14 Most Famous Celebrities Owned Resorts

Movie stars and musicians have branched out from their primary careers to become owners of hotels, inns and resorts around the world. Here are 10 places to stay where you’re sure to feel like a celebrity.

Bedford Post Inn

Actor Richard Gere and his wife, Carey Lowell, restored an 18th-century house and barn into a small luxury hotel called the Bedford Post Inn, which opened in July 2009. Located in the tony enclave of Westchester, N.Y., just 45 minutes from Manhattan, the inn has eight guest rooms, an on-site gourmet restaurant and yoga and meditation studios frequented by Gere.

Palazzo Versace

Donatella Versace’s glittering Palazzo Versace in Queensland, Australia, is as stylish and chic as you’d expect from a fashion designer. White, stately Italian columns and palm trees under the Gold Coast sun lure sun-seekers from around the world.A popular surfing beach nearby is a bonus, but there’s also a warm-water lagoon pool and beach at the hotel itself. Want a more private water experience? Book one of the condos with a plunge pool.

Ulusaba Safari Lodge

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has developed a luxurious private game reserve, Ulusaba, near the border of Kruger National Park in South Africa. When you’re not traveling by Jeep looking for lions,  buffaloes, leopards, elephants and rhinoceroses, you can kick back in style in the reserve’s two lodges, built high on hills with amazing views.For extra fun, walk on swinging bridges between the treehouse-style rooms of the Safari Lodge. Tennis, swimming and a spa are also available, as is a daily bush walk for those who really want to get up close to wildlife.

Vermejo Park Ranch

This wilderness area near the New Mexico-Colorado border has been a recreational retreat since 1902 and over the years has been host to President Herbert Hoover, director Cecil B. DeMille and actor Douglas Fairbanks, to name just a few. CNN founder Ted Turner purchased the 920 square miles around Vermejo Park Ranch in 1996 and began multiple conservation programs designed to reintroduce endangered species and restore forest and prairie ecosystems.Today, visitors can see herds of elk, bison, antelope and deer — as well as their predators, bears and mountain lions — in their natural habitat. The ranch caters to nature-lovers, fishermen and hunters out to bag an elk, deer or bison.

Eleven Cadogan Gardens Hotel

Located near the River Thames and Hyde Park in the Knightsbridge district of London, Eleven Cadogan Gardens Hotel (or No. 11 to those in the know), is a chic, 60-room, private club and hotel owned by actress Elizabeth Hurley. Luxury features include claw-foot tubs, Victorian-era furnishings, private dining and a chauffeur service through which you can ride in style in a Rolls-Royce or Bentley.

Twin Palms

Singer Frank Sinatra originally requested that his architects build his Palm Springs, Calif., house with lots of opulent columns, but they talked him into this more casual “desert-appropriate” home. He lived in the home from 1947 to 1957, years that saw many ups and downs in his personal life, including a divorce from his first wife, Nancy, and his marriage to and divorce from Eva Gardner. Through it all, it was a refuge for Sinatra and the Hollywood elite.True to Sinatra’s style, Twin Palms remains a fabulous house for entertaining. Visitors can now stay overnight at the estate, sleep in the master bedroom — secluded from the rest of the house for privacy — swim in the pool and soak up the sun and desert mountain views.

The Greenwich Hotel

When a vacant lot opened next to his office in New York City’s Tribeca neighborhood, actor Robert De Niro seized the opportunity and created The Greenwich Hotel, which opened in 2008. De Niro, who co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival and the film studio Tribeca Productions, among other ventures in the lower Manhattan neighborhood, wanted to build a property that represented the historic architecture of the area. The result is an eight-story building housing 88 rooms and suites. Reclaimed wood was used for the floors and doors, and the spa features a 250-year-old pine-and-bamboo house transported from Kyoto, Japan, which was reconstructed in the building

Terrace Beach Resort

The Terrace Beach Resort in Ucluelet, British Columbia, Canada, is a collection of waterfront cabins surrounded by evergreen forest. Actor Jason Priestley and his family opened this haven on the rugged southwestern coast of Vancouver Island, on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Popular with surfers, hikers, whale watchers and storm watchers, the cabins and rooms, starting at $99, offer in-room spa treatments and modern amenities such as kitchens and hot tubs.

