They say money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy plenty of luxuries, including sprawling mega-mansions spanning tens of thousands of square feet, perfect for extravagant furnishings.

For the ultra-wealthy, no expense is spared. Why not add a subterranean pool with a waterfall or a high-tech car elevator for your supercar collection?

From estates decked out in 24-carat gold to homes sparkling with diamonds, click or scroll on to explore the world’s most over-the-top residences...

Perched on a hillside in the upscale neighbourhood of Bel Air in Los Angeles, this architectural mega-mansion is a masterclass in opulence. Swathes of floor-to-ceiling glass define the sleek, modernist exterior, opening up the interior to views of the glittering skyline below. 

Most recently for sale with local high-end realtor The Beverly Hills Estates for $118 million (£93m), the property has been on and off the market since 2022, however, it's undoubtedly one of the area's most iconic trophy homes. 

The spec mansion occupies a two-acre (0.8ha) lot, an impressive size for the hills above Los Angeles, where land is at a premium.

Known as La Fin, the home is accessed via a gated motor court, which brings you right into the heart of the lavish property.

A stepped entryway lined with waterfalls offers a spectacular first impression, multiplied by views of the remarkable 44-foot-long (13m) chandelier that hangs in the middle of the spiral staircase at the entrance. The fixture is just one of numerous lighting sculptures throughout the home and was crafted from 55,000 crystals. 

What the home exudes in extravagance, it matches in scale, the three-storey property has a grand total of 12 bedrooms and 17 bathrooms.

The open-plan formal living room on the main level is framed by marble, gilded finishes and crystal light installations. A custom stone bar wraps around the room, while more intimate sitting areas zone the large space.

Taking centre stage behind a glass wall is a rather unexpected addition, a super-car gallery that rises up from the lower level via a display elevator.

Along the front aspect of the room, motorised pocket doors retract and open the space up to the infinity-edge pool and a 30-person firepit lounge. Inset into the side of the pool, a 23-foot (7m) TV screen rises at the touch of a button, offering the ultimate in poolside entertainment.

Bespoke from top to bottom, every piece of furniture was custom-made for the mansion by Italian brand La Contessina. 

The expansive master bedroom is located on the second level and features walls of floor-to-ceiling handcrafted oak cladding. The suite has a lounge, a coffee bar, dual walk-in wardrobes, a wraparound balcony and a luxurious ensuite bathroom lined with gold Calacatta marble.

Elsewhere, amenities abound on the mansion's lower level, which offers a fitness centre, spa, steam room, massage room, climbing wall and a sound-proof cinema. There's also a self-contained guest suite and caretaker accommodation to ensure the estate runs smoothly.

Nestled on over six acres (2.5ha) overlooking the stylish French city of Cannes and the glistening Mediterranean sea, Palais Vénitien is the epitome of luxury living à la française.

The palatial estate features a grand columned exterior lined with arches and ornate mouldings. While it may draw on design references from centuries ago, the property was constructed relatively recently in 1990.

This impressive, one-of-a-kind estate was most recently listed for sale with Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International Realty for €120 million ($126m/£99m). 

The modern palace encompasses 32,291 square feet (3,000sqm) of impeccably designed interior that fuses Venitian-inspired flare and high-end finishes.

The dining room pictured here, one of many reception spaces, features faux Ionic columns, marble floors and an elaborate ornamental ceiling. A wall of arched French doors allows dinner to spill out onto the pool terrace beyond.

The mansion has a total of nine bedroom suites and 12 full bathrooms, offering plenty of private space for residents and guests to retire to.

While the home may be rooted in classical design, it doesn't go without modern luxury amenities. Fitted out with reclining armchair seating and atmospheric LED strip lights, the cinema offers the perfect spot to catch up on the latest films – fitting given the home's location.

Other state-of-the-art additions include a whole-house automation system, which allows residents to control the home's lighting, audio system, air conditioning and security system with the tap of a screen.

There's also a gym, sauna, hammam and indoor pool for relaxing and unwinding in style, as well as a large basement entertaining space that would be ideal for hosting soirées during Cannes' famous film festival.

Outside, the estate is exquisitely landscaped. The grounds include a tranquil lake, meandering woodlands, fountains, a large outdoor swimming pool, a decked sunbathing terrace and a tennis court.

