The sprawling, 29-room Playboy Mansion was perhaps one of the most iconic properties in Los Angeles - home to Playboy founder Hugh Hefner for four decades as well as being host to hundreds of lavish parties over the years.
Its reputation took a dent following the death of Hefner in 2017, when accusations of drugging and sexual assault taking place on the property came to light. But what became of the mansion?
The 21,987-square-foot, which was built all the way back in 1927, was bought by Hefner in 1971 for $1.1million - today that figure equates to around $7,452,740.
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The property boasts a games room, screening room, wine cellar, tennis and basketball courts, a swimming pool, waterfall and the famed grotto - it even had its own three building ‘zoo’ on the grounds.
But, in her 2006 memoir Bunny Tales, Hefner’s former partner Izabella St. James said the mansion was in dire need of an overhaul.
"Everything in the Mansion felt old and stale,” she wrote. “And Archie the house dog would regularly relieve himself on the hallway curtains, adding a powerful whiff of urine to the general scent of decay."
She went on: "Each bedroom had mismatched, random pieces of furniture. It was as if someone had gone to a charity shop and bought the basics for each room.
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"The mattresses on our beds were disgusting - old, worn and stained. The sheets were past their best, too."
Even more disturbingly, in 2011, more than 100 people who had attended an event at the mansion began to experience a fever and respiratory issues.
An investigation from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health traced the outbreak back to a hot tub in the grotto, where they found the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease.
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Nonetheless, Hefner resided there from 1974 up until his death; as well as living there, Hefner also used the mansion to house the editorial offices of Playboy magazine.
And when he wasn’t working, Hefner was often found partying, hosting events such as movie nights and tennis tournaments for his famous pals - and his team of Playmates, of course.
However, former residents of the mansion have since shared grim claims about what went on during their time there, including twins Karissa and Kristina Shannon who branded the mansion a ‘cult’ and said Hefner plied them with alcohol and Quaaludes before having sex with them.
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In 2016, the year before his death, Hefner put the mansion on the market for an eye-watering $200 million.
However, it didn’t reach the original asking price and was eventually sold to Daren Metropoulos for half that.
READ MORE FROM STRIPPED BACK:
FORMER PLAYMATE SAYS HUGH HEFNER WAS HER SAVIOUR
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HUGH HEFNER'S BUTLER OPENS UP ABOUT PLAYBOY MANSION
Shortly after the sale Metropoulos told the Wall Street Journal: “The heritage of this property transcends its celebrity and to have the opportunity to serve as its steward would be a true privilege.”
Although Metropoulos became the official owner of the mansion, he allowed Hefner to continue living in the property until his death the following year aged 91.
In a statement at the time Metropoulos said: "I’m extremely passionate about its architecture and look forward to this momentous opportunity to transform one of the finest estates in the country.
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"As Mr. Hefner was aware, I plan to meticulously refurbish the property with the highest quality and standards in mind."
In the wake of Hefner’s death, it was reported to have been looted by people keen to get their hands on a piece of pop culture history.
A source told Globe magazine: “The bedrooms - even Hef’s - were stripped of things like sex toys, gold-plated statues, used sheets and lingerie.
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“Valuable art was snatched from the walls - with imprints of the frames still visible.”
It was also claimed that looters had even chipped away parts of the grotto to take away as souvenirs.
The mansion is subject to a permanent protection order, which means Metropoulos is unable to make changes to the main structure of the estate or demolish it - but he did set about making repairs and renovations to various areas including the grotto, pool and front lawn as well as carrying out work on the property’s interior.
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Metropoulos is the son of billionaire businessman Charles Dean Metropoulos and is principal at the family-owned private-equity firm Metropoulos and Co.
The company boasts an impressive portfolio of brands and co-owns Hostess, the maker of Twinkies.
Alongside his brother Evan, Metropoulos used to be co-CEO of Pabst Brewing Company, which was owned by Metropoulos and Co.
The private-equity firm sold Pabst in 2014 for ‘in excess of $700 million’.
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Since coming under his ownership, the mansion has been used for corporate events, and it also appeared in the 2019 flick Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, for which Metropoulos worked as an associate producer.
Looking to the future, Metropoulos, who already owned the building next door to the Playboy mansion prior to the purchase, said he planned to rejoin the two estates so he could enjoy ‘this beautiful property as my private residence for years to come’.
UNILAD's new Stripped Back series is released from May 1 and takes us back into the Playboy Mansion, featuring interviews with a variety of people who spent time working and living there with Hugh Hefner.
Topics: US News, Hugh Hefner
Claire Reid