‘I’ve got a thing about gated things,’ a colleague carelessly said as she walked away. How was I to know whether this thing was good or bad? It was about Sotogrande, a place I have never been to and know not much about.
First impressions count, and my first and so far only impression of Sotogrande landed in my inbox last week. It was this house, which goes in one way, and also in another. I think the terms are ‘Modernist’ and contemporary. It is called Villa Stern, and it is for sale with Luxury Portfolio International for many millions of Euros (€5,060,000).
There are houses that are expensive and there are houses that look expensive. This place is both. The sweeping lines, the large windows, the open-plan living spaces, the pool, even the materials. It all feels decidedly futuristic and expensive. Who lives here? Someone who drives a very nice modern car and potentially has had multiple run-ins with agents from MI6.
Unsurprisingly, the property comes with just about every kind of amenity imaginable. Six bedrooms, six bathrooms and more than 1,000sq m of living space over three floors, there is lots of room to do things — whether that be hosting parties or just marveling that your home resembles a spaceship.
Other features include, but are not limited to, a wellness area with spa, gym and sauna, and an outdoor pool with a water mirror, as well as indoor pool in case it rains I guess. It is also state-of-the-art when it comes to energy, using solar panels, storage batteries and a geothermal system. According to the agents, it is entirely self-sufficient.
There is plenty to do nearby too, if golf and polo are your thing (which they surely must be). The property sits in a 2,000sq m plot within the Los Alcronocales Natural Park, and is part of the Real Club de Golf de Valderrama, which is one of the finest courses in Europe (it hosted the Ryder Cup in 1997).
That’s all very fascinating, but I am just taken by the shapes and the contours of this place. A home of architectural splendour, albeit one behind a gate. So far, things seem to be pretty good.
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What, we hear you cry, is a baby hedgehog called? Find out in the Country Life Quiz of the Day, September 25, 2025Spoiler alert: the answer is unbearably cute.
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A spectacular green oasis that offers a slice of country life in the very heart of one of the busiest places in London
Among the roads, rail and conference centres of Earls Court, there's a charming terrace where you can find homes that offer wonderful surprises — and they don't get much more wonderful than this one.
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It's already a grey, damp autumn and all of a sudden I'm dreaming of living in one of these palaces in MoroccoAutumn hasn't even technically started yet, but it's already too much for Toby Keel as he investigates some of the most beautiful properties for sale in Morocco.
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This barn that's (probably) made from The Mayflower's salvaged timbers, for sale as part of a £15 million Buckinghamshire estateA fanciful claim about the building of this barn on a grand estate in Buckinghamshire
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The eight places touted as the 'New Cotswolds' — and how they match up to the real thingYou can scarcely go a week without reading about how this or that place is the 'New Cotswolds'. But what's wrong with the old Cotswolds in the first place? And are the pretenders to the crown worth considering for those seeking to move away from London? Anna White investigates.