The Clarence

Rock stars don’t have a great reputation as hotel guests, but evidently they make fine hotel owners. As young band mates in the 1970s, U2’s Bono and The Edge, among other artists, musicians and writers, frequented the Temple Bar district of Dublin. By 1992, The Clarence hotel, on the banks of the River Liffey, had fallen into ill repair, so the pair bought and restored its 50 rooms.

Jardin Escondido

Director Francis Ford Coppola not only has a thriving winery in Geyserville, Calif., he has a handful of hotels around the world, including Turtle Inn in Belize and La Lancha in Guatemala. Perhaps his most intimate hotel is Jardin Escondido in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a garden retreat with just seven bedrooms. It also features a solar-heated pool, an outdoor kitchen and multiple levels of gardens.Even though the bustling and fashionable neighborhood of Palermo Soho is just outside the front door, the hotel is so secluded that Coppola himself occasionally comes here to write.

Mission Ranch

The Mission Ranch, on California’s Monterey Peninsula, was bought and restored by Academy Award-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood in 1986. The barn dates back to the 1850s, and the 22-acre ranch was the site of one of California’s first creameries. It is adorned with gardens, cypress and eucalyptus trees and has sweeping views of the surrounding meadows and coastline.

Sundance

In 1969, actor Robert Redford bought a Utah ski resort with a vision of creating a community for environmental conservation and artistic experimentation. Today, this year-round resort, Sundance, is popular for skiing, hiking, fly-fishing and horseback riding. Redford has become practically synonymous with Sundance, which is also the name of the independent film festival he founded in nearby Park City, as well as the character he played in the 1969 film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

Cardozo Hotel

The Art Deco Cardozo Hotel in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood is owned by singer Gloria Estefan and her husband, Emilio Estefan Jr., who helped refurbish the iconic, 1930s beachfront building.

Gaia Retreat and Spa

Musician Olivia Newton-John is co-owner of the Gaia Retreat and Spa on Australia’s New South Wales coast. Set in the lush, rolling hills around Byron Bay, this relaxing retreat opened in 2005 and offers classes on fitness and well-being in addition to a full-service spa.

Pocket-Sized Pico Projectors

Microvision Releases the Second Generation Projector

Microvision’s new ‘SHOWWX+’ projects bright images from any smartphone and mobile device to offer an ultimate big screen experience. This second generation pico projector is powered by a ‘PicoP’ display engine that uses special laser-scanning technology to give a brighter picture.

`SHOWWX+’ can be connected to a smartphone and any similar handheld devices with a cable and it’s also compatible with camcorders and cameras. The ‘SHOWWX+’ rechargeable and replaceable battery makes the pico projector even more efficient.

The Best US Cities for Starter Homes

  With depressed prices across America’s real estate market, many first time home buyers are in a position to purchase a home that will rise in value over the long term. But since every local market is different, some places are significantly better than others for starter homes.


To understand the country’s best cities for first time buyers, real estate website Zillow.com analyzed data from 125 local markets, comparing median home values, average mortgage payments as a percentage of household income (affordability) and improving trends in home prices.

In addition to the housing data, the unemployment rate and overall cost of living was taken into account, with cost of living data from demographer Bert Sperling’s Best Places, which uses 100 to denote the national average. For example, if a city has a cost of living of 90, it costs a resident 10% less to live in the area, compared to the country as a whole.

These cities are all highly affordable when average incomes are taken into account, and also have an employment landscape that is much more favorable than the rest of the country, making them prime locations for those looking to buy their first home.

So, what are the best US cities for starter homes? Click ahead to find out!

 1. Augusta, Georgia
Zillow median home value: $107,900
Month-over-month change: +0.42%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $524.17
Mortgage payment as % of income: 14%

Unemployment rate: 9.3%
Cost of living: 77.4

The best US city for starter homes, Augusta has now seen four consecutive months of significant monthly appreciation, but median home prices remain very low, at less than 60% of the national average, providing a good opportunity for first time home buyers.

