22. The Manor – $150 Million
Speaking of California, it’s time to hop back to the Los Angeles area and take a look at Holmby Hills again—the very rich do like to live together, don’t they? And like Updown Court, this estate features a rather silly name: The Manor.
Really? That’s it? Was it just . . . I mean, surely you could have come up with something . . .
Oh well. Most recently sold for $150 million to the daughter of Formula One racing giant Bernie Ecclestone, the Manor was built in 1988 for television producer Aaron Spelling and is the largest home in Los Angeles County. We’ve used the phrase “excessive luxury” before in this list, but apparently, Spelling wanted it, meant it, and went there with a vengeance. Featuring the usual collection of private cinema, gym, swimming pools, and the like, there’s also enough parking for over 100 cars and three rooms devoted solely to wrapping presents. The château style homestand a whopping 50 plus feet tall, and drew a lot of flack from the surrounding community for being just a bit overblown. Given the neighbors, that says something. But when you’ve got better than 50,000 feet to play with, the excess may become the name of the game.