Secret homes, apartments and rooms hiding in unexpected places
Covert spaces we bet you've never heard of
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/67ebc837-06b8-4528-ae15-6683024ec577-marie-antoinette-secret-apartment-6.jpg)
Deep inside the breathtaking Palace of Versailles lies a complex of clandestine rooms which once offered the infamous French queen Marie Antoinette a rare moment of privacy. Accessed via a hidden door in the official bed chamber, the secret space encompasses her private boudoir, a library, dining room and billiards room, spread across two floors and overlooking an interior courtyard.
Click or scroll on to look inside the recently restored rooms and discover more unusual homes hidden in places you'd never expect...
The young Queen's project
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/2c008c68-531f-4e22-ac9e-fca179bba5db-marie.jpg)
Marie Antoinette, previously the Archduchess of Austria, was only 14 years old when she moved to France to marry the future King Louis XVI. She was crowned in 1774 and immediately began the renovation of her private apartment in Versailles. The extensive project lasted 14 years until 1788, just one year before she and her husband were expelled from the palace by their revolutionary citizens.
Her own audacious style
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/58d8e92e-5911-4c14-b6d1-729b7a23fa48-marie2.jpg)
The young Queen commissioned the King’s head architect, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, reportedly without asking her husband’s permission, to design the apartment. Much to the architect’s irritation, she oversaw the decoration of the apartment in her own “audacious” style with glittering gold leaf applied from floor to ceiling and swathes of lush satins and brocades. While a bedroom might seem a private space, this room was actually an extension of the court and it was here that Marie Antoinette gave birth in public to her four children.
A secret door
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/f89b70f8-f3c3-4cb1-abbf-0fe464a0af40-marie-antoinette-apartment-6.jpg)
To the side of the bed, a hidden door blends almost imperceptibly with the wall panelling when closed. It leads to the private apartment where the Queen could withdraw from court life to be alone with her children or select members of her entourage.
This suite of rooms was intended to be Marie Antoinette’s private sanctum away from her husband and is believed to be where the Queen first hid during the people’s march on Versailles during the French Revolution of 1789.
Opulent decoration
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/e1765945-00b8-4763-a5ec-d3b27cdbfa4d-marie-antoinette-apartment-5.jpg)
Among the array of secret rooms is the boudoir, which features an alcove decorated with elaborate panels commemorating the monarchy where, in less strenuous times, the Queen would take her midday rest on an ottoman.
While the decoration on display here is not original, historians have spent the past decade researching 18th-century documents to accurately reproduce the space as Marie Antoinette would have known it. In its renovated form, this room now features gold brocade curtains and upholstery, a parquet floor and a large gilded mirror.
Warm and comfortable quarters
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/23d9cfc5-6460-4de4-8a48-545bc23c6f79-marie-antoinette-apartment-2.jpg)
The reopening of Marie Antoinette’s secret apartment to the public marks the final stage of a larger seven-year renovation, part of the celebrations for Versailles’s 400th anniversary.
While still decadent in its design, the rooms have a softer feel than the Queen's dazzling official bed chamber. The proportions are smaller and the decor, while still lavish, is more personal than stately. “It took the perseverance of the curators at the Château de Versailles over many years to restore this perfect image to us and weave together the links between the Queen’s public and private lives,” said Catherine Pégard, the president of Versailles.
The 'Great Pineapple'
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/fd27d3fc-9842-481e-9a7e-111214732abf-marie-antoinette-apartment-3.jpg)
The apartment also includes a library, originally designed to hold Marie Antoinette's expansive book collection, much of which is now housed in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.
The rooms have numerous elaborate wall coverings, including several depicting motifs from 18th-century Egypt and one known as the ‘Great Pineapple'. For anyone keen to admire the French Queen’s opulent taste, the beautiful spaces are now on display to the public.
Loved this? From secret apartments inside world-famous landmarks to a home hidden in a national park cave, discover these private residences tucked inside some unlikely places...
Hidden Cinderella castle suite at Walt Disney World, Florida, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/b8bc0ffb-a670-4faf-b96e-29c5d8676e9a-Cinderella 1.jpg)
The Cinderella Castle in Disneyland Florida has become the iconic symbol of Walt Disney’s magical world of fairy tales and make-believe. Built in 1971, it was inspired by a number of real and fictional fairytale castles, including the Palace of Versailles, Fontainebleau and the original castle design for Disney’s Cinderella. It contains a historic hall, restaurant, boutiques and a very secret apartment suite...
