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Some people like to live modestly while others, especially the rich, prefer more lavish and extravagant surroundings. Where money is no object, the ultimate dream home can be had at a price.
Some of the most expensive homes of the rich and famous can equal the total development value of a township project in Malaysia, while the sizes of some of estates are large enough to contain an entire taman, or housing estate, here.
Based on news reports, a recently completed 27-storey building in Mumbai, India, known as Antilla, owned by billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani, may be the most pricey home in the world thus far — it costs US$1 billion to build.
According to the 2010 Wealth Report by Citi Private Bank and Knight Frank, prime property prices as at 4Q2009 saw Monaco as the world’s most expensive with prices averaging from US$4,300 (RM13,470) to US$5,900 psf. London was second at US$4,400 psf followed by Paris at US$2,400 to US$3,300 psf. Hong Kong was fourth. It is not surprising then to find that La Belle Epoque, a 17,500 sq ft penthouse in Monaco recently changed hands at US$308 million, while another penthouse in One Hyde Park, London, was sold for US$200 million.
City & Country trawled the web and found a list of what could be the world’s most expensive homes. Be it apartments or castles, rolling estates or hilltop mansions, from gold-leaf bathrooms to multi-storey car parks, these homes hit the top notes in luxury.
1. Antilla, Mumbai, India (US$1 billion)
The recently completed 27-storey home owned by the world’s fifth richest man, Mukesh Ambani, cost a whopping US1 billion to build. With its modern contemporary design, it looks like a stack of boxes. It is built mainly of glass, has double-height ceilings and is 570ft high.
Named after a mythical island in the Atlantic, the property reportedly has 400,000 sq ft of living space, a six-storey car park, a cinema, a ballroom, a dance studio and three helipads. It is said that the owner employs 600 housekeeping staff to maintain the home.
2. Villa Leopolda, French Riviera, France (US$512 million)
The villa (below) overlooking the French Riviera, with its 115km of coastline and beaches, was built by King Leopold II of Belgium for his mistress Blanche Zélia Joséphine Delacroix, also known as Caroline Lacroix. It was used as a military hospital during World War I. It subsequently underwent several reconstructions whenever it changed owners. It belonged to billionaire banker Edmond Safra, and his wife Lily Safra inherited the property after his death in a fire in another of his homes in Monaco (see next home) in 1999.
There were reports that Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov had reneged on a deal to acquire the estate from the widow for £347 million (including £17.4 million for furniture and fittings) and lost his £35 million down payment as a result.
3. La Belle Epoque, penthouse, Monaco (US$309 million)
Former owner Edmond Safra died in a mysterious fire in this penthouse in Monte Carlo in 1999. British property developers and interior designers Christian and Nick Candy acquired the place in 2008, refurbished the penthouse and sold it in September this year to an unknown buyer for £199 million. The media speculated that the new owner may be a Greek billionaire or a Middle Eastern investor. With 17,500 sq ft of space, the unit is on the top two floors of a six-storey building and has a view over the marina. It has three bedrooms, a double height library, panic room, spa, gym, cinema and pool.
4. A penthouse in One Hyde Park, London, UK (USS$217 million)
It is uncanny how the personalities behind some of these expensive properties are linked. Christian and Nick Candy designed and dolled up a six-bedrooom 20,000 sq ft penthouse in the brand new ultra-lux One Hyde Park development (above) in London and sold it to an unknown buyer in August for £140 million.
It comes with Special Air Services (SAS) guards, bullet-proof windows, iris scanners, panic rooms and a secret tunnel to the adjacent Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, which manages the units and offers 24-hour room service to residents. Comprising 86 apartments, the development is nearing completion.
5. Franchuk Villa, Kensington, London (estimated US$161 million)
This five-storey villa was a Victorian girls’ prep school until 1997, and was upgraded in 2006 for US$15.8 million. It was purchased by Ukrainian AIDS philanthropist Elena Franchuk for £80 million (RM390 million) in February 2008, and renamed the Franchuk Villa. It has 10 bedrooms, an underground indoor swimming pool, movie theatre, panic room, sauna and gym.
6. The Manor, Los Angeles (US$150 million)
Built in 1991 on a 56,000 sq ft parcel of land, this property has 123 rooms. It has an indoor skating rink, several swimming pools, three kitchens, sports courts, private orchard and a bowling alley. There is also a doll museum, a room used exclusively for wrapping presents and an entire floor dedicated to closet space.
It was the home of American film and television producer Aaron Spelling. In June 2006, he suffered a severe stroke in The Manor and died five days later at the age of 83. The Manor was listed for sale in 2009 at an asking price of US$150 million.
7. Updown Court, Windlesham, Surrey, UK (estimated US$139 million)
This property was originally built in 1924 to house the prince of Egypt, Sam Gaye. Spanning over 58 acres, it is reportedly larger than Buckingham Palace and has 79 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, a bowling alley, a large movie theatre, several swimming pools, a squash court and heated driveway. It has 24k gold leaf mosaic floors in 22 bedrooms and 27 bathrooms. The property was severely damaged in a fire in 1987, and later designer Leslie Allen Vercoe bought it for a reported US$40 million and rebuilt the property as it stands today. It has been on the market for US$139 million since 2005.
8. Dracula’s Castle, Romania (estimated US$135 million)
Built in the 14th century, the property has 57 rooms in total, including 17 bedrooms filled with antiques and historical artefacts. It was on the market in 2009 at US$135 million. It is all the more enticing due to its history and name.
It has been a fortress, a customs house and local administration office and subsequently a royal residence in the first half of the 20th century. Linked to the Dracula legend, it is marketed as the home of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
The castle is now a museum open to tourists, displaying art and furniture collected by Queen Marie. Some 450,000 tourists visit the place each year.
This article appeared in City & Country, the property pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 838, Dec 27, 2010-Jan 2, 2011
