After almost three years on sale, and despite a price drop from £4million to £3.75million, Phil Neville’s ‘mansion in the sky’ failed to find a buyer.
Now the former football star is trying his luck in the rental market. Neville, 36, is looking for someone willing to pay £15,000 a month – £180,000 over a year – to live in the four-bedroom apartment until a purchaser turns up.
Despite its opulence, however, the decor may not be to everyone’s taste. The apartment, which occupies three linked storeys 500ft up in Manchester’s 47-storey Beetham Tower, was decorated by Kelly Hoppen, interior designer to the stars, in a black and white colour scheme.
Fine dining: The view from the kitchen of Phil Neville's luxury apartment in Beetham Tower, Greater Manchester
Astonishing: Thought to be one of the city's most expensive rental properties ever, the 45th-floor apartment boasts four bedrooms and stunning near 360 degree views from its floor-to-ceiling windows
For the kids: While bedrooms occupy the top floor, most of the bottom floor is a custom-built playroom
Looking for interest: The estate agents said they have had 'quite a few enquiries about this property since we put it up for rent but have yet to find a tenant'
Washing the dishes: The view from the kitchen in the astonishing 45th-floor apartment in Manchester
Study: The office of the Manchester home, which was first put on the market with an asking price of £4million
It also features a bathroom themed on Disney’s Little Mermaid, while children’s bedrooms come with fairytale castle wardrobes.
The 5,000sq ft apartment, named The Orchid Suite, has five parking spaces.
Former Manchester United and Everton player Neville, now retired, paid £3.1million for the property and moved there in 2006 with his wife Julie and their two children. The family moved to a £4million Cheshire mansion in 2011.
Thought to be one of the city’s most expensive rental properties ever, the 45th-floor apartment boasts four bedrooms and stunning near 360 degree views from its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Neville, 36, a former England defender who retired from football after leaving Everton at the end of the season, lived there with his wife Julie, 37, and their children Harvey, 11, and Isabella, nine.
Looking out: The boy's bedroom in the astonishing home which has 360 degree views of Greater Manchester
Children's playroom: The couple hope to find a tenant while searching for a permanent owner for the luxury home, which was designed by Kelly Hoppen and features a black and white colour scheme
On the rental market: The flat is being marketed by property management company City Centre Chic, which specialises in finding Manchester's most luxurious homes for footballers and entrepreneurs
Under the sea: The Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo-themed children's bathroom in Neville's apartment
For a princess: This bedroom has 'Isabella' carved in to the bed headboard (left) and a walk-in wardrobe (right)
Queen of the castle: The walk-in wardrobe in the girl's bedroom of the Manchester home with the doors open
The apartment also has his-and-hers dressing rooms and chutes which connect each bedroom’s laundry baskets to the utility room below.
And while bedrooms occupy the top floor, most of the bottom floor is a custom-built playroom, created for Harvey and Isabella.
The flat is being marketed by property management company City Centre Chic, which specialises in finding Manchester’s most luxurious homes for footballers and entrepreneurs.
It has already had one star occupant - music mogul Simon Cowell, 53, who rented it while filming Britain’s Got Talent in Manchester.
Family: Photographs of Phil and Julie Neville's children Harvey, 11, and Isabella, nine, can be seen on the wall
Glamorous property: Jennie Platt, founder and managing director of property management company City Centre Chic, said the flat is 'definitely the most expensive apartment we have ever marketed'
What a view: Named The Orchid Suite, the home is described as '5,000 sq ft of pure luxury' by the estate agents - and even comes with five parking spaces
Memorable moment: Photographs of the Nevilles meeting Gordon Brown at Downing Street on a hallway wall
Impressive: Miss Platt described the home in Manchester city centre as being 'like a mansion in the sky'
Switched on: Control panel for the high-end 'intelligent' lighting system installed in all rooms of the home
Manchester skyline: The flat includes a chandelier hanging over a spiral staircase, enclosed balcony areas, a gym, studio, limestone flooring, 'intelligent' lighting schemes and a shower which doubles as a steam room
Founder and managing director Jennie Platt said: ‘This is definitely the most expensive apartment we have ever marketed - it’s like a mansion in the sky.
'This is definitely the most expensive apartment we have ever marketed - it’s like a mansion in the sky'
Jennie Platt, City Centre Chic
‘This is in a prime location and on another level of luxury. We have had quite a few enquiries about this property since we put it up for rent but have yet to find a tenant.
‘Because of the transfer window, this is one of the busiest times of year for us in terms of new players, managers and football executives coming to Manchester.’
Neville spent almost £4million on a palatial new home in Cheshire’s sought-after village of Hale in the heart of Footballers’ Wives country, it was revealed in August 2011.
The six-bedroom detached new-build mansion was on the market with local agents Gascoigne Halman and includes a cinema, gym, sauna, steam room and large garage.