One of the latest projects from luxury developer extraordinaire Ardie Tavangarian, Villa Siena is a 1.3-acre (0.5ha) estate in the Los Angeles enclave of Bel Air.

The magnificent mansion is the culmination of an ambitious five-year project – Tavangarian began buying up land for the home in 2018 and finished construction at the end of 2023.

He bided his time until Los Angeles' luxury home market had bounced back from its downturn before listing the estate in the second half of 2024 with The Beverly Hills Estates for $177 million (£139m). 

Teak and stone define the mansion's exterior and bleed artfully into the lofty interior. The open-plan living area on the ground floor features numerous dining, entertaining and sitting areas. Here, a double-sided fireplace encased in glass acts as a room divider, adding a warming focal point to the cavernous space.

In total, the home has a floor plan of 35,000 square feet (3,252sqm), including eight sprawling bedrooms and 25 bathrooms. Among the highlights is the master bedroom, which features a retractable roof designed for stargazing. 

The home's list of amenities is extensive, but one of the most extraordinary spaces has to be the basement spa. Designed to resemble a tropical rainforest, the complex's ceiling mirrors a tree canopy, clad in a tangle of branches and leaves. Grass seemingly grows between the irregular paving slabs on the floor, while pools of water containing partially submerged bathtubs are navigated via stepping stones.

Other facilities in the spa include hot and cold plunge pools and a hydrotherapy chamber that offers red-light therapy, plus there's a full state-of-the-art gym located on this level too.

Elsewhere in the basement, there's a cinema with four tiers of luxurious seating and what's described as a combined jazz club and auto gallery where up to six prized supercars can be displayed.

Outside, the resort-style backyard is a work of art, encompassing a large infinity-edge swimming pool, a Jacuzzi and a sunken conversation pit complete with a retractable awning.

However, even more alfresco entertaining space awaits on the mansion's incredible 12,000-square-foot (1,115sqm) rooftop. A particularly rare feature, the vast space includes an array of seating areas overlooking the city skyline, as well as a beautiful glazed garden room with a firepit.

Once one of America's most expensive homes when it was first listed for $159 million (£125m), this mega-mansion in Florida's Hillsboro Beach sold in November 2018 for the cut-down price of $42.5 million (£33.5m).

The expansive Beaux Arts estate is surrounded by stunning grounds and a 4,500-square-foot (418sqm) infinity pool, complete with a swim-up bar and slide, plus a glass-bottomed hot tub suspended above the pool.

If that wasn't enough, there's also a putting green and an outdoor kitchen for entertaining alfresco.

The stunning residence was the brainchild of French/Italian designer and developer Joseph Leone, who teamed up with building magnate Robert. W. Pereira, to construct the property in 2007.

The 60,000-square-foot (5,574sqm) estate features 11 bedrooms and 22 bathrooms, with almost every inch of the property draped in 22 karat gold.

All of the property's bathrooms are exquisite, with the main guest bathroom offering muraled walls and a golden pedestal and sink, while the grand VIP suite has a Jacuzzi tub and a custom inlaid mother-of-pearl shower.

As well as separate wings for VIP guests, the master suite is an opulent marvel, with incredible ocean vistas and direct balcony access.

If you think there's an incredible amount of gold leaf spread throughout the property, it was by design. Designer Joseph Leone was inspired by the Palace of Versailles and ensured that each room was outrageously lavish.

So much so in fact, that the overall costs for its design, construction and decoration exceeded $85 million (£67m).

There’s also a 1,300-gallon (nearly 5,000 litres) aquarium, a 20-car garage and a temperature-controlled wine cellar that can accommodate 3,000 bottles of the finest vino, as well as the world's first residential IMAX 3D theatre on its lower level. 

Probably one of the most extravagant properties on the planet, the residence was eventually sold to tea company Teavana co-founder Andrew Mack, who paid a fraction of the original asking price, and got himself an incredible deal!

Known as Los Angeles' most expensive home, 'The One' was developed over the course of eight years by Hollywood producer turned high-end developer Nile Niami. 

With a price tag of $340 million (£267m), the home was designed by architect Paul McClean and interior designer Kathryn Rotondi.

Set on a five-acre parcel of land and surrounded by a moat on three sides, the home seems to float above the city.

