Having a Ball: 5 Sensational Homes with Grand Entertaining Areas and Event Spaces

Great events define great spaces: A grand ball requires a grand ballroom. Just in time for New Year’s Eve, Luxury Defined presents a collection of great houses with lavish entertainment spaces suitable for the grand ball to end all. Cinderella will go to the ball. Let her waltz through the marble-floored ball hall of a Mission-style manor in Sydney, do the Hustle in her own ‘70s-inspired private disco in a glamorous Côte d’Azur villa, or gavotte beneath the Moorish colonnades of a Marrakesh palace. But belles and beaux beware! These parties will not end at midnight. So…come dancing! Strictly ballroom.

1930s Sydney Harbour Estate in Vaucluse, NSW, Australia

Alcooringa oozes Hollywood-style glamour. In the hills of Vaucluse, overlooking Sydney Harbour, the stately 1930s mansion built by architect F. Glynn Gilling is one of the finest examples of Spanish Mission-style architecture in Sydney. Surrounded by magnificent formal gardens with views of Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, Alcooringa is an impressive venue for gala events. At its entrance, guests are greeted with a double-height galleria graced with a sweeping staircase leading to a grand ballroom adorned with marble floors and Italian chandeliers. A wraparound terrace offers views of the harbour and the grounds, which include a motor court, a three-car garage, and a detached guest cottage.

Related: Discover 9 Elegant Dining Rooms for Festive Entertaining at Home

Côte d’Azur Villa in Les Issambres, France

This luxurious French villa commands a spectacular hilltop location above the charming coastal village of Les Issambres, between Cannes and Saint-Tropez. With more than 8,500 square feet of living space and 5,300 square feet of terraces, the home is an entertainer’s dream inside and out. The lower level houses a spectacular private ’70s-inspired nightclub, complete with a stage, cocktail bar, lounge, and dance floor with glitterball and disco lights. The main living area is anchored by a two-story great room leading out to a terrace with an infinity pool, spa, and pergola. A staircase leads down to a beautifully manicured lawn overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Grand Lake Winnipesaukee Estate in Alton, New Hampshire

Longview is named for its far-reaching views of Lake Winnipesaukee. Sited at the tip of Clay Point in Alton, New Hampshire, this magnificent estate comprises three lots totaling nearly 17 acres with 1,594 feet of lakefront. Built from 2000 to 2004, Longview boasts two stately colonial-style residences, which together encompass 63,000 square feet with 12 bedrooms and 26 bathrooms. A grand ballroom and lakeside amphitheater are among Longview’s dedicated entertaining spaces. Adding to the grandeur are formal gardens, tea house, tennis court, infinity pool, two boathouses, multiple docks, and a helipad.

Grand Gated Estate in Potomac, Maryland

This gated estate is in the prestigious Washington, DC, suburb of Potomac, Maryland, comprises an elegant main residence and a two-story guest/staff annex. A tree-lined drive leads up to a paved forecourt and a six-car garage, which provide ample parking for guests. The main house invites formal entertaining on a grand scale: the ballroom is complemented by a drawing room, banquet room, two reception rooms, a club-style lounge with full bar, four kitchens, a wine cellar, and theater. There are six bedrooms suites, including a vast master suite with a walk-in closet. The light-filled living spaces open to four sweeping terraces, which overlook the tranquil wooded grounds.

Related: Explore 7 Homes with Bright and Beautiful Entryways

Stately Private Compound in Marrakesh, Morocco

Set within 18 acres of resplendent gardens, Palace Arsa is an Arabian-inspired idyll, less than 10 miles north of the Old City of Marrakesh. This dazzling estate is reminiscent of a royal palace, offering 30,000 square feet of sumptuously decorated living and entertaining areas, including several palatial reception rooms with 13-foot-high ceilings, 9 bedrooms, 17 full bathrooms, and 2 private suites (measuring 1,614 and 3,229 square feet). The resplendent grounds rival the finest resort and include palm-lined terraces and a 121- by 72-foot outdoor pool, which are surrounded by private cabanas and alfresco dining areas—ideal for hosting lavish outdoor parties by day or night. The luxurious amenities continue with a spa 49- by 26-foot indoor pool, tennis court, and a pétanque (boules) court, a 10,225-square-foot guest villa with 5 suites, olive and palm groves, vegetable and Japanese gardens, and stables.