bedrooms, living and dining rooms, handpicked art works, statement furnishings by Stellar Works and floor-to-ceiling windows framing sweeping city views. Rates starting at approximately $13,360 per night for the partial duplex, $26,737 for the entire penthouse; thelondoner.com.
-
Arctic GlassHouse, Arctic Treehouse Hotel
Image Credit: Courtesy Arctic Treehouse Hotel Set in the middle of a forest along the Arctic Circle in Finland, Arctic Treehouse Hotel brings plush comforts and luxuries to an otherwise blissfully remote location. The 52 accommodations range from standard suites to the family-friendly ArcticScene Executive Suites (which have separate living rooms and wellness areas), but there’s something particularly cozy about the five GlassHouses. Along with two bedrooms, a kitchenette, two bathrooms and a fireplace-equipped lounge, each of these suites has a beautiful sauna and a spacious deck that affords excellent views out over the treetops and up to the northern skies. The design in all the suites mixes modern Scandinavian and traditional Lappish elements, and the on-site restaurant uses local ingredients in its gourmet preparations. Rates starting at about $795 per night; arctictreehousehotel.com.
-
The Langham Nymphenburg Residence
Image Credit: Courtesy The Langham Nymphenburg Residence Launched this fall in a meticulously restored 18th-century manor just outside of Munich, the Langham brand’s first private residence is a super-size suite spread out over 9,000 square feet. Boasting direct views of the imperial Nymphenburg Palace, the residence is located on the grounds of the renowned Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg—the last company in the world making porcelain completely by hand—and that connection is celebrated in the custom porcelain decorative pieces, tableware, cutlery and artwork found throughout. There’s lots of space for guests to spread out, with four bedrooms, seven bathrooms, three living rooms, a dining room, a wine cellar and a kitchen equipped with Gaggenau appliances. Get work done in the office and conference room, get active in the fitness center, be entertained in the home theater and relax on the garden-set terrace, in the sauna and in the spa/wellness room, which is adorned with hand-painted walls and 24-carat gold detailing. The materials used throughout are top-of-the-line—from crystal chandeliers and vintage birdcages to Jim Thompson textiles and Jan Kath silk carpets—while touches like circus wallpaper in the children’s bedroom, hand-painted goldfish “swimming” along a bathroom’s tiles and a dog theme in the Gentlemen’s Room add a sense of whimsy. Rates starting at about $36,000 per night; langhamresidences.com.
