Five Spots Where the Celebrities Flock
Shutterbug-shy celebs have one thing in common (besides money) when vacation time comes around: a need for privacy. Let’s face it, insulation from the masses helps. A lotta luxury also helps. When Halle Berry and Naomi Campbell board a private plane and jet off for some R&R to one of the places where they don’t own another home, they check into an exclusive resort where the clientele won’t bat a well-manicured eyelid as they saunter by in a skimpy bikini. If you want to feel that star power—and if your bank account can afford it—take your cue from the music-industry and Hollywood in-crowd and opt for one of these en-vogue destinations of the hip, moneyed, and famous.
Los Cabos (Mexico)
Hotter than a jalapeño, this Mexican resort at the tip of the Baja peninsula is a handy two-hour dash by air from LAX—one reason the Hollywood set has propelled Cabo to the in-spot for a break from the paparazzi. Relaxing and luxe, with just enough Old-World charm and the best golf south of the border, this gorgeous getaway has it all. To emulate Oprah, hop a private jet, head south, and check into a top spa resort such as the ultra-chic Las Ventanas al Paraíso. Lazy afternoons mean spa time à la Jennifer Aniston and powerful margaritas at the Tequila & Ceviche Bar, where former hubby Brad Pitt supped during filming of Troy. Book early for dinner at Charlie Trotter’s C Restaurant (at One&Only Palmilla) and bring in the dawn with some salsa caliente nightlife at rocker Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina (+52.624.143.1188, www.redrocker.com/cabowabo).
St. Barts (Caribbean)
Sexy is an understatement for this sun-kissed speck of an island that seems like a pseudo-extension of the French Riviera. This playground of the rich and famous draws heavily from the New York jet-set and is as relaxing as NYC is taxing. Billionaires George Soros and Ronald Perelman set the tone, arriving by mega-yachts that jam the harbor. Princess Di hung out at fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier’s private villa, and so can you. Wimco specializes in luxe villa and hotel property rentals in the Caribbean and Europe, and has an exhaustive villa selection with rates that start at $2,000 a week. If you prefer a hotel, choose stylish Hotel St. Barth Isle de France (+590.590.27.61.81) and request a room overlooking the glorious beach and azure ocean (Beach Junior Suite #1 is recommended). When models and movie mavens sneak in for breaks, they dine alfresco at Maya’s (+590.590.27.68.91).
Aspen (Colorado)
As cultured as it is fun, Aspen is the ultimate elite winter getaway. At times so many A-listers are on the slopes that it’s surprising there’s any room left for mere mortals. Jack Nicolson, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, and scores of Fortune 500 moguls have homes here. Fortunately, there are no pretensions and unlike many other venues, hoi polloi and celebrities mingle. Here’s an itinerary. Book a five-star suite at The Little Nell, a ski-in/ski-out resort with a stylish vibe. Take a private lesson with Aspen Ski & Snowboard School (1.800.845.7157, www.aspensnowmass.com) to brush away any cobwebs. Head après ski to the de rigueur Sky Hotel’s 39 Degrees Lounge, if you can squeeze in. Or aim high by visiting the exclusive Caribou Club (970.925.2929, www.caribouclub.com), where stratospherically moneyed folks such as Donald Trump wind down after a long day plying the slopes. And if your stock options soar, treat yourself to a meal at Manrico (970.544.5494): think truffles in risotto topped by gold leaf.
Palm Springs (California)
Back in the day, this once-decadent desert oasis was every celebrity’s favorite playground. And now, after two decades in the doldrums, Palm Springs has rediscovered its mojo and reinvented itself as the very definition of retro-cool. On weekends the beautiful people come to indulge in pampering spas, hike the palm-shaded canyons, ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tram, and listen to Frank Sinatra while sipping martinis by the kidney-shaped pool. When only the best will do, L.A.’s hottest hide out at the Movie Colony (1.80.953.5700, www.moviecolonyhotel.com), an embodiment of Palm Springs’ Modernist chic. The spa at Le Parker Meridien is on every Hollywood Palm Pilot for mud wrap indulgence in neo-Greco surrounds. Dinner at Las Casuelas Terraza (760.325.2794, www.lascasualas.com) is a must: we recommend the signature camarones Florencio. And no discerning cognoscenti leaves town without a taste of Rat Pack-tinged hedonism at Melvyn's at Ingleside Inn.
Cannes (France)
Each May, when the “Palais des Festivals” unrolls its red carpet for the film festival and its accompanying Hollywood nabobs, Cannes has more stars than a cloudless night in L.A. But Cannes also lures the well-minted class year-round, when commoners can spot a stiletto-heeled celebrity or two between bouts of shopping and topless tanning. Ferraris and Lamborghinis fly down La Croisette, a street that personifies the vibe of this très chic city, with rows of sleek mega-yachts crowding the harbor. Stars from Antonio Banderas to Pia Zadora rest their heads at the ultra-elegant Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc. And don’t even think of dining before nine, unless you want to miss the more nocturnally prone stars as they come out to preen and play. Neat (+33.4.93.99.29.19) lures the likes of Mark Wahlberg, while other postprandial pleasure-seekers unite at Petit Majestic (+33.4.93-39-94-92), a corner bar that spills celebrities onto the sidewalk.