Few cities can rival London. Celebrities, oligarchs, and socialites flock to the city to mingle and make sure they’re photographed along side the who’s who of society. Penniless students and graduates come to make their fortune, like countless young people before them.
For most of us, living in London means living in a Victorian or Georgian terrace house that’s been converted into cramped flats with bathrooms in the middle of bedrooms. But what if you’ve made it in life, or your Daddy made it in life and he wants to bestow his success upon his little cherubs?
Finding the most expensive homes in London
We scoured the property listings of the most exclusive real estate companies in the city – many of which you’re never going to hear of because they don’t waste their time marketing to the likes of you and me.
There are so many mansions in London that we had to introduce a cut-off value for this list. Incredibly, the lowest asking price we’d consider was £25 million. To give that some context, we couldn’t find a single property outside of London that cost this much – and that included all your stately homes and country estates.
So take a gander at the most expensive houses in London that the one percenters live in.
1. Avenue Road, St John’s Wood, NW8 – £25,000,000
Anyone got £25m lying around in their bank account? Perhaps you haven’t checked behind the back of the couch in a while, there’s always some extra change behind there. That’s a question for you…how much money does a millionaire or billionaire have to drop before it becomes worth their while to pick back up? While you ponder that, take a look at this sumptuous 6 bedroom, 3 bathroom mansion within walking distance of Regents Park.
More details at Glentree.
2. Holland Park, W14 – £25,000,000
Indoor pool? Check. Gym, spa and sauna? Check. Private home cinema room? Check. Big garden in central London? Check. What doesn’t this 6 bedroom London mansion have? Oh, it has nine, yes, NINE bathrooms. Perhaps it’s useful for when your incontinent granny visits? The sub-terranium pool and fitness centre just about puts the icing on the cake for this enviable London mansion.
More details at Knight Frank.
3. Cornwall Terrace, NW1 – £25,000,000
With 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, and commanding views overlooking the Regent’s Park boating lake in one of the most prestigious postcodes in London, this expensive London townhouse will be the envy of all visitors. Complete with a home gym, dedicated massage therapy room and gorgeous home cinema room, this house oozes class and sophistication that sometimes money just can’t buy.
More details at Beauchamp.
4. 60 Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, NW8 – £25,000,000
This rather unassuming (by London standards!) exterior hides one of the most luxurious family homes in London. A detached house on Hamilton Terrace, quite literally one of the most expensive residential roads in the whole of London contains six bedrooms and seven bathrooms set over 12,500 sq ft of floorspace. This is thanks to your personal underground leisure centre that has been built below the garden. It contains your own private swimming pool, sauna and steam room, dedicated gym, snooker room, home cinema and wine room. Oh, and because you’re one fancy pants, it also includes a sushi bar, your live in servant quarters and an entire floor dedicated to the master bedroom. And they say money can’t buy you happiness.
More details at Ian Green.
5. Park Place, St James’s, SW1A – £25,000,000
When your next door neighbour is literally the Queen of England, you can be sure your expensive London house will attract a nice premium. Sure, it might only have five bedrooms and five bathrooms, but how many other houses are within spitting distance of big Liz? It comes with an entertainment area that wouldn’t look out of place in an exclusive West End club and a home cinema that will have Hollywood producers knocking at your door looking to do a private screening.
More details at Savills.
6. Park Street, W1K – £25,900,000
Set over six floors with private access to the communal gardens, this has to be one of the most desirable townhouses in London – not to mention one of the most expensive! The basement is for those, ahem, downstairs. A commercial kitchen and live-in servant quarters because heaven forbid you should ring your assistance bell and there’s no one there to pour your afternoon cup of tea for you! The master bedroom gets an entire floor with a bathroom bigger than most London flats! Oh, and not to mention that this home is just a stone’s throw from Hyde Park.
More details at Knight Frank.
7. One Kensington Gardens, W8 – £26,000,000
Alright, I’m just going to go ahead and say it. Sometimes people have more money than sense. These flats were designed by Sir David Chipperfield (never heard of him, but rich people love him) and frankly I think they look ugly as hell. For your £26,000,000 you get to boast about views across Kensington Gardens, which I guess when you’re rich it’s all about name dropping. This five bed, five bath apartment covers a fraction under 5,500 sq ft. Sure it comes with a residents only swimming pool and gym, but why would you share when for the same amount of money you could have your own private swimming pool and gym? Ah, because it won’t come with views over Kensington Gardens and your next door neighbours might not be royalty.
