From a billionaire’s Bel Air trophy to a tycoon’s lakeside lair, 5 exclusive homes for the ultimate lifestyle experience — all from Christie’s International Real Estate
The former home of the late German retail magnate Helmut Horten, Villalta is a sensational private compound set on a wooded hillside near Lake Lugano. With 36,597 square feet of chic living spaces and superlative amenities, which include an indoor bowling alley, 40-person dining room, 10 conference rooms, guest house with 12 suites, indoor and outdoor pools, and formal gardens, this trophy estate is as impressive today as when it was first constructed in the late 1960s.
This Moorish-inspired mega mansion, 20 minutes from downtown Chicago, boasts more than 30,000 square feet of palatial living spaces enveloped by 15,000 square feet of covered terraces. The amenities are exceptional. Among the highlights are eight bedroom suites, including an imperial master suite with dressing room and spa bathroom, a grand ballroom with a 38-foot-high glass ceiling, plus wine cellar, cigar room, wood-panelled library and a heated 22-car garage.
This elegant Shingle-style mansion commands 22 private acres in Upper Dedham, an historic village within easy reach of Boston. A grand entrance hall with a three-story spiral staircase leads to the home’s beautiful reception rooms, which include a library, wine cellar and bar. Other standout features include a steam room and sauna, screening room, children’s playroom, and landscaped grounds with an infinity pool, pond, and indoor ice rink — complete with a Zamboni ice resurfacer, warming area and skate house.
This eco villa on Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula has a magnificent hilltop setting overlooking the jungle canopy, distant mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The 1.75-acre compound has been built with sustainable materials and includes a beautiful four-bedroom villa, two thatched casitas, and resort-style amenities, including indoor-outdoor entertaining areas, an infinity pool with a swim-up bar, and private access to the beach and the protected nature reserve that surrounds the property.
Luxury developer Bruce Makowsky’s masterpiece in the ultra-exclusive enclave of Bel Air is enhanced by 270-degree mountain, ocean and city views. The 38,000-square-foot home, which features an additional 17,000 square feet of entertainment decks, has an impressive array of amenities including 12 suites, 21 bathrooms, 5 bars, an 85-foot infinity pool, 40-seat theatre, 4-lane bowling alley, 2 stocked wine cellars and more than 100 art installations.