ICONIC

There is no shortage of awesome places to stay in Palm Springs, California, but most cannot compare to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Palm Springs House. Located near downtown Palm Springs, the house has earned itself a spot on my favorite places to stay list—right next to Lizzie Borden’s House in Massachusetts (but that’s another story). The house is gorgeous and well taken care of, and one of the most unique things about it is that it has kept the same mid-century modern theme throughout its existence despite updates and renovations.

What it’s really like to stay at Leonardo DiCaprio’s Palm Springs Home

By: K. Hurley, special to ModernToursPalm Springs

I always like to do some research on every famous place I am about to stay, so I did some digging into the history of the home. A great way to learn about places like Leo’s home is to take a tour like thew ones offered by ModernToursPalmSprings.com since they’re fun, easy to do and provide a lot of insider information. I learned renowned Palm Springs architect Donald Wexler initially built the home in 1964 for actress Dinah Shore and her husband at the time, George Montgomery. It is believed that DiCaprio bought the home for $5.3 million in 2014, and rumor has it he sometimes stays here himself.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Palm Springs home is visible yet private

My research of the home indicated it is rather secluded to outsiders and provides a lot more privacy compared to some of the other homes in the area, and it wasn’t wrong. When we pulled up to the entrance in our rental car, I was impressed with how private the home is despite being in such a great area so close to downtown. The home is within walking distance of many shops, restaurants, and bars, so we were able to take brisk strolls in the evenings and take in the beautiful California views. (For context, it was about a twelve minute walk to John Henry’s Cafe, which was so enjoyable that we went twice during our stay.)

Modern architecture with loads of light

Before even entering the home, I noticed all of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that just screamed “mid-century modern” at me. The views from these are unbelievable, as guests can see the surrounding desert landscape and, on clear days, a vast spread of the San Jacinto Mountains. Of course, as I expected, the property is surrounded by palm trees and luscious green landscaping.

I was also very impressed by the various colors and textures scattered perfectly throughout each room in typical mid-modern century style. From greens to oranges to yellows and reds, the house has everything you would expect Wexler to include. Each bedroom and bathroom has its own color theme, and there are intriguing random twists that just seem to “fit,” including the retro-teal cabinets of one of the small kitchenettes.

A kitchen fit for a chef

The website for the home referred to the kitchen as a “deluxe chef’s kitchen,” but it is way more majestic than that. Although there are plenty of nearby dining options, we opted to cook a few meals ourselves. The kitchen is white-themed, formed into an L-shape, which made it easy for a few of us to be in the space at one time. Several options for our morning brews were available, including a Keurig coffee maker, a regular coffee maker, and an espresso machine. We made a visit to Albertson’s grocery store down the street as well as the nearby ALDI to stock up on supplies, and we had a delicious steak meal one night and spaghetti another night.

Bring all your friends: Leo DiCaprio’s house in Palm Springs has 7 bedrooms

The house has six bedrooms, 7 ½ bathrooms, and plenty of other living space, so we were all able to coexist very comfortably during our stay. There is also a 1-bedroom “casita” guest house behind the main home and a “tennis house,” which is situated right next to the huge, lit north-south tennis court where we spent a couple of evenings pretending we were pro-tennis stars (namely the Williams sisters).

Lounge like a celebrity in the canary cocktail bar

Perhaps the area I liked the most was the living room, which has a slew of seating, a beautiful grand piano, and—my favorite part—a yellow-themed cocktail bar. We didn’t have a lot of time to watch TV, but the setup was impressive. The TV in the living room was rather massive (especially compared to the one in my house), and it wasn’t hard to figure out how to use the nifty retractable projector that is tucked into the ceiling.

The home has fireplaces scattered all throughout and out on the patio, which were perfect touches for the cooler evenings. The lit pool, sauna, and heated spa were a huge hit for my group, as we were able to go for a swim and then lounge poolside and catch up with each other. Maid service comes every day to keep the place spotless for guests, and a roomy laundry room is available if needed.

Will I see Leo, or any personal touches?

Although Leo DiCaprio owns the home, I didn’t spot any indication of it. Most celebrity-owned homes in the area have memorabilia from photoshoots, films, or albums scattered throughout, but this home had nothing tying it to Leo. Although it was pricey to stay in the home (around $3,750USD/night), it was beyond worth it, seeing as my group and I had a great time with no distractions and plenty of amenities (and drinks!). Find out more about staying in the home here.