- The newly unveiled Empathy Suite, designed by artist Damien Hirst, is the most expensive hotel room in the world at $100,000 per night with a minimum two-night stay.
- Located off the Las Vegas Strip in the Palms Casino Resort, the two-story sky villa features two luxury master bedrooms, a 13-seat bar, and six standalone Hirst art installments.
- The suite was unveiled on March 1 with a private party hosted by Hirst.
- It is one of six recently renovated villas at Palms, part of a $690 million remodel for the property.
The world’s most expensive hotel room doubles as an art gallery.
Featuring work by world-renowned – and oftentimes controversial – contemporary artist Damien Hirst, the Empathy Suite at the Palms Casino Resort is now available for booking. At $100,000 per night, the Empathy Suite tops last year’s high-ranking Royal Penthouse Suite at the President Wilson Hotel; the Geneva hotel charged $80,000 per night for its top accommodation.
Read more: The world’s 10 most expensive hotel suites
The two-bedroom, 2.5-bath villa features several original installations by Hirst.
Hirst is known for boundary-pushing collections, ranging from formaldehyde preservations to carefully arranged pill bottles. In 2017, his work filled the Palazzo Grassi and the Punta della Dogana in Venice, two art museums funded by billionaire art collector François Pinault.
The Empathy Suite was formerly known as the Hugh Hefner Suite, and in 2012, CNN Travel ranked the suite No. 5 on a list of most expensive hotel rooms. Originally $40,000 per night, the new luxury renovations have spurred a $60,000 price increase.
All six of Palms' sky villas were renovated as a part of $690 million upgrade to the hotel, which was first established in 2001 and is now owned by the Fertitta brothers of Station Casino. Other villas range from $25,000 to $50,000 a night.
Keep reading for a complete look at the exclusive suite, from the Hirst-designed balcony pool to the in-house bar.
The Empathy Suite is the new crown jewel of the Palms Casino Resort ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... located just off the infamous Las Vegas Strip.
Source: Palms Casino Resort, Google Maps
The hotel includes 1,200 rooms across three towers, several restaurants, a concert theater, and, of course, a casino.
Source: Palms Casino Resort, Google Maps
The Empathy Suite is located in the resort's middle building, known as the Fantasy Tower.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
The suite's designer, Damien Hirst, is a well-known contemporary artist whose work first appeared in the late 1980s.
Source: Gagosian Gallery
On March 1, six of his art installments were unveiled in Palms Casino Resort's newest sky villa, also designed by Hirst.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
Damien Hirst hosted the party ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... which included several celebrity guests, such as chef Gordon Ramsay and architect Peter Bentel.
Bentel's firm, Bentel & Bentel, is responsible for projects including MoMa and Yale University cafes, and the Garden Terrace Room at New York Botanical Gardens.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
Upon check-in to the Empathy Suite, guests receive 24-hour butler service, chauffeured car service, a private art tour of the hotel property, and a $10,000 credit to use at the hotel.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
At 9,000 square feet, the villa features plenty of seating space throughout its two floors to entertain up to 52 people.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
The center point of the villa is a 13-seat curved bar, below one of six standalone Hirst art pieces.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
Guests can walk from the bar out to the balcony ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... which includes a Hirst-inspired pool overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
Both of the master bedrooms include California king beds, along with glass windows that overlook either the lower level of the suite ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... or the lights of the Las Vegas Strip.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
The bathrooms are just as luxurious ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... complete in gray marble with Hirst-style accents.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
Pill wall-covering designed by Hirst is featured throughout the villa.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
The villa includes a game room complete with a pool table ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... and butterfly embroidery decorates the villa's massage chairs. The suite also includes a gym.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
The dining room seats eight people comfortably ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... with additional space in the media room nearby.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
The large windows include Hirst-inspired decals ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... to complement Hirst's original artwork ...
Source: Palms Casino Resort
... which can be found scattered throughout the villa.
Source: Palms Casino Resort
Hirst gained recognition in 1991 for his first art installment utilizing animals preserved in formaldehyde.
Source: Gagosian Gallery, Reuters
The technique soon became a series called "Natural History" and included a variety of animals preserved through taxidermy over 22 years.
Source: Gagosian Gallery, Reuters
Hirst's work has appeared alongside other notable contemporary artists such as Jeff Koons and was recently displayed at several Venice galleries. The Palazzo Grassi art museum hosted Hirst's exhibition during the summer of 2017.
Source: Gagosian Gallery
His artwork can also be found in restaurants, including a pharmacy-themed restaurant of his own creation. Pieces of the now-closed restaurant sold at Sotheby's auction.
Source: Reuters, Business Insider