The historic Mar-a-Lago Club home may be best known as the former president’s Palm Beach estate, but its history dates back almost one hundred years to heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post’s reign.
The ornate Moorish-style property, dating back to 1927, is the product of architects Marion Sims Wyeth and Joseph Urban’s genius. They designed the 128-room estate that sits on the border of the Atlantic Ocean for Post (who had inherited the Postum Cereal Company from her father), later becoming America's richest woman. In 1973, she donated the 20-acre property to the U.S. government to be used as the ‘winter White House,’ considering its sunny zip code, which was surely welcome to those used to a notably cooler DC.
Currently, following the Trump family's restoration, it’s categorized as one of the world’s best homes – comprising a 20,000-square-foot ballroom (with $7 million gold leaf features) and Spanish-style arches and mosaics throughout the residence. It’s also the site of an exclusive private club, attracting the social elite from across the globe.
The exact price Trump paid for the estate in 1985 is unknown, but it’s thought to have been around $5 million, with an additional $3 million for Post's antiques and furniture.
In 1995, he first turned the property into a high-end members club, with fees thought to be around $200,000, and created a 3,000-square-foot property on the estate for personal use.
The estate boasts a Beach Club, which extends across two acres of direct access to a private beach and includes a 132-foot by 50-foot pool, whirlpool, and beachfront bistro. There's also a 27-hole golf course and a fitness center to keep the family (and all guests) entertained.
Alongside upgrading public spaces, Trump added some more personal touches to the estate. Most notably, he commandeered a coat of arms that British authorities had granted to Joseph Edward Davies (Post's third husband) in 1939 before replacing 'Integritas,' the Latin word for integrity, with 'Trump.'
The home's unique decorating quirks and opulent color combinations are seen via The-Mar-A-Lago Club's Instagram, including the bedroom, complete with a four-poster bed and a glamorous chandelier, naturally.
'I have 24 acres in Palm Beach, and nobody has anything like that,' Trump formerly shared in the discussion of Mar-a-Lago at a jumping event there in 2014. 'A big house is on one acre. I have 24. It's the great estate of Palm Beach.' When he and his family are in residence, they stay in a private wing of the house.
The inside story of how Trump became known as the 'King of Palm Beach.' this book, by Laurence Leamer, offers unrivaled access behind one of the most powerful estates in Florida.
Where does Donald Trump currently live?
Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is believed to be his primary residence, however, it's not the only home on his property portfolio. From 1983 until 2019, his main home was the three-level penthouse on the top floor of Trump Tower in Manhattan. However, in 2019, he named the Palm Beach estate his primary residence.
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