Tuscan-style mansion fit for a celebrity sells for between $2.552 million and $2.807 million in the hills outside Melbourne

Suitable for Hollywood celebrities looking for a quiet getaway from the paparazzi or tree-changers looking for a stunning home with a business to run, there’s an eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom Italian villa on the market that offers something for everyone.

Perched high in the Dandenong Mountain Range with stunning views from every room, this expansive property was once a 5-star boutique spa hotel. Located in Kalorama, 40 kilometers east of Melbourne, it feels like a world away from city life.

“It’s an interesting property in a stunning location,” said agent Craig Missell of Missell Property Group, who is handling the sale. “It is a beautiful area and a very unusual property.

“It was built solidly in brick in the 1960s and no expense was spared to outfit it with expensive Italian tiles and terracotta throughout, and it has been kept in good condition over the years. It’s like a big villa in Tuscany and I can imagine someone famous buying it and wanting privacy; Or someone who would like to live there and operate part of it as a hotel again.

The home, located at 13 Barbers Street, which is priced from $2,552,000 to $2,807,200, is already attracting a significant amount of interest, with 27 lots passing through when it first opens for inspection.

They included people from Melbourne looking to replace a tree, others from Victoria, and one from Queensland. Post-pandemic, homes in the Dandenong and Yarra Ranges in picturesque locations but a short drive from the city are still in high demand.

The small village of Kalorama is known for its viewing platform over mountain ranges, forests and lush green farmland – the same view as this property – as well as its 22-hectare park and sylvan reservoir. Kalorama is a Greek word meaning “beautiful view.”

“We’ve found that a lot of people still want to get away from the city, and in the last two years, we haven’t sold a single house in the Yarra Ranges to someone coming from the area,” Messel said. “They were all bought by people from other places.

“For this kind of price, somewhere north of $2.5 million, we expect to see cash buyers who really want to make this a great home for themselves, or who want it to be a mixed residence and business. With living quarters upstairs for the owner or guests, It will work perfectly either way.

The building was originally constructed as a motel, then became a hotel and spa, and more recently has been used as an oversized private home. The current owners are now planning to move away to be closer to their grandchildren.

Lawyer Sarah Bussey, 57, lived two doors down the same street for 15 years before recently moving to a house in Tasmania, which she says is an idyllic place.

“I remember visiting the hotel as a Mother’s Day gift when it was a day spa,” she said. It was amazingly luxurious and very quiet. It was a great place with a lot of potential.

“Wallorama is one of the most beautiful villages in Australia – it’s so quiet and has a great community feel. It’s incredible because it’s so close to Melbourne – my husband worked in the city and our children went to school there – but you come back and it feels like you’re in another world, complete with the sounds of The park’s resident finches and echidnas.

The property covers 2,686 square metres, with terraces, as well as accommodation, spa rooms and function areas, and is set up for mixed use.

Downstairs there is a lounge area with an open fireplace and arched windows, as well as private courtyards.

The upstairs lounge has French doors while each bedroom has a bathroom, many with spa baths, and there is air conditioning and heating throughout.

There is parking for at least 25 cars, and the property also has a swimming pool, office and rainwater storage tank.