The historic Mar-a-Lago Club home, best known as the former president’s Palm Beach estate, has a rich history that dates back almost a century to heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post’s ownership. The ornate Moorish-style property, designed by architects Marion Sims Wyeth and Joseph Urban in 1927, boasts 128 rooms and sits on the border of the Atlantic Ocean. Post, who inherited the Postum Cereal Company from her father, later became America’s richest woman and donated the 20-acre property to the U.S. government in 1973 to be used as the ‚winter White House.‘
Following the Trump family’s restoration, Mar-a-Lago is now considered one of the world’s best homes, featuring a 20,000-square-foot ballroom with $7 million gold leaf features, Spanish-style arches, and mosaics throughout the residence. The property also serves as an exclusive private club, attracting the social elite from around the globe. The exact price Trump paid for the estate in 1985 is unknown but is estimated to be around $5 million, with an additional $3 million for Post’s antiques and furniture.
In 1995, Trump transformed the property into a high-end members club, with fees reportedly around $200,000, and added a 3,000-square-foot personal property on the estate. Mar-a-Lago boasts a Beach Club spanning two acres with direct access to a private beach, a 132-foot by 50-foot pool, whirlpool, and beachfront bistro. Additionally, there is a 27-hole golf course and a fitness center to keep guests entertained.
Trump added personal touches to the estate, including replacing the coat of arms granted to Post’s third husband with his own name. The home’s unique decorating quirks and opulent color combinations can be seen on The-Mar-A-Lago Club’s Instagram, showcasing luxurious features like a four-poster bed and glamorous chandeliers in the bedrooms.
When Trump and his family are in residence, they stay in a private wing of the house, enjoying the vast 24-acre property in Palm Beach. Trump has named Mar-a-Lago his primary residence, although he also owned a three-level penthouse in Trump Tower in Manhattan until 2019. The estate’s grandeur and history have been captured in Laurence Leamer’s book, „Mar-A-Lago: Inside the Gates of Power at Donald Trump’s Presidential Palace,“ offering a glimpse into one of the most powerful estates in Florida.