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Bennett Winch SC Holdall

Villa Arabesque, Acapulco, Mexico

View from the Villa Arabesque area next to the main pool where Bond and Sanchez meet
View from the Villa Arabesque area next to the main pool where Bond and Sanchez meet
photo © Markus Hartmann
photo © Markus Hartmann
The bar and sitting area where James Bond, Sanchez and Lupe meet
photo © Markus Hartmann

photo © Markus Hartmann
At the end of the movie, Bond jumps of the terrace into to this pool and pulls Pam Bouvier in the water
photo © Markus Hartmann

photo © Markus Hartmann
Pool and view
photo © Markus Hartmann

photo © Markus Hartmann
The ocean theme throughout the villa can also be seen in Licence To Kill when a fish statue winks at the audience in the last shot of the film.
photo © Markus Hartmann

photo © Markus Hartmann
The rooftop terrace of Villa Arabesque, from where Bond and Sanchez leave in a helicopter
photo © Markus Hartmann

Villa Arabesque is a luxury villa in Acapulco, Mexico and was used as film location in the James Bond film Licence to Kill (1989) where it doubles as the house of drug dealer Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi).

James Bond gains the trust of Sanchez and is a guest in the villa. After being injured in an explosion, James Bond wakes up in a large and fairytale-like bedroom, one of the many of the villa. Bond leaves the villa during the night to frame Milton Krest, Sanchez's henchman. Bond returns to his bedroom just in time to not be noticed by Sanchez. The next day Bond and Sanchez leave the villa in a helicopter from the rooftop of the villa.

Villa Arabesque is seen once more in the last scene of the movie during the party at the villa where Bond, Q, Lupe en Pam Bouvier attend.

The villa was built from 1978 - 1982 for Baron Enrico "Ricky" di Portanova, a flamboyant member of the jet-set, and was designed by Aurelio Munoz Castillo. The result is a modern fairytale villa, combined with ocean elements like shells and fish.

In the end credits of the film, the producers thank Baron Enrico di Portanova for his cooperation.

The 40,000-plus-square-foot property has 28 rooms including the master bedroom, which takes up almost one complete floor of the building. In adjacent buildings there are nine guestrooms with unique themes. The villa has its own disco, the Poséidon discothèque, for 200 guests and the Poséidon Grill, which can hist 60 guests for dinner. The Camel Walk is the rooftop terrace (from which the helicopter in the movie leaves) that covers the complete roof of the building. There's a tower for security, three swimming pools, a tenniscourt and private beach. It also had a funicular railway (a small tramlike vehicle) that goes from the beach to the villa, which can also be seen in the film, but it is currently out of order.

The villa was a popular party location in the 1980s. Owners Baroness Alessandra and Baron Enrico di Portanova were famous for their parties and they hosted many celebrities including Roger Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Plácido Domingo and Henry and Nancy Kissinger.

In 2004 the villa was being offered for sale after a thorough renovation, by Greg Hovas, who inherited the villa when his sister and brother-in-law, the late Baroness Alessandra and Baron Enrico di Portanova, died in early 2000. The asking price was $29 million.

Currently the villa is in not so great condition, and being renovated again and for sale on Luxury Real Estate.

Thanks to Markus Hartmann for the photo's

Product Code: 
tr037

Orlebar Brown Sale

Comments

And you can see the Villa in Remington Steele Season 2 in the Pilot.
Could you please tell me the price for a single person to stay at the Villa Arabesque and your earliest availability for next year.
If I were staying at a hotel nearby in Acapulco would I be allowed to visit the Villa Arabesque? If I need permission from whoever presently owns it I shall ask as politely as possible. I would like to visit it both in the day time and at night.

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