Slideshows

Celebrity Escape Homes

Celebrity Getaway Homes

In this paparazzi age, celebrities aren’t even close to safe when they leave Hollywood for vacations. Anyone with an Internet connection or anyone who has waited on a supermarket checkout line is bombarded with images of stars romping in the waves on tropical shores, with captions judging their levels of fitness or lack thereof. Once in a while there is an actual noteworthy event to mention, other than “so and so tried to enjoy a beach vacation with his loved ones while photographers took grainy
Photo: virginlimitededition.com

In this paparazzi age, celebrities aren’t even close to safe when they leave Hollywood for vacations. Anyone with an Internet connection or anyone who has waited on a supermarket checkout line is bombarded with images of stars romping in the waves on tropical shores, with captions judging their levels of fitness...or lack thereof.

Once in a while there is an actual noteworthy event to mention, other than “so and so tried to enjoy a beach vacation with his loved ones while photographers took grainy photos with long lenses.” When one prominent figure’s private island retreat recently made international headlines, it was time to take a closer look at these getaways with a good old-fashioned celebrity real-estate slideshow. 

Hollywood types like to vacation in Malibu, but the following homes are located all over the place—the Caribbean, ski destinations, the downeast coast of Maine, and upstate New York. Oh, and some of them are, in fact, in Malibu.

By Colleen KanePosted 25 August 2011

Sir Richard Branson

Location: Necker Island, British Virgin IslandsValue: from $54,500 per night for exclusive useBedrooms / Baths: 14 / unavailableSquare Footage: unavailableIf Sir Richard Branson’s island retreat looks familiar, it may be because the charred version of its great house recently made news. Actress Kate Winslet, who was staying there, had to make an heroic escape from the escape home, in the process.The compound, on a 74-acre island Branson has owned since 1978, is comprised of the great house and
Photo: Virginlimitededition.comInset: Virgin.com

Location: Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
Value: From $54,500 per night for exclusive use
Bedrooms / Baths: 14 / unavailable
Square Footage: Unavailable

If Sir Richard Branson’s island retreat looks familiar, it may be because the charred version of its great house recently made news. Actress Kate Winslet, who was staying there, had to make an heroic escape from the escape home, carrying out Branson’s 90-year-old mother in the process.

The compound, on a 74-acre island Branson has owned since 1978, is comprised of the great house and six Bali houses. The great house is like an upscale thatched beach hut, with vaulted exposed beam ceilings and doors opening up to the aquamarine ocean. Other amenities of this resort-like property, which is available to rent, include an outdoor hot tub, an enormous roofed dining terrace, an exercise room and a spa with water views, infinity pools, an outdoor bar, hammocks, a tennis court, floating trampoline, and a mini submarine, the Necker Nymph.

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell

Location: Malibu, CaliforniaValue: $14,749,000Bedrooms / Baths: 4 / 5 Square Footage: 4,300Goldie and Kurt have previously offered their Balinese-styled getaway home on the celebrity-studded Broad Beach for rent in the summers for $95 grand a month, and now it’s   or for rent at a reduced rental price of $80,000. Reduced or no, it’s still a lot of scratch. What would the renter or purchaser get for all that? It includes three suites (the master bath has a Chinese onyx spa-inspired bath), a media
Photo: Realtor.com

Location: Malibu, Calif.
Value: $14.75 million
Bedrooms / Baths: 4 / 5
Square Footage: 4,300

Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have previously offered their Balinese-styled getaway home on the celebrity-studded Broad Beach for rent in the summers for $95,000 a month, and now it’s it's for sale, or for rent at a reduced rental price of $80,000. Reduced or not, that's still a lot of scratch. What would the renter or purchaser get for all that? The home includes three suites (the master bath has a Chinese onyx spa-inspired bath), a media room, a designer kitchen, plus a guest house with meditation or guest room, and a workout room.

Kelsey Grammer

Location: Avon ColoradoValue: $7,900,000Bedrooms / Baths: 6 / 8Square Footage: 8,500Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you wanna go where nobody knows your name. Or maybe not, because the former Cheers star is his enormous mountain ski retreat that was once featured in . Grammer has been on TV much longer than he’s been a skier—he’d only been at it for about two years when he bought the house. In addition to the wine cellar, stone flooring, vautlted ceilings, nanny quarters, and deck, the
Photo: Realtor.com

Location: Avon, Colo.
Value: $7.9 million
Bedrooms / Baths: 6 / 8
Square Footage: 8,500

Wouldn’t you like to get away? Sometimes you wanna go where nobody knows your name. Or maybe not, because Kelsey Grammer, the former "Cheers" TV show star, is selling his enormous mountain ski retreat that was once featured in Architectural Digest.

Grammer has been on TV much longer than he’s been a skier—he’d only been at it for about two years when he bought the house. In addition to the wine cellar, stone flooring, vaulted ceilings, nanny quarters, and deck, the structure’s building materials have an intriguing history. The hardwood was salvaged from an 18th-century Chicago warehouse.