More details at Strutt & Parker.
8. Princes Gardens, SW7 – £27,000,000
Set over seven floors with a staggering 9,400 sq ft of floor space, just one of these terrace house’s eight bedrooms are bigger than most Londoner’s flat. Luckily there are staff quarters in the basement for the small army of help that you’re going to need to keep a house as big as this in shipshape order. For the few days of the year that are sunny in the UK, and for when you don’t fancy take the 60 second stroll to Hyde Park, there’s a sun terrace on the roof that gives you panoramic views of London.
More details at The Cloister.
9. Hamilton Terrace, St Johns Wood, NW8 – £27,500,000
Did you ever have one of those family Christmases where just everyone from the family stayed in one house? There was always someone who had to sleep on the couch or an airbed. That would literally never be a problem in this enormous house with its 11 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. Of course, when you’re short of room above ground for your personal swimming pool, sauna and gym, the only thing you can do is dig down and build your underground personal leisure centre.
Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, NW8
More details at Aston Chase.
10. Chapel Street, Belgravia, SW1X – £28,000,000
When you see this townhouse from the outside, you might wonder where on Earth there is room for a private swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym, and a home cinema. But then, you are thinking like mere mortals, not the people who have eight zeros at the end of their bank accounts. When money is no object, you dig down and build all your personal luxuries underground. Apparently the really important thing to know about this property is that it used to belong to a Tory MP who wanted to become Prime Minister. When you live in such wealth and opulence, I’m not sure how you can ever empathise with the daily challenges you and I face!
More details at Rokstone.
11. One Hyde Park, SW1X – £28,000,000
Never under-estimate the vanity of the ultra-rich. That must have been on the minds of the builders of One Hyde Park when they put this 4,400 sq ft apartment up for sale. Sure, it’s about five times the size of the place you and I live in, but by London mansion standards it’s positively, well, cramped. But what’s a small, shared living space when you can make all your friends green with envy as you show them the commanding views of Hyde Park. How many expensive homes in London can say they look out over something so green and be confident in the fact that no new build will ever obscure the view?
More details at Knight Frank.
12. Primrose Hill, NW3 – £28,500,000
Spanning eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms, this palatial family home spans four floors. The basement is built like your own personal leisure complex with a games room, gym, massage treatment room, a home cinema, and a bar. All the bedrooms come with their own en-suite bathrooms, with the master bedroom going the extra mile with separate his and hers (or his and his, or hers and hers) bathrooms. The garden is tiny, but it backs on to what is basically your own private residents only park. Sure, some expensive homes in London have their communal gardens, but this is a park, in central London!
More details at Aston Chase.
13. Upper Phillimore Gardens, W8 – £29,950,000
For the well-heeled (and those that care about such things), nothing is more desirable than living in Kensington. And if you’re within walking distance of Hyde Park and Holland Park, then so much the better! That’s exactly the location of this London mansion. Set over five floors, it manages to comfortably fit in eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms. Even though this is outrageously priced at £30m, I actually like the light and airy decor of this house over many other expensive London houses on this list. What do you think?
More details at Knight Frank.
14. Upper Phillimore Gardens, W8 – £29,950,000
OK, I’m sold. This is my favourite house on this list. It’s on the same street as the house above and has the same kind of decor (dare I say, tasteful?), but they’ve figured out how to include a private pool, a gym, a sauna, and a home cinema in this place. Covering a staggering 12,300 sq ft, the home also has plenty of space left over to fit the nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms thanks to its two basement levels (see, if you want more space in your home, don’t extend outwards, do what the rich do and extend downwards).
More details at John D. Wood.
15. Phillimore Gardens, Kensington, W8 – £30,000,000
The third £30m London house on this list that is situated in Phillimore Gardens. The decor in this house is most definitely a choice, although perhaps the jury is out on whether it is a good choice. What do you think? For £30m you get an expensive home in the same location as the house mentioned above this one, but it’s got half the floor space (6,200 sq ft) and doesn’t have a swimming pool, gym, sauna or private home cinema. I’m no real estate agent and certainly not a billionaire, but I’m honestly scratching my head on which Russian oligarch would pick this property over the other two in Phillimore Gardens when it’s smaller and doesn’t even have its own swimming pool.
