Inspired by a traditional Cambodian fishing village, at least architecturally, the luxury resort of Song Saa is Cambodia's first private island development. Consisting of 27 individual villas, most of which have already sold to Asian buyers, the resort can be reached by speedboat from the nearby Sihanoukville international airport or directly from the famous temples at Angkor Wat via seaplane. One of the few unsold units, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom villa measures 3,200 square feet and boasts stunning water views, a private pool, and an aesthetic developed by Australian owners Rory and Melita Hunter. Rory, previously of advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi, and Melita, a designer, happened upon the unspoiled islands while exploring in a fishing boat. The one-bedroom villa is currently offered for $1.75M.
· Cambodian Over-Water-Villa [WSJ]
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Globe Trotting: Direct Flights from Angkor Wat for This Cambodian Escape
Thursday, July 28, 2011
House of the Day: This Remote Alaskan Escape Might Be Too Close to the Wildlife
Have a nomination for a jaw-dropping listing that would make a mighty fine House of the Day? Get thee to the tipline and send us your suggestions. We'd love to see what you've got.
Location: Sitka, Alaska
Price: $2,189,000
The Skinny: This glassy waterfront retreat sits on a half-acre island off the coast of Sitka, Alaska, connected to the mainland by a 150-foot steel bridge. The next buyer might be wishing it was a draw bridge if the family of bears from the listing photos shows up to the housewarming BBQ—yeah, they look cute, but maulings are a regular occurrence. At least the interiors are plenty welcoming, with a glassy great room, five bedrooms, hardwood floors, and wood stoves. The whole private-island thing has inflated the asking price, though: it's a steep $2.19M. The artwork, furnishings, linens, and even the pots and pans are up for sale, too, but those will cost even more.
· 2202 Sawmill Creek Road [Sotheby's]
· Alaska: Bear in Mauling Won't Be Hunted [NYT]
Sunday, May 1, 2011
On the Market: Professional Gambler Takes A Loss on Massive Seaside Escape
Well it turns out the house doesn't always win, at least not for professional gambler Billy Walters. For a guy who regularly wins millions of dollars betting on sports—and claims never to have had a down year—Walters's luck runs out when it comes to real estate. He told the Wall Street Journal that he and his wife, Susan, have "lost money on every home we've bought and sold here," seven so far. His massive waterfront spread in Carlsbad, Calif. is currently on the market for $29M, and looks to continue that losing streak, as Walters ponied up more than that to acquire the land and build this dream house. Still, the 10,000-square-foot limestone beach house makes a strong case for itself, with 1.5 fenced acres, extensive landscaping, a home theater with stadium seating, two master suites, and, none-too-surprisingly, a poker room. The office, where Walters conducts most of his business, features an 85-inch flat screen TV to keep track of all the games. The Walters also still have a chance to make it to .500 in the game of real estate profit: the couple currently own seven more houses.
· A Wealthy Gambler's House Bet [WSJ]