House of Fun: 3 Luxury Game Rooms for Entertaining

The click of billiard balls twirling elegant geometries across a scarlet table. The flick of a playing card on green baize in a “friendly” game of Texas Hold ’em—or an equally ruthless round of bridge. The slap and clack of a 50-point domino. The slide of a queen across the chessboard for a rear-rank checkmate. And the neon glow and synthesized stutters emanating from a legacy Ms. Pac-Man arcade cabinet. What shares these lovely sights and sounds? The game room. 

Herewith, Luxury Defined spotlights that special room in a special house, dedicated solely to the creation of recreation: a leisurely leisure space, custom built and kitted out with games galore and entertainment à gogo. 

Game over? Never. Game on!

1.La Choza Beachfront Estate in Hacienda Pinilla, Santa Cruz, Costa Rica

La Choza occupies a prime stretch of oceanfront along Playa Avellanas, one of Costa Rica’s top surf destinations.  

The half-acre property faces west, with direct access to the beach and the famous “Little Hawaii” surf break, all within the privacy and security of Avellanas, a private enclave within the wider Hacienda Pinilla resort. Residents have access to an array of resort amenities: a beach club, golf course, tennis courts, riding stables, and a nature preserve.  

The residence spans 7,000 square feet of elegant living space adorned with locally sourced wood and stone to mirror the tropical environs. Marble floors and cathedral ceilings add a touch of opulence.  

There are first and second-floor reception rooms; a dream gourmet kitchen; an ocean-view game room with a custom-designed pool table and bar; five bedrooms and four full baths, some with outdoor showers; and a separate, self-contained casita. 

The grounds are “zeroscaped” with native flowering plants (requiring minimal water). An expansive terrace offers the perfect vantage point of the spectacular Pacific sunsets and provides ample room for dining and entertaining. The 75-foot-long infinity pool has its very own beachside “playa” with spa jets and a built-in lap pool.  

2. Grand Maison in Midi-Pyrenees, France 

This elegant country house lies on the edge of a village near Toulouse in France’s Midi-Pyrénées department of southern France.  

The symmetries of its stately, ordered stone façade, its tall windows and gently sloping roof are typical of the region’s maisons de maitre, but a rigorous interior renovation added dashing contemporary touches that harmonize with the home’s well-preserved original architecture. 

Within, double-height, double-glazed windows and doors illuminate vast rooms, fully furnished, with an eclectic mix of original paintings and artifacts. The wide main entrance opens to a spacious hall flanked on one side by a lounge (with a monumental fireplace and built-in bar) and on the other by a library/game room with towering oak bookcases and inlaid oak parquet flooring. 

Farther on is the traditional farmhouse-style kitchen, formal dining room, music room, and utility room configured as a “dog’s lounge.” 

Upstairs, the spacious landing flows to four bedrooms, three of them en suite with contemporary fixtures and finishes.   

Ancillary structures include an outbuilding, newly roofed and renovated; a large garage/workshop; and a self-contained cottage. The lawned gardens include a stocked fishpond; a pool with a paved terrace; a covered summer kitchen with a barbecue plancha; and a charming pergola. 

Related: Discover Outdoor Kitchen Trends

3. Dungriffan in Dublin, Ireland 

One of upscale Dublin 4’s largest homes, Dungriffan encompasses 6,405 square feet of living space and an acre of private grounds in the leafy neighborhood of Sandymount.  

Built at the end of the 19th century, this fine red brick residence was extended with great imagination and flair. 

On the main level are several interconnected reception rooms, including a double drawing room, music room, chess salon, and a formal dining room served by a vast gourmet kitchen with an aga, breakfast bar, and pantry. 

A mahogany staircase rises to six bedrooms on the upper two floors, a study, and a custom-designed game room with a full-size snooker table and foosball table. Above is a cozy, wood-paneled snug accessed via a spiral staircase. 

Dungriffan’s gardens are distinctive. At the front, electronic security gates open to a graveled forecourt with boxed hedges, mature trees, and eight parking spaces.

Beyond an arched door in an ivy-clad stone wall is an immaculate lawn, a stone patio, paved walkways, and a pavilion housing a heated pool. 

Searching for a home with a game room? Explore our luxury collection of homes with custom-built recreation spaces here.