For location and views, Bel Air homes can't be beat. Make that location, views and luxury. With stunning ocean views, swimming pools, acres of manicured lawns and lush gardens with palm trees and exotic flowers, the luxury homes of Bel Air are everyone's dream home. Not everyone is lucky enough to live in one, but we can all take real or virtual tours to get a feeling for how life is lived in some of the most expensive real estate on the planet.
First, location. Bel Air is just twelve miles from downtown Los Angeles, on a ridge of the Santa Monica mountains facing the Pacific Ocean. The legendary Sunset Boulevard runs right through this exclusive neighborhood. Part of the Golden Triangle which includes Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills, Bel Air boasts multimillion dollar homes favored by A-list stars, celebrities and the rich and famous. But there are also more modest (and affordable) ranch-style homes here and there, …show more content…
much prized by home buyers.
Bel Air mansions and estates are hidden behind elegant ironwork gates, with long driveways leading through opulent gardens. The secluded setting adds another layer of privacy to the estate. With stunning ocean, canyon and city views, these homes literally have the world at their feet. Mediterranean style villas, old Hollywood mansions, contemporary luxury getaways - all architectural types and styles are represented.
Interiors vary from plush and ornate, recalling the Golden Age of Hollywood to clean, classic contemporary lines, using the unique setting itself as an element of design. But even the homes with more traditional decor offer all modern amenities - keyless entry, multiple living and engraving in areas, state of the art entertainment and audio systems, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, individual heating and selling systems, and unobtrusive but highly efficient security and and alarm systems.
Marble floors, fireplaces, professional kitchens and luxurious guest suites all make for comfortable living.
Touches of precious materials like jade and onyx add to the feeling of luxury. Indoor and outdoor kitchens are designed by and for professional chefs and include appliances by Viking, Miele, Wolf and SubZero. Gyms, Pilates studios, gentlemen's dens (aka "man cave") and bars round out the touches of comfortable living.
But it may be the indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces that truly define the luxury homes of Bel Air, with their views of the ocean, city lights and canyon. High ceilings, grand staircases, greenhouses and poolside patios welcome and awe visitors.
Private spas and extensive landscaped gardens with water features and idiosyncratic grottos create a private retreat away from the noise and bustle, and away from the prying eyes. Private tennis courts, lakes, and golf courses allow residents and visitors to get away from it all. Perfect settings to rest and recover before heading back into the
fray.
The homes come with a suitably high price tag, starting around 10 million and moving upwards into the stratosphere. These mansions are rarely come on the market, and are snapped up instantly when they do.