Although Augusta home prices have decreased 5.63% since this time last year, trends in recent months show significant upward movement, signaling that the city has just come off the bottom.

In addition to having an unemployment rate that is better than most of the nation, Augusta’s cost of living is 22.6% lower than the national average, while home buyers can expect to devote only 14% of their annual income to paying off their mortgage. 

 2. Dayton, Ohio

Zillow median home value: $102,300
Month-over-month change: -0.03%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $496.96
Mortgage payment as % of income: 12%

Unemployment rate: 11.2%
Cost of living: 76.70

In Dayton, the monthly rate of decline has shrunk significantly over the past 7 months and has dropped to less than -0.10% for the past three months. Although home prices are still decreasing slightly, overall home values are among the lowest on this list, while buyers can expect mortgage payments to only take up 12% of their annual income.

 3. Tulsa, Oklahoma
Zillow median home value: $117,400
Month-over-month change: +0.29%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $570.32
Mortgage payment as % of income: 15%

Unemployment rate: 7.5%
Cost of living: 79.3

Tulsa has now seen five consecutive months of monthly appreciation, with year-over-year appreciation at 2.39%. Both unemployment and cost of living are also significantly lower than the national average. 

 4. Akron, Ohio

Zillow median home value:$117,400
Month-over-month change: +0.15%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $570.32
Mortgage payment as % of income: 14%

Unemployment rate: 10.1%
Cost of living: 75.2

There have now been four consecutive months of monthly appreciation in Akron, a city where residents enjoy a cost of living nearly 25% lower than the national average.

 5. Spartanburg, South Carolina
Zillow median home value: $105,800
Month-over-month change: +0.26%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $513.97
Mortgage payment as % of income: 14%

Unemployment rate: 11.8%
Cost of living: 78.4

Spartanburg has seen five consecutive months of monthly appreciation, and although the unemployment rate is at 11.8%, the city’s cost of living and median home values are significantly lower than the national average. First time buyers in this South Carolina city can expect to pay about $514 in monthly mortgage payments. 

 6. Utica, New York

Zillow median home value: $100,900
Month-over-month change: +1.07%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $490.16
Mortgage payment as % of income: 13%

Unemployment rate: 7.1%
Cost of living: 88.40

In upstate New York, Utica has seen five consecutive months of significant monthly appreciation, with the most recent month-over-month increase above 1%. Both cost of living and the unemployment rate are much lower than the national average, while median home values stand at just over 55% of the national average.

 7. Cleveland, Ohio
Zillow median home value: $120,400
Month-over-month change: +0.55%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $584.89
Mortgage payment as % of income: 14%

Unemployment rate: 9.3%
Cost of living: 80.7

In Cleveland, there have now been six consecutive months of flat or monthly appreciation, with a positive increase of 0.55% in the most recent month-over-month change. Although unemployment is relatively high compared to other cities on this list, Cleveland’s cost of living is 19.3% lower than the national average. 

 8. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Zillow median home value: $121,100
Month-over-month change: +1.55%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $588.29
Mortgage payment as % of income: 15%

Unemployment rate: 6.4%
Cost of living: 83.1

There have now been seven consecutive months of significant monthly appreciation in Oklahoma City, which also has a relatively low unemployment rate of 6.4%. In addition, median home values are over $60,000 less than the national average in the city.

 9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Zillow median home value: $107,700
Month-over-month change: +0.46%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $523.20
Mortgage payment as % of income: 13%

Unemployment rate: 8.5%
Cost of living: 87.7

Pittsburgh has seen flat or positive monthly appreciation for the past five months, while home prices are at about 60% of the national average of $182,200. With this taken into account, first time buyers can expect to devote only 13% of their annual income to mortgage payments, on average.

10. Des Moines, Iowa

Zillow median home value: $145,700

Month-over-month change: +0.81%

Avg monthly mortgage payment: $707.80
Mortgage payment as % of income: 15%

Unemployment rate: 6.3%
Cost of living: 81.5

For home prices in Des Moines, there have now been six consecutive months of flat or monthly appreciation, with values that are about 20% lower than the national average. In addition, the city has an unemployment rate that is almost half the national average and a low overall cost of living. 

