What I remember about the penthouse is that, besides two bedrooms, there was a private library, a sitting room, and a jacuzzi so big, my kids adopted it as a swimming pool. And that was the second bathroom (the master bathroom was larger).

Access to luxury of this nature commonly entails substantial investment.

The Mark Hotel Penthouse in New York is $75,000 per night. The Presidential Suite at the Harbour House in Hong Kong costs $64,000/night. In London, the tab for the rooftop Penthouse at Claridge’s is $81,000/night.

Why does a penthouse command such high prices? What does it offer that a standard hotel room doesn’t?

Multiple rooms and more overall square footage, certainly. Plus designer furniture, rich décor, and luxury amenities. And perhaps most importantly, privacy and exclusivity. You’re segregated from the main hotel guests; there’s a private entrance and sometimes a private elevator. As for exclusivity, there’s usually only one penthouse or presidential suite in a hotel, and if you have it, you’re the Grand Panjandrum.

That penthouse experience opened my eyes to what true luxury travel could be: privacy, space, and personalized attention. But at $50,000+ per night, penthouse suites aren’t practical for most mere mortals.

Fortunately, there’s another way to capture that same exclusive experience without the eye-watering price tag.

It was my father-in-law who showed me the light, suggesting a milestone birthday vacation in Italy.