The Burj Al Arab is the epitome of luxury hotels and is the only one in the world that has been officially awarded 7 stars. This iconic hotel in Dubai has been exquisitely designed and modified to become a world-class luxury hotel offering extraordinary experiences. Before diving into the fantastic world of 7-star hotels, it's worth understanding what they really are. In fact, they don't exist officially: the Burj Al Arab in Dubai is the only one that has 7 stars. It's known as the only official 7-star hotel in the world, so, naturally, it's the first place you'll want to book if you want to let yourself be carried away by exaggerated luxury.
The 122-story building was to become the tallest residential building on Earth and one of the most luxurious hotels, but its construction was abandoned. Built in 1884 for the Nizam of Hyderabad, the richest man in the world at that time, the former Taj Falaknuma palace is now listed as a luxurious 7-star hotel. The Burj Al Arab offers more than 1 km of private beach, more than 100 kitchens, no less than 114 domes and marbles from a total of 13 countries. It has more than 1000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers and even a gold vending machine. Because why not? Built in 1999 and the beginning of the fashion for 7-star hotels, this spectacular hotel is widely known as the most luxurious hotel in the world. Since most star ratings offer a maximum of five stars, you might be wondering what a seven-star hotel is.
The truth is that there are no official 7-star hotels. That doesn't mean that guests, critics, and sometimes hotel owners themselves haven't called some establishments seven-star hotels. A seven-star hotel even exceeds the luxury and premium service required to obtain a five-star rating from an official body. These hotels offer more than just a five-star experience, and cater to a very wealthy clientele. They're courting celebrities, captains of industry, and major political figures.
The Rajvilas Hotel, which is part of the Oberoi Hotels in Jaipur (India), is another impressive property that can be classified as a 7-star experience. Seven-star hotels seek levels of sumptuousness and extravagance that most luxury hotels can only dream of. So you better take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime experience and find an excuse to visit one of these incredible 7-star hotels. While 5-star hotels traditionally offer luxury standards when it comes to room comfort, quality restaurants and services, amenities such as swimming pools, spas or gyms, and several additional services, a 7-star hotel would go much further. The iconic Plaza Athenee Hotel in Paris is another romantic getaway spot that rises to seven-star standards, with private balconies that offer a fascinating view of the Eiffel Tower. In the wild west of hotel ratings, the absence of a clear global system has allowed the myth of the seven stars to infiltrate the mainstream, emerging every few years when an incredibly opulent hotel opens its doors.
The President Wilson Hotel in Geneva isn't necessarily a 7-star hotel; it's a 5-star hotel that actually houses the largest and most expensive suite in the world. The President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, is a 5-star hotel that offers the largest and most spacious hotel suite in the world, called the Royal Penthouse suite. In that case, they are classified as boutique hotels which doesn't make them true 5-star luxury in terms of classification. Anyone looking for a truly luxurious experience will look for four or five star hotels while a traveler on a budget might be happy with a two star hotel. Well since there is no categorization of hotels beyond Five Star Deluxe (5D), explaining 7 star hotels over 5 stars based on price and losing 6 in that intermediate case was confusing.
