Photo: Jim Bartsch
We get a lot of questions about the Playboy Mansion on our private Los Angeles Tours and helicopter charters. The Playboy Mansion is a large estate located in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was built in 1927 by architect Arthur R. Kelly for Arthur Letts Jr., the son of the founder of the Broadway department store. The mansion was designed in the Gothic-Tudor style and features 29 rooms, a wine cellar, a screening room, a game room, a gym, a tennis court, and a swimming pool.
In 1971, the Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner purchased the mansion for $1.1 million and made it his home. The mansion became the headquarters of Playboy Enterprises and was also used for many of the company's events and photo shoots.
Over the years, the mansion became known for its lavish parties and celebrity guests, and it became a symbol of the Playboy lifestyle. Many famous celebrities, including actors, musicians, and athletes, attended parties at the mansion, and the Playboy bunnies became an iconic part of the brand's image.
In 2011, the mansion was put up for sale, but Hugh Hefner continued to live there until his death in 2017 at the age of 91. The mansion was eventually sold to Daren Metropoulos, the son of a billionaire investor who had previously bought the neighboring property in 2009.
Since the sale, the mansion has undergone renovations, and it is now primarily used as a private residence. However, the iconic swimming pool and other parts of the estate have been used for events and photo shoots, continuing the legacy of the Playboy Mansion as a symbol of glamour and luxury.