Martha Stewart

Location: Mount Desert Island, MaineValue: Unavailable, but see below comment regarding purchase priceBedrooms / Baths: unavailableSquare Footage: 35,000
Photo: Marthastewart.com

Location: Mount Desert Island, Maine
Value: Unavailable, but see below comment regarding purchase price
Bedrooms / Baths: unavailable
Square Footage: 35,000

It’s well known around Seal Harbor that Martha Stewart has been a summer resident for more than a decade. Her getaway home on 63 acres, Skylands, was originally built for automobile tycoon Edsel Ford in 1925, with grounds designed by Jens Jensen. Martha is only the third owner, and told The New York Times,  “I won't even say the price, but you can say it was one of the best purchases of property since the Louisiana Purchase.”

That bargain included the cars and original furniture. Even the refrigerators are original, and in the same article Stewart reports they are working just fine: “You can put a whole cow in them. They're fabulous.” We could tell you more about the property here, or you can see every detail and photo one superfan blogger has managed to gather.

The following Skylands detail is unsubstantiated Internet fodder, but entertaining nonetheless: One unflattering account of Stewart's wrath on trespassers mentions that the stones on Skylands’ pink granite drive are annually removed, washed, and then replaced.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne

Location: Malibu, CaliforniaValue: $9,500,000Bedrooms / Baths: 5 / 5Square Footage: 4,500Ozzy and Sharon are unloading a bit of real estate lately, such as their home featured on their reality series (sold to Christina Aguilera) and they’ve also listed their main residence, a mansion in Hidden Hills, California. They have been trying to sell or rent out this midcentury for years, formerly listing the rent at rates as varied as $25,000 and $40,000. It has a library (?), walk-in closets, security
Photo: Realtor.com

Location: Malibu, Calif.
Value: $9.5 million
Bedrooms / Baths: 5 / 5
Square Footage: 4,500

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have been unloading a bit of real estate lately, such as the home featured on their reality series—later sold to Christina Aguilera—and their main residence, a mansion in Hidden Hills, Calif. The couple have been trying to sell or rent out this midcentury beachfront home for years, formerly listing the rent at rates as varied as $25,000 and $40,000. It has a library, walk-in closets, security features, and multiple beachfront decks and terraces.

John Leguizamo

Location: Kingston, New YorkValue: $835,000Bedrooms / Baths: 4 / 3 Square Footage: 2,612Comedic performer John Leguizamo’s upstate New York lakefront retreat on nearly 8 acres is an Italian crafted frame house made of cut stone. The has cathedral ceilings, wide-plank floors, interesting architectural detailing, an in-ground pool, updated appliances, and a two-bedroom cottage for guests or a caretaker.
Photo: Realtor.com

Location: Kingston, N.Y.
Value: $835,000
Bedrooms / Baths: 4 / 3
Square Footage: 2,612

Actor John Leguizamo’s upstate New York lakefront retreat on nearly eight acres is an Italian crafted frame house made of cut stone. The house has cathedral ceilings, wide-plank floors, interesting architectural detailing, an in-ground pool, updated appliances, and a two-bedroom cottage for guests or a caretaker.

Jerry Seinfeld

Location: Telluride, ColoradoValue: $18,300,000Bedrooms / Baths: 11 / 12.5Square Footage: 14,200Jerry Seinfeld’s massive Telluride compound on nearly 27 acres is being offered fully furnished. The renovated circa-1991 mansion has a wet bar, lofts, and a guesthouse. As for those beautiful natural surroundings, outdoor features include a 5,500 square-foot deck, which is an expanse bigger than many people’s actual homes (“What is the deal with that?”) hiking trails and a creek, and views of Sunshin
Photo: Realtor.com

Location: Telluride, Colo.
Value: $18.3 million
Bedrooms / Baths: 11 / 12.5
Square Footage: 14,200

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s massive Telluride, Colo., compound on nearly 27 acres is being offered fully furnished. The renovated circa-1991 mansion has a wet bar, lofts, and a guesthouse. As for those beautiful natural surroundings, outdoor features include a 5,500-square-foot deck, which is an expanse bigger than many people’s actual homes. (“What is the deal with that?”) The property also includes hiking trails and a creek, and views of Sunshine and Wilson Peak.

George H.W. Bush and Family

Location: Kennebunkport, MaineValue: unavailableBedrooms / Baths: 9 bedroomsSquare Footage: unavailableThe Bush Compound is easily the most famous Presidential property north of the Kennedy Compound. It’s been in the family for over a century. Other names for this estate include Point Vesuvius, Walker’s Point, and in more recent times, The Summer White House. In addition to the central house, the compound includes a four-car garage, a pool, a tennis court, a guesthouse, a sporting field, and var
Zollernalb | Wikipedia.org

Location: Kennebunkport, Maine
Value: Unavailable
Bedrooms / Baths: 9 bedrooms
Square Footage: Unavailable

The George H.W. Bush Compound is easily the most famous presidential property north of the Kennedy Compound. It’s been in the family for more than a century. Other names for this estate include Point Vesuvius, Walker’s Point, and in more recent times, The Summer White House. In addition to the central house, the compound includes a four-car garage, a pool, a tennis court, a guesthouse, a sporting field, and various patios, docks, and decks.