Full Breakdown
Qatari Al Thani Family Acquires Silvio Berlusconi’s Villa Certosa for €350 Million
6/24/2026, 9:25:13 PM
Sale of Villa Certosa to Qatari Al Thani Interests
Silvio Berlusconi’s Sardinian estate, Villa Certosa, was sold in June 2024 to Constellation Hotels Holding Ltd, a Luxembourg-registered vehicle linked to Qatar’s ruling Al Thani dynasty. Sources name the buyer as Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani or Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, senior members of the family that has governed Qatar for more than 150 years. Fininvest, the Berlusconi family holding, confirmed that one of its subsidiaries accepted a binding offer from the foreign entity.
Villa Certosa: History and Notable Features
Berlusconi bought the 120-hectare (300-acre) Costa Smeralda property in the late 1980s from Gianni Onorato and hired architect Gianni Gamondi to build a waterfront compound with a 4,500 m² main villa, 126 rooms, seven pools, spa, guest villas, helipad, underground grotto, mock volcano and amphitheatre. The estate hosted heads of state such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and was the site of Berlusconi’s infamous “bunga bunga” parties.
Parties Involved
Seller: Fininvest, the Berlusconi family holding, used its subsidiary Immobiliare Idra.
Buyer: Constellation Hotels Holding Ltd SCA, European real-estate arm of the Al Thani family, acting for Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatari foreign minister and prime minister (2007-2013). No advisors were identified.
Transaction Details
The reported price is €350 million (?$395 million). The estate spans 120 hectares, with 126 rooms, seven pools, a golf course, football field and a “maximum-security” designation for the Italian prime minister in 2004. Earlier listings asked €500 million; some sources call the sum undisclosed.
Official Statement
Fininvest announced that a subsidiary had accepted a binding offer from a foreign entity for the sale of Villa Certosa, but did not disclose the buyer’s identity or the transaction amount.
Conflicting Reports
- Price: Reuters and WantedinRome list €350 million; ANSA says the sum is undisclosed.
- Buyer identity: Sources differ between Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani and Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani.
- Future use: No plan announced for converting estate into a hospitality venue.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Fininvest, the Berlusconi family holding, confirmed that one of its companies had "accepted a binding offer from a foreign entity for the sale of Villa Certosa", without giving further details.” — Fininvest spokesperson
- “He hosted his famous "bunga bunga" parties at Villa Certosa, with an array of young women flown in for the events.” — Reuters report
- “Russian President Vladimir Putin visited, and his two teenage daughters were reported to have spent the summer there in 2002.” — Reuters report
- “Sale The sale was carried out through Constellation Hotels Holding Ltd SCA, a Luxembourg-based investment vehicle that serves as the real estate arm - in Europe and globally - of the Qatari royal family, and in particular of Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, who served as Qatar's foreign minister and prime minister from 2007 to 2013.” — WantedinRome article
Outlook
Fininvest’s divestment is part of a broader effort by Berlusconi’s five children to streamline the late premier’s holdings. The Qatari owners have hinted at turning Villa Certosa into a hospitality venue, but no concrete plan has been disclosed.
