An eccentric Cold War–era Hollywood Hills mansion that previously housed Prince—and possibly Elizabeth Taylor—has recently come up for sale, with a $29.995 million price tag. The home was originally built in 1953 by contractor Hal B. Hayes, and cost $600,000 to build at the time—or approximately $5.813 million by today’s standards, adjusted for inflation. According to multiple reports, Hayes constructed it with two main priorities in mind: for it to exist as an over-the-top bachelor pad, and for there to be a readily accessible escape route in case of a nuclear attack.
Glamorous features of the bachelor pad included an artificial beach, an orchid grotto, and a unique swimming pool that existed partially outdoors and partially indoors, winding from a tropical lanai through the living room. Hayes reportedly had an underwater tunnel built into one end of the pool, which would lead to a sealed underground cave he could, ostensibly, escape to. His idea was that the pool water would help to decontaminate him from any residual radiation. The six-story home also had voice-activated lighting, a mirrored master suite, and faucets that directly dispensed Scotch, bourbon, and Champagne, according to The Los Angeles Times.
