Archive for May, 2008
Hotel Villa San Giulio
Thursday, May 29th, 2008 | Italy | No Comments
Villa San Giulio is a historic neoclassic building situated in Narzole Cuneo, Piedmont-North Italy, built in 1700 over the ruins of the ancient Castrum Lunellorum owned by the Lunello family from the earliest years XI century. The Hotel is immersed in a large enclosed park with inside the St. John the Baptist chapel built in XIX century over another ancient chapel. After a good start, the mansion has been abandoned for years until the recent restoration which has brought it to a new life.
The hotel Villa San Giulio, is strategically located at the foot of the Langa area, close to the Fondovalle road, a few minutes drive from historic and gastronomic places such as Barolo, La Morra, Cherasco, Alba, Bra and Dogliani (prestigious wines). Easily reachable from the “A6” highway, Villa San Giulio has a 18 holes golf club nearby and different naturalistic routes among the vineyards. Disabled access and large car park. › Continue reading
BootJack Ranch
Sunday, May 18th, 2008 | Luxury Homes | No Comments
BootJack Ranch is one of of the most expensive ranches we’ve seen in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. This ranch is located in the southern San Juan Mountains and ranges over 3,100 acres of meadows, forests, lakes and streams. The main house is a 13,800 square foot residence made of rustic logs, timber and stone. The home is decorated in classic Western luxe with including a dining room fixture shaped like a canoe and fireplace screens that feature the ranch brand.
The property includes multiple guest cabins, a separate lodge, offices and manager’s housing that can accommodate over 50 guests. The most extravagant feature on this property is the 12,000 square foot spa and aquatic center that seems more like a resort pool than one for private use. The ranch is a private residence but has also hosted concerts sponsored by Music in the Mountains and a retreat for missionaries and business leaders. This amazing expanse is listed at $88 million.
La Gorce Island
Sunday, May 18th, 2008 | Luxury Homes | No Comments
Florida was once home to Cher and has also served as a temporary residence for Janet Jackson and Julio Iglesias. Cher bought the property in 1993 for $1.5 million and rebuilt it. She sold in 1996 for $4.35 million to Barry Schwartz, former chairman and CEO of Calvin Klein who sold to real estate developer Todd Glaser and investment partner Armin Mattli, president of Clinique La Prairie, the Swiss spa/hotel/medical center ten years later. The property was completely redone and then rented to Janet Jackson last year for $85,000 a month, followed by Julio Iglesias and then Douglas Cramer, executive producer of the TV series Dynasty. The home which once featured in Architectural Digest, has six bedrooms, cabana and gym, two-car garage and dock.Details include a large inner courtyards, archways, rosette windows, keystone columns, a two-story living room, formal dining and large media rooms and a lap pool. The kitchen has double sub-zero stainless steel refrigerators, Traulsen wine cooler, huge white marble island and Wolf gas stove, also opens to wide covered terrace. The master suite has a walk-in closet, private covered terrace overlooking pool and wide views, and a 3rd story living room with large covered terrace overlooking water. This home is listed at $14.9 million which seems a bit ambitious for the current market even though it is a beautiful home.[via Miami Herald]
Trump Sells in Palm Beach for $100 Million
Friday, May 16th, 2008 | Expensive zip codes | No Comments
The Palm Beach Post reports that Trump has sold the property he bought in 2004 from Abe Gosman for his desired price. Trump bought the home for $41.35 million and spent another $25 million in a renovation headed by Kendra Todd, winner of the third season of The Apprentice. He first put it on the market for $125 million which made it the most expensive home for sale in the U.S. but even Trump knew that price was optimistic and predicted three years ago that it would go for $100 million.
The home has nine bedrooms, a ballroom and a conservatory as party of its 62,000 square foot expanse. It also has a 48-car garage. Believe it or not, the unnamed buyer might tear down the huge mansion and subdivide. The waterfront property has been a prized piece of land for over 100 years and has the current house, Maison de L’Amitié, was only built in 1990. The property is appraised at $58 million by the Palm Beach County Property Appraiser’s Office, meaning the 2007 tax bill at $980,033, is higher than the price of many homes in America. Trump’s sale comes after a rash of big home sales in Palm Beach including Jones Apparel Group founder Sidney Kimmel who recently sold his home in the area for its $81.5 million list price.Read more
Grace Bay Club Unveils Estates
Friday, May 16th, 2008 | Expensive zip codes | No Comments
The gorgeous Grace Bay Club in the Turks and Caicos has unveiled plans for The Estate, a collection of 22 “custom-designed ultra-elegant residences” set to debut in November. The luxury resort is building the deluxe dwellings on its prime parcel of 11 oceanfront acres just steps from the beach. Each 4500-sq.-ft. unit will have four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a steam shower, a library/media room and wraparound terraces; floor plans are customizable. The Estate development also includes a multi-tiered oceanfront pool, luxury cabanas and a Personal Concierge program. Prices range from $2.8 million to $5 million-plus for a penthouse.
The luxe all-suite resort is also home to the “longest bar in the Caribbean”, which stretches 90 feet across the Grace Bay Club beach with its cabanas and spa tents. Constructed of black marble, the infinity design “creates the illusion that the entire structure is floating above the Caribbean sand and extending indefinitely into the ocean.” We’re getting thirsty just thinking about it.
Check out the gallery below for more pix and renderings of the Estate project.
Classic French Estate in Arizona
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 | United States | No Comments
The epitome of European elegance is captured in this classic French estate located on nearly five acres in Paradise Valley’s most prestigious area. Camelback Mountain, which changes hues and textures throughout the day, serves as a dramatic backdrop to this enchanting residence. A privately-gated drive winds past the lake and citrus orchard to this impressive chateau, which exudes the timeless elegance of a bygone era. Grand-scale formal rooms create the perfect environment for an elegant soiree while the spacious family room and library are conducive to quiet evenings with the family. The enormous chef’s kitchen is equipped with an impressive array of premium appliances while the adjacent sun-drenched breakfast area offers wonderful views of the lush grounds.
Paradise Valley’s Finest Estate
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 | Expensive zip codes, United States | No Comments
Located within a tranquil neighborhood in the heart of Paradise Valley, this magnificent 14,000 square foot estate sets a new standard for quality, elegance and unsurpassed style. Stunning views of Camelback and Mummy Mountains create a beautiful setting while the walled and gated 2.2-acre compound offers a true sense of privacy and security. The floor plan strikes the perfect combination of gracious sophistication and family-friendly warmth. Formal spaces are comprised of an elegant great room with fireplace and a large dining room, which are served with a wet bar and wine cellar. A spacious family room, billiards room and home theater make up the casual entertaining spaces.
Harris in the Palisades
Monday, May 5th, 2008 | California, United States | No Comments
Mel Harris, most famous for her role as the winsome and whiny Hope on the show “thirtysomething.” The LA Times Hot Property column reports that Harris has listed her Pacific Palisades property, a charming four-bedroom Country English-style home. She has owned the home for five years and it has been remodeled with a new marble-countered kitchen and bathrooms. There are older details to love such as the Batchelder tile fireplace in the living room and the beautiful beams and archways. The new master bathroom is a bit too over the top for a house of this scale and graciousness and the travertine tile in the kitchen seems like it would be a better fit for a Florida flip than for this older Californian. The home was originally listed at $4.347 million but is already down to $4.197 million which still seems like a lot of cash for 4,5000 square feet even in the pricey Palisades. More pictures here