Room at the Top: the Empire Suite

The opulent Carlyle Hotel houses a rarefied mix of New York's power elite, who either reside in one of the apartments or stay over in the exclusive suites, at prices beyond belief. Recently, the Carlyle converted one of the residences into the Empire Suite, which at 2,600 square feet is about the size of a typical three-bedroom house.

Of course, the typical house doesn't come with walls upholstered in cashmere or a collection of original artworks curated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The collection includes "New York at Night" by Berenice Abbott, an extraordinary 1932 photo taken from the top of the Empire State Building just before dawn. All this for a mere -- gulp -- $15,000 per night, not including tax and gratuity. (888) 767-3966 or www.rosewoodhotels.com.