Join Lenonardo DiCaprio in Palm Springs

wolfofwallstreet

Palm Springs, the desert city a short drive from LA and known as ‘Hollywood’s playground of the stars’ has been attracting some of the world’s biggest celebrities for years – and Leonardo DiCaprio has just bought a six-bedroom home in the desert resort.

Leonardo is said to have paid £3.1 million for the 1.34-acre desert dwelling in the Old Las Palmas area. Having announced his plans to take a long break after his Oscar-nominated role in The Wolf of Wall Street (above), gossip columnists in the US are speculating that he  intends to spend his free time relaxing at his newest retreat. The house was built by the famed Donald Wexler, an influential architect whose work in Palm Springs helped to develop one of the largest concentrations of mid-century modern architecture in the United States.

The latest in a long line of celebrity home owners in the city, Leonardo’s new lair highlights the enduring celebrity appeal of Palm Springs. The city gained notoriety back in the 1920s when the legendary ‘two-hour rule’ of Hollywood Studios stated that actors under contract had to be within two hours from the studio. Thus Palm Springs became a hideaway for Hollywood’s elite, with famous figures like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra commissioning homes there.

Today sightseers can discover the secluded retreats of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and many more iconic figures on a celebrity tour, stay overnight in one of the celebrity homes or visit classic sights, including Melvyn’s Restaurant where Frank Sinatra had his own table.

In addition, local tour company Desert Adventures recently launched a brand new Gay Icons tour with a key focus on Hollywood history.  On the 90-minute tour, guests can peer into houses that belonged to Cher, Elizabeth Taylor and more, and visit the Warm Sands all-male resort where Hugh Hefner once hid in waiting for his mistresses. Prices for the Gay Icons tour start from £35 per person, including transport and guided touring.

If you want to join Leo in Palm Springs, travel company Travelbag has packages to the resort for £879. The price includes flights with US Airways from Heathrow and five nights’ room only at the 4* Viceroy Palm Springs.  See www.travelbag.co.uk or www.visitpalmsprings.com for more.

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