THE PRICE OF COMFORT
A hotel can raise its room rate based on demand or by being the only game in town, but it takes a combination of amenities and service to be considered more than just "expensive." With vacation rentals and home-sharing biting into the hospitality industry's bottom line, guests willing to pay a premium for plush accommodations expect a certain level of quality — spa treatments, concierge service, private chefs, and other luxuries. While day-to-day price fluctuations make it nearly impossible to find the most expensive of these luxury hotels, we combed lists of the best, picked midsummer weekends in June and found facilities known as much for their pampering as for their price tags.