This Billionaire’s Former Estate Is Now An Insanely Luxurious Resort. Here’s Why

Sensei Porcupine Creek is unlike any other resort or wellness retreat in California—or maybe anywhere. The 230-acre property that was once Larry Ellison’s private estate now offers just 22 accommodations, with meals by Nobu, next-level wellness activities, art by the likes of Keith Haring, and one of the world’s most over-the-top (and expensive) 18-hole golf experiences.

Hidden behind electric gates on an inconspicuous residential street in Rancho Mirage, California, the sanctuary is a place to “move, nourish and rest,” whether that means a guided hike on the resort’s private network of trails, hitting backhands with a former top-10-ranked tennis pro, or resetting intentions during a “mindset one-on-one with biomarkers” that lets you self-regulate emotions by way of a biofeedback device.

Changing hands quietly between billionaires since its construction in 2004, Porcupine Creek has been Ellison’s discreet haven since the Oracle co-founder purchased the property for $42.9 million in 2011. In the fall of 2022, he opened the expanse for select guests as a Sensei resort after a meticulous overhaul that now includes eight villas — two and four-bedroom residences with full kitchens, Japanese-style soaking tubs and robot toilets, creekside patios, and outdoor rain showers. No more than 68 guests will ever be on property at the same time, which is why it’s quickly becoming a favored getaway for Hollywood, business and tech titans.

The wellness program sets new standards for health retreats on the high end. Modeled after Ellison’s original Sensei resort in Lanai, Hawaii, the treatments and activities, developed with Sensei co-founder Dr. David Agus, a prominent physician and professor, lean on science and data to elevate relaxation and mindfulness practices beyond the “woo woo.” You won’t hear a “namaste” or “follow your bliss” with guides and practitioners trained more like scientists and cognitive behavioral therapists than chakra whisperers at a spa.

Take the Optimal Wellbeing Program, which begins a week before arrival at Porcupine Creek with a Whoop 4.0 wearable device mailed to your home to help gather real-time fitness, sleep and recovery data prior to arrival. After a thorough fitness assessment on Day One to measure your V02 Max, gait analysis, vertical jump and other performance metrics, you and your Sensei team then co-create behavior changes that support your goals. It’s all done with the latest techniques and tools, such as thermal body mapping that reveals points of tension or inflammation in the body that might not otherwise show up. To further…