The mansion’s many reception rooms are packed with high-end luxury furnishings and statement lighting, like this magnificent fitting in the dining room. 

The interior segues beautifully into the property’s outdoor spaces, which include a 10,000-square-foot (929sqm) sky deck, accessed by a glass-fronted private elevator. 

The opulent interior sprawls across an enormous 105,000 square feet (9,754sqm) and there are 42 bathrooms and a whopping 21 bedrooms, which include a private 5,500-square-foot (511sqm) master suite. 

You will never get bored here with a 30-car garage gallery with two display turntables, a four-lane bowling alley, an entire spa floor, a 30-seat movie theatre, and a so-called philanthropy wing that can host up to 200 people. Talk about the perfect party pad! 

There are five indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a moat encircling three-quarters of the exterior, and even a 400-foot (37m) private outdoor running track with a glass-walled view of the city. 

A truly jaw-dropping property, the home nevertheless failed to achieve its original listing price. It sold for less than half at $126 million (£100m) to Richard Saghian, CEO of fashion retailer Fashion Nova in 2022.

“There is nothing else like it,” he told the Californian newspaper the LA Times. “A rare opportunity to own a unique property that is destined to be a part of Los Angeles history.”

Over in Cape Town, South Africa, there's no shortage of bling either. The Casablanca estate, located on the shoreline of Camps Bay, features a whole host of decadent amenities that have us packing our bags already.

With plenty of custom wrought-iron work, crystal chandeliers and gold leaf detailing inside, the mansion is every bit as spectacular as it appears from the outside.

The property was built in 2014 and was listed with real estate company PrimeLux for $35 million (£25m) in November 2024.

The opulent home offers 33,723 square feet (3,133sqm) of living space, eight bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, each lined with white Carrara marble flooring.

The ocean-view master suite even has an enormous spa bath carved from marble!

Here is just one of the enormous bedrooms, with space for sumptuous sofas to relax on.

The estate also contains a Technogym fitness room, a full-sized squash court, a massage room and a sauna that can accommodate 12 people at a time.

Downstairs you'll also find possibly the swishest garage we've ever seen with space for up to 14 supercars.

If all this hasn't made your heart race, then check out the home's luxury cinema room, complete with velvet furnishings, walnut panelling and 15-foot (4.6m) ceilings.

After you've watched the latest blockbuster, head over to the wine cellar or the whiskey bar for a tipple or hit the billiard room for a game or two.

There's even an 82-foot (25m) swimming pool, complete with its own automatic thermal pool cover for the ultimate billionaire's backyard!

This glistening property is another brainchild of extravagant real estate developer Nile Niami.

Positioned in the sought-after heights of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, the home, known as Opus, has seven bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a spa, a beauty salon and a 15-person cinema, and is dripping in gold from top to bottom. 

Even the marketing video for the development turned quite a few heads too as it featured gold-painted models cavorting in one of the rooms. 

The 20,500-square-foot (1,904sqm) mansion, which is the ultimate bachelor pad, has a solid marble façade with veins of gold running through it. Even the house sign and front gate are made from solid gold. The estate also comes with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, one of which features a waterfall.

In 2017, the lavish property hit the real estate market for a colossal $100 million (£79m). Listed for three years, the price was reduced to $60 million (£47m), when it was snapped up by real estate investor Josephine Yeh, whose legal name is Bin Fen Cheng.

The main living rooms feature Roberto Cavalli flooring and Longhi doors in suede and embossed leather, while downstairs there's a subterranean auto museum, featuring a Lamborghini Aventador Roadster and a Rolls-Royce Dawn in, you guessed it, gold!

Priceless artwork on display ranges from works by Damien Hirst to a portrait of Muhammad Ali by Andy Warhol, equating to over $2 million (£1.3m) in value.

Originally, this playboy's paradise had a gold-gilded champagne vault, stocked with 170 pristine bottles of Cristal just waiting for a special occasion. A quick renovation in 2020 however, saw the champagne fridge transformed into a more practical pantry.

Outside, a covered patio by the pool grants views across Beverly Hills, for luxury alfresco dining. 

The property sold not long after its 2020 transformation.

Over in Dubai, opulence abounds. The XXII CARAT Palm Jumeirah development offers luxury waterfront villas for the mega-rich.

