Take a Look Inside the Most Expensive Hotel Room in America
It’s nice to treat yourself to a stay away from home once in a while—whether you’re on a luxury vacation or just a one-night getaway. A nice hotel can make all the difference.
However, some splurges just can’t be justified for the average human being. Case in point: The Mark Hotel in the Upper East Side, New York, otherwise known as the country’s most expensive hotel room. Got an extra $75,000? Then sure, you can afford to spend the night there!
Since most of us won’t be able to do that, let’s take a look into what we’re all missing. But first, some background: The Mark Hotel dates back to 1927 but more recently underwent a huge three-year revamp period, from 2006 to 2009. While the exterior remains the same, the interior was redesigned by Jacques Grange, a famed designer—and among his visions was a penthouse suite that gives a new meaning to the term penthouse suite.
The suite is located on the 16th and 17th floors of the Mark Hotel, and spans a whopping 10,000 square feet. Just for comparison, my home is 1,200 square feet in total, but moving on.
The massive room abode features five bedrooms (three king and two queen), four fireplaces, six bathrooms, two wet bars, a library lounge, a dining room that seats 12, the list goes on and on.
There are 26-foot ceilings in the living room, people—yes, the living room, which is “large enough to be converted into a full-sized grand ballroom,” according to Fortune. The kitchen, bathrooms, dining room, everything is wildly stunning. Oh and let’s not forget the outside of the suite—a 2,500-square-foot rooftop terrace overlooks Central Park. Take a look at these photos to see more.
As we mentioned, the suite was designed in 2009—so the sudden freak-out about it now? Well, the penthouse existed, but now the hotel as finally opened as a rentable suite.
“Before the paint was dry on the renovation, we had someone interested in renting it as an apartment, so it has never been publicized or even on the website,” says Olivier Lordonnois, general manager for the Mark Hotel. “We then had a family rent it for 16 months, and now it is finally ready for guests.”
We know what you’re thinking: What could it cost to buy this thing if a one-night stay is $75,000? Well, we’re not sure, but a comparable property not too far away is selling for $24.75 million, so. Something like that.
And before you say, “Who would ever rent that out for such an astronomical price?” it was actually calculated pretty fairly. Lordonnois came up with the price tag after researching that their competitor, the Ty Warner penthouse at the Four Seasons, goes for $50,000 a night, and that suite is only 4,500 square feet, with just one bedroom. “There is no way we would price our penthouse at the same level, as it is so much bigger,” says Lordonnois. “Plus, guests are getting all the amazing services of the Mark.”
Those amenities? He’s not just talking about the little things, like the John Lobb shoeshines available, a 70-foot sailboat, plus complimentary bicycles and pedicabs for hire. Yes, this place really calls those the little things. “We have heads of state, very wealthy business people, and celebrities renting this space, and they could care less about a Bentley at their disposal 24/7, as they often have their security in tow, or their own motorcade,” Lordonnois says.
Instead, the Mark Hotel is adamant about finding things that really make a difference for the guests who will be spending a ton of money on their services. For example, a rare bottle of wine for the connoisseur or a telescope at hand for someone interested in astronomy. The Mark Hotel is committed to service unlike any other.
Man, if only we were a celebrity! What do you think—could you ever justify that much money on one night of luxury? What would you give to stay here for one night?