A LUXURY private estate teeming with turtles, dolphins and flamingos has now hit the market for the tidy sum of £87million.
The breathtaking eco reserve – dubbed the modern-day Garden of Eden – boasts four miles of beachfront on the northern Yucatan peninsula in Mexico.
A private estate with turtles, dolphins and flamingos has now hit the market Credit: Beauchamp Estates
It is worth an eye-watering £87million Credit: Beauchamp Estates
Spanning over 346 acres, El Cuyo estate is believed to be the most expensive in Mexican history.
The stunning resort was dreamt up by world-renowned landscape designer Mónica Hernández.
Together with her husband Aníbal González, a celebrated architect and painter from Seville, Spain, the couple have crafted an awe-inspiring, leafy oasis.
The pair invested in the secluded estate 30 years ago with what they called “big money”.
The estate is dubbed the the Garden of Eden Credit: Beauchamp Estates
A private estate teeming with turtles, dolphins and flamingos has now hit the market for £87million Credit: Trip Advisor
Millions of the peninsula’s coconut palms had been ravaged by an aggressive plant disease in the 1990s, leaving a barren, stripped back landscape.
Undeterred by the desolation, the couple decided to rejuvenate the area, inspired by their mesmerising encounters with flamingos and spoonbills in the area.
“The original vegetation came back [after the coconut trees were burnt] and the wildlife is amazing,” Mónica said.
She added that the estate was a “paradise” and the two of them had gone “crazy” when they first saw it.
The reserve has been dubbed the modern-day ‘Garden of Eden’ Credit: Trip Advisor
The resort spans over 346 acres and is believed to be the most expensive in Mexican history Credit: Trip Advisor
The nature lovers said they frequently spend their holidays there, enjoying the company of turtles and dolphins.
“You know, when the season comes, the dolphins arrive,” said Mónica .
“And so it’s really something very unusual and very beautiful.”
Architect Aníbal, 81, said the beauty of El Cuyo is so utterly entrancing, his own native Spanish beaches pale in comparison.
The breathtaking eco reserve boasts four miles of beachfront on the northern Yucatan peninsula in Mexico Credit: Trip Advisor
The peninsula is teeming with wildlife, including flamingos, turtles and dolphins Credit: Trip Advisor
“I never put my foot on the beach there,” he joked.
The mega-rich regularly visit the peninsula by yacht, Aníbal added, unable to resist the pristine sands and verdant landscapes.
“The younger and more athletic of their guests jump from the yachts and swim to our beautiful white beaches,” he said.
The couple also purchased a striking 17th-century cattle ranch nearby around the same time as El Cuyo, developing it into the ultimate resort for the super-wealthy.
Known as Hacienda Katanchel, the retreat has seen many a high-end guest since its development, including former New York Times editor Dorothy Kalins and President Eisenhower’s offspring.
The luxury resort has since been sold to billionaire Bernard Arnault, CEO of the French luxury goods company LVMH.
Mónica and Aníbal have now been given the green light by the Mexican government to create a upscale, residential complex at El Cuyo, provided they stick to the eco-conservation requirements.
Working with designers Casa e Progetti, the pair came up with an official blueprint for the resort which would harness renewable energy and natural resources.
It is expected to contain 64 villas, with a 328ft private beachfront, located on plots between 2.5 and 6.9 acres.
Each villa would average around 5,000 sq ft with four or five bedrooms, built in a Mayan-style, evocative of ancient Mesoamerican culture.
The buildings would follow oval dimensions, with open-air layouts, wooden frames and stone feature walls.
While their ambitions are great, both Mónica and Aníbal have decided to sell the reserve to a younger buyer who will be able to invest more time in the project.
Luxury estate agent Beauchamps will be managing the sale.
The couple intend to keep a small part of the resort to themselves, on the edge of the estate.
“Now my husband is 81. I’m 75,” said Mónica .
“And we want to have a little more time for ourselves — before it was 24/7.
“So now we want to really enjoy being at our beach. You know, not to worry.”
She added that it was the perfect spot for an ecologist, insisting that anybody who lives here should be “the guardians of nature”.
“Because Mother Earth right now is not in a condition to be continue to be exploited,” she said.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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