Seven luxurious Presidential suites at the best hotels in Australia

Where do you stay when you are dodging the paparazzi? When the state of the world depends on your safety? Or simply when only the best will do. For the super-rich, famous and most powerful people on Earth the safe bet is the Presidential suite, a huge and hugely impressive space with VIP treatment guaranteed — with a price tag to match.

Nearly all of Australia's top hotels have one of these epic suites on offer, typically on the top floor, where heads of state, pop stars and celebrities can relax, away from the public glare, in the kind of palatial environment they're accustomed to. Due to their expense, these Presidential suites are generally empty for more than two-thirds of the year, but no high-end hotel would be without them, lest they risk missing out on the prestigious glow of having Harry Styles, Taylor Swift or Joe Biden come to stay.

But just how sweet is the suite-life? Writer Stephen Corby tours the country, following in the footsteps of Sir Elton John and other A-listers to check into the country's best presidential suites.

These are the seven Presidential suites that topped his list to become — arguably — Australia's most luxurious hotel rooms.

From $7990 per night.

It's all about the personal touches at The Four Seasons where, a bit like a classier version of the bar in Cheers, everybody knows your name, and frequently treat you as if it has the letters HRH before it. Painting a welcome note to our kids on their bedroom window (the suite has two rooms, suitably far apart, but only one with a classic four-poster bed and canopy) was a nice touch, even if it did slightly obscure the God-like view of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Bridge. Fortunately, there was still plenty more glass to ogle through in this Presidential Suite's decadent living area. The youngest guests were particularly spoiled, with car-shaped chocolate delicacies on arrival and giant boxes of Lego delivered just before bedtime (followed by a mixologist not long after to whip up cocktails for the adults). Once the kids finally passed out from all the excitement we settled back to enjoy the multi-window-seated, bath-with-a-view space, which offers the city's best vantage point when it comes time for Vivid — floating well above the hordes of people below. The views are incredible, of course, but what's more impressive is that they're one of the last things you'll remember.

• Who's stayed here: President Barack Obama
• Most decadent feature: All-inclusive minibar.

Book a room at Four Seasons Sydney

$35,000 per night.

Not only can this suite lay claim to being the most expensive hotel room in Australia, it is also the most exclusive, operating on an invitation-only basis. But the price isn't the only thing that's breathtaking about this towering colossus of a suite, puncturing the sky on the 88th floor of Barangaroo's Crown Towers. Sprawling over two floors (with both a private lift and a grand staircase), this suite covers a staggering 800 square metres and offers a huge outdoor jacuzzi with incomparable Sydney Harbour views, a grand piano, a cinema-sized karaoke room (sure to get a good workout when Taylor Swift stays here in 2024), its own massage treatment room attached to the almost absurdly large main bathroom and a pool table and bar area. The $35,000 fee does include private valet parking (you would hope so!), a 24-hour butler service and all of your food and beverages. It's fair to say that this suite sits head, shoulders and diamond tiara above all others, at least in this country.

• Who's stayed here: Taylor Swift will base herself here for her sold-out Sydney shows in 2024.
• Most decadent feature: A jacuzzi big enough for Swift's whole band to enjoy, 88 floors up in the sky.

Book a room at Crown Towers Sydney

From $12,000 per night.

There's something grandly impressive about an entirely new hotel, particularly one that sets new standards of service, luxury and mod-Oz sensibilities, like the new Ritz-Carlton. And the most impressive part of this towering hotel is the Ritz-Carlton Suite.

From its sky-high position, through its many, many large windows, the suite offers a fresh perspective on Melbourne as Port Phillip Bay replaces That River as the most prominent visual feature, and the city's many skyscrapers point hopefully up at you. From here you can look down into Marvel Stadium, or, seemingly, all the way to Geelong. The 251 square-metre suite itself feels glitteringly new, with the most impressive kitchen we saw throughout our research (celebrities and the ultra-rich can't just eat in restaurants, so meals are prepared in suite by a private chef and served at the grand eight-seat dining table). Relaxing in the plush living room with its swimming-pool-sized TV and fireplace, would seem apt afterwards. Particularly impressive is the huge dressing room, in which hang the most spectacularly plush hotel robes I have ever had the pleasure of sighing into.

