US Ambassador to Italy unexpectedly chooses to live on his 252-foot superyacht rather than the official residence

The US Ambassador to Italy has opted to live on his 252-foot superyacht rather than the official residence provided.

Tilman Fertitta was given a 7-acre official residence to stay at, but decided not to live there.

Instead, the Texan billionaire decided to stay put in his $150 million superyacht.

And there’s no need to worry about a commute – as he uses the onboard helicopter to fly to any appointments.

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The US Ambassador to Italy lives on board a 252-foot superyacht

Tilman Fertitta has been the US Ambassador to Italy since May 2025, and has legal right to take up residence in Rome’s historic Villa Taverna.

However, the billionaire restaurateur and owner of the Houston Rockets had different ideas about how he wanted to spend his time in Italy.

Whether or not he’s trading up is a matter of debate.

He is choosing to live aboard his 252-foot superyacht, Boardwalk, instead.

This superyacht is basically a palace on water, so we can’t really fault him for making this decision.

Sure, Villa Taverna has a lot to love – elegant lush gardens, centuries of history, and it’s located right in the middle of the Eternal City.

Previous ambassadors have praised it, with David H. Thorne describing it as a ‘magnificent villa’.

That’s all well and good, but for Fertitta, his superyacht was the way to go.

Taking a closer look at the Boardwalk

The Boardwalk was delivered back in 2021 by Dutch shipyard Feadship.

It perfectly encapsulates the lifestyle of Fertitta, net worth $11 billion.

“It’s one of those things I always wanted and I’ll always have. It isn’t cheap, I can tell you that… every time I walk on it, I tell myself, ‘God, I love this boat,'” Fertitta told an ABC news affiliate.

And after seeing what it has onboard, we don’t think ‘love’ cuts it.

The Boardwalk has a wine cellar, a sky lounge, a gym, beach club, and a full-size pool.

Capable of accommodating 14 guests and a crew of 22, it can reach a cruising range of more than 5,000 nautical miles.

An Airbus H130 helicopter is also onboard the yacht, which he uses to fly to ceremonial events.

However, he cannot fly it to Villa Taverna as Rome’s airspace is restricted, with the only exceptions being Italy’s head of state or the Pope.

It’s hard to say quite where the Boardwalk ranks in the league table of impressive superyachts, but it definitely holds its own.

An Abu Dhabi prince owns a $1.5 billion superyacht fleet, which is probably in a league of its own.

And it’s not ambassadors and princes living it up in the lap of luxury – celebrities like Joe Rogan and Magic Johnson are also living it large out on the open waters.