16 Most Famous Houses in Palm Springs (With Picures)

Palm Springs is a famous resort town in California and as well as being a popular vacation destination for the stars, plenty of TV, film, and sports stars, as well as political and business names, have made the town their home. You can barely walk 100 yards without falling over a celebrity or former celebrity pad.

Below are 16 of the most famous houses in Palm Springs, including the house where Elvis honeymooned and a former rat pack’s home that can be rented by the night to give you a feel of what it was like to be an iconic star of the 1960s.

The 16 Most Famous Houses in Palm Springs

1. Kaufmann Desert House

Edgar J. Kaufmann is best known for his Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania, but the department store magnate also wanted a winter retreat in Palm Springs. Designed by Richard Neutra as a working machine, as well as a desert retreat, the building was completed in 1949 and cost $300,000, which was a considerable sum at the time.

The house has five bedrooms and six bathrooms, and it has been owned by other stars including Barry Manilow.

2. Marilyn Monroe’s House

Marilyn never actually owned this property, renting it instead, but she did live here, and it is considered one of the more than 40 homes in which the iconic singer and actress lived during her life. It is still quite visible today, even from the road outside.

3. Elvis’s Honeymoon Hideaway

Elvis and Priscilla Presley lived in this house for the first year of their marriage between 1966 and 1967. It was considered a futuristic property at the time with features including a lava rock wall and controls to set the indoor climate and automatic rain. The hideaway also included a pool and tennis courts. It was restored in the 1990s and Elvis fans can pay for a guided tour of the property.

4. Dean Martin’s House

Rat pack member Dean Martin, lived in Dino’s Retreat, along with his wife Jeanne, in the 1960s and 1970s. Martin was the last of the Rat Pack to buy a house in Palm Springs but was known for throwing incredible dinner parties for large numbers of guests. The house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and it also includes a pool and spa and was designed by George and Robert Alexander, a father and son architect pair.

5. Las Palomas

Designed by John Byers and completed in the 1930s, Las Palomas is a 1.5-acre estate sat around a Spanish Andalusian farmhouse. The property recently went on the market for $3.5 million. Grant bought the house in 1954 and it is reported that Alfred Hitchcock was a regular guest at the property, staying in the guest wing.

The list of other guests to have stayed at the property is a who’s who of celebrity actors from the time and includes Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, and Katherine Hepburn.

6. Twin Palms Estate

Commissioned by Frank Sinatra after making his first million dollars, the Twin Palms Estate was designed by E. Stewart Williams. The house became very well known for star-studded parties and it is alleged that Sinatra would fly a flag in the garden to let friends know that there was a party and that they were invited. Today, the property can be rented for a luxury vacation and can even be booked for hotels and other events with guests able to swim in the grand piano-shaped pool and view the hallway of celebrity portraits.

7. Lawford Home

Actor Peter Lawford and his wife, Patricia Kennedy, sister to JFK, also chose Palm Springs as their home. Lawford himself was a member of the Rat Pack until a falling out between him and Sinatra led to him leaving the group. The argument was said to have occurred when JFK told Lawford to end his friendship with Sinatra because of his Mafia ties.

8. Ann Miller’s House

Ann Miller was another famous resident of Palm Springs, buying an existing 1928 property and refurbishing and improving the existing property. The lawn is littered with palm trees and the whole property has a feeling of a lavish retreat.

9. Casa Elizabeth

Casa Elizabeth was once the home of legendary Elizabeth Taylor, the property has three separate guest apartments, an observation deck, and an incredible outdoor pool, and was renovated by Kathy Ireland. It is another property that can be rented for a luxury vacation and that can be used as a wedding venue by wealthy guests.

10. Piazza de Liberace

Bought by Liberace in 1966, this property was once considered a simple, contemporary house. The flamboyant pianist turned the boutique hotel into a five-bedroom house with every room utilizing a different style. Valentino’s bedroom contained furnishings and features from Falcon’s Lair, Valentino’s home. There was also a Safari room and a Persian tent room.

11. Bob Hope’s House

As well as being the former home of one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars, Bob Hope, this property is perhaps one of the most iconic looking in Palm Springs. It has a gravity-defying roof that protects guests while sunbathing by the outdoor pool. Architect John Lautner was said to have been disappointed with the lavish, Hollywood interior, but the property has recently been refurbished to a standard that Lautner would have perhaps been prouder of.

12. Bing Crosby’s Estate

Bing Crosby’s Estate welcomed a multitude of guests, but none more famous than JFK. JFK had been set to stay at Sinatra’s House, arranged by Peter Lawford and his wife, JFK’s sister, Patricia Kennedy. But, JFK was said to have refused and told Lawford to cut ties with Sinatra. In the end, JFK stayed at Bing Crosby’s estate, leading Sinatra to oust Lawford from the Rat Pack. The property has changed hands multiple times since Crosby’s days and is worth more than $4 million today.

13. Steve McQueen’s House

While many of the properties on this list have undergone considerable changes since their heyday as the homes of some of Hollywood’s biggest names, Steve McQueen’s former home has remained largely untouched. Worth nearly $5 million today, the property has a reasonable 4 bedrooms and the same number of bathrooms. It also has a pool and panoramic views of the mountains around.

14. The Elrod House

While Lautner may not have been overjoyed by the design inside the home he designed for Bob Hope, he would have presumably enjoyed the finish given to this property. Designed by Lautner for interior designer, Arthur Elrod, the Elrod House is most recognizable for having been featured in the James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever. It has a concrete dome roof and stunning views over Coachella.

15. Sonny Bono’s Estate

While many residents of Palm Springs may have considered themselves the de facto mayors of the town, Sonny Bono held the position of mayor of Palm Springs from 1988 to 1992 before being elected to congress in 1994. He shared this property, which was recently on the market for $5 million, with his then-wife Cher. The property was built in 1940 for the Gillette razor family and has six bedrooms, two guest houses, a swimming pool, and a tennis court.

16. Gucci’s Mountain Mansion

While the 1960s and 1970s had the Rat Pack and other major Hollywood stars make their impression on Palm Springs, even they couldn’t compare to Patricia Gucci, the British heiress to the Gucci name. The property was originally a one-bedroomed casita, but Gucci bought the home in 1993 and turned it into a 10-bedroom property with 10 bathrooms, guest houses, a movie theater, and a tennis court. It also has a spa and its own hiking trails and was listed nearly 10 years ago for $9 million.

Conclusion

Palm Springs has been home to some of the biggest names in Hollywood, music, and design, and those names have certainly left their mark on the real estate in the town. Today, it is even possible to rent some of these properties for luxury vacations or as wedding venues. Above are just 16 of the most famous houses in Palm Springs but there are sure to be many others that could also make the list.

• See Also: How To Get Rid Of Rat Urine Smell In a Car In 7 Steps (with Pictures)

Featured Image Credit: Jeff Mindell, Shutterstock