• Who's stayed here: Too soon to say.
• Most decadent feature: Fully equipped kitchen with giant fridge full of free beverages.

Book a room at Ritz-Carlton Melbourne

From $6900 per night.

This regal and recently refurbished suite proves you can feel the presence of greatness, even when it's no longer in the room. The centrepiece of the lavish living room is a baby grand piano that goes some way to explaining why so many of the world's greatest musicians choose to stay here when in town. If the thickly padded, sound-proofed walls could talk, or sing, they would tell tales of Lady Gaga waving to her fans from the Juliet balcony, Sir Rod Stewart setting up a table to make his beloved model trains and Sirs Elton and McCartney belting out a tune or two.

While the living area, and giant walk-in wardrobe and dressing area, have a soft and ye olde English air to them, the bathroom feels like a gleaming white spaceship of Hollywood style that's been dropped in direct from Beverly Hills.

Spending the night here, breathing the faint whiffs of fame, it's hard not to regret giving up on your piano-tinkling music career as a child.

• Who's stayed here: Sir Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Sir Rod Stewart and more.
• Most decadent feature: A baby grand piano.

Book a room at Park Hyatt Melbourne

From $5000 per night.

Nothing exceeds like excess itself, and there are truly rock-star levels of it on display in the vast, 340 square metre Chairman's Ocean Suite at The Langham Gold Coast. The couch is big enough to sleep 10 groupies and abuts a unique double-decker coffee table; the bath in the spare room, where your staff can wait on you, is big enough to wash a pony while the primary bathroom's spa has underwater disco lights and a sofa (why don't more bathrooms have sofas?). But it's not just the size and space, or the slight trace of recent stardust (Harry Styles was the most recent celebrity resident) that makes it magic, nor the epic balcony with its day beds and beach views. Rather, it's the little touches of class, the quality of the materials and artworks. And, for that final rock-star touch, a fabulous built-in stereo system.

• Who's stayed here: Harry Styles, Sir Elton John.
• Most decadent feature: A balcony so long you'd get puffed doing laps of it. Also, a spa bath with disco lights and ocean views.

Book a room at The Langham, Gold Coast

From $4960 per night.

The Q1 stands apart, and far above, all the other suites on this list, because it feels far more like a penthouse apartment where a billionaire might live than somewhere you can pay to stay short-term. The most obvious and impressive feature is the large, heated pool in the living room, just across from the bar and the pool table. Then there are the four very large bedrooms, the home cinema, and outdoor areas, which at 74 floors up, are not for the faint hearted but great for the rest of us, as well as a games room with putting green, a Swedish sauna and a host of other features I don't have space to list. Four couples, or quite a few more fellows on a weekend away, could make excellent use of all this luxury.

• Who's stayed here: The Bachelor 2022 was filmed here.
• Most decadent feature: In-room heated swimming pool.

Book Q1 Presidential Penthouse now

From $7000 per night.

One does not check into a beautiful hotel suite like this Adelaide high point at Eos SkyCity to be taunted, and though it feels slightly churlish to complain, putting a fully equipped gym (I did at least try the sauna) inside your room, between the 12-seat dining table, your own "business centre" (it's too grand to be a study) and the main bedroom means you can't help but keep noticing the machines sitting idle and unsweated upon inside. There's a slick modernity to the Grace Villa's interiors but it's tempting to spend all your time away from them, on the bounteous balcony, which offers spectacular sunsets and a lovely view of the city's greatest place of worship, the Adelaide Oval.

• Who's stayed here: Visiting dignitaries (in town to watch the cricket).
• Most decadent feature: Private gym with sauna.

Book a room at Eos SkyCity