Here we go again! Scarcely 2.5 years after it sold for the record-breaking sum of nearly $120 million, the Los Angeles mega-mansion originally known as Spelling Manor is back up for grabs. This time, the asking price has swelled to a whopping $165 million, so prospective buyers who aren’t already Forbes-listed billionaires need not apply.
In contrast to today’s swarm of glassy, ultra-contemporary mansions, the Manor harks back to a bygone era of “Dynasty” style opulence and luxury. Beginning in the late 1980s, the 56,000-square-foot mansion was custom built over several years by the late TV showrunner Aaron Spelling and his socialite wife Candy Spelling, and completed in ’90. Today, more than 30 years after its creation, the enormous residence remains one of the largest private homes in Los Angeles — and in all of the United States, for that matter.
Way back in 2011, Candy Spelling sold the palatial spread for $85 million to English heiress Petra Ecclestone, who subsequently spent a reported $20 million on renovations and upgrades to the palatial house. While the home’s exterior look remains essentially as it did in 1990, the somewhat matronly interiors became Euro-chic and newly contemporary, with acres of black and white marble, plus lots of moody dark grays and shimmery silvers.
And in summer 2019, amid thunderous publicity, Ecclestone sold the Manor for just under $120 million to an anonymous Saudi Arabian buyer who bought the place “sight unseen” — meaning they never actually visited the giant house in person. It was the most ever paid for a California home, though that record has since been eclipsed multiple times.
It’s not entirely clear what upgrades have been completed since 2019 to justify the $45 million price increase, but there’s no question that today’s ultra-rich are substantially richer than they were 2.5 years ago. And even in the unlikely event of a full-price offer, the house won’t be breaking the California record again, as that figure currently stands at $177 million.
Sprawling across 4.68 landscaped acres on one of the most famous streets in Holmby Hills, the estate’s outdoor amenities are numerous. There’s a massive backyard lawn, a swimming pool and spa, fountains, a full-size tennis court, citrus trees and rose gardens. With two separate motorcourts and covered parking, the property has room for dozens of cars.
Inside, the house is furnished not unlike a five-star hotel. But even the best hotels can’t match this offering — the Manor has its own bowling alley, a cinema-worthy screening room, vast beauty salon, a library and numerous sitting rooms. There are gift wrapping rooms, flower-cutting rooms and a mansion-sized attic, plus 14 bedrooms and a mind-numbing 21.5 bathrooms. The upstairs master suite alone reportedly spans some 5,000 square feet. For all that, the current listing is succinct in description, calling the famed property “one of the finest estates in the world.”
Drew Fenton and Jeff Hyland of Hilton & Hyland are the listing agents.
