On a promontory in Beverly Hills, far above the din of the Sunset Strip, the sprawling Mediterranean compound at 9434 Cherokee Lane sits on 14 acres sheltered by private groves. Arriving at the gated entrance, you take a long driveway to the grand courtyard, which is flanked by symmetrical white-stucco architecture reminiscent of an ancient Roman villa. At the grounds’ perimeter, sunlit promenades and manicured lawns overlook the Los Angeles skyline and panoramas reaching to the Pacific coast and Catalina Island.
Stepping inside the marble entryway, you find a retractable roof has created an open-air atrium that leads to palatial interiors fit for royalty. Built in 1983 by renowned mega-mansion architect Bob Ray Offenhauser, the home comprises 34 rooms — including 10 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, a den, a bonus room, a two-story guesthouse and the staff’s quarters — totaling 35,000 square feet of interior space (luckily equipped with an intercom).
Melding classical and contemporary style, the décor reveals a refined order and old-world affluence in tranquil neutral tones, dressed with comfortable crisp-white sofas and chairs, a white-marble fireplace, creamy carpets, and a graceful flow between indoors and outdoors. In the expansive master suite, two classical columns form a partition between the sleeping and sitting areas where California sunsets pour into floor-to-ceiling windows hung with gold draperies.
Offenhauser designed the ideal venue for entertaining. Family and VIP guests are treated to resort-like amenities: a swimming pool set in a cobblestone deck, a tennis court shaded by pines, parking for 16 cars in garages and carports, a chef’s kitchen and dining area that seats 20 people, and patios for soirées under the stars.
The property is owned by Canessa Investments, which is affiliated with the late Saudi Prince Saud al-Faisal (a Saudi foreign minister from 1975 to 2015) and his wife Princess Johara. First offered in 2014 for $145 million, the home is currently listed with Hilton & Hyland and Christie’s International Real Estate for $110 million.
