Extravagant Caribbean Oasis Built by Pioneering Ad Exec Listed at $200 Million

Acquired by British aristocrat Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner, back in the late 1950s for around $160,000, the island of Mustique has since blossomed into an exclusive haven for wealthy jetsetters ranging from Princess Margaret to Mick Jagger — all looking to escape to an ultra-discreet locale on the northern tip of the Grenadines, surrounded by sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Now one of the priciest Caribbean residences to ever hit the open market has popped up for sale on the secluded West Indies island, asking a spectacular $200 million. And though listing agent Edward de Mallet Morgan of Knight Frank wouldn’t disclose the current owner’s name, records show the extravagant Italianate villa was built and owned for decades by the late Braniff Airways president Harding Lawrence and his wife Mary Wells Lawrence, a legendary Madison Avenue advertising executive known for catchy slogans like “Plop plop, fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is” and “I Love New York,” among many others.

Built in 1986 as a vacation home for the couple, reportedly at a cost of $17 million, the striking peach-hued structure was designed by architect Tom Wilson and is known as “The Terraces.” Nestled amid 17 lushly landscaped acres perched atop Endeavour Hill, one of Mustique’s two summits, the compound features a whopping nine structures. Among them: a main nine-bedroom house boasting an 80-foot swimming pool and murals hand-painted by French artist Jean-Claude Adenin, plus a guest cottage with its own pool and another building that’s considered “the largest entertaining space on the island.”

In addition to its elaborate wall and ceiling murals, the main house offers 16,000 square feet of living space displaying seven reception rooms adorned with gilded furnishings. A 60-foot tunnel connects the residence to the 12,000-square-foot entertaining annex, which has a game room and third pool; and other highlights include a tennis court and separate staff accommodations.

Managed by the Mustique Company, a private operation owned by the island’s homeowners, the property also comes with 12 percent taxes and fees, tacking on an extra $24 million to the purchase price.