Just what is a seven-star hotel? These luxurious and grandiose establishments strive for a place above and beyond even the notable luxury of a five-star rating. Seven-star hotels aim for levels of sumptuousness and extravagance that most luxury hotels can only dream of. In this article, you’ll learn what makes a seven-star hotel and discover some examples.

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What Is the Hotel Industry?

From a seven-star hotel in Singapore to the humblest backpacker hostel in Prague, the hotel industry serves the needs of travelers who require overnight accommodation (or longer). The hotel’s features, amenities, and services will vary depending on the price position and the guests’ needs, with hotel owners and managers aiming to attract a particular customer. There’s a significant overlap between the hotel industry and the hospitality industry — so significant that they’re often confused.

The hospitality industry is broadly concerned with leisure and recreation, covering not just hotels but bars, restaurants, tourism, and other activities that people typically undertake for enjoyment rather than due to necessity. The hotel industry is concerned explicitly with customers who want accommodation, whether traveling for business, study, or tourism. According to the Travel & Tourism – Worldwide Report by Statista, the hotel market is projected to reach a market volume of $446.5 billion in 2024. You can learn more about the hotel industry in “Hotel Industry: Everything You Need to Know About Hotels!”

International Standardization in Hotel Star Rating Systems

What is a seven-star hotel? The highest standardized star rating for a hotel is five stars. Various companies and rating bodies have worked to create a meaningful rating system for hotels, evaluating establishments on a five-yearly basis to determine their star ratings. The rating system’s critical aspects include comfort, service excellence, and quality amenities.

Because there are various rating bodies, there are also different systems. One of the most widely known is the Michelin star rating, which awards hotels between one and five stars (with five stars being the highest possible). Other systems also use a similar star rating.

What Is The Significance of Hotel Star Ratings?

A hotel is one of the first things a traveler might look for when preparing for a trip. It’s important to find comfortable accommodation within the traveler’s price range. Star ratings offer a quick and easy way to tell if a hotel suits the client. Someone looking for a genuinely luxurious experience would seek out hotels with four or five stars, while a budget traveler might be happy with a two-star hotel. A five-star rating implies that a hotel is exceptionally well-appointed and that the service and amenities will be outstanding. According to the Global Luxury Hotel Supply Report by Statista, the number of luxury rooms available worldwide in 2023 was over 1.5 million.

For more information about hotel star rating systems, please read “The Hotel Star Rating System: Types, Benefits, Significance, Examples”.

What Is a 7-Star Hotel?

With most star ratings offering a maximum of five stars, you might wonder what a seven-star hotel is. In truth, there are no official 7-star hotels. That doesn’t mean guests, reviewers, and sometimes hotel owners haven’t dub some establishments seven-star hotels. A seven-star hotel exceeds even the luxury and premium service required to attain a five-star rating from an official body. These hotels offer something above and beyond a five-star experience, catering to a highly wealthy clientele. They’re courting celebrities, captains of industry, and major political figures.

Table: Differences Between 5-Star and 7-Star Hotel

Aspect 5-Star Hotels 7-Star Hotels
Luxury and Service Provide luxurious amenities and exceptional service. Offer unparalleled luxury and the highest level of personalized service.
Accommodations Feature well-appointed rooms and suites with upscale furnishings. Include opulent and extravagant suites, often with unique designs.
Dining Options Offer fine dining restaurants and diverse cuisine options. Showcase multiple gourmet dining venues, often overseen by renowned chefs.
Amenities and Facilities Provide high-quality amenities like spas, fitness centers, and pools. Offer an extensive range of exclusive amenities, from private butlers to private beach access.
Exclusive Experiences Offer exclusive experiences such as guided tours and cultural events. Provide extraordinary experiences like helicopter transfers and private yacht charters.

Features of a 7-Star Hotel

Seven-star hotels are characterized by exclusivity and grandeur. With rooms sometimes costing tens of thousands of pounds a night, guests can expect lavish services. Such hotels might offer helicopter transfers instead of the traditional limousine, incredible collections of fine wines in the cellars, personal butlers, and more.

Only the wealthiest clientele could even consider a stay at one of these establishments. Simply offering comfortable rooms, well-maintained amenities, and gourmet food in the restaurant isn’t enough. A 7-star hotel strives to offer a uniquely luxurious experience, breaking records and making headlines.

A seven-star hotel might have any number of facilities. Pool and spa facilities will be numerous and varied, with a record-breaking range of available facilities and procedures. The restaurants will serve food prepared by Michelin-star chefs. Every suite and room might have a unique design. Services will be unsurpassed in flexibility and discretion. The location and views will be superb.

Five Most Famous 7-Star Hotels

You can find examples of seven-star hotels all around the world. Below are examples of the most famous or extravagant hotels that offer exceptional luxury to their guests.

Burj Al Arab – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

In a city renowned for its extravagant futuristic architecture, it takes a lot for a hotel to stand out. The iconic Burj Al Arab succeeds in this. It’s the original 7-star hotel. Burj Al Arab is the tallest hotel in Dubai, standing on its own man-made island. Guests can expect to be treated like royalty, especially if they choose to stay at the Royal Suite. This is the hotel’s most expensive room, with a single night costing upwards of £20,000. The suite has a cinema room and a personal butler and limousine.

