This $100 Million Bel-Air Mansion Has an Indoor Basketball Court That Transforms Into a Dance Club

Howard Walker
·4 min read

Click here to read the full article.

Even many of the world’s finest boutique hotels don’t come with these kinds of amenities. For starters, there’s the 36-seat movie theater. And the two-level wine tasting room. Plus a complete wellness center with a 75-foot lap pool, spa and huge gym.

For car lovers there’s an underground 20-car “auto gallery,” that’s next to an indoor basketball court which, at the touch of a button, transforms into a nightclub dance floor.

More from Robb Report

Oh, and did we mention the 21 bathrooms, the state-of-the-art recording studio and the eight bars?

This is Unica. Perched on a hilltop in Los Angeles’ A-lister Bel-Air neighborhood, the new 41,000-square-foot Spanish villa defines resort-style— dare we say hedonistic—living.

It’s the creation of developer Ty Cueva of Westside Property Group, who gave Dean Hallo, of LA-based Hallo Construction the daunting task of excavating a chunk of Bel-Air hillside to make space for the home.

“The house flows. Each floor has a distinct purpose,” Cueva told the LA Times recently. “There’s a floor for living, a floor for partying, a floor for wellness, and the top floor holds all the bedrooms.”

For Cueva, this will be “third-time lucky” for finding a buyer for the spectacular spec home. The estate, at 10697 Somma Way, close to Bel-Air’s East Gate, first hit the market in 2017, mid-construction, with a $75 million price tag. The following year, with everything in place, the price shot up to $100 million.

With no serious hand-raisers stepping forward, Unica—presumably a play on the word “unique”—came off the market last year. Now, with LA’s mega-mansion property market still on a roll and seemingly coronavirus-resistant, Cueva is giving it another try with the same $100 million asking.

Security gates off Somma Way open up to a winding driveway that climbs past a striking 30-foot-by-30-foot basalt waterfall and into a circular motor court. An imposing entryway leads into the main living floor that features floor-to-ceiling glass pocket doors that lead out on to a huge terrace.

The open, showcase kitchen is all sleek black cabinetry and La Cornue appliances, with a central island made from ancient petrified wood. If you’re wondering if anyone would ever dare cook anything here, don’t worry; there’s a second, commercial-grade kitchen hidden away behind it.

Take the staircase, or elevator, down to the pool deck level and it’s like entering a world-class spa. The so-called “Wellness floor” features an indoor 75-foot-long saltwater lap pool, a Dalmata marble-lined steam room, a sauna, ice bath and huge fitness center.

Glass doors lead out on to the sprawling pool terrace with another 75-foot infinity-edge pool, adjoining plunge pool and sun loungers for all your guests. For outdoor movie nights and big games, there a waterproof, multiplex-sized Samsung video wall.

Speaking of entertainment, the mansion’s below-ground lower level is where the fun begins. It includes that screening room with tiered seating for 36, a two-level tasting room with a 1,200-bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar, plus that basketball court-cum-dance floor.

Hidden away down here is also the recording studio, staff living quarters, a service kitchen, private security room, plus a 6,000-square-foot bonus room that’s not counted as part of the 41,000 square feet of living space.

To escape all this party action, ride the elevator to the fourth floor and Unica’s two master suites and six additional en suite guest bedrooms. The larger master, in the so-called West Wing, features more glass pocket doors leading to a private balcony, plus vast, individually-styled separate bathrooms.

“It really is a one-of-a-kind trophy estate with rare amenities, and all the luxuries of resort living,” says Sally Forster Jones of Compass, who is co-listing the property with colleague Anita Stephan and David Kramer of Hilton & Hyland.

Check out more photos of the property below:

Best of Robb Report

Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.