St Regis Lhasa is Tibet’s first ever five star hotel, but it is not your average five star hotel. This Chinese Government owned luxury complex rests a whopping 12,000 feet above sea level. Set in the famous Tibetan mountains, this hotel – the highest in the world – has been built near an active monastery.
The 150 suite hotel complex is actually modelled in the style of a monastery with traditionally styled buildings of various sizes surrounding an inner courtyard and reflecting pool. The location is so remote that food has to be flown in daily, and guests even have the option of oxygen tanks in their rooms should they feel a little light-headed on account of the height.
The hotel also features a number of private villas, along with the usual amenities and a spa and swimming pool. Tourism is rapidly increasing in popularity in the region, now accounting for around 15 per cent of the Tibetan economy, with the Chinese Government keen to increase this even further by 2015.
But make no mistake, a stay in a luxury five star hotel nestled 12,000 feet in the Tibetan mountains commands a similarly luxurious five star price.