Designed with flawless attention to detail, every property on the estate is dripping in gold, marble and the finest furnishings from around the world.

No wonder that the likes of David and Victoria Beckham own property here! Let's step inside...

Each luxury villa was designed with Renaissance architecture in mind. Picture stucco masonry, classical columns, pergola terraces, handmade ceramics and dramatic wall murals.

Almost every room is decorated with fine gold and silver leaf, from the trims of the kitchen cabinets to the taps in the bathrooms.

In fact, the bathrooms are perhaps the villas' most luxurious rooms, offering everything from floor-to-ceiling marble to 18-carat gold finishes.

All this luxury comes with a hefty price tag though, with prices starting at 65 million AED ($17.7m/£14m) for a similar villa. 

To soften the blow, every property has direct access to a private beach and unobstructed views of Dubai's iconic skyline.

In some of the villas, the lucky owner can also take a soak in a bathtub carved from rock crystal. The colossal tub weighs in at 10 tonnes and was sourced from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

The opulent bath comes with an equally lavish price tag, with a single tub costing anywhere up to $1 million (£792k).

You know you've found a fine piece of real estate when the likes of Beyoncé and Jay Z are vying to buy it! Yet despite the power couple's attempts, they lost out on owning this extravagant home.

Instead, it was snapped up by billionaire video game creator Markus Persson, who paid a whopping $70 million (£55m) for the Beverley Hills pad in 2014. 

It's not hard to see why A-listers would be fighting over this home. Kitted out in top designer furnishings from the likes of Bentley and Hermès, the interior is immaculate. In fact, the Bentley couch and cushions are thought to be worth $500,000 (£396k) alone!

In the living room, there's also a giant James Dean mural and a replica of the motorcycle he drove in the classic Hollywood film Rebel Without a Cause.

Covering 23,000 square feet, the property offers eight luxury bedrooms and a staggering 15 bathrooms, including one decked out with bespoke Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel fire extinguishers in their own display cabinet. 

Outside, the poolside dining area has 24 Roberto Cavalli place settings, so watch out for any spillages...

As with all ultra-luxe LA pads, there's no shortage of space to store supercars. The basement level is dedicated to showcasing some of the finest motor vehicles in the world, with rotating platforms and a car lift.

If this wasn't enough, the house also offers a dazzling infinity pool, a temperature-controlled glass wine cellar and a giant candy wall for the ultimate sugar fix.

Also competing for the crown of most luxurious property in Bel Air is this mega-mansion, known as Villa Sarbonne, constructed by super-builder Ardie Tavangarian.

With nine stunning bedrooms, the property extends to 25,000 square feet (2,322sqm) and offers an additional 20,000 square feet (1,858sqm) of outdoor space, including sundecks and manicured gardens.

One of the most jaw-dropping home features money can buy, at night, a film screen rises from the edge of the stunning infinity pool, which features statues that are reminiscent of Academy Awards.

If that wasn't enough, there is also a library, art studio, gym, temperature-controlled wine cellar and billiards room.

The perfect property for petrol heads, the mansion boasts its own state-of-the-art glass car elevator, which allows luxurious supercars to be stored safely and offers the perfect super-sized display case to show-off a treasured collection.

As well as 15 luxury bathrooms, many offering panoramic views across Los Angeles, there is also a private at-home spa, complete with treatment rooms (pictured) and a sauna.

In December 2018, the lavish home went on the market for $88 million (£69m) and sold in July 2019 for $75 million (£59m) to a buyer from China. Talk about opulent!

Ivana Trump’s New York City townhouse is almost as flamboyant and irrepressible as the lady herself.

Donald Trump’s ex-wife passed away in the home in July 2022 after falling down the stairs and the six-storey mansion was listed for $26.5 million (£21m) four months later, according to People Magazine. 

The Czech former competitive skier turned businesswoman bought her Manhattan home in 1992 following her divorce from Donald Trump for the relatively bargain price of $2.5 million (£2m). It was her main residence until her death.

A portal back to the glamour of the 1980s, when the late socialite and Donald Trump were the ultimate power couple, the 8,725 square-foot (810sqm) home is a riot of gold leaf, crystal chandeliers and animal-print wall coverings.

