$35M French-Inspired Hawaii Estate Is the Week's Most Expensive New Listing

An 18th-century-French-style-meets-Mediterranean villa in Honolulu, HI, is this week’s priciest new listing on realtor.com®. On the market for $35 million and called "Hi’ilani," the 16,726-square-foot villa sits atop Hawaii Loa Ridge, with views of mountains and ocean from almost every room.

If Versailles seems like an odd choice for tropical inspiration, consider the home’s original owner: TV producer Al Masini, who created “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” “Entertainment Tonight,” and “Star Search.” So it isn’t a surprise that the hit-maker had an eye for dramatic flair he brought to bear in his home design.

Built in 1996, the villa has 11-foot-tall twin glass doors framed with Versailles-inspired wrought-iron scrolls. An Austrian crystal chandelier and French hand-embroidered silk drapes decorate the interior, along with a marble fountain.

Up the double staircase is the mezzanine, which opens to the nearly 6,000-square-foot upper grand terrace, and inside to the living and dining space.The home has four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and two half-baths. The master suite features walls of glass.

Other spaces include an office, game room with theater, and multiple decks and terraces.

Outdoors, there's lush landscaping, a pool with waterfall and spa, as well as a kitchen, bar, shower, and bathroom.

After Masini’s death in 2010 at the age of 80, the property was sold for about $10 million in 2013, according to news accounts. Currently, property records show the home is owned by a mysterious holding company.

The owner listed the luxury retreat for $20 million in 2015, according to property records. It was recently relisted it at its higher price, with a nod to the rising real estate prices in the area.

-Realtor.com