This year we lost one of the greatest musicians and innovators of our time with the passing of David Bowie. While his legacy lives on, we can’t help but miss catching glimpses of his otherworldly life. Thankfully, for fans of the English singer, there is still a way to get an up-close-and-personal tour of his creative and mysterious existence: his seven-bedroom villa.
Located in Mustique, a small private island that is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the singer’s lavish estate is now available to rent. For $40,000 a week, the hilltop pavilion is perfectly Bowie, decorated with a Balinese-style and a mismatch of elements that all somehow work together. The residence was built in the 1980s specifically for the artist by architects Arne Hasslqvist and Robert Litwiller. Bowie was said to have chosen the most unconventional architects for the home in order to create a more avant-garde look. “I love a good cliché,” Bowie told Architectural Digest in 1992, “and this house for me is just the most delightful cliché.”
Situated around a Koi pond, the estate weaves through waterfalls and lush foliage. Along with five bedrooms inside the main house, the property holds two separate houses for four additional guests. The main rooms all come with private verandas leading to the infinity pool. Scattered throughout the residence are various private garden decks, reception rooms, a dining pavilion, study and a games room.
Although Bowie sold the house in 1994 to the English poet Felix Dennis, the home’s integrity remained intact (other than Dennis adding a seventh bedroom). Naming it Mandalay, the poet kept the house in his possession until his passing in 2014. Currently the home’s owners remain undisclosed, which makes sense due to the high level of exclusivity the island’s residents require. Tommy Hilfiger, Mick Jagger and Bryan Adams all own property here.
The villa is being offered through Mustique Company and Red Savannah and holds 14 guests with a household staff of eight. In the high season, from December 15 through April 30, the residence will be around $60,000 per week. You can find out more about the villa by visiting MandalayEstate.com.