“My mom absolutely loved that house,” her son, Eric Trump, told the Wall Street Journal. “She was so comfortable there.” Ivana was also mother to Donald Jr. and Ivanka Trump.

Passionate about interior design, Ivana was unapologetic about the extravagant opulence of her home. Over the decades, she transformed the 17-room, 20-foot-wide (6m) property, with five bedrooms and five-and-a-half bathrooms, into a maximalist haven.

The Versailles-inspired dining room features walls draped in gold fabric, while a hand-painted mural and damask-clad panels wrap around the grand staircase.

The second floor boasts a range of regal rooms designed for entertaining, while the third floor houses a stand-out library that is almost entirely decorated in leopard print, with a black and gold marble fireplace.

Also on the third floor is Ivana’s glamourous master suite along with a pink onyx marble bathroom with gold fittings.

The limestone townhouse was built in 1879 and is in a coveted block of New York’s Upper East Side, just across the road from Ivana’s close friend Donatella Versace. 

Its price was reduced by $4 million (£3.1m) in 2023 and a further $3 million (£2.4m) in July 2024, when it remained unsold.

The owners of this Florida-based residence were clearly reliving their European Grand Tour when they commissioned this mansion in Southwest Ranches.

Inspired by its namesake near Paris, France, the Court of Versailles is a palatial pile located in Southwest Ranches, on the edge of the Everglades, and just 15 minutes west of Fort Lauderdale.

Designed by architect Rick Brautigan and completed in 2007, no expense was spared on this ostentatious residence. It extends over 18,000 square feet (1,672sqm) and has seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, two separate wings, a 3,335-foot (310sqm) guest house, three full kitchens and a 50-foot (15m) pool.

Features include hand-painted frescoes and travertine marble pillars in this showcase entrance hall, along with a rather splendid chandelier.

The owners wanted their master suite to evoke their travels around Italy and commissioned this intricately-carved bed which features 24-carat gold painted details and cost $80,000 (£63k) at the time. 

An eight-foot-high (2.4m) white marble fireplace at the centre of the suite was inspired by work by Michelangelo and cost more than $100,000 (£79k), while a spectacular dome in the ceiling above the bed and in the bathroom, was designed to remind them of their visit to the Vatican. 

Despite the mansion’s lavish surroundings, with its high ceilings, expensive Italian drapery and over-the-top fireplaces, Moses House, as it is referred to on the architect’s website, was a family home where the owners raised their children.

The estate, which sits on a ten-acre plot of land, was up for auction in 2016, with its contents sold separately. It is unknown how much it sold for, but according to Rick Brautigan’s website, it was later converted into a mental health centre for the area. 

Inspired by the Hermitage hotel in Monaco, property developer Guy Phoenix put the luxe in luxury when he designed this ten-bedroom house in Nottingham. 

The 23,000 square-foot (7,000sqm) 'monster' as Guy calls it himself, has 18 bathrooms, 12 shower rooms, ten reception rooms and 6,561 feet (2,000m) of light fittings.

It featured on British TV show Building Britain’s Superhomes on Channel 4.

Talk about the ‘wow’ factor! Guests are taken aback when they step through the front door and set their eyes on the vaulted entrance hall with its spiral staircase which winds up through the floors of the property.

A jaw-dropping chandelier appears to rain down through the centre of the house highlighting the glass floor which reveals the home’s indoor swimming pool beneath.

“I believe that I can build the most extravagant, expensive home on the planet,” said Guy, whose clients include footballers, boxers and businessmen, according to British newspaper the Daily Mail.

And just one look at this stunning underground pool, with its bespoke waterfall, along with Guy’s signature sauna, Jacuzzi, steam room, and bar area, should be enough to prove his point.

However, while the Hermitage is the most expensive house in Nottinghamshire, with a market price of £10 million ($13m), it is just a fraction the cost of some of the mega-mansions above.

The master-bedroom is 2,500 square feet (762sqm), the size of an average house, and has a 13-foot bed (4m) and 23-foot headboard (7m). 

The house also has its own Dom Perignon champagne cellar, whose labels have inspired the golden colour scheme throughout the rest of the house.

And there’s a cinema, Armani bathrooms and the usual walk-wardrobes. “It’s about the wow factor, the length, the height, the fireplace, oversize everything,” Guy said.

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