Views, villas and an outdoor bathtub: Suzanne Somers’ former Palm Springs estate for sale

The palatial Palm Springs property where actress and entertainer Suzanne Somers lived for over half her life is again on the market.

Sure, it may not be as recognized as the Santa Monica apartment building where her TV character Chrissy famously roomed with Jack and Janet. But the 28-acre acre compound boasts amenities that put the "Three’s Company" apartment to shame, including a custom funicular that is designed to resemble a carriage, an Albert Frey-designed guest house and a natural rock amphitheater where Somers was known to play with her band.

The compound at 252 Ridge Road, built into the mountainside in Palm Springs’ Mesa neighborhood, consists of what the listing calls “a European-inspired main house and four villas spanning 7,280 square feet." It is currently listed for $8.95 million with Compass after previously being listed for $12.9 million last spring.The neighborhood has been home to its fair share of prominent properties and figures, including the former home of Sonny Bono and another that once belonged to the founder of shaving giant Gillette.

Somers, who died of cancer in October at age 76, bought the property in 1977 with her husband, former Canadian TV personality Alan Hamel. That was the same year the two married and as Somers was starting what would become her high-profile run on "Three’s Company."

In a 2016 interview with People Magazine, Somers discussed how a desire for privacy and a place where her family could roam free led her and Hamel to purchase the Palm Springs home. She also dished about how she would sing in the dining room, which she called her “favorite place in the home,” and the indoor wine cellar where she would sometimes write.

She also told the magazine about how she could not contain her excitement when she saw the home for the first time.

“As we rode up the romantic funicular, I said to Alan, ‘Let’s buy this,’ and he said to me, ‘Could you please adopt a poker face so we don’t have to pay full price?'” she said. “I was not able to contain my excitement and we paid more than full price.”

She also talked about the outdoor bathtub on the property, which she said was a gift from Hamel.

Somers and Hamel moved from the property to a four-bedroom home in the Southridge neighborhood in 2019, with Somers explaining that the couple no longer used the many bedrooms on the Ridge Road property and that it was time to downsize.

The 28-acre property later sold in 2021 for $8.5 million after spending years on the market and seeing its price cut multiple times.

According to the listing, the five structures together boast seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms along with what is described as "10 outdoor venues," one being the natural rock amphitheater.

Other amenities include a two-room kitchen containing the hidden wine cellar, a lagoon-style pool with multiple tanning areas, a display consisting of 150 outdoor lights and views of Palm Springs below.

A description provided by Compass calls the property a “hidden paradise that slowly reveals itself behind a discreet gated entrance, with a meandering driveway leading past a cascading waterfall and landing at a terrace that unveils a European-inspired villa on the hill above.”

“Intimate walkways, large view terraces and secret patios are interspersed among the buildings, some of which date back 100 years,” it reads. “This is a place all will gather for perfect weather and setting.”

Paul Albani-Burgio covers growth, development and business in the Coachella Valley. Follow him on Twitter at @albaniburgiop and email him at paul.albani-burgio@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Suzanne Somers’ former Palm Springs estate for sale for $8.95 million