Members -- 18 hours ago
Words: Violet
We’re making no bones about our chosen property this week: it is basically paradise. Hacienda de la Paz, in California, has got our pulse raised almost like nothing else we’ve ever seen. It is dreamy. We feel that if we lived here, our lives would be better – that we would be better.
The hammam probably has something to do with it. That’s right: there is a full hammam in the house, on a hidden lower level. And it’s 10,000 square feet. 10,000 square feet! At its centre is a glittering cobalt-blue lap pool, surrounded by such luxuries as temperature-controlled treatment areas, fountains, and, um, 24-karat gold tiles.
Or maybe it’s the subterranean ballroom that’s making our hearts cry out. It seats 350 people, is five stories high and has its own viewing balcony. Imagine the parties you could have there! Particularly when you think of the 30-piece orchestra that can accommodated on the stage, and the floor-to-ceiling tromp l’oeil murals. And the separate kitchen and prep rooms (for the caterers, darling). Oh, and by the way – the ballroom also doubles as a French Open-standard indoor tennis court, and the ultimate safe room, structurally engineered to counteract seismic activity.
On the other hand, it could be the grounds. Hacienda de la Paz has eight acres, with panoramic views over the whole of the LA basin, from downtown to the Santa Monica bay and the San Gabriel mountains. That’s right: you get views of urban life, the sea AND the country, all from one spot. Not that you need the views, as there’s more than enough to keep you occupied on the compound. The French Open-standart (yes, again) red-clay tennis court, for example. Or the infinity pool. Or the orchards, with 24 varieties of fruit and nut trees providing year-round bounty. Or the rose gardens. Or the bridle trail. Or the pet sanctuary. Or the bocce (it’s a bit like boulles) court. Or the infinity pool.
But, hang on a sec, we’ve forgotten about the actual house. Hacienda de la Paz is a nine-bedrrom wonder home, with Spanish, Moorish and Italian influences and meticulous attention to detail. Craftsmen were flown in from around the world to add their unique touches – ceilings, fireplaces, floors and carpets – and the project was overseen by Raphael Manzano Martos, the Spanish architect who usually only deals with palaces, cathedrals and hotels. It has a media room (read: home cinema), billiards room with bar, stately study or library and 25 bathrooms. So you need never pee in the same place twice in a week.
We don’t think you’ll disagree with us when we say that Hacienda de la Paz is a house beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. For one lucky person, those dreams will come true.
Hacienda de la Paz is for sale through Christie’s International Real Estate for $53,000,000USD. For more information see chrisitiesrealestate.com
