Record-Breaking Hotels

For those travellers who wish to heighten their holiday experience and ‘Wake Up Happy’, Hotels.com(R), the global hotel specialist, highlights some record-breaking hotels around

For those travellers who wish to heighten their holiday experience and ‘Wake Up Happy’, Hotels.com(R), the global hotel specialist, highlights some record-breaking hotels around
the world, whether they are the biggest, tallest, oldest, greenest or most expensive.

The hotels featured on the Hotels.com list of’est’ factor hotels offer extraordinary accommodation which defies the normand offers travellers a truly memorableexperience. Hotels include the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, currently the world’s tallest hotel, Icehotel in Sweden, the world’s coldest, and Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa in Queensland, which is
regarded as the world’s ‘greenest’ hotel.

In addition to introducing travellers to some exciting ‘extreme’
hotels, Hotels.com offers over 100,000 properties globally to search and
book.

Hotels with the ‘est’ factor – as named by Hotels.com

World’s Tallest Hotel: Burj Al Arab – Dubai

Currently the tallest hotel in the world is the Burj Al Arab in Dubai
(however, the Rose Tower, also in Dubai, will surpass it once opened in
late 2009). Standing at 321 metres in height, the hotel is a self-rated 7
star hotel built on a man-made island 280 metres from shore. Burj Al Arab
is arguably one of the most luxurious hotels in the world with its own
Rolls Royce fleet, private shopper and helicopter landing platform. All of
the hotel’s 202 duplex suites, ranging from 170 to 780 square metres, are
fitted with Versace bedspreads, full size Hermes products and come with a
private butler. Naturally the hotel isn’t cheap, with the Burj Al Arab also
having some of the most expensive rooms costing up to US$15,000 per night.

World’s Largest Hotel (number of rooms): The Palazzo Resort Hotel &
Casino – Las Vegas, USA

Where else other than in Las Vegas would you find the world’s largest
hotel? The Palazzo Resort Hotel & Casino, which operates under the same
license as The Venetian hotel next door, has 8,108 rooms combined. The
hotel is like a mini city, with a large selection of restaurants, fashion
stores (including its own version of Barneys New York) and, of course, its
own casino with over 139 gaming tables and 1,400 gambling machines. The
hotel also has its own Lamborghini dealership, which houses the only
Koenigsegg dealer in the United States. The Palazzo is home to the Broadway
smash musical Jersey Boys, while the widely acclaimed Blue Man Group is
permanently on show at the Venetian. If you want to relax, there is the
choice of seven pools and four hot tubs.

World’s Oldest Hotel: Hoshi Ryokan – Komatsu, Japan

The Hoshi Ryokan hotel in Komatsu, Japan is the oldest hotel in the
world. It has been in operation for over 1,300 years dating back to its
opening in 718; this hotel has been run by the same family for 46
generations. The hotel has only 100 rooms, with a focus on ensuring comfort
and satisfaction. Guests are welcomed with a traditional Japanese tea
ceremony. For relaxation, guests can walk through the traditional Japanese
gardens or slip into their ‘yukata’, a cotton kimono, provided for their
use after soaking in either the indoor or outdoor hot springs.

World’s Most Expensive Hotel Room: Royal Villa at Grand Resort
Lagonissi – Athens, Greece

Featuring a dedicated butler, chef and pianist, the Royal Villa at
Grand Resort Lagonissi in Athens is the world’s most expensive hotel, with
rooms attracting a hefty $50,000 per night. The room overlooks the Aegean
Sea, which you can view from a private pool with a hydro massage device.
The room has all the luxuries you would expect for the price tag such as a
marble-lined bathroom, oversized walk-in wardrobe and a private wooden
terrace. If you find a reason for leaving the room, the hotel offers a spa
that uses the Chenot massage method, which incorporates traditional Chinese
medicine with modern technology. The hotel has ten restaurants, many of
which have been awarded the five star diamond award. The resort also has a
private Lear jet available to fly guests around the Greek Islands.