16 Luxurious Celebrity Homes on the Market

Celeb homes As if you need more proof they don't live like us

Extravagance knows no limits for most celebrities when it comes to real estate. From Malibu mansions to Italian villas, they buy it everywhere — and aren't afraid to spend amounts the rest of us can only dream of. Here, in the name of the sin of envy, are some incredible celebrity homes — and just to torture you some more, most of them we've chosen are for sale. Happy house-hunting!

 

Bargains on dream homes 

Glenn Beck

It's perhaps only fitting that Fox News commentator Glenn Beck lives in that most patriotic-sounding of homes, the Colonial. Beck's home in New Canaan, Conn., is for sale — and if anyone doubts he's done well these last few years, check out the asking price for this six-bedroom, 8,700-square-foot manse: a cool $3.99 million. But for a guy who part of America thinks is full of hot air, Beck sure gets chilly: The home has — count 'em — five fireplaces.

 

Glenn Beck angry at rich people

Mel Gibson

"Mad Max" Mel Gibson has been lying low after his bizarre outburst and alleged domestic assault against his girlfriend made the news, but apparently he won't be hiding out at one of his spectacular homes in Malibu, Calif., if he can help it. Too bad — it's a swanky place. The spectacular 2.75-acre Lavender Hill Farm, with its orchards, tennis courts, pool, guest houses and a 5,400-square-foot main house, is on the block for a reported $14.5 million.

 

Schwarzenegger pokes fun at Mel Gibson

Britney Spears

Envy her — but maybe pity her, too: Britney Spears is taking a bath on her Beverly Hills, Calif., home. Spears bought this gorgeous Mediterranean-style villa in early 2007, during the height of her freak-out phase, for a reported $6.75 million. It's now on the market for $4.8 million — a bargain! What do you get? A gated property with a 16,000-square-foot, five-bedroom home, a backyard with a pool and spa and plenty of privacy for your own private meltdowns.

 

Britney Spears to appear on 'Glee'

Farrah Fawcett

As befitting the most famous of the "Charlie's Angels," the Los Angeles home of Farrah Fawcett is one heavenly pad. For sale for $6.49 million, the 1950s home was remodeled and expanded last year after her death from cancer. Among the other amenities: a big yard that leads to an infinity pool and a small vineyard. (So that's what the large wine cellar inside is for.)

Dennis Hopper

Actor Dennis Hopper, who died in May of prostate cancer, was a well-known collector of modern art. So it's only fitting that his compound in Venice, Calif. — now for sale for $6.24 million — is cool and artistic. The spread includes a 4,800-square-foot main house designed by architect Brian Murphy and three two-story condos designed by architect Frank Gehry.

Scott Baio

You loved him in "Happy Days." Now you can own his home. That's right, America: Scott Baio is selling his four-bedroom Los Angeles abode for $2.69 million. Baio has done well for himself: His 4,400-square-foot home has a tennis court, a backyard pool and koi pond and a huge outdoor gazebo with a fireplace. Not bad for a star you haven't heard much of since "Joanie Loves Chachi."

Pete Sampras

In March, tennis great Pete Sampras and his wife, actress/model, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, put their home on the block. But in case you're interested, you'd better get your credit checked. The asking price for the year-old home is $25 million. You do get a lot for your money: The seven-bedroom home sits on 20 acres on a hilltop in Thousand Oaks, Calif. In addition to the 16,000-square-foot contemporary main house, there's a 1,200-square-foot guest house; a detached, 2,000-square foot gym; and, natch, a tennis court.

Rob Schneider

You may remember comedian Rob Schneider from his stint on "Saturday Night Live" or his recent film, "Grown Ups." (Then again, we wouldn't blame you for forgetting his film "Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo.") Now Schneider is selling his 4,600-square-foot Los Angeles home for $3 million. The four-bedroom French Normandy-style home, with its dormer windows, exposed beams and wisteria growing over the front entryway, looks a bit like a fairy-tale cottage. There's also a saltwater swimming pool out back. All in all, nothing to laugh about.

