It’s not easy to establish the correct parameters when selecting the best suite in the world. For some, the most important factors are the level of luxury and exclusivity marked by the price range; for others, it’s the services and amenities included; and, for the more traditional customers, it’s all about the size.

In an effort to help simplify the search for the ideal luxury accommodations, a few international publications have established their own rankings. Here we offer you their respective formulas for selecting the best suites in the world.

Well-known magazines such as Forbes and Elite Traveler, for example, decided to establish their rankings from indisputable data not based on guest evaluations or taste.

The World Luxury Hotel Awards, also known as the Oscars of the hotel industry, has been selecting the top accommodations from around the globe for the last ten years.

Forbes published an interesting list of the most exclusive suites in the world based on price. Among the rooms mentioned, especially noteworthy were:

• The Grand Penthouse at The Mark Hotel in New York, a huge 12,000-square-foot, five-bedroom duplex featuring a spacious living room with a grand piano, a vast 2,500-square-foot terrace, and an exclusive menu prepared by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. This unique experience in the Big Apple costs US$86,000 per night.

• The striking Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland, was listed as the most spacious at 18,000 square feet, which includes a meeting room, private elevator, helipad, a panic room and bullet-proof walls, doors and windows. As its name suggests, this suite has been especially designed for senior officials and royalty.
• Next on Forbes’ list is the Penthouse Suite at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Cannes, France, with 17,976 square feet of interior space, plus a 3,000-square-foot terrace with spectacular views of the Boulevard de la Croisette.

Meanwhile, Elite Traveler created two lists, one based on price and another based on the size of the suites, so that its readers can choose the one that best suits their tastes.

The most expensive are:

• The Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel, Geneva, Switzerland: US$ 80,000 per night
• The Maharajah Pavilion at the Raj Palace Hotel, Jaipur, India: US$65,000 per night
• The Warner Penthouse at the Four Seasons Hotel, New York: US$50,000 per night
• The Hilltop Villa on Laucala, a private island in Fiji: US$45,000 per night

The largest suites are:

• The Penthouse Suite at the Grand Hyatt in Cannes, France: 17,975 square feet
• The Royal Suite at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai in Palm Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates: 16,867 square feet
• The Maharajah Pavilion at Raj Palace Hotel, Jaipur, India: 16,000 square feet
• The Amanyara Villa in Amanyara, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos: 14,450 square feet

In addition to these rankings, the World Luxury Hotel Awards, also known as the Oscars of the hotel industry, has been selecting the top accommodations from around the globe for the last ten years. The more than fifty winners in the various categories respond to a huge variety of criteria, and for luxury travelers the list can be captivating to read.

In the latest installment, the establishment recognized the famed Armani Hotel Dubai as the best luxury hotel in the world.

If you’re looking for the most expensive, the largest or the best decorated room on the planet, a good place to start would be visiting the suites mentioned in this article. Enjoy!  ■