The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, at the Apec conference in 1999. File Picture
The floors of the Sultan of Brunei's Auckland houses really are paved with gold.
After the sale of the Herne Bay properties was announced last week, the Weekend Herald took a tour of the country's most expensive real estate and found a sea of gold at foot.
The cream carpets
in the stately, two-level, 19th century Wairangi villa are inlaid with 24-carat gold threads, at the centre of dozens of flower patterns woven into the flooring.
The Sultan, with an estimated worth of US$20 billion ($29 billion), can afford to splash out on the odd luxury and the specially woven, imported carpets were just one of his extravagances.
Most of the 11 houses are scrupulously maintained, although one is in obvious need of repair and painting.
The Sultan hardly visited the properties, but groups of gardeners, guards and cleaners have kept them spotless and away from prying eyes, just in case he drops in.
Curtains, lounge furniture, bedding and flooring are lavish in style.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the scale of Waimanu's private gymnasium, housed in a separate wing alongside the main house. At more than 100sq m, the gym could be converted into a home in its own right.
A bar lined with nautical ornaments welcomes guests to the two-level gym. Its upstairs lounge area, lined with exercycles, each with its own television set, overlooks the full-size, glass-backed squash court.
Weight benches, a punchbag, fully equipped massage rooms, and shower and changing facilities lined with marble are also part of the package.
Another Waimanu surprise is a pond of enormous tame carp and goldfish swimming beneath a waterfall.
Bridges cross rivers under the palm trees.
The pool house has commercial kitchens, spa and sauna rooms and an outdoor poolside entertaining area on the scale of a Fijian resort.