Jesse James

Oh, Jesse James, your fortunes just keep plummeting — but we can still covet your home. The disgraced, cheating ex-husband of film star Sandra Bullock has put this beachfront Sunset Beach, Calif., home on the market — lowering the asking price recently by $1.7 million, to $4.99 million. It's a pretty sweet pad for a family man: The 3,600-square-foot, Mediterranean villa-style home, completely refurbished in 2002, has four bedrooms, a huge kitchen for those family meals and a rooftop pool with a waterfall for the kiddies — a great place to sunbathe. Although Sandra likely doesn't miss Jesse, she's gotta miss that.

The home where Michael Jackson died

Own a piece of (slightly macabre) history. The Holmby Hills, Calif., mansion where Michael Jackson died last summer is for sale for $28.99 million. The massive, 17,000-square-foot home, in the French Chateau style, has plenty of hardwood floors upon which to practice your Moon Walk. There's also a home theater (perfect for special screenings of Jacko's "Captain Eo"); a wine cellar and tasting room; and seven bedrooms — more than enough to house a pet chimp named Bubbles.

George Clooney's former home

You may not be a two-time winner of People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" — but you can pretend you're George Clooney if you can afford his former house. Clooney's former five-bedroom home in the hills of Studio City, Calif., is for sale for $1.25 million. The 3,300-square-foot, Spanish-style home is hidden behind a gate, with great views of Los Angeles and the mountains from a tiled backyard patio with a spa and waterfall.

 

The world according to George Clooney

Josh Groban

You can't sing like golden-throated Josh Groban. And here's another kick to your ego: You can't afford his house, either. But at least you can rubberneck, right? The singer, whose albums include "Noel" and "Awake," is selling his Malibu home for $5.95 million. The 6,100-square-foot home sits on Point Dume, a headland that forms the northern part of Santa Monica Bay. For your $6 million, you get not only a guest house, but a gated community with private beach rights — which is nice when those paparazzi come slinking around.

Nick Lachey

What ever happened to Nick Lachey, former "98 Degrees" singer and ex-hubbie of Jessica Simpson? Well, you may not have heard from him lately, but he's still richer than you. And he's selling his Bel-Air, Calif., estate for $6.8 million. Lachey bought the home in 2006 from Heidi Klum and Seal, according to Big Time Listings. The contemporary, four-bedroom home sits on a knoll, with wraparound views of Los Angeles, its mountains and the ocean. Who knows? Maybe Lachey is trading up: He reportedly has a new single coming out in August.

Joey Fatone

Joey Fatone is looking to move to a more family-oriented neighborhood. The former singer for the boy band 'N Sync and "Dancing with the Stars" finalist has been trying unsuccessfully to sell his gargantuan, 12,700-square-foot mansion in Orlando, Fla., for more than six months, for $6.5 million. Now he's going to put it up for auction, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Maybe Fatone is simply getting tired of walking around the place: At 3,800 square feet, the Sentinel reports, the master bedroom is larger than most Orlando homes — and Fatone reportedly cuts through his 700-square-foot closet to get to the bathroom

Ozzy Osbourne home for rent

The Malibu home of heavy-metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, is back on the rental market. Want to sleep where the man who once bit the head off of bats once slept? It can be yours for $40,000 a month, according to RealEstalker. The couple reportedly bought the 4,500-square-foot, five-bedroom home in 2003 for $5.1 million. The master suite stretches the entire length of the second floor, offering huge views of the Pacific Ocean. But don't fear for the Osbournes' welfare: They sold another one of their homes to singer Christina Aguilera in 2007 for $11.5 million.

 

Ozzy poses as wax figure, scares fans

Lisa Marie Presley home

The only daughter of the King — that's right, good ol' hip-shakin', peanut-butter-and-banana-sandwich-eatin' Elvis — is selling her handsome Los Angeles estate. And for those who think they might be in the market for an exclusive, very private home, Lisa Marie Presley has recently lowered the price by $2 million, to $6.99 million. Graceland this isn't: The country-style estate in Los Angeles’ celebrity-studded Hidden Hills neighborhood has tasteful wood-beam ceilings and hardwood floors; there's even a stable on the three-acre property. No word on whether Danny Keough — the first of Presley's four husbands, who reportedly lives in a guest house on the property — comes with the sale.