Atop A Lavish Las Vegas Casino Sits America's Most Expensive Suite With Shark Tanks And A Glass Pool

Have you ever wanted sharks to watch you while you sleep? Las Vegas has you covered. Okay, the sharks aren't alive. They're taxidermied in a glass tank that's part of an art installation that doubles as a hotel suite for ultrawealthy guests at Las Vegas' Palms Casino Resort, The Empathy Suite. Designed by artist Damien Hirst and filled with Hirst originals, such as an encased collection of medical pills, the Empathy Suite is not only the most expensive hotel room in the United States. It's also one of the most expensive in the world. How much of your life savings or mortgage will this set you back? The Palms Casino doesn't list prices on its website (they're by inquiry only), but reports indicate that it's about $100,000 per night. As Palms Casino says, it's all about granting "a taste of Las Vegas aristocracy."

The Empathy Suite was part of Palms Casino's $620 million, 2018 redesign of its Sky Villas, a much-coveted retreat at the peak of the Palms Casino. Even one-story, two-bedroom suites run $25,000 per night, while two-story suites reach $40,000. The Empathy Suite is the most gonzo, over-the-top suite included in this renovation. Less of a hotel suite and more of a metal-and-glass mini-mansion, its 9,000-square-foot expanse features ceiling-to-floor glass walls, two king bedrooms for four guests, massage rooms, a salt sauna, and a private, glass-encased pool cantilevered over the nightlit Vegas strip below. But perhaps most ridiculous of all, it's designed so you don't have to leave. A big enough space for a multi-millionaire's Vegas bash, the suite has a built-in 13-person bar and 24-7 butler service. It might not be something that most people can visit, but it's definitely a monument to opulence.

There's no telling exactly what was going through Damien Hirst's head when he designed The Empathy Suite. It's possible that the suite could be a tongue-in-cheek lampoon of Vegas ostentatiousness and modern consumerism, seeing as it contains a glass cabinet filled with rows of diamonds, as well as multiple pieces depicting over-the-counter and prescription medicine. This includes Hirst originals like The Sleep of Reason, another glass cabinet stacked with pharmaceuticals and valued at $2,220,000 on Christie's. Hirst's pedigree, added to the luxuriousness of the Palms Casino Resort — which has other standout suites like the basketball-themed Hardwood Suite — combined with the resort's prime location along the Vegas strip results in a $100,000 per night rate. And we can't forget the formaldehyde-preserved sharks. 

Thankfully, those who can't afford The Empathy Suite don't exactly lack for hotel options in Las Vegas, even within the Palms Casino Resort, where rooms with queen beds start at about $120 per night. Meanwhile, a short drive east from the Palms Casino reveals a plethora of hotel and casino options, from giant, recognizable names like Caesar's Palace and the Bellagio to smaller, more modest operations. And when you're out and about, possibly eschew driving and instead opt for Vegas' affordable public transportation options. You can also keep an eye on your wallet by indulging in one of Vegas' many top-of-the-line buffets until your stomach says no. And then, once you're deliriously stuffed and half-conscious, you can dream of gazing down on yourself from the heights of The Empathy Suite and its cantilevered swimming pool, private bar, butler, and diamond-and-pill-filled art exhibits kept forever out of reach behind the glass.