Travel Tuesdays

Now that the weather outside is officially cold, dark, and just not very fun, I thought it would be a perfect week to dream of some incredible tropical destinations. Unfortunately, there is a high price tag that comes with such private and secluded paradise. Here are four of the world's most expensive luxury resorts. Wow.

Necker Island
British Virgin Islands
$30,000 per night

Billionaire Richard Branson purchased this private island in 1982 and transformed it into a vacation destination for his family, building four Balinese-style private villas and cultivating lush gardens. When the Bransons aren't there, they rent it out: The rate starts at $30,000 per night for up to 26 people, and it includes all meals and drinks, wireless Internet access, laundry and activities like windsurfing, kite-surfing, sailing and speed-boating.

The Rania Experience
The Maldives
$9,500 per night

The Rania Experience, an exclusive-use resort in the Maldives, is located on a seven-acre island in the Indian Ocean. The island's entertainment pavilion features a home theater and programmed Apple iPods. Use of an 86-foot yacht is included in the room rate, as are a private chef, unlimited spa treatments, diving courses, big game fishing and local island cruises. Rania accommodates nine; room rates start at $9,500 per night for the first couple and $500 per night for each additional guest.

The Villa at Sandy Lane
Barbados
$8,000 per night

Built in 1961 on the site of an old sugar plantation, Sandy Lane is one of the Caribbean's poshest resorts. Highlights include the Romanesque spa and the 18-hole golf course. Room rates at the 7,300-square-foot villa, which is adjacent to the hotel and has five spacious bedrooms and marble floors, start at $8,000 per night and rocket up to $25,000 during high season.

Altamer
Anguilla
$4,714 per night

The African Sapphire villa at Altamer resort goes for $80,000 per week during high season, with a two-week minimum. The villa is 14,000 square feet, with 21-foot windows, a home theater, private pool, several hot tubs and eight bedrooms. For bargain prices, visit during the summer, when rates start at $33,000 per week.