Video: Burj Al Arab – The World’s Most Luxurious Hotel

 

Click here to visit the website of Burj Al Arab.

Laucala Island Resort – Fiji

The Laucala Island Resort lets guests enjoy the paradise of Fiji in style. What is this seven-star hotel? Well, it’s made up of 25 villas and cared for by a small army of staff — more than 300. The cheapest villa is almost £4,000 per night, while the most expensive is over £41,000. Guests who can afford the exorbitant prices can enjoy various services, with drivers, cleaners, nannies, and private chefs on hand to meet every need. The villas are extravagantly appointed, offering beachside bedrooms and private infinity pools Experiences include kayaking, golfing, and even submarine trips in the pristine waters of the South Pacific.

7 star hotel fiji

Click here to visit the website of Laucala Island Resort.

Hôtel Plaza Athénée – Paris, France

Of course, a seven-star hotel in Paris has to feature Eiffel Tower views. The Hôtel Plaza Athénée delivers on Avenue Montaigne and is just opposite the famous landmark. The rooms have classic French opulence, crystal chandeliers, luxurious materials, and premium features. Each room boasts a private balcony so guests can gaze at the Eiffel Tower and the Paris skyline while enjoying their petit déjeuner. Window-side armchairs and coffee tables allow indoor view enjoyment if the Parisian weather isn’t cooperating.

Video: Hôtel Plaza Athénée – Grand Reopening 2020

 

Click here to visit the website of Hôtel Plaza Athénée.

Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, India

Once occupied by the ruler of Hyderabad, the Taj Falaknuma Palace is India’s sole seven-star hotel. It’s an incredible building, as you’d expect from somewhere that was once the home of the world’s wealthiest man. The palace boasts a unique scorpion-shaped structure with two sweeping wings instead of claws. The interior is even more incredible, with priceless artworks and manuscripts on the walls, a collection of jade artifacts, and Belgian Osler chandeliers. The hotel even has a replica of Windsor Castle’s library. Guests can expect the most regal of welcomes, with the option of pulling up in a horse-drawn carriage.

7 star hotel india

Click here to visit the website of Taj Falaknuma Palace.

Signiel Seoul, Seoul, South Korea

Situated in the Lotte World Tower, the Signiel Seoul defines the concept of a seven-star hotel. While most of the rooms aren’t as outrageously priced as some on this list, it’s still South Korea’s most costly hotel; the most expensive room is over £15,000 a night. Guests can be transferred in by helicopter to enjoy luxurious rooms, food prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, and Asia’s biggest collection of champagnes. Thanks to its location in one of the world’s tallest buildings, the hotel offers spectacular views over Seoul.

Video: SIGNIEL SEOUL by LOTTE Hotels & Resorts (official)

 

Click here to visit the website of Signiel Seoul.

Social Media Strategies

It’s not just 7-star hotels that deserve a high profile. Hotels and resorts must keep up with the latest strategies to leverage social platforms in an era where social media is king. Perhaps more than any other sector, businesses in the hotel industry can benefit from the opportunities offered by platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and more.

In this article, you’ll discover ways to leverage social media to raise brand awareness, drive website traffic, increase bookings, and improve revenue management. Find out how social media can help your hotel marketing strategies in “Social Media Strategies For Hotels to Engage With Guests”.

What Makes a Hotel Cool?

With more and more people choosing to travel for business and leisure, guests are increasingly searching for something outside the norm. Bland, generic hotels won’t satisfy a curious and experience-hungry traveler. Hotels that offer character, a unique location, or an outstanding aesthetic have a natural advantage in a changing market.

The cool hotel craze is sweeping the industry, from hotels inspired by natural surroundings or famous landmarks to floating boatels. To learn more about what makes a hotel cool and to study some genuinely unique hotels, read “Cool Hotels: What Makes a Hotel Cool and What are Some Examples?”

7 Star Hotel FAQs

The Burj Al Arab in Dubai is often described as a 7-star hotel, but this is an unofficial rating, which is primarily a marketing tactic. There are no hotels that are officially recognized as 7-star hotels.

There are no hotels in the world that are officially recognized as 8-star hotels. Official ratings go from 1-star hotels to 5-stars hotels. Ratings above the 5-star level are unofficial or the product of marketing campaigns.

There is no official difference between a 5-star and a 7-star hotel because 7-star hotels are not officially recognized. However, when hotels promote themselves as having more than five stars, they are indicating that the level of luxury, extravagance and service, along with the quality of amenities, all exceed that of the best hotels.

There are no hotels that are officially recognized as having exceeded 5-star hotels. Some hotels do promote themselves as being a 6 or 7-star hotel, but these are marketing strategies rather than real awards.

Hotels may market themselves as being 6-stars in order to stand out from 5-star hotels and highlight that their service goes above and beyond the 5-star level. Nevertheless, there are no official 6-star hotels.

While a “7-star hotel” might not be an official rating, it’s still a meaningful designation for the world’s most opulent and extravagant hotels. If a hotel offers record-breaking amenities and service that’s second to none, perhaps it’s worth those two extra stars.

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This article is written by:

Martijn Barten

Hi, I am Martijn Barten, founder of Revfine.com. With 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, I specialize in optimizing revenue by combining revenue management with marketing strategies. I have successfully developed, implemented, and managed revenue management and marketing strategies for individual properties and multi-property portfolios.