If you can't be a star, you can at least sleep with them --under their roof we mean.
A number of celebrities have added hotelier to their resumes. And along with their star-studded taste for luxury, demand for quality service and style of the rich and famous, these properties offer guests the chance--however remote--of bumping into the owner.
From Francis Ford Coppola's beautiful Belize retreat, to Clint Eastwood's California ranch, here are 10 celebrity-owned hotels that are worth checking out.
Palazzo Margherita (Bernalda, Italy)- director Francis Ford Coppola
Academy Award-winning director Francis Ford Coppola opened this luxury hotel in March. The 19th century palazzo is located in the Basilicata region near the Ionian Sea, and has seven suites and two garden rooms. Palazzon Margherita is Coppola’s fifth hotel. He also owns Turtle Inn and Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize, La Lancha in Guatemala and Jardin Escondido in Argentina.
Greenwich Hotel (New York City)- actor Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro’s TriBeCa hotel has 88 rooms and suits, as well as Shibui Spa and Locanda Verde Italian restaurant.
Costa d’Este (Vero Beach, Fla.)- singer Gloria Estefan
Grammy-winning singer Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio opened the oceanfront resort in 2008. The hotel features 94 luxurious guest rooms, including four suites, a Cuban-infused restaurant and an infinity-edge pool. The Estefans actually own two hotels in Florida: Costa d’Este and the Cardozo Hotel in South Beach.
Marley Resort & Spa (Nassau, Bahamas)- late singer Bob Marley
The Marley Resort & Spa was once the Marley family’s private vacation home. Now, thanks to Bob’s wife Rita, the house can be enjoyed by fans and visitors alike. Marley resort includes 16 themed suites, the Natural Mystic Spa and a Caribbean restaurant.
Mission Ranch (Carmel, Calif.)- actor Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood, who was once Carmel’s mayor, purchased and restored the 22-acre ranch in 1986. The inn now has 31 hotel rooms throughout 10 buildings. The Restaurant at Mission Ranch is known for its Sunday brunch buffet.
Big Sleep Hotel (Eastbourne/Cardiff/Cheltenham, U.K)- actor John Malkovich
Actor John Malkovich is part-owner of the Big Sleep Hotel mini-chain, which has three locations in the United Kingdom.
The Clarence (Dublin)- singers Bono and The Edge
This landmark Dubin hotel is owned by U2 band members Bono and The Edge. The Clarence features 49 room and suites and the popular Octagon Bar.
Bedford Post Inn (Bedford, N.Y.)- actor Richard Gere
Actor and activist Richard Gere and his wife Carey Lowell own this eight-room inn in Westchester. The Bedford Post Inn, located about 45 minutes from New York City, boasts a yoga studio as well as two restaurants.
Sundance Resort (Sundance, Utah)- actor Robert Redford
Actor Robert Redford’s 6,000-acre Sundance Resort is located at the foot of Mount Timpanagos. Perhaps best known as the home of the Sundance Film Festival, the resort also offers skiing, mountain biking, horseback riding and art classes.
Rival Hotel (Stockholm, Sweden)- singer Benny Andersson (Abba)
The Rival Hotel, which is owned by Benny Andersson, one-fourth of the Swedish pop sensation Abba, was once a cinema. It was reopened as a chic hotel in 2003, and now has 99 rooms, its own film library and a bistro.