Hawaiian Tropic founder Ron Rice’s breathtaking Florida home has gone on sale for just $5 million.
The suntan magnate had the extravagant Ormond Beach home built in 1987 and this is the first time it has ever been put on the market following his death at age 81 in 2022.
Rice’s palatial 12,000-square-foot oceanfront home, which is listed for $4.99 million, features two outdoor pools, a disco dance floor, and plenty of ’80s glamour.
Rice, who was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, used his knowledge as a high school chemistry teacher to create the house brand by mixing the first Hawaiian Tropic prototype concoctions in a 20-gallon garbage can in his garage.
He first started the company in 1969 and grew it into an empire before selling it in 2007 for $83 million.
The Florida sunscreen magnate’s old home, built in 1987, has hit the market for a whopping $4.99 million
There is a lavish turquoise split staircase in the center of the lavishly decorated main room and lots of antique furniture
Rice’s palatial 12,000-square-foot oceanfront home features an indoor pool with huge angel statues and two outdoor pools
A mural of a mermaid graces the wall in a bathroom, illustrating the magnate’s signature style and extravagant 1980s glamor
Rice fell in love with Florida’s ocean shores and the sun and sand lifestyle while on a family vacation in the 1940s.
His four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence has 200 feet of ocean frontage, with sweeping and unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Rice’s extravagant lifestyle is evident in his old home. A custom mermaid mural adorns the wall in one bathroom, while another features a marble bathtub and mirrored ceiling.
Many of the walls feature bold striped wood paneling, the kitchen has a huge eat-in-style breakfast bar, and there’s a lavish turquoise split staircase in the center of the sumptuously appointed main room.
Rice helped promote the lotion by sponsoring bikini contests and the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International model search
One of the five bathrooms on the expansive Florida estate features a marble tub and mirrored ceiling
One of the many bathrooms in the Florida complex also features marble floors, mirrored walls and theatrically lit sinks
Turquoise and wood accents are featured throughout the home, which has uninterrupted views of the sandy beach below
Heavily draped curtains adorn the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Florida beach below.
Not to mention the marble indoor pool with built-in bridge and huge angel statues, or bedroom suites with private balconies.
The party palace is also equipped with a disco dance floor, spacious formal dining room, indoor and outdoor bars, and two outdoor pools – perfect for lavish parties and endless entertainment.
The sprawling estate is packed with Rice’s eccentric art collection, including wildlife sculptures, eccentric antique furniture, and countless framed photographs of bikini-clad models, beauty queens, and the tycoon’s famous friends.
The sprawling estate is filled with Rice’s eccentric art collection, including photos of beauty queens and wildlife
The kitchen features a huge diner style breakfast bar, wood paneled walls and views of Ormond Beach below
Built for Rice in 1987, the luxurious four-bedroom, five-bathroom residence has 60 feet of ocean frontage
Many of the walls feature bold striped wood paneling in the house where Rice often threw lavish, decadent parties
Working as a chemistry teacher, Rice first began experimenting with making suntan lotion by mixing a combination of fruit oils in a 20-gallon garbage can in his garage.
He sold the first bottle of the signature coconut-scented suntan lotion in 1969, and within a few years had a factory in Ormond Beach and was selling Hawaiian Tropic worldwide.
Rice helped promote the lotion by sponsoring bikini contests and the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International model search. He famously said, “Suntan is sex. That’s what it all comes down to. Sex and vanity.’
Hawaiian Tropic grew into a business empire – reporting net sales of more than $110 million in 2006, and Rice sold the company to Playtex for $83 million in 2007.
Rice’s glamorous lifestyle is evident in the 1980s style of many of the rooms, including one of the four bedrooms
The decadent Florida home a few miles north of Daytona Beach has stunning and unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean
Many of the mansion’s walls feature bold striped wood paneling adorned with Rice’s extensive collection of art and antiques
The house is packed from floor to ceiling with Rice’s art collection, including many photos of beauty queens and models
As his business grew, Rice befriended celebrities such as Hugh Hefner, the Beach Boys, and even Donald Trump – with many famous faces frequenting the lavish parties he threw at his home.
Trump’s second wife, Marla Maples, was a former Hawaiian Tropic contestant.
Rice’s former home is just a few miles north of Daytona Beach – famous as a prime destination for spring break revelry.
The area has also reportedly been home to other celebrities such as John Travolta, Olympian Ryan Lochte, and John D. Rockefeller.
This is truly a unique opportunity to own a piece of Ormond Beach history where celebrities, dignitaries and even former presidents have gathered,” says the listing of the property with Bill Navarra of Realty Pros Assured.