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High Time to Sell Hilltop? Luxe Getaway in Lake Arrowhead Is Back on the Market

Talk about the ultimate retreat! The former Hollywood hideaway known as Hilltop, perched on the edge of Lake Arrowhead, CA, in one of the few locations where Southern Californians can actually enjoy a white Christmas, has returned to the market with an asking price of $14,250,000.

Sitting on 3.85 acres, the family compound with 10 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a tennis court, guesthouse, and two boat docks is surpassed in size only by the nearby Doheny estate.

Ever since the resortlike property was completed in 1935, it’s been a favorite of Hollywood luminaries, including Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe. Local legend has it that Monroe’s personal bungalow, dubbed “The Happy Hut,” has been preserved. (Film buffs might be thrilled to know the ’50s melodrama “Magnificent Obsession” was filmed on the premises.)

Among the home’s former owners was businessman Jules Stein, who founded the talent agency MCA, which represented stars such as Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, and Frank Sinatra.

“Hilltop was the ideal getaway for Hollywood stars back then,” says listing agent David Vail, who actually got married on the property. It remains an ideal retreat today, Vail notes, because “in an hour and a half from Los Angeles, you can be in an entirely different environment, without messing with trains, planes, or the TSA.”

A prominent architect transformed the place into the 15,000-square-foot family compound that it is today, according to Vail. The additions included a sailboat-themed room with a six-bed bunk, a fire pole for sliding from the upstairs playroom down to the kitchen, a glass conservatory with a leather floor, a great room with a 30-foot ceiling and French stone fireplace, and a two-story show garage.

The owner has had the one-of-a-kind property on and off the market since 2003 at various prices, so we were curious about the impetus behind the latest attempt.

“Previously, it was quite expensive for a second home that’s not a necessity,” explains Vail. “But now, the market can support it. Money is flowing better, and people have more discretionary funds. This year has been very good for real estate, and we think next year will be, too.” 2018 will be particularly nice for anyone who’s able to call Hilltop home.

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