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INSTA KING
DAN Bilzerian is eating salad off a silver platter - unfazed by the group of nearly-naked models, staff and journalists watching him. “What time does the party start?” he asks.
“It started at half 7,” one of his employees replies. It’s 10.45pm. He’s just woken up.
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We are told he’s been napping but, with a steady stream of scantily-clad Instagram models going up and down in the lift to his penthouse suite, it’s unclear how much snoozing was actually going on.
It may be 24C outside, but the 38-year-old’s super king size bed is decked out in fur covers.
A pair of shorts and socks are discarded by the dishevelled, unmade bed. Two gold condoms sit on his bedside table.
There’s a fur-lined throne in the corner. The walls are covered in marble. This is no ordinary London hotel room.
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Bottles of booze are lined up on the table. Beside them, a packet of Cheerios and a GIF machine – where you can immortalise yourself for social media.
An eight-person table, enormous sofa and dressing room are all found in the glamorous master bedroom.
The King of Instagram has splashed out £500,000 on last night's luxury London party, taking over an entire Fitzrovia hotel for the event.
And we’ve been treated to a sneak peek upstairs – where only the most exclusive members of his glamorous posse are allowed.
Dan’s been in town since Tuesday, and apparently jet lag is to blame for his late start.
It’s 2.45pm in the Hollywood Hills, where Dan lives in a plush gated estate, but we let that slide.
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As we’re ushered up to the Penthouse, which costs between £2,600 and £2,825 per night, we’re joined by six of Dan’s infamous Ignite girls.
They’re here to promote Dan’s CBD oil and vaping brand, as well as party with the boss.
Skin tight mini dresses and hair extensions are everywhere. Two of the girls are basically topless, wearing bras with nothing but a jacket to cover up.
Myself and my colleague Becky, who’s here to wing woman me, are the only girls without lip fillers.
I’d guess we’re the only ones without fake boobs too but, unlike Dan, I wouldn’t bet £1 million on it.
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Dan is worth an estimated $100 million (£80 million) – which comes from a combination of family trust funds and high stakes Poker games.
He’s famous for winning, and sometimes losing, big.
The bearded ladies' man, whose excessive lifestyle saw him have two back-to-back heart attacks at 25, once bet £320,000 ($400,000) on a drag race with his lawyer.
As our photographer gets to work, one of the Ignite girls perches on Dan’s lap, his hand protectively cradling her bum.
But, bizarrely, the group hardly speak to each other. The girls spend most of their time scrolling on their phones or applying lip gloss.
While Dan’s more concerned with his grilled chicken dinner than the surgically enhanced beauties in front of him.
He’s a man of few words, although he does offer up: “I love London.”
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Downstairs, dozens of Ignite wannabes grace the dance floor and first-floor terrace of The Mandrake Hotel.
But it’s not just the event spaces Dan has reserved.
Glamorous girls emerge from every room of The Mandrake Hotel – having been put up for a two-night stay by Dan’s team.
They’re flown over on private jets and also join him for yacht parties.
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As we sit in the second floor greenhouse, we’re joined by two Instagram models – who give us an insight into the Ignite recruitment process.
“We got connected through social media, a friend reached out and asked if I’d like to go on a trip,” Taylor-Jade Novoa, 22, tells me.
She’s joined by former school pal Emma Davies, 21. They’ve been flown over from the United States for the party.
The pair are sharing a second-floor bedroom, which overlooks the central courtyard, but we expect there’s a bit of bed-hopping going on.
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Dubbed the 21st century’s answer to Hugh Hefner, Dan has 27.4 million followers on Instagram, and just one tagged picture on his page could lead to thousands of followers for his pampered posse.
When you’re forging a career as an influencer, that translates into serious money.
Taylor-Jade has 89,300 followers. Emma has 167,000.
Much like the Love Island villa, clothing is discouraged on Dan’s publicity trips, with the glam girls wearing thong bikinis and often going topless in his snaps.
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It’s only Emma and Taylor-Jade’s second trip with the Instagram king.
Taylor-Jade adds: “We’re staying in the hotel, we arrived on Tuesday and we leave tomorrow (Friday).
“My first trip was in the Bahamas, it was so beautiful there.
“Dan was really nice, and now I go on other fun trips and work for the brand.
“I’ve only known Dan since March but he’s a good friend to everyone, a very friendly person.
“He’s really nice and mellow, hence the CBD oil.”
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Ah yes, the CBD oil. The party, dubbed Ignited Kingdom, is for Ignite’s UK launch.
Downstairs, a woman dressed as Queen Elizabeth I is smoking a vape.
Aside from that, there’s not much sign of the star product, although the Moet Champagne is free-flowing.
When we’re invited into the VIP area, we stumble upon a room flaunting the oils, but it’s practically empty.
Next-door in the main VIP room, two club-style tables, with plush red curtains, are filled by more of Dan’s girls – and SAS: Who Dares Win host Ant Middleton.
“Do you think we’re weird?” a man I don’t recognise asks me.
He and his girlfriend have just been discussing going to sex parties. I’m not really sure how to answer, so we move on.
There’s an interesting mix of celebrities at the party.
Love Island’s Gabby Allen, Towie’s Pete Wicks and Made In Chelsea’s Hugo Taylor tick off the reality quota.
Sky football pundit, and former Premier League star, Scott Minto is also mingling.
Maria Wild, who you probably don’t remember from her brief stay in Love Island’s main villa this year, was also at there.
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At one point, we spot a woman so beautiful we’re sure she must be Dan’s main squeeze but she introduces herself as Billy-Jo, from Ignite’s PR team.
Everyone in this man’s life is gorgeous, most of them female.
As the night goes on, we’re convinced Dan is going to miss his own party.
But he makes a brief appearance at midnight – before disappearing into VIP with his girls.
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We don’t get a second meeting, having left about 10 minutes before. The party goes on until 1am, but that's a bit heavy for a school night.
It’s been a bizarre night, and I’m left still wondering what really goes on behind closed doors.
But, with dozens of models hanging off his arm, I’m sure there was quite an after party.
'King of Instagram' Dan Bilzerian shows off guns, boobs and babes in new video