Hidden Cinderella castle suite at Walt Disney World, Florida, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/ca9d7032-9823-4861-89e4-958711be6d48-Cinderella 2.jpg)
The suite was originally designed to be a holiday home for Walt Disney and his family, though it was sadly left incomplete after his death in 1966. Today, it functions as a luxury apartment for VIP guests and prize winners. There’s absolutely no way you can book this fairytale suite for a holiday stay, try if you will!
St Pancras clock tower apartment, London, UK
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/06b70841-5977-4c51-981c-f161fa5f1056-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-st-pancras-tower.jpg)
St. Pancras International railway station in London is considered to be one of the finest examples of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture in Britain. Redeveloped in 2007, the station contains a five-star hotel, a luxury shopping complex and a champagne bar, but not many people know that it also houses a number of private flats, including one right inside its clock tower.
Originally used by the railway’s Board of Directors to conduct meetings, the hidden two-bedroom apartment has been beautifully restored, retaining a number of its original 19th-century features.
St Pancras clock tower apartment, London, UK
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/32c81ec5-69a8-4c24-bb86-cfabd5aa70f5-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-st-pancras-tower-apartment.jpg)
With impressive 15-foot ceilings, the apartment contains some of the grandest rooms in the building, including a spacious master bedroom and ensuite with a copper bath and double sink. There's also an additional sleeping area in a mezzanine space above the library.
Its important features include a fireplace, ceiling decorations, and pointed arch windows, each of which is intricately decorated with Gothic Revival tracery. The gorgeous Gothic home hit the market back in mid-2021 for a cool £4.6 million ($5.9m).
Moulin Rouge Windmill, Paris, France
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/f43d0340-e73f-4e5c-86bd-4114a40b7013-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-moulin-rouge-windmill.png)
Thanks, in part, to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 movie, the Moulin Rouge is one of Paris' most iconic landmarks. The historic cabaret venue is situated in the heart of Montmartre and was established in 1889, but the original property was destroyed by fire in 1915.
To this day it remains a popular attraction with locals and tourists alike, but did you know that the building's world-famous rooftop windmill actually contains an amazing home? Let's look inside the real-life movie house...
Moulin Rouge Windmill, Paris, France
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/d6c25199-1a91-4b59-9309-628656d3b32c-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-moulin-rouge-windmill-inside.png)
In early 2022, the legendary Parisian landmark was transformed into a secretive holiday home, meticulously designed to capture the romance of the Belle Époque era.
Airbnb worked with renowned 19th-century French historian Jean-Claude Yon to authentically renovate the windmill and inside you'll find a sumptuous boudoir, decked out with flowers, plush fabrics and antique furnishings, as well as vintage costumes, fragrant perfumes and love letters from admirers. There's even an incredible rooftop deck underneath the windmill's iconic blades.
Modern homes inside converted grain store, Victoria, Australia
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/a903ef7f-82a1-49cd-90f2-999050a0b268-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-grain-store-homes.jpg)
Around the world, there are endless extraordinary home conversions, but this one is unlike any we've seen before. Located in Brunswick, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, Australia, this historic grain store complex was built as the HQ of prominent grain and wool merchant, Donald Melville, in 1888.
The former Melville Grain Stores were converted into townhouses around 2002 but even now they're hard to spot when looking at the building from the outside. Can you see them?
Modern homes inside converted grain store, Victoria, Australia
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/51996226-87a3-4052-99f4-705d884cc14e-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-grain-store-homes-close.jpg)
Tucked away inside the store's historic interior you'll find 12 one-of-a-kind homes. Despite being buildings within a building, each property is light-filled and modern, with its own entrance door, front garden and garage space.
This two-storey townhouse was listed in early 2019 and features an open-plan living/dining area, a well-appointed kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It sold in April 2019 for AUD$765,000, which is around £398,500 ($513k).
The Speaker's secret apartment, Ottawa, Canada
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/09e8914e-ee10-45c1-9d03-efae74b74b58-alamy-canadoian-press-paliament-secret-apatment.jpg)
Known as Centre Block, the main building on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill has a well-kept secret – a hidden apartment called 202N. Before the building was closed up for a planned 10-year renovation, the speaker opened the door in a video tour in 2018. The tiny room is minimally furnished, with a fold-down Murphy bed and some simple living room staples. Along an extremely narrow hallway, there is also a small dining room.
