The former prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, known as HBJ, has purchased the legendary Sardinian estate, Villa Certosa, in what is one of the most expensive residential sales ever, globally.
Villa Certosa belonged to Italy’s late prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for €350 million (US $395 million) – a record for the island’s ultra-prime property market.
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The acquisition was made by high-end hotel group Constellation Hotels Holding, privately owned by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. He controls the luxury hotel empire through his Luxembourg-based holding company, Prime Capita.
Villa Certosa: an estate with a scandalous past
It’s understood that Villa Certosa and the surrounding estate will be added to the group’s portfolio of luxury hotels and resorts after being redeveloped, with planning permission pending approval.
Overlooking the Gulf of Marinella and occupying a prime 300-acre coastal plot near Porto Rotunda in the glamorous Costa Smeralda region of Sardinia – a hotspot for the world’s monied elite – Berlusconi used the estate as a private summer retreat and for political purposes.
Owned by Berlusconi since the 1980s, Villa Certosa has hosted some of the world’s most famous political leaders, celebrities and business figures, including Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, and George W. Bush.
Controversially, the summer retreat has been linked with the infamous ‘Bunga Bunga’ parties hosted by the Italian media mogul and politician during his time in power.
The social gatherings drew sharp public criticism and triggered a number of investigations during his years in power.
Taking place in several of Berlusconi’s assets across his vast property portfolio, these parties have become synonymous with debauched alcohol-fuelled activities usually involving young hostesses.
The term had become a household phrase in Italy to refer to the scandals. The Sardinian estate gained notoriety in 2009 after paparazzi photographs emerged allegedly showing then Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolánek, naked in the grounds standing beside an unidentified woman on a sun-lounger.
A new era for the Sardinian billionaire playground
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani will inherit all the ‘quirks’ of Villa Certosa installed by Berlusconi, which include fairground rides, a helipad, an atomic bunker and even an artificial volcano which ‘erupts’ on command.
The main residence has 14 bedrooms with multiple guest residences across the estate, several swimming pools, a spa, football pitch , golf courses and a helipad.
Other of Berlusconi’s whimsical additions include an amphitheatre and artificial lakes. The estate even has its own grotto – “Neptune Grotto” – an underground spa and boat grotto with discreet sea access, often compared to a James Bond-style lair.
Who is Sheikh HBJ?
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, a relative of the Qatari Royal family is worth $5.2 billion according to Forbes. Al-Thani owns 4.5% of Deutsche Bank, his biggest publicly traded holding, and a 436-foot superyacht, called Al Mirqab, worth an estimated $300 million.
A string of high-profile London trophy property acquisitions, including Qatari state-backed stakes in Harrods and the Shard, made during his time leading the Qatar Investment Authority until 2013, earned him the title of ‘the man who bought London’.
In 2015, the Qatari investment vehicle, Constellation Hotels, bought a 64 per cent stake in Coroin, the holding company that owns the Maybourne Hotel Group, comprising Claridge’s, The Berkeley and The Connaught.
The group recently opened the five-star The Maybourne Saint-Germain in Paris, with more planned openings, including the redevelopment of Villa Certosa into a luxury hotel resort.
A consolidation of Italian trophy assets
While the €350 million price tag is a record, the sale signals a broader consolidation of Sardinian trophy assets by Middle Eastern capital, continuing a decade-long trend in the region.
The Al Thani family already has substantial interests in the area. Previous investments in Gallura include the Costa Smeralda through the Qatar Foundation and the Mater Olbia Hospital, formerly known as San Raffaele.
Inherited by Italian ex-prime minister’s children after his death in 2023 at the age of 86, the Berlusconi family originally put the 120-hectare villa on the market for €500 million ($570 million) in a bid to rationalise his large property portfolio.
The Super Prime understands that several high-profile buyers were interested in acquiring Villa Certoso, including the Sultan of Brunei and a number of luxury developers.
The sale of Villa Certosa is considered one of the largest private residential real estate transactions in Italian history and the highest-value sale in Sardinia, reflecting the continued appeal of Costa Smeralda as a destination for ultra-high-net-worth buyers.
