Many celebrities – whether actor, musician, director or model – have second callings as hotel owners. For these famous hoteliers, it’s a chance to tap into a passion and showcase their creativity, so expect something special when you check in. After all, big names have big imaginations – and our 10 favourite celebrity hotels offer extraordinary experiences, as well as a glimpse into the lives and loves of their owners.
Clint Eastwood’sMission Ranch Hotel – Carmel, California, United States
Clint Eastwood bought this historic ranch, one of the first dairy farms in California, in 1986 to save the property from becoming a condo complex. The Hollywood star, former Carmel mayor and naturalist restored the farm and turned it into an exclusive hotel with 32 rooms. The sheep were allowed to remain, giving the guests a taste of the 19th-century pastoral life. Mission Ranch Hotel is a wonderful rural idyll that is unparalleled.
Robert De Niro’s The Greenwich Hotel – New York, New York, United States
Robert De Niro is one of the world’s most famous actors, but he’s also made a name for himself as a restaurateur, film festival founder and champion for his hometown, New York City. So it is no surprise he is behind the plush Greenwich Hotel in lower Manhattan. Located in the super-trendy TriBeCa neighbourhood, the hotel is an oasis from the hustle of the city with 88 stylish and individually decorated rooms. As an extra touch of luxury, The Greenwich Hotel features an Asian Shubui Spa with a 250-year-old Japanese bamboo house, gorgeous pool and all-around excellent service.
Bono and The Edge’s The Clarence – Dublin, Ireland
Bono, lead singer of U2, and his guitarist band mate, The Edge, were regulars at the bar of the Clarence House before they decided to buy the place and breathe new life into it in 1992. Situated on the River Liffey near the trendy Temple Bar district, the 49-room Clarence is now a modern and luxurious destination wrapped in a traditional setting. And, of course, its bar – the Octagon Bar – still sits in the same dome on the top floor where Bono and The Edge first fell in love with the hotel, ensuring it draws a steady stream of locals and visitors alike.
Gloria Estefan’s Costa d’Este Beach Resort – Vero Beach, Florida, United States
After years of touring the world as a musician, Gloria Estefan knows what she likes in a hotel. When she and her producer-husband Emilio opened their property, Costa d‘Este Beach Resort, she injected luxury at every turn. Located in the beautiful coastal town of Vero Beach, the resort offers 98 rooms and suites, each decorated in sleek, modern style and stocked for comfort. There is direct access to the beach, of course, as well as a pool, spa and, as should be expected, a restaurant featuring Cuban fare.
Jason Priestley’s Terrace Beach Resort – Ucluelet, British Columbia, Canada
While he is best known for his fictional high-school days in Beverly Hills, Jason Priestley actually grew up on the West Coast of Canada. He keeps his roots there alive by owning a resort with his parents on the southwestern coast of Vancouver Island. The small retreat is made up of cabins and suites laid out like a 1920s fishing village. It pays homage to the local history of the area and offers front-row views for both sunsets and coastal storms. The laidback, pet-friendly, one-with-nature style is the antidote to a big city lifestyle.
Benny Andersson’s Hotel Rival – Stockholm, Sweden
Where, if not in Stockholm, would a former member of ABBA open a hotel? Benny Andersson has come up with an innovative concept for his hotel: You get only what you really need. Instead of chocolates on the pillows and umbrellas in the drinks here, there is all-day breakfast, a pillow catalog, CD collection and PlayStation in every room.
John Malkovich’s Big Sleep Hotel – Eastbourne, United Kingdom
Although this trendy and well-designed hotel is backed by one of the most famous actors in Hollywood, its focus is on wallet-friendly prices and a good value. In fact, it is the newest in a chain of three Big Sleep Hotels in the United Kingdom, all designed to balance style and comfort with affordability. The rooms are modern and functional, the atmosphere relaxed and cozy, and the full British breakfast priced for a song. The location makes this particular Big Sleep Hotel a winner as it sits beach side in the beautiful and relaxed coastal town of Eastbourne.
Jim Kerr’s Hotel Villa Angela – Taormina, Sicily, Italy
The singer of the band Simple Minds fell so dearly in love with Sicily, Italy that he decided to build a hotel near its fabulous cliff town of Taormina. Each room exudes the vibrant and welcoming Sicilian way of life, and the hotel’s huge terrace provides a panoramic view, from the beach to the foot of the imposing Mount Etna (quite a backdrop for breakfast!). Kerr’s love affair with all things Sicilian means, from the hotel walls to the interior artwork, everything is created from local products, using traditional techniques.
Bob Marley’s Marley Resort and Spa – Nassau, Bahamas
The family of reggae legend Bob Marley called this beachfront retreat home for years. Now guests can have their own chance at island living at this small resort, which offers 16 rooms and suites, a gourmet Caribbean restaurant, and a bar called Stir It Up. Bob Marley’s wife, Rita, who transformed this former governor’s palace first to a family vacation home and then to a hotel, placed great emphasis on equipping the resort with wellness and warmth, along with works of art from Africa and the Caribbean.
Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge – San Ignacio, Belize
In a secluded corner of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve lies this charming 20-lodge resort designed to slide you perfectly into the surrounding natural environment. With a mix of rustic and amenity-filled cabins strewn along a waterfall-fueled river, the property is ideal for contemplating starry nights, relaxing in hammocks, exploring a vast realm of unspoilt nature and embracing the meaning of getting away.
(Images: Mission Ranch Hotel, The Greenwich Hotel, Costa d’Este Beach Resort, Hotel Villa Angela, Marley Resort & Spa, Blancaneaux Lodge, frielp)