The Speaker's secret apartment, Ottawa, Canada
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/ac4de2ed-28e4-4952-8a7a-b7665c1df4a0-secret2.jpg)
“This is the Speaker’s bed,” Regan said, as he pulled down a Murphy bed-style retractable mattress. “Sometimes the House sits until midnight or later and it’s a place where you can get a little shut-eye before the morning comes too quickly." It was designed as a place for the Speaker of the House of Commons to stay overnight – the only person authorised to sleep in Centre Block – when sessions run so late there is little point in going home.
Secluded cave home, Bilpin, Australia
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/f53909b0-8db2-4853-8ab9-a1de9df2e025-cave1.jpg)
Built into a natural rock platform and accessed via a round door that wouldn’t be out of place in Middle Earth, this magical cave home blends seamlessly with its surroundings. The cave is situated in the Blue Mountains in Australia, and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape through glass window panels inserted into the rock.
Secluded cave home, Bilpin, Australia
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/b0b08942-fdfc-42ab-aa2c-83e98d90d3fd-cave2.jpg)
However, this cosy cave home doesn’t require Neanderthal living. In fact, it comes fully outfitted with a log-burning stove, a well-equipped kitchen and a bathroom with a luxurious sunken jacuzzi tub. If this sounds like the perfect way to escape the world and retreat into nature without sacrificing home comforts, you’ll find the dreamy cave dwelling is available to book on Airbnb.
Holiday suite at the top of a crane, Amsterdam, Netherlands
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/22494243-6a49-4d99-8276-71e6b21eb3a3-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-crane-apartment.jpg)
Upon first glance, this crane looks like an ordinary building site addition, but there's far more to this sky-high piece of machinery than meets the eye. In fact, it isn't really a crane at all — at least not anymore.
The listed loading crane lies in a former shipyard and was innovatively restored in 2013 by developer Edwin Kornmann Rudi and IAA Architecten Amsterdam. The project took two and a half years to complete. Let's head up and take a look around...
Holiday suite at the top of a crane, Amsterdam, Netherlands
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/d534eff9-445a-4d48-aaf9-56d2a70d145e-crane.jpg)
Amazingly, the high-altitude home is a 5-star hotel. Known as the Faralda NDSM Crane Hotel, the monumental landmark soars up more than 148 feet and harbours three luxury suites with different contemporary designs.
This one, known as Mystique, lies at the very top of the crane and boasts bonkers interior design and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the view. An exterior elevator connects each floor and you can stay here anytime you like.
Gustave Eiffel’s tower apartment, Paris, France
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/292a2318-c97f-498e-98e3-6f47d73988eb-paris.jpg)
When the Eiffel Tower opened in 1889, it left the world in awe. Never before had a seemingly functionless structure been attempted at such a grand scale. Little did the Parisians know that Gustave Eiffel’s modern masterpiece would soon leave the city in envy, as it was later revealed he had built a tiny private studio apartment at the top of the tower, ensuring Eiffel the most spectacular views of his beloved Paris.
Gustave Eiffel’s tower apartment, Paris, France
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/eb960509-bd84-47d4-8757-ae4da43267aa-Eiffel 2.jpg)
On the third floor of the tower, Gustave’s secret apartment was small and simply furnished to the tastes of the time. It wasn’t long until the engineer started receiving requests for overnight stays at his fantastical place, however, it was only ever used to entertain family and friends. Today, the apartment has been transformed into a mini-museum containing mannequins of Monsieur Eiffel and his most notable guests.
The Queen’s House at the Tower of London, London, UK
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/5616748c-1d4b-4a44-9e9e-d3b97f1566d9-secret-homes-you-didnt-know-existed-tower-of-london.jpg)
Dating back to 1078, the Tower of London is undeniably one of the world's most iconic buildings. The UNESCO World Heritage Site sits on the bank of the River Thames and over the years has served a variety of purposes. As well as being an armoury, a treasury, and a public record office, the iconic property was, and still is, home of the Crown Jewels of England. But that isn't all this incredible historic building is harbouring...
