Hala Ranch
Encyclopedia
The Hala Ranch is a 95 acres (384,451.7 m²) estate
located just north of Aspen, Colorado
, originally purchased and given its name by Prince Bandar bin Sultan
. The main house on the property was designed by the architectural firm of Hagman Yaw and built by Hansen Construction of Aspen, Colorado, in 1991. The estate has been ranked by Forbes
magazine as the most expensive home in the United States, listed at $135 million.
The home is 56000 square feet (5,202.6 m²) and is currently the third most expensive home on the market in the United States.
The Saudi Prince purchased the land while he served as ambassador to the United States, and originally visited about three times a year. The Prince's visits, which were always announced to local officials for security reasons, became less frequent after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, which were carried out mostly by Saudi nationals. Prince Bandar bin Sultan is now selling the estate, as he has accepted a position as National Security Councillor in Saudi Arabia
.
The estate has its own wastewater treatment plant
and a mechanical shop with its own gasoline pumps and car wash. Cross-country ski trails are maintained throughout the property. The centerpiece lodge of the estate is larger than the White House
. It is built in a rustic style, with massive timber beams and stone columns, and contains 15 bedrooms, all with patios, and 16 bathrooms. There is also an interior elevator. The decoration of the interior features mahogany wood and bronze hardware, as well as stained glass windows and a wood-burning fireplace. The master wing has a room set aside for grooming, while guest rooms open onto a courtyard
with a reflecting pool
and waterfall. Other amenities of the estate include a commercial kitchen, a fishing pond, a racquetball
court, a sophisticated security system
, heated hay barn and stables, steam room, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.
In December 2007, the 14395 square feet (1,337.3 m²) guesthouse was sold for a reported $36.5 mm.
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
located just north of Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, originally purchased and given its name by Prince Bandar bin Sultan
Bandar bin Sultan
Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is a prince of the Saudi royal family and was Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005. He was appointed Secretary-General of the National Security Council by King Abdullah on 16 October 2005...
. The main house on the property was designed by the architectural firm of Hagman Yaw and built by Hansen Construction of Aspen, Colorado, in 1991. The estate has been ranked by Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine as the most expensive home in the United States, listed at $135 million.
The home is 56000 square feet (5,202.6 m²) and is currently the third most expensive home on the market in the United States.
The Saudi Prince purchased the land while he served as ambassador to the United States, and originally visited about three times a year. The Prince's visits, which were always announced to local officials for security reasons, became less frequent after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, which were carried out mostly by Saudi nationals. Prince Bandar bin Sultan is now selling the estate, as he has accepted a position as National Security Councillor in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
The estate has its own wastewater treatment plant
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
and a mechanical shop with its own gasoline pumps and car wash. Cross-country ski trails are maintained throughout the property. The centerpiece lodge of the estate is larger than the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. It is built in a rustic style, with massive timber beams and stone columns, and contains 15 bedrooms, all with patios, and 16 bathrooms. There is also an interior elevator. The decoration of the interior features mahogany wood and bronze hardware, as well as stained glass windows and a wood-burning fireplace. The master wing has a room set aside for grooming, while guest rooms open onto a courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
with a reflecting pool
Reflecting pool
A reflecting pool or reflection pool is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and at memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a calm reflective...
and waterfall. Other amenities of the estate include a commercial kitchen, a fishing pond, a racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
court, a sophisticated security system
Burglar alarm
Burglar , alarms are systems designed to detect unauthorized entry into a building or area. They consist of an array of sensors, a control panel and alerting system, and interconnections...
, heated hay barn and stables, steam room, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.
In December 2007, the 14395 square feet (1,337.3 m²) guesthouse was sold for a reported $36.5 mm.