Grotto a hidden treasure at palace

Boca estate includes theater, 8 balconies

Finding refuge from the unrelenting South Florida sun is a little easier at this Boca Raton estate.

Sitting beside the saltwater pool at this $6.5 million palace is a grotto, complete with a waterfall, that provides plenty of shade and an escape from high intensity solar rays. A Jacuzzi is tucked inside the grotto, while the pool contains a built-in table and seats to enjoy an outdoor meal or watch passing boats on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Located at 879 Coventry St., the home sits on a corner lot and possesses 180 feet of dockage along the Intracoastal, sufficient room to park a yacht (or two). Guests arriving by boat will discover a walkable bridge that spans the pool and connects the dock to the grotto area.

Also found throughout the 6,621-square-foot mansion: six bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms (complete with separate his-and-her master bathrooms), eight balconies, an elevator, card room, wood-paneled library, summer kitchen and three-car garage with a car lift.

The beautifully designed theater room includes a projection screen, surroundsound speakers and seating for seven in reclining leather chairs. A coffered ceiling featuring black insets with small twinkling lights offers the feel of watching a movie under the stars.

Looking inside-out, floor-to-ceiling window panels are strategically placed in a corner of the living room, allowing for views of the pool area and waterway. Warm neutral colors and a fireplace lend a cozy atmosphere to the room.

A rotunda, adorned with a faux stone veneer, houses a spiral staircase leading to the second floor.

Chad Carroll, of the Carroll Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate, serves as the listing agent.

The mansion is in Bel Marra, a luxury waterfront community a short distance from the Boca Raton Inlet that leads to the Atlantic Ocean.

THE CARROLL TEAM/COURTESY Sitting beside the saltwater pool at this $6.5 million palace is a grotto.