The Queen’s House at the Tower of London, London, UK
This timber-framed Tudor building stands out among the fortress-like structures of the Tower of London. Built in 1530 under Henry VIII, the royal residence is believed to have belonged to Queen Anne Boleyn, who stayed there prior to her coronation and at the time of her execution.
Today, the structure still functions as a house and is home to the current Resident Governor of the Tower of London. Sadly, you can't step inside, but you can admire it from the tower's idyllic courtyard.
Hidden rooftop cottage, New York, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/86d5f4a8-f0d6-49e7-bb89-50cbc2879c69-Screen Shot 2018-04-03 at 14.31.00.png)
They’re impossible to spot from street level, but a number of New York townhouses and apartment blocks are host to secret rooftop homes. This adorable shingled cottage is perched atop a property in Manhattan's sought-after East Village.
Hidden rooftop cottage, New York, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/156bcc4c-9421-4b00-93a9-689cd18c9213-Cottage NY 2.jpg)
The tiny hidden home is a penthouse extension to a larger, two-storey apartment that contains a bedroom, bathroom and private terrace. The main apartment below consists of a living room, kitchen, four bedrooms, three bathrooms and an additional artist’s studio. The cottage itself can be converted into a single residence or used as a guest space above the main property.
Coco Chanel’s Ritz suite, Paris, France
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/af4334a2-8b24-469f-b767-6ca83f7d3fb6-coco1.jpg)
In 1937, Gabrielle Coco Chanel took up residence in a suite at the Ritz, Paris overlooking her beloved Place Vandôme. Little did she know at the time she would end up staying for 34 years. A pioneer in both fashion and design, Chanel was particular about the way in which her luxurious apartment was styled.
Over the years, she would bring in her own furniture until the space was completely transformed to suit her personal tastes.
Coco Chanel’s Ritz suite, Paris, France
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/78f261c0-2ed5-4056-a16e-2e1ae1a03200-coco2.jpg)
As a designer who appreciated a subtle mix of simplicity and splendour, Chanel decorated her apartment in a minimalist palette of monochromes, grand gilded mirrors, and Coromandel Chinese lacquerware furniture.
The apartment is now open to the public and is available for overnight stays. However, you'll need deep pockets because the rates range from €2,000 to €2,800 for a single night. That's as much as £2,400 ($3.1k).
Apartment inside a San Francisco clock tower, California, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/eefe5391-0aad-461c-9212-f3f0aa3a5fcd-Clock Tower 1.jpg)
There are plenty of live-in landmarks around the world and this is just one of them. This iconic 1920s clock tower in San Francisco has been transformed into a three-storey apartment. The tower forms part of a former factory, which has also been renovated and converted into luxury live/work spaces. Towering above the San Francisco skyline, expect epic views from its spacious rooftop terrace.
Apartment inside a San Francisco clock tower, California, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/44830667-265d-42e0-9529-5ea44f7d43df-Clock tower 4.jpg)
Original red brick and concrete walls dominate the property, while a magnificent ‘clock room’ containing the tower’s vintage clock faces and their exposed gears continue to function.
The 3,000-square-foot, two-bedroom property features soaring ceilings, skylights, and exposed steel structural beams that give it a vintage factory feel, while a minimalist open-plan living room/kitchen and contemporary furnishings transform it into a space that’s perfectly suited to a contemporary lifestyle.
Police building clocktower penthouse, New York, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/255addb8-4686-43bb-952b-0388ded04b52-Police clock 1.jpg)
New York is full of spectacular hidden homes, as this property clearly proves. Built in 1905, the building once served as the New York City Police Headquarters, Today it contains 55 luxury homes, including a secret penthouse apartment situated in its domed clock tower.
Police building clocktower penthouse, New York, USA
![](https://loveincorporated.blob.core.windows.net/contentimages/gallery/7cfffcd6-ff3a-4b8e-9c46-ff5af84e87c1-Police clock 2.jpg)
The three-bedroom penthouse apartment is divided into three levels, all of which can be accessed via an elegant spiral staircase. The top floor living room contains the tower’s six-foot-tall clock faces, as well as an exposed wood beam ceiling that supports the building’s iconic dome structure.
Love this? Like and follow us on Facebook for more incredible homes...
Comments
Be the first to comment
Do you want to comment on this article? You need to be signed in for this feature