There are a lot of things that can make your stay at a hotel expensive. The history of the building, its proximity to popular tourist destinations, or even how recently it received a redesign — hotel designers know how to get you to pay premium prices.
Occasionally, though, a hotel is expensive to stay in because it took a lot of money to build. Here are the most expensive hotels ever built.
6. City of Dreams – Macau
Estimated cost: $2.4 billion
The City of Dreams was a $2.4 billion construction that brought multiple buildings and experiences to one location. Among the towers that make up the most expensive hotel in Macau, and all of China are Hard Rock Hotel, the Grand Hyatt Macau, and the Crown Towes Hotel. Also available is a large casino and more than 200 different shopping destinations. A fifth tower was added in 2017, which added another 40 floors and 800 rooms to the facility.
5. Wynn Resort – Las Vegas, Nevada
Estimated cost: $2.7 billion
The Wynn Resort spreads over 600 acres of land and is the sixth largest hotel in the world. It was constructed in 2005 at a cost of $2.7 billion. The hotel has received numerous accolades and has been the site of some Las Vegas firsts, a hard thing to do in a city with such a competitive hotel industry. For example, the Wynn Resort became the first casino in the Las Vegas area to feature a car dealership.
There are currently plans to add another 35 acres to the resort with the construction of the Wynn Paradise Park, slated to be completed in 2020 for an additional $1.5 billion.
4. Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas – Las Vegas, Nevada
Estimated cost: $3.9 billion
The most expensive American hotel is the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. This hotel, voted the world’s best in 2013, cost $3.9 billion and has 3,000 rooms across the two towers that make up the bulk of the resort. The rest of the space is filled with spas, expansive casinos, and restaurants.
3. Emirates Palace – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Estimated cost: $3.9 billion
The Emirates Palace was built as the official guest lodgings for the government of Abu Dhabi at a cost of $3.9 billion. The palace is constructed out of more than 10 different types of marble imported from Spain, Italy, India, and China and was designed by British architect John Elliot. It also features 1,000 chandeliers constructed out of Swarovski crystals.
2. Marina Sands Bay – Singapore
Estimated cost: $5.5 billion
This Singapore hotel cost $5.5 billion to build. The Marina Sands Bay has 2,500 rooms alongside a massive convention center and an equally large mall. You can either enjoy the hotel’s gambling facilities, or, if you are not much of a gambler, the infinity swimming pool, museum, skating rink, or one of seven celebrity chef restaurants.
1. Abraj Al Bait – Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Estimated cost: $15 billion
The Abraj Al Bait is not only the tallest hotel ever built, with the clock tower centerpiece reaching a height of 1,300 feet, it is also the most expensive hotel ever. The entire complex cost $15 billion to complete and can host over 100,000 people at a single time.
The hotel is located near the Masjid al-Haram, a sacred site of Islam, and was constructed to modernize Mecca and provide a place for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who visit each year.
Monolithic Masterpieces
The next time you head abroad, take the time to see what money really can buy by staying in one of these exciting and lavish hotels. With a little bit of digging, you can find a way to see some of the best-designed and busiest hotels without blowing your entire vacation budget.