World’s most expensive resort opens, costs N36m per night

The world’s most expensive resort has opened for business in the Philippines, at the whopping cost of N36 million ($100,000) per night.

It’s called, Banwa Private Island, and while the price tag is eye-wateringly hefty, it does secure guests the entire island.

Nestling in the Palawan archipelago in the Philippines – regarded as “the last ecological frontier”, according to the resort’s website – it’s pretty much 15 acres of paradise on earth.

The resort website says that it’s “a private world where time stands still” and where temperatures rarely dip below 30C.

The accommodation is luxury through and through. There are six villas that each boast a private infinity pool, hot tub deck at the water’s edge and floor-to-ceiling windows.

There’s also a restaurant that serves food that’s been freshly grown locally or freshly caught from the Sulu Sea, and a spa, where guests can enjoy an unlimited number of treatments at no extra cost.

Activity-wise, there are lots of choices – scuba-diving, snorkelling, jet skiing, catamaran sailing, yoga and tennis.

Plus golf, desert-island style. You tee off from a jetty and try to hit a floating target green with balls made of fish food.

There’s intriguing wildlife to investigate, too – including Hawksbill sea turtles and tabon birds – and there’s an on-site animal expert guests can chat to about it.

Possibly the flashiest way of reaching the island is by seaplane or helicopter from Manila. It costs N356,400 ($990) per way for a nine-passenger seaplane and N4.2 million ($11,580) for a five-passenger helicopter round-trip. But however guests arrive, they’ll have to pay their way as transfers aren’t included.

So on the face of it, this is a private island experience open to only the very richest people.

But there is a way to bring the price right down. The villas accommodate 48 people, so if you can gather that number of people together and split the cost it works out at $2,083 (£1,600) each per night, though there is a minimum stay of three or five nights depending on the time of year.

Some of the most expensive resorts include the Necker Island – Richard Branson’s private island resort in the British Virgin Islands – at the cost of N27.9 million ($77,500). The Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel in Geneva, closely follows at the cost of N27 million ($75,000) a night.

Also, the five-bedroom terrace suite, The Mark, New York at the cost of N27 million ($75,000). Penthouse Suite, Grand Hyatt Cannes, Martinez, at N19.2 million ($53,200).