It is no secret that Los Angeles is full of stunning mansions and residential estates, but 1200 Bel Air Road stands out.
The National's International Property of the Week, this striking mansion is newly completed and is on the market for $139 million.
The key details
A playground for the rich and famous, this 12-bedroom, 18-bathroom Bel Air property is set on a 0.84 hectare plot.
More than a home, this mansion offers a full premium lifestyle with a nightclub and indoor and outdoor cinema, an infinity pool, full-sized fitness centre, detached guest house and incredible views of LA.
What's the story?
If you have watched an episode of Selling Sunset, you'll know that the LA property market features a number of mega mansions and incredible properties that home Hollywood's rich and famous. This Bel Air property stands head-and-shoulders above the rest.
More than five years in the making, La Fin rises high above Bel Air, both as an architectural masterpiece at the top of its class and at an elevation above the city with views impossible to obstruct. It is the pinnacle of homes designed for entertaining at a scale comparable to the best hotels in the world. The 12-bedroom home also has a separate detached guest penthouse, caretaker residences, security command centre and drive-on motor court.
A few of the many show-stopping features include a fully mechanised 23-foot outdoor LED screen, several bars, a sub-zero tasting room, private wine room with custom Murano glass art installation, an elegant home theatre with imported Belgian leather motorised seating, a six-car display-ready rotating auto elevator, separately ventilated cigar room with a spectacular humidor, a full-scale fitness centre with rock climbing wall and a 6,000-square-foot night club.
The home has been constructed with rare and decadent materials sourced from Europe, Italy and around the world. The property offers sensational views and stunning light quality throughout. Immediately upon crossing the threshold you enter a grand, entertaining room with 23-foot ceilings and filled with fully customised furniture hand-crafted in Milan and found throughout the property. This mansion is being sold fully furnished by interior design service La Contessina.
The grand master suite includes Italian hand-crafted floor-to-ceiling oak cladding, a Portuguese marble fireplace and a wrap-around deck with uninterrupted views from downtown to Los Angles's Century City neighbourhood. The bathrooms rivals the finest of hotel resorts with 24 slabs of Calacatta gold marble, a sizeable walk-in shower, floating marble vanity and showroom-style walk-in closets.
What the broker says
How often do properties of this standard come onto the Los Angeles market?
Los Angeles has become a hotbed for some of the largest and most luxurious homes in the world. That said, 1200 Bel Air offers a level of opulence and grandeur that is not commonly found in Los Angeles, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.
How popular is Los Angeles with GCC buyers?
Los Angeles has been and continues to be a very popular destination for GCC buyers seeking year-round amazing weather, world class dining, shopping and nightlife. The LA real estate market has experienced tremendous appreciation over the past 10 years, making it an attractive investment for GCC buyers as well.
The LA property market has been spotlighted by Netflix show Selling Sunset, how close is the TV version to the reality of real estate in Los Angeles?
It’s not an accurate depiction at all. Jason Oppenheim is a respected and highly successful agent in the LA market, but Selling Sunset is a reality television show with a high emphasis on conflict and drama for the purpose of entertainment. We represent some of the most affluent people in the world, and we carry the responsibility of selling their most valuable assets. This is a serious business with high stakes. Integrity and professionalism are paramount.
— Adam Rosenfeld, director, The Agency (Savills associate)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
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Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Mobile phone packages comparison
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
HAJJAN
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
