If you’ve got £3 million and a lot of friends, this chalet is the party house for you!
Sure, if you have that kind of money to throw around, you’ve got your pick of penthouse apartments, mews houses, and Victorian mansions. But if you along possess a penchant for flair, then we think this is a little more up your street: a Grade II-listed Swiss chalet, perched on the edge of the Thames near Hampton Court, and boasting a whole host of outrageous extras – for instance, its own indoor beach.
The fabulous chalet hasn’t always been this extra, mind you. Shipped over bit-by-bit from Switzerland in 1882, it spent many years being used as a crazily OTT boathouse, falling into dereliction before being rescued and restored in 2010. Now, lashings of 24-carat gold, and a swathe of expensive features have turned it into a breathtaking weekend pad – and it’s a relative snip at £2.85 million.
That’s a massive climbdown from the near £13 million it was on the market for in 2016, but there is a catch. Blaming Br**it for a market slowdown, the owner has elected to sell it off in bits, so that £2.85 million gets you the house only.
You’ll have to fork out more – the entire package will cost some £11 million in total – for the surrounding land, river frontage, boats (yes, it comes with boats), and the contents of the house. Which, naturally, includes four cannons once used at the Battle of Waterloo.
What you do get is still pretty special, however. The ground floor is currently home to a ornamental Japanese garden, complete with a koi-filled pond and a bespoke bridge. Upstairs, the kitchen boasts crystal-studded features, and a panoramic balcony with sweeping views over the river.
You’ll also find a library, guest bedrooms with body massage systems, and the stunning master bedroom on the upper floors – indeed, the master bedroom and gold-accented bathroom take up an entire floor on their own.
All well and good then, but the crown jewel of this place is found down in the basement. Billed as a ‘party room’, the space is designed as an indoor beach, complete with sand, underfloor heating, and even a stage for when you’re looking to entertain. You’ll also find a huge wine cellar and a cosy hidden cinema down here, so essentially there’s no need to leave come rain or shine.
The redeveloper, architect Myck Djurberg, told the Evening Standard “it’s for someone who doesn’t need a house”; in other words, suggesting that such frippery is fit for a second home only. Still, if you’re dropping £11 million on this place (or renting it out, for the fee of £30,000 per half day), I’d suggest you can use it however you see fit – perhaps throwing a massive house party for all of us, perchance?
You can see the listing, and make an enquiry, through Savills Estate Agents. All images are courtesy of Savills.