Villa Arabesque, Acapulco, Mexico

Villa Arabesque is a luxury villa in Acapulco, Mexico and was used as film location in the James Bond film Licence to Kill (1989) where it doubles as the house of drug dealer Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi).

James Bond gains the trust of Sanchez and is a guest in the villa. After being injured in an explosion, James Bond wakes up in a large and fairytale-like bedroom, one of the many of the villa. Bond leaves the villa during the night to frame Milton Krest, Sanchez's henchman. Bond returns to his bedroom just in time to not be noticed by Sanchez. The next day Bond and Sanchez leave the villa in a helicopter from the rooftop of the villa.

Villa Arabesque is seen once more in the last scene of the movie during the party at the villa where Bond, Q, Lupe en Pam Bouvier attend.

The villa was built from 1978 - 1982 for Baron Enrico "Ricky" di Portanova, a flamboyant member of the jet-set, and was designed by Aurelio Munoz Castillo. The result is a modern fairytale villa, combined with ocean elements like shells and fish.

In the end credits of the film, the producers thank Baron Enrico di Portanova for his cooperation.

The 40,000-plus-square-foot property has 28 rooms including the master bedroom, which takes up almost one complete floor of the building. In adjacent buildings there are nine guestrooms with unique themes. The villa has its own disco, the Poséidon discothèque, for 200 guests and the Poséidon Grill, which can hist 60 guests for dinner. The Camel Walk is the rooftop terrace (from which the helicopter in the movie leaves) that covers the complete roof of the building. There's a tower for security, three swimming pools, a tenniscourt and private beach. It also had a funicular railway (a small tramlike vehicle) that goes from the beach to the villa, which can also be seen in the film, but it is currently out of order.

The villa was a popular party location in the 1980s. Owners Baroness Alessandra and Baron Enrico di Portanova were famous for their parties and they hosted many celebrities including Roger Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Plácido Domingo and Henry and Nancy Kissinger.

In 2004 the villa was being offered for sale after a thorough renovation, by Greg Hovas, who inherited the villa when his sister and brother-in-law, the late Baroness Alessandra and Baron Enrico di Portanova, died in early 2000. The asking price was $29 million.

Currently the villa is in not so great condition, and being renovated again and for sale on Luxury Real Estate.

Thanks to Markus Hartmann for the photo's