Suites for the Sweet; With accommodations like these on the market, nobody should be understated all the time.(Cover story)

Byline: Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop

Just because architecture may be growing more humble doesn't mean there's no place for over-the-top lavishness. For those celebrating a honeymoon, anniversary, big birthday, successful deal or long-awaited vacation, a stay in a posh suite at a top hotel can make any holiday feel like another life. Most top suites are vast, private spaces at the pinnacle of five-star hotels, complete with plush furnishings and impeccable service. But some go beyond that, providing a sense of place and history along with the requisite technological toys. NEWSWEEK scouts out some of the world's best suites:

Villa La Cupola Westin Excelsior, Rome

With its walls and ceilings covered in hand-painted frescoes (including a sublime painted cupola in the living room), this palatial suite is the largest in Europe. It boasts a fireplace in the master bedroom, an antique Murano glass chandelier in the dining room--with a private wine cellar--a study paneled in Italian walnut and a Pompeii-style Jacuzzi pool. With a sun deck that overlooks the Italian capital, there's no better place to enjoy la dolce vita ($14,312 per night; excelsior.hotelinroma.com ).

Tent 6 Sabora Tented Camp, Singita Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania

Fans of Sydney Pollack's film "Out of Africa" will love this luxurious air-conditioned tent decorated with Persian rugs, gauze curtains and great-game, safari-style furniture straight out of a Hemingway novel. Go during the summer months, when the wildebeest migration is in full swing. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford not included ($850; singita.com ).

Presidential Suite Raffles Beijing Hotel