Property Galleries

Luxury Estates with Accommodations for Staff

In honor of Downton Abbey’s US series finale, we spotlight a grand collection of estates with splendid staff quarters

Many television viewers in the United States are preparing wistfully for the Downton Abbey finale on Sunday, March 6. While the show has emphasized the waning of the British Edwardian period, the final episode promises happy endings for all. In real life, the exquisite service and comforts of Downton Abbey are no longer confined to English country estates and can be found in updated forms around the world. Staff quarters in the modern era are also comfortable, up-to-date, and well-appointed, as evidenced by the following luxury properties. 

Best of the West
Bigfork, Montana

This 15,000-square-foot lake home on the shore of the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi exemplifies western living. From the antler chandelier in the entryway to the ceiling-high stone fireplaces, it showcases impressive detailing throughout. The five-bedroom residence with a private covered dock and caretaker quarters is gated, secure, and private.  Extensive balconies, including a deck atop the caretaker quarters, allow for full enjoyment of the location’s expansive views and fresh mountain air. This lofty, three-story ranch-style home is as grand as its setting: surrounded by pines and aspens and facing a grand view of Flathead Lake. With a spacious kitchen, wet bar, wine cellar, theater room, gym, and stone indoor swimming pool, it is well equipped for entertaining.

Island Oasis
Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii

These two linked properties—a three-bedroom, two-bathroom main beach house and a nearby caretaker’s beach cottage—offer year-round tropical living in the midst of a lush landscape. The main house has living and sleeping areas with retractable walls that open the home to balmy island breezes as well as its own spacious lanais. Beam-and-thatch ceilings and detailing in the kitchen, hand-carved bathroom vanities, stained glass windows, and polished stone floors enhance the home. This secluded property serves up beach, ocean, and mountain views and sits on a bay where dolphins frolic and swimming and snorkeling opportunities await.

Historic Haven
Telluride, Colorado

This stunningly restored and updated pre-Civil War construction in the Gray Head Wilderness Preserve in Telluride, Colorado, provides unobstructed 360-degree views of the Rocky Mountains. The five-bedroom home pairs gorgeous wood, brick, and stone interiors with luxurious modern features like its own observatory, theater,and game room. Staff quarters include a full kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, and stone patio. Detailed outdoor amenities include a Bhutanese-style bridge, numerous ponds and waterfalls, multi-level patios, stone walkways, and a large outdoor fire pit and covered bar area next to a roomy hot tub. Situated on 35 acres near the Telluride Ski Resort, this unique residence offers unparalleled comfort and easy access to world-class recreational options year-round.

New England Nirvana

Stonington, Connecticut

Located on its own private peninsula, this idyllic oceanfront estate overlooks Fisher Island Sound and presents impressive views of Long Island, Fisher Island, and nearby Stonington Village. The main house has five bedrooms and five full bathrooms. A three-bedroom guest house and a two-bedroom caretaker’s cottage are also on site. The current owners have restored the original Victorian buildings, transforming the attic into a studio space and adding a kitchen wing with staff quarters. 

The 11-acre grounds include 2,500 feet of coastline with a curving sandy beach and a breakwater pier with its own small dock and two moorings. A tennis court, saltwater pool, and heated greenhouse augment the lovingly tended coastal gardens. Rose beds abut the pool terrace, cutting and vegetable gardens are framed by yew trees, and carefully chosen plantings—along with a nearby wetland preserve—serve as an oasis for birds and butterflies. 

Caribbean Craftsmanship
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

A splendid nine-bedroom estate on the northern side of Grand Cayman Island, Twin Coves was built in 2004 using hand-selected materials and custom artisan detailing throughout both the main building and the guest wing. The expansive staff wing houses nine bedrooms and twelve bathrooms across two buildings, each offering 180-degree views of the island’s northern peninsula, Old Robins Point. 

Interior details include carved marble fireplaces and pillars, carved tropical hardwood doors, polished stone floors, and a grand stained glass dome set into the ceiling of the two-story-high main room. Private elevators, central air conditioning, and a wood-paneled office further the modern conveniences. Hand-built stone staircases with shell details set into the risers descend all the way to the water, and private beaches at the shoreline are ideal for sunbathing. A gazebo and large pool with heated deck separate the two buildings, both of which boast spectacular ocean views. 

Athenian Elegance
Athens, Greece

modern villa in the most desirable part of Athens, this seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom home features nearly 14,000 square feet of stylish simplicity and open-air living amid mature pines and Mediterranean-style landscaping. A secondary two-level, two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with its own elevator can be accessed either from the main home or via a separate entrance, and a third building is designed to accommodate live-in staff.

Sliding glass walls open onto broad and private wooden decks, and the kitchen is adjacent to a glass-walled winter conservatory. The master suite includes several sitting areas, large walk-in closets, and a spacious bathroom. Each of the additional four bedrooms on this level has its own sitting room and staircase leading to a mezzanine sleeping area. The lower level of the main building includes an indoor swimming pool and gym.

Picture Perfect
Utrecht, Netherlands

At one time part of Soestdijk Palace, the magnificent 15-acre estate of Prins Hendriksoord has been lovingly restored and renovated. Modern updates include a heated swimming pool and sauna, a second floor with both guest and staff apartments, and a spacious office wing. Original fireplaces, wainscoting, and gold leather wallpaper have been restored in the main building, and the grand living areas with dark wood, sweeping staircases, and herringbone wood floors are in mint condition. 

The century-old park that surrounds the historic residence contains mature trees, lush grassland, a graceful pond crossed by a white iron bridge, fountains, and peaceful tree-lined paths. An 1890 hunting lodge and billiard room north of the main house has been converted into a two-bedroom dwelling with its own kitchen and fireplace as well as a basement that is currently used as a saddle room and storage area for the nearby eight-box stable.

Iberian Escape
Cascais, Portugal

This grand, private hilltop villa overlooks the Bay of Cascais, the favored retreat for the Portuguese royal family in the 19th and 20th centuries. A ground-level independent apartment contains its own living room and kitchen, and a separate building houses staff quarters. Featuring an extensive tree-lined private lawn, a swimming pool, and wide terraces from which to enjoy views of the city below and the ocean beyond, this modern four-story home with elevator also boasts a grand entrance hall, seven bedrooms, four first-floor suites, and a large office area. The dining and living areas both open onto the lawn and pool area. Amenities include a wine cellar, 13-car garage and car washing area, gym, and security system.