World’s Most Expensive Homes

 

The world’s most expensive home is complete. The $1 billion (£630 million), 27 storey tower block in Mumbai is the home of Mukesh Ambani — the richest man in India, fourth richest man in the world –, his wife and their 3 children. It is difficult to know what to call it. It is far too big and grand to call it a house, the fact that it has more floor space than the palace of Versailles and 600 staff would ordinarily make it a castle, or Mansion, but can you call a sky scraper a mansion?

Whatever you call it, the building is a physical representation of emerging markets taking over the world in terms of money and power, which is also what it screams (money and power) from the top of its 173 meter high walls: an asymmetric stack of glass, steel and tiles with a four-storey hanging garden and solid gold chandeliers hanging from the ball room ceiling.
“Antilia is marvellous, I remember a Picasso painting [there], it was one of its kind – stunning,” one local businessman who visited the building gushed to the Times of India newspaper.
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As well as having a health club with a gym and dance studio, at least one swimming pool, a ballroom, guestrooms, 9 elevators, a variety of lounges and a 50-seater cinema, the tower also has 3 helipads on the roof, and a parking garage with capacity for 160 cars in the lower floors.
The family quarters are understandably on the top floors, where they enjoy an incredible view across Mumbai and the Arabian Sea. Experts say there is no other private property of comparable size and prominence in the world.

Photos of the Interior

Ambani, owner of Reliance Industries is worth £18bn according to Forbes magazine. He is not your typical wealthy businessman; in fact he has distanced himself from the Indian business elite.
Known as a deeply private man, there is widespread surprise that Ambani has made such a lavish statement of his wealth. However, the property is thought to have cost an estimated £44m to build, and because of Mumbai’s massive land and property prices, is worth at least £630m, it is a very good investment, perhaps too good to miss — will we now see similar extravagant buildings in the world’s other great emerging cities?
On the other hand: “Perhaps he has been stung by his portrayal in the media as an introvert. Maybe he is making the point that he is a tycoon in his own right,” said Hamish McDonald, author of Ambani and Sons, a history of the business – India’s biggest privately owned company.
Whatever the reason behind it, Antilia is currently the biggest and most impressive family home in the world.

Address:

Antilia is located on Altamount Road, Cumballa Hill South Mumbai – a popular high brow area in Mumbia, where land prices start from US$10,000 per square meter.
Antilia sits on a 48,780 sq ft (4,532 square metres) plot of land.


2. Villa Leopolda, Cote d’Azur France – $525 million.

Villa Leopolda is an 80,000 square foot Chateuau built in 1902 by King Leopold II of Belgium. The villa has been rumoured to be the home of Bill Gates and many more global figures, but has actually been home to French banker Edmond Safira, whose wife Lily still lives there. The 19 bedroom villa, which boasts sports courts, a bowling alley, multiple kitchens, dining rooms and a movie theatre, received even more press lately when a Russian mogul lost his deposit on the property when he reneged on completing the sale.

3. One Hyde Park – The Penthouse, London – $200 million

This massively stylish modern penthouse may not be so expensive did it not sit atop the famous number 1 Hyde Park address. As it is in such a premium location it has been built as a home for the rich and famous complete with SAS guard, bullet proof windows, iris scanners, panic rooms and a secret tunnel to the nearby Mandarin Hotel. The building has communal spas, squash courts and wine tasting rooms, and the penthouse is served by 24 hour room service.

4. Fairfield Pond, The Hamptons – $170 million

This 63 acre home is considered the largest residential compound in America. The 29 bedroom beachfront home of publicity shy billionaire Ira Rennert has 5 sports courts, a bowling alley and a $150,000 hot tub.

5. Hearst Mansion, Beverly Hills – $165 million

This mansion — the former home of publishing giant William Randolph Hearst, the inspiration for the main character in “Citizen Kane” –, features 29 bedrooms and three pools. The estate became a pop-culture icon after being used in The Godfather movie, when the infamous severed horse’s head turned up in the owner’s bed. The fact that assassinated President John F Kennedy stayed in the mansion during his honeymoon also added to its status. The house has some notable neighbours, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and David and Victoria Beckham

6. Franchuk Villa, Kensington – $161million

Anyone else spotting a trend here (the most expensive homes being mainly in the UK and US, this making it 2 all). This Victorian Villa was a girl’s prep school until 1997, when it was bought and upgraded in 2006. After receiving a £10 million overhaul and refurb it was purchased by Ukrainian AIDS philanthropist, Elena Franchuk, and renamed the Franchuk Villa.

7. “The Pinnacle”, Montana – $155million

This is the home of Time and Edra Blixseth, owners of the billionaires-only golf and ski resort “Yellowstone Club” in Montana. It will be the largest and grandest property on the resort, but is still small in comparison to some of those on this list, with only 10 bedrooms. To catch up the property has impressive features such as every inch of floor being heated, a heated driveway and fireplaces in all bathrooms. (3-2 to America).

8. “The Manor”, Los Angeles – $150 million

The home of Aaron Spelling, dubbed “The Manor” by wife Cindy, has 123 rooms for his family to choose from, an indoor skating rink, multiple pools, three kitchens, sports courts, private orchard, and a bowling alley. The home, which he had built from scratch in 1991 also has a room used exclusively for wrapping presents and an entire floor dedicated to closet space.

9. Updown Court, Windlesham, Surrey – $139million

The description of this home is above, as it was the 3rd most expensive home in 2008. What is interesting however, is that in 2008 it was valued at $110million, meaning its value has grown substantially even during such difficult financial times.

10. Dracula’s Castle, Romania – $135million

This home needs no introduction. Built in the 14th century, the castle is now a national monument and museum thanks to the legend surrounding it, which also needs no introduction. It has 57 rooms in total, including 17 bedrooms filled with antiques and historical artefacts. It wouldn’t do for the publicly shy Ira Rennert mentioned above, but for the quirkier billionaire, the 450 million tourists that visit every year may be worth it for living in Dracula’s castle.