Want to live in a five star hotel? It’s possible in Second Life!
Rizzi on the Beach restaurant
Imagine living in a five star hotel, and having constant access to the bars, restaurant, spa and pool. You might not want to do it all the time, but for a month or two it would be pretty great.
Unfortunately in RL, extended luxury hotel stays are the preserve of film stars and business tycoons, but out of the reach of us mere mortals. Not so in Second Life however, where it’s not only possible, but often cheaper than renting a house or skybox.
In fact, I did it myself in the Autumn, when I used Rizzi on the Beach as my base, while reviewing other hotels, and I’m staying there again now.
I recommend it. Walking into a grand reception and taking the elevator to my room, beats tp-ing into some anonymous skybox 2000 feet up.
Based on my experiences, here are five places you might want to consider staying for a while. Note you can set any of these places as your home location, and each comes with a small prim allowance, allowing you to rez things.
1 - Rizzi on the Beach
Camille (Muti) Milos, Rizzi Pool Terrace
Ever since I started this website, the Rizzi has been one of my favourites, because it’s immersive, and it triggers memories of places I’ve stayed at in RL.
As a result, I’ve lived here off and on over the past few months. The Rizzi is a five star beach / resort hotel, with two bars, a restaurant, spa and two beaches (one a nude beach).
Rizzi Junior Suite
For only 250L a night you can live in a good sized junior suite, which includes a bedroom, separate sitting area and bathroom.
The Rizzi also has larger suites including a recently built three bedroom penthouse with a private pool, meaning you could easily live in a junior suite, and perhaps take a significant other to stay in the penthouse suite for a weekend. There are also two private villas in the grounds.
The Rizzi works like a ‘real’ hotel - all the suites and junior suites are in the main building, and you reach them by elevator. The elevator and corridors are only accessible to guests (think of the RL parallel of putting your keycard in the elevator slot), and the suites have security orbs, so there’s a good degree of privacy.
The public areas however are open, meaning you can entertain friends on the outside terrace, or meet someone at the bar for a pre-date drink.
You can read the Rizzi review here
2 - The Essencia
The Essencia is probably the Rizzi’s closest competitor, but with a slightly different look and feel. Though it also has a bar, restaurant, pool, and beach, it has more of a city-resort hotel feel about it
The prices are comparable with a Deluxe Room costing 250L a night. The Essencia also has a more expensive suite and cheaper smaller rooms for 150L - given the small size of these, I think the 100L a night saving is a false economy.
Unlike the Rizzi, the rooms are all in standalone skyboxes, which you tp to via an ‘elevator’ in the lobby.
Other differences between the two? I like the Essencia Bar with its bot barman, but the Rizzi has the better pool.
Also, the pool, beach and spa at the Essencia are only open to residents, which you may consider a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective.
As a result, if you want guests to use the pool or beach, you either need to add them to your room, or have them purchase a day membership at reception for 70L.
You can read the Essencia review here
3 - The Kidaka Resort
The Kidaka Savanna / Safari Area
Though the Kidaka is an African Safari themed resort, it also has a number of well designed, modern rooms at (just like the Rizzi and Essencia) 250L a night.
I consider these better bets for long term stays than the tents (100L) or Lodges (300L), simply because you get people walking across the main safari area taking photos, while the rooms are in skyboxes and so afford greater privacy. Note the tents and lodges do have security orbs.
Kidaka Deluxe Room
Like the Essencia, the Kidaka Resort sections off the pool and beach for guests, if you are not wearing the group tag, you get kicked out.
4 - Oahu Vacation Resort
The Oahu Vacation Resort is a multi-sim beach vacation experience. Though the name suggests a Hawaiian theme, it really has more of a sort of generic tropical (as opposed to specifically Hawaiian) feel about it.
There is a huge amount to see and do from boats you can rez to take out to two lighthouses, to a mermaid cave, to dolphins swimming off the beach.
Note that Oahu has both nightly rentals (starting at 150L a night) and weekly rentals, meaning you could always stay for a few nights and then ‘trade up’ if you want. Like the Rizzi, most of the resort is open for anyone to enjoy, with the huts and villas having security orbs.
5 - The Ocean View Motel and Campsite
OK I am cheating here, as the Ocean View can’t remotely be considered ‘five star.’ Nevertheless, it has some of the best value short term accommodation I’ve seen, and it makes a good base both to explore Second Norway and the Blake Sea.
There are two hotels in this two and a half sim development. Out of the two, the Kroken Airport Hotel feels more like a hotel, and is connected by underground passage to Second Norway Airport (it is worth joining The Passengers of SL group to be notified of regular free flights from here).
Then there is the much more basic Ocean View Motel. Both hotels are seriously cheap, with rooms starting at 15L a night. A better bet however are the California Camper vans in the adjoining three campsites starting at 20L a night.
You also get access to the rest of the complex which has everything from a pub to a pool to a bowling alley. One of my favourite things about this place are the free Mini Cooper cars available outside the main office. Use them to drive around and explore Second Norway.
