Las Catalinas De Pico Blanco

Escazu, Costa Rica

Exterior features

Patio.

Description

The Central Valley's Most Iconic and Exclusive Estate. Appraised at over $20,000,000, now listed at $11,995,000. Selling at auction with no Reserve to the Highest Bidder. Las Catalinas de Pico Blanco, originally built by a European family who selected the site due to its unique location just beneath the prominent Pico Blanco, the bordering Catalina River, and the breathtaking surrounding landscapes, stands out due to its panoramic views of the entire valley, mountains, and city below. As one of the most extraordinary homes for sale in Costa Rica, the estate combines architectural significance, natural beauty, and unmatched privacy in a truly remarkable setting. The property was acquired by the current owners in 2002 and underwent a meticulous ground-up remodel from 2003 to 2007 under the direction of renowned Costa Rican architect Rodrigo Trejos and U.S.-based interior designer Maria Eugenia Valdez Balsinde. The sprawling 15+ acre estate is now home to this medieval-inspired work of art, totaling just over 4,000 square meters (43,055 sq ft) of construction, and the journey begins the moment you approach the private, gated entrance. As the gate opens, the sense of arrival exudes luxury and exclusivity, and your eyes meander between the depths of the city below and the sharp contrast of the one level castle, framed by the imposing mountains of Cerro Pico Blanco to the rear. Perfectly blending privacy, grandeur, and Cosmopolitan urban living, the estate offers a rare opportunity to enjoy a secluded mountain retreat just minutes from the vibrant lifestyle, dining, and business hubs of Escazú. The meandering road allows time to discover the views, the mountain, and the gardens, and as you approach the residence, the cinematic arrival is sealed as you drive underneath the arch and into the central plaza designed around the handcrafted fountain by Costa Rican artist Antonio Doninelli. The courtyard triggers a feeling of an old colonial town center, a luxury boutique hotel, or a quintessential hacienda estate, and boasts ample covered hallways creating an exterior space that is just as inviting and calm as what awaits behind the doors. The distribution of the home carefully isolates the private wing of the home from the social areas, guest rooms, entertainment area, and finally the support wing. Each wing can be accessed through the interior of the home, but also directly from the courtyard, providing both privacy as well as thoughtful entertaining and security. The central area of the home hosts the family's social area including the living room, informal dining room, library, music room, multiple offices, a magestic dining room equipped with a custom wood table for 24 fit for a king and queen, as well as a chef's kitchen that connects both the formal and informal family spaces. Just beyond the dining room, the home is iluminated by floor to ceiling windows that dress an interior terrace featuring a breakfast room, and living areas that boast jaw dropping views of the entire city, mountains, volcanoes and valley below. Adjacent to this space, there is a formal living room centered in the middle of the only two story, tower room in the home, accented by an elegant chandelier that drops from the ceiling, and a birds nest sitting area overlooking the entire city. All of these rooms have access to the internal corridors, but are seamlessly integrated into the backdrop of the unobstructed views that cascade in front of the home. As if that were not enough, down the stonelined hallway, you will find a one of a kind, wine cellar featuring a central, artisan wood table to enjoy your favorite bottle at the end of the day, with family and friends. The private area of the home includes 5 en suite bedrooms, including two primary bedrooms with private living area, marble lined bathrooms, jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces to take in the city views. The other three bedrooms in this wing offer courtyard and mountain views, as well as private sitting area, and ensuite bathrooms. Given the scope of the residence, the private wing also offers a living and kitchenette for convenience and comfort and while residents of the home can access this area from the social areas, they can also enter directly into the wing from the courtyard making it ideal for late night arrivals, or early morning departures. From the central plaza, guests can enter into the entertainment areas and will find a billiards room, home cinema and kitchenette, access to the wine cellar, an additional office, and two guest bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. The adjacent hallway hosts the game room, gym sauna, as well as an outdoor, covered seating area, multiple studios, laundry facilities and the service quarters and security office at the entrance, completing the courtyard space. This entire wing, should a new owner desire, could be converted into an entire wing of additional bedrooms...This area includes all support facilities which are separate from the house including 3 full bedrooms with bathrooms for the gardeners and maintenance crew. A Maintenance shop fully equipped for the handymen provides the support for proper on-site maintenance to the facility. There is also a Garden tool room / workshop where all the equipment for gardening maintenance is stored. There are also dual security rooms; one at the entrance of the property and one at the entrance of the house, which are 600 meters apart, give to the security staff, control of the property with video monitoring from 16 different strategic locations. The property also offers expansive, manicured gardens, a multi acre vegetable garden with an abundance of avocado trees, mandarin, blackberries, green onions, lettuce to name just a few. This area, perched above the home, also offers a gazebo, and multiple sitting areas to take advantage of the skyline below, and peaceful, cool mountain breeze. In the lower section of the property, there is a live pond with over 4000 tilapia and koi, as well as a tropical forest, and is designed for sustainability and independence with multiple water tanks, three tiered water purification system, multiple internet connections and communications, as well as an emergency power backup generator. Las Catalinas de Pico Blanco is an irreplaceable property that has been enjoyed by its owners for the past 20 years, and is now available for another generation to enjoy this impactful lifestyle. Las Catalinas de Pico Blanco will be the host of a lucky family's memories for the next few decades, or could be easily converted into one of the finest, and exclusive boutique hotels in the Central Valley. Now, acquire this property, and as this property is selling at auction, you determine the price. LUXURY PROPERTY AUCTION: 21–28 JULY. Accepting Starting Bids Through 20 July. Starting Bids Expected Between $3.5M–$6.5M. Earn an incentive by 20 July.