More details at Knight Frank.
16. Culross Street, Mayfair, W1K – £32,500,000
Sure, the interiors are decked out in what can only be described as a modern luxury hotel, but whether you’re working out in the gym, having all your troubles (what troubles do you have when you’re a billionaire industry titan? How do I spend all my money?) melted away on the massage room, or relaxing in the luxurious home cinema, you’re probably not going to care too much. And let’s not forget that Hyde Park is literally on your doorstep. We can all dream, right?
More details at Savills.
17. Knightsbridge, SW1X – £32,500,000
So you want panoramic, uninterrupted views of Hyde Park and London, but you don’t want to ever meet any of your neighbours? Then this sprawling luxury penthouse is the answer to your dreams! Perched on top of a seven story apartments, it has views that are guaranteed to take the breath away of all your guests – and it only costs £32.5m to see those envious looks across their faces.
More details at Rokstone.
18. Belgravia, SW1X – £34,000,000
It’s all about location for this eight floor, six bedroom, seven bathroom terrace house in one of the most desirable locations in London. Unlike some London mansions which can be quite gaudy, this one has actually (in my uninformed opinion) is tastefully decorated. Still, for £34m, you’re paying more for the location than the actual amenities of the house. Sure, Hyde Park is around the corner and Harrods is on your doorstep, but you don’t get much outdoor space like other expensive mansions in London.
More details at Savills.
19. Merton Lane, Hampstead Heath – £40,000,000
Occupying a staggering 2 acre plot in the North of London, this mansion is perhaps one of the best properties on the market right now. 10 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a full size tennis court, gym, massage treatment room, a games room, and a sun terrace, I think any buyer could sit back and think to themselves, “Yep, I’ve made it in life” (unless you’re a Saudi princess and Daddy bought this mansion for you because he forgot to buy you a pony when you were 15). For the pièce de résistance, check out the home office on the top floor of the house. It’s just truly mindblowing what £40m can buy you nowadays.
More details at Knight Frank.
20. Mayfair, W1K – £40,000,000
When your home used to be owned by a famous fashion designer, then that’s worth a few extra million to show off to your rich friends about. This 8,000 square foot home comes with six bedrooms and six bathrooms. A swimming pool, spa and cinema mean you never have to leave your house to unwind and be entertained.
More details at Rokstone.
21. Queen Anne’s Gate, SW1H – £41,500,000
Nothing says “I’m important” quite like having the Queen as your actual neighbour. Within spitting distance of Buckingham Palace (although Liz would prefer that you didn’t), and opposite St. James’ Park, this house is quite possibly in one of the most desirable locations in the world, never mind just in London. It’s just a pity we can’t see how desirable because the estate agent has done a phenomenally bad job with the photos. With 6 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms spread out over 12,000 square feet, you could quite easily get lost in this place. Oh, and don’t forget that ultimate London-living luxury: This place comes with its own private garden.
More details at The Cloisters
22. Converted Church, Knightsbridge, SW3 – £44,000,000
Have you ever looked at a medieval church and thought to yourself: That would make an awesome home! That’s what the property developers did with this place. They took an actual church and re-imagined it as a 7 bedroom, 7 bathroom palatial home. If churches had half the amenities that this place had like home cinema, swimming pool and gym, I think more of us would be tempted to go back to church!
More details at Knight Frank.
23. St John’s Wood, NW8 – £75,000,000
Well here it is, ladies and gents, the most expensive house to buy in London as of September 2020. Live like a lord in this 10 bedroom, 10 bathroom mansion that covering a staggering 25,000 square feet across five floors. You’ll feel like Batman with an underground garage which raises your Buggati on a lift through the courtyard floor. An entire basement is filled with entertainment and leisure – a swimming pool, gym, sauna, spa, home cinema, games room and bar. You’ll never have to leave the grounds. Just don’t forget the £8.8 million stamp duty that you’ll have to pay on this property.
One day, Rodney, when we’re all billionaires, we’ll be able to afford a place this. Until then, we can dream.
More details at Sotherby’s
Which house would you pick?
So if money was no object, which house would you pick to be your pad? Would it just be for you or would you have everyone you know come and live with you?