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Inside the lavish £242million 'doomsday' bunker where the ultra-rich elite will retreat if WW3 breaks out

A luxurious members-only 'doomsday' bunker featuring swimming pools, AI-driven healthcare and glamorous suites is set to open in 2026.
Inside the lavish £242million 'doomsday' bunker where the ultra-rich elite will retreat if WW3 breaks out

US-based company SAFE has unveiled plans to build a luxury fortress in Virginia, just14313809r outside Washington in the US, where a $300million (£242million) bunker will house 625 of the world's wealthiest people in the event of a global disaster.

The underground bunker, which has been named Aerie, will offer clients the chance to survive should there be a disaster above ground - though they will need to shell out $20million (£16 million) each to secure it.

Despite being placed in close proximity to The White House in Washington, directors of the new hideout have insisted the location of the build is merely 'coincidence' and has nothing to do with global tensions - and fears of a potential World War Three.

The fortress is just one of a string of similar hideouts built for the ultra-wealthy over the last few years, with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Mark Zuckerberg and Tom Cruise admitting to building their own, or signing up for a spot in one of the posh safety pits.

Clients willing to fork out the hefty price tag will not only have access to the fortress should the world come to an end but will be able to step foot into the pods whenever they feel their 'safety threatened'.

Beyond just memory-foam mattresses and marble floors, Aerie will provide guests with an unmatched set of facilities, including 'AI powered' medical care, countless 'wellness programs' and a perfect blend of 'protection and luxury'.

The hideout is also set to come with luxury gourmet dining facilities, an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge centers, IV therapy rooms, a bowling alley and climbing wall.

The company behind the new construction is SAFE (Strategically Armored & Fortified Environments), a Virginia-based company specialising in secure property designs.

Construction of the vast underground fortress will cost a whopping $300 million (£242million).

According to Director of SAFE’s medical preparedness, Naomi Corbi, the 'impenetrable residence' will emphasise both privacy and security.

She told Realtor.com the 'multifaceted club' will offer its millionaire members the privacy to 'conduct business' while sealed behind 'impenetrable' walls.

It will also offer MediShield illness centres where clients can be treated for ailments and be given lifesaving treatments using AI powered tools.

Describing the centres, SAFE wrote: 'The company’s team of highly specialized medical professionals will deliver the same standards of the White House Medical Unit straight to you.

'The cutting-edge robotic services provide top-tier medical care and emergency response, regardless of location.'

Corbi said the hideout has been designed with 'wellness' in mind to compensate for the growing interest in youth and 'longevity'. Meanwhile, AI powered medical suites will have clients permanently in reach of health professionals.

Each bunker will be built underground except for a rooftop penthouse and members club.

But celebrities and tycoons won't be short of views as thanks to 'interactive walls and ceilings', they will be able to imagine themselves anywhere.

Ms Corbi told Realtor there will be a four-tiered membership available when the construction opens.

She said the lowest tier would be affordable to a 'moderately successful CEO' while the 'Asylum membership' will only be available via invite to those worthy of a gold-standard bunker. Directors at the company are still in conversations over who this will be offered too.

Beyond the Virginia-based bunker, the company has plans to expand their empire of opulent safety hideouts to other parts of the United States.

The company have insisted that plans to build just outside of Virginia are 'strategic' and based solely around convenience - insisting they are not reflective of unrest in the wide political world.

SAFE’s founder and president, Al Corbi, said: 'It’s coincidental, but it’s the wealthiest state per capita. It’s ground zero for the finest demographic for something like this in the world.'

He added that the hideout will 'transform the high-end security space'.

Mr Corbi said the decision to build the high-end hideout was inspired by the brutal death of one of SAFE's customers, who forked out $10 million (£83million) for a custom security system - only to end up being killed when a gunman opened fire at a concert they were at.

He said: 'Imagine you are one of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world and then something unimaginable happens and you’re a regular guy, you have no place to go in the moment.'

He added that merely going to a 'hotel' would be little to offer the same level of sanctuary as Aerie.

According to Ms Corbi, the bunker will be home to some of the company's most famous and infamous clients.

While it will take several years to complete the build, a taster experience of the hideout will be available in 2026, when prospective clients can visit to decide whether to shell out for a room or not.

The company has reportedly received thousands of requests from wealthy figures around the world.

Speaking to Realtor, Ron Hubbard, founder and CEO of Atlas Survival Shelters, who is behind the bespoke underground hideouts of a number of celebrities - including Kim Kardashian, the Tate brothers and Mr. Beast - said he believed 'civil unrest' would be the likely cause of requiring sanctuary.

He added that homes built underground would likely be the standard model for houses over the next few years.

By ALICE WADE

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