In Dubai, where luxury real estate is in high demand, a palace reminiscent of Versailles is on the market for 750 million dirhams ($204 million or Rs 1,600 crore), being the most expensive home there. Despite only having five bedrooms, the house in the coveted Emirates Hills neighbourhood boasts 60,000 square feet of interior space: The master bedroom exceeds the size of most homes at 4,000 square feet. There are spaces for entertainment and dining on the ground level.
A 15-car garage, 19 restrooms, indoor as well as outdoor pools, two roofs, an 80,000 litre (21,000 gallon) coral reef aquarium, an electrical substation, and emergency rooms are among the other features. It is situated in a gated neighbourhood on a 70,000 square foot property with views of a golf course.
The developer may sell or rent a nearby property of around 6,000 square feet that might be used for a tennis or padel ball court. His and her restrooms are included in the main suite. Each guest room is around 1,000 square feet, with the second-biggest bedroom suite measuring 2,500 square feet. One of the guest rooms is now set up as a wine cellar. There are two bank vaults, 12 staff rooms, and enough for up to 25 people.
Fascinating features of ‘Marble Palace’
The building, termed the "Marble Palace" by the real estate agents, was constructed with Italian marble stone that cost between 80 and 100 million dirhams. The property is being sold by Luxhabitat Sotheby's International Realty. Construction took close to 12 years and was finished in 2018.
The Marble Palace is more than twice as expensive per square foot than comparable residences in Emirates Hills, selling for 12,500 dirhams. According to Dubai property records, the most expensive house ever sold in the area was for 210 million dirhams in August 2022, or 5,614 dirhams per square foot.
(Photos credit: Luxhabitat Sotheby's International Realty)
Potential buyers
Only five to ten prospective purchasers are thought to be affluent enough and interested in the Marble Palace's appearance, according to broker Kunal Singh's estimation. According to Singh, just two persons have seen the house in the last three weeks.
One would need to find out a way to transport that much cash, perhaps a Russian who had a representative review the property. The second customer is an Indian who already has three residences in Emirates Hills; Singh claims that his wife is undecided and leaning towards something a bit contemporary.