It is being referred to as the “Mumbai monstrosity”, and for just cause!  The richest man in India, and fourth richest man in the world, evidently wants everyone to be aware of that fact, because he has constructed the world’s first billion-dollar house.  That is right, it is a personal residence, not a hotel, and it is worth an estimated billion…with a ‘B’.

I do not think this is quite what India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in mind in 2007 when he called on India’s business leaders to “eschew conspicuous consumption”.  Taking that advice to heart, 53-year-old Mukesh Ambani proceeded to construct a 27-story personal residence worth $1.08 billion big ones.  He named his palace ‘Antilia’ for the legendary island in the Atlantic rumored to have driven Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors to search for cities of gold in the Americas.

I am wondering if perhaps Ambani is compensating for something he lacks, erecting such a phallic pad.  Speaking of pad, it boasts three helicopter landing pads.  Yeah, I always hate it when I have to wait to land.  It does make sense, however, when you consider Mumbai’s legendary traffic.  So what other luxury amenities are at his fingertips?

According to reports, it features a private health club complete with a gym and dance studio, a ballroom, a theater seating 50, 27 floors of lavishly appointed rooms, underground parking for 160 vehicles, which I assume will be exotic and luxury rental cars of important and pampered guests like Ferrari rentals or Lamborghini rentals.  I bet Ambani has a Bugatti or two in the mix also.  Sigh.

This luxury residence is more colossal than the Palace at Versailles, and requires a staff of 600 to run.  In my head I am doing the math of 600 employees and 160 parking spaces and assuming they utilize public transportation. 

But why so expensive?  Location is everything, and right now India’s market is white-hot and aggressive, pulling in powers from around the world, including luxury carmakers and yacht companies.  The sky seems to be the limit in India right now, and Ambani’s home certainly seems to be reaching for it at 27 stories.  Does anyone else see that ‘W’ and think of the luxe W Hotel?  Is it the W Hotel?  If not, I wonder if anyone has tried to check in. 

 

 

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Post by Imagine Lifestyles