World’s Most Expensive Hotel to Build: Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2005, cost over three
billion dollars to build. Silver, gold and marble are used throughout the
hotel as well as in the guest rooms; the 1002 chandeliers are made from
Swarovski crystals. The hotel also includes 70 football pitches, a 1.3
kilometre private beach and its own marina offering a number of different
water activities, as well as a helicopter pad. All of the 394 rooms are
decorated with acres of gold leaf and marble and come complete with a
private butler service. The hotel has two large pools, one on the east wing
and one on the west. The west wing pool is in fact an adventure pool
equipped with a waterslide, waterfalls and a lazy river.

World’s Largest Hotel Room: Royal Suite in the Grand Hills Hotel & Spa
– Broummana, Lebanon

The Royal Suite in the Grand Hills Hotel & Spa in Broummana in Lebanon
is the largest hotel room in the world. The suite is set over six floors at
a combined staggering size of 8,000m2, while over 4,000m2 is used with
living space. The rest is made up of two swimming pools, a private garden,
terrace and three pavilions. The hotel’s other 117 suites are also spacious
and luxuriously fitted. The hotel has 12 restaurants and bars, its own
nightclub and three swimming pools within the hotel; the main outdoor pool
has a giant jacuzzi and a fountain. The hotel also has its own shopping
arcade with a number of designer boutiques.

World’s Coldest Hotel: Icehotel – Jukkasjarvi, Sweden

Icehotel represents an exciting winter experience, with rooms built
entirely from ice and snow, uniquely decorated with handcrafted ice art and
sculptures and with temperatures between -5 degrees and -8 degrees
Centigrade. The Icehotel also houses an ice chapel, which is licensed for
marriages and baptisms. There are two restaurants serving a range of
Lappish and Swedish dishes and the Absolut Icebar offers designer cocktails
served from ice glasses. Activities include snowmobile excursions, northern
lights tours, snow-shoe and cross-country ski excursions, and dogsled and
reindeer tours.

World’s Highest Hotel (floor height): Park Hyatt – Shanghai, China

The Park Hyatt in Shanghai is currently the highest hotel in the world,
occupying floors 79 to 93 of the 101 story Shanghai World Finance Centre;
the hotel has magnificent views over the Huangpu River and the city
skyline. Located in the heart of Lujiazui business district in Pudong, the
hotel is within walking distance to some of the city’s best eateries. The
hotel’s renowned Water’s Edge spa offers daily tai chi classes and an
infinity swimming pool, which creates the optical illusion of continuing
cascading water. To book, please visit

World’s Highest Hotel (altitude above sea level): Hotel Everest View,
Nepal

It’s of no coincidence that the world highest hotel above sea level is
set on the highest mountain in the world, Mt Everest. The Hotel Everest
View is 3,880 metres above sea level and is set in the Sagarmatha National
Park. Fortunately for guests, all rooms have views of the iconic Mt Everest
standing at 8,848 metres and the most awe inspiring and beautiful mountain
peaks. Mountaineers can embark on a number of different treks that the
hotel can arrange including an eight-day Mt Everest trek. Naturally there
is no direct access to the hotel other than by chartered helicopter; guests
must remember to bring walking boots as it’s a 45 minute hike from the
airstrip to the hotel.

World’s Most Eco-Friendly Hotel: Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa, Queensland,
Australia

Set in the world’s oldest rainforest, Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa has 15
villas nestled inside the Daintree Rainforest, allowing guests to be one
with nature whilst offering all the creature comforts of a five star hotel.
The hotel has received various awards for being eco friendly, including
being named the Leading Eco Lodge of the World in 2007 due to its
commitment to complying with sustainable tourism standards set by the
United Nations, the World Tourism Organisation, World Conservation Union,
the International Ecotourism Association, and the World Trade Organisation.
Some of the practices in place include using solar power, low energy
lights, having an organic farm to grow its own produce, having no
electrical appliances, as well as composting and recycling whatever it can.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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