suite

A basic trip to Los Cabos, Mexico implies a large hotel room with a view of the beach. Within minutes of putting your bathing suit on, you'll have sand between your toes. This sort of baseline can make it tough for a hotel to stand out. If every one is within striking distance of that lovely turquoise water – and each has an attentive staff and cozy digs – what can one hotel do differently? Upon entering my room at Hoteles Marquis Los Cabos, I learned the answer: everything.

You realize that Hoteles Marquis is a special resort when you pull into the driveway. A covered outdoor lobby is framed by a dramatic space, with the curved walls leading your eye to a carefully designed display that links the statue to the pool to the water ... and ultimately to the horizon. Practicality is not sacrificed for the sake of design, however, as cool air is corralled to offset the powerful Cabo sun only footsteps away. The registration process is as swift as it can be, and a refreshing drink makes it a bit more enjoyable. Hey, forms have to be filled out and credit cards imprinted – nature of the beast.

Gallery: Hoteles Marquis Los Cabos

It seems that we may have finally hit the price ceiling for expensive hotel suites. The highest priced hotel suite in Asia can be found at the Pingxi Royal Mansion just outside Beijing was advertised at 220,000 yuan ($28,100), which makes it even more expensive than the Bridge Suite at the Atlantis. Recently, though, the hotel dropped its price by 20% per night ($22,485) because of a lack of customers.

On second thought, we're not too worried about the possibility that this could indicate a drop in the demand for luxe suites, though. More likely than not, this is just a case of overpricing in the first place.

The World Series is over and most of the Bowl games are barely on the horizon, but one thing that is just as important as who is playing is where you are going to be when you watch the game. Forbes Traveler has picked out the best skyboxes in North America. Their slideshow even gives you a sneak peek inside each and every location. Here is the list of the top spots, the price (per season unless otherwise indicated) and their home teams and, if you end up having to change team allegiances to get in to the top boxes, remember that your friends will forgive you as long as you invite them up, too.

• Luxury boxes at The Rogers Centre, Toronto Blue Jays ($32,000 a game)
• The Pool Zone at Chase Field, Arizona Diamondbacks ($5,900 per game, pictured)
• Suites at FedEx Field, Washington Redskins ($75,000 to $200,000)
• Platinum executive suites at Air Canada Centre, Toronto Maple Leafs ($287,000 to $465,000 )
• The Lofts at Cardinals Stadium, Arizona Cardinals ($65,000 to $125,000)
• President's box at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, host of the U.S. Open ($12,000 to $25,000 per session)
• Luxury boxes at Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots ($325,000)
• Suites at Bank of America Stadium, Carolina Panthers ($59,000 to $100,000+)
• Luxury box suites at Busch Stadium, Saint Louis Cardinals ($105,000 to $185,000)

The never-ending quest for the most expensive one-night stay in the world continues, as the Hotel Martinez now offers a suite that costs $37,200 per night. The Hotel is in Cannes, France and attracts more than its fair share of celebrities when they flock to the international film festival every year, but the luxury hotel is popular all year round. The penthouse suite, also known as the Exceptional 7th Floor Suite, is over 2,000 sq. feet, has four bedrooms, marble baths, multiple luxury living and dining rooms, plasma screen TVs with satellite programming, and a spa on a terrace which affords panoramic views of the Mediterranean. Interestingly, the rooms are also soundproofed. For those looking to save a few dollars, the floor can be divided into four individual suites, as well.

Hotel prices are rising so quickly that it's a wonder anyone can keep up with them. The situation isn't helped by the fact that everyone ones to be the one to offer the most expensive, most luxurious suite possible. The average hotel room costs around $90 per night and that number increases every year. Some hotels, of course, are simply not equipped to offer $25,000 per night rooms, but it won't be long before the benchmark set by the Atlantis is surpassed. In fact, rumor has it that New York's Four Seasons Hotel is about to offer a room for $30,000 per night.

Forbes has the newest list of the US's most expensive hotel rooms. Starting at $10,000 per night, these super suites offer a super stay to celebrities and business people every day of the year. The highest priced suites include:

The Penthouse at The Setai in Miami costs $25,000 per night. It includes a personal butler, Andrew Marston, who used to supervise the Buckingham Palace staff. The suite also has four bedrooms, two of which are master suites, and twin living rooms.

With the 2006 World Cup coming up, teams are making their travel arrangements to stay in Germany for the duration of the 64-game tournament. The German team does not have far to go, but will be staying at the Schlosshotel im Grunewald, a 5-star luxury hotel in Berlin. It is situated in what was formerly the seat of the von Pannwitz family in 1914, essentially a palace that was known for its elegance and extravagance. The hotel offers 42 rooms and 12 suites, all with full amenities that include a wide array of personal technologies, from the standard minimum of three telephones and two lines per guest room to high speed wireless internet access.

The largest room is the Kaiser suite, which is fit for a king at 5-rooms and nearly 2,000 square feet. It is furnished in historic, antique elegance with silk sofas and marble bathrooms. The suite runs about $3,600 per night.

Though it was mysteriously absent from the Travel Channel's list of the most expensive hotel suites, the Atlantis Bridge Suite. Perhaps they did not consider the possibility that a hotel would charge an astounding $25,000 per night for a suite. The Atlantis is a premier destination in the Bahamas, known for its spectacular architecture and huge casino. The suite has 10 rooms, including a 1,250-square-foot living room with grand piano and twin entertainment centers, a dining room with a 22-karat gold chandelier and bedrooms with wardrobes so large "you could drive a car into them." The suite has a full kitchen and a permanent staff of seven, who access the rooms via a private entrance. There are 12-foot high ceilings throughout with full length windows and the suite's location is on the bridge that spans across the 23rd floor of the resort's two towers gives it the most spectacular views money can buy. Celebrity guests have included Michael Jackson, Oprah, Celine Dion and Bill Gates, but if you spend enough at the casino, the staff might just be able to fit you in for a night.