Home of the Week: This $31 Million Equestrian Estate in Florida Has Its Own Horse Spa
Just west of Palm Beach, Fla., Wellington has grown to become a world-famous equestrian destination, thanks to its warmer climate and competitions that attract an international crowd. Whether it’s for the Winter Equestrian Festival, the Gauntlet of Polo, or the World Polo Cup, thousands of riders and their horses from all over the world descend upon the city each year for a variety of equestrian-related activities and competitions. More recently—especially with the rebrand of the National Polo Center moving from Palm Beach to Wellington—equestrian and polo enthusiasts might find themselves seeking a more permanent address in the popular equine locale.
The aptly named Mallet Hill is one of the most prestigious equestrian residential communities in Wellington. It’s located within walking distance to the Winter Equestrian Festival and Global Dressage Festival show grounds, as well as the Palm Beach Polo Golf and Country Club. For those seeking a luxury estate to call home (for themselves and their horses), look no further than this 4.13-acre property on Quarter Horse Trail. This $31 million residence, built in 1993, has 8,538 square feet of living space with a total of 11 bedrooms.
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Enter the home through private gates, where you are greeted with a beautifully landscaped private circular driveway. There’s also parking in the attached, finished four-car garage and a dedicated golf cart garage. The home has a Mediterranean-style exterior with lush, climbing vines for a tropical feel. You’ll find mature landscaping at every turn, such as the flower- and tree-lined driveway and towering palms throughout the property. Inside, the abode has a bright, modern vibe and design, with high-quality furnishings and finishes, such as Loro Piana curtains and seagrass wallpaper. The six-bedroom, nine-bathroom main residence is flush with limestone flooring, and each room feels even more spacious thanks to high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the backyard.
The residence’s great room houses the dining area, a living room, a second seating spot and a wet bar with a wine fridge. Just off the living space is the light-filled contemporary designer kitchen, with custom Poggenpohl cabinetry, plenty of counter space, and an eat-in breakfast nook. Even the kitchen’s chandelier has equestrian nods, with leather strap detailing reminiscent of a saddle—one of many horse-themed decor that hang around the home. The main residence also has an office that overlooks the backyard, a gym, an entertainment area with a TV, and a media room with custom daybeds.
The en suite bedrooms are just as spacious as the main areas. The primary bedroom, for example, is outfitted with a seating area and a spa-like bathroom, with a freestanding tub and walk-in closets. The second floor has a covered terrace that overlooks the arena just outside. In the expansive backyard, you’ll also find a swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen, a wood-burning fireplace, a TV, and several covered loggias.
Next door is a five-bedroom, three-bathroom staff house, which has a great room and a tack room, that’s designed as equestrian staff quarters. The roomy space could also be used to house out-of-town guests. As for those equestrian facilities, a newly painted baby-blue 16-stall horse barn and a Wordley Martin-built arena are the main features. The horse barn is tricked out with Equi Turf, auto waterers, rubber pavers, four generously sized paddocks, commercial laundry, and an equine spa—basically, everything you could possibly need to properly ride. The arena is well-maintained and surrounded by beautiful landscaping, such as colorful flowers and well-kept hedges; it’s an idyllic place for horses to roam, ride, and enjoy.
Mallet Hill has just 11 homes within the community, which include several properties just behind this very estate that—at one point—were owned by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his family. According to the South Florida Business Journal, the billionaire sold his Wellington estate for $26 million last year after purchasing a few properties in Mallet Hill around 2016. Gates’s eldest daughter, Jennifer, is an accomplished equestrian and founder of the nearby Evergate Stables, an international show jumping stable.
Gates isn’t the only billionaire daughter who’s a rider. Michael Bloomberg’s daughter, Georgina Bloomberg, is also an avid equestrian who has competed in the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington throughout the years.
Check out more photos of the home below:
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