Ok, youve made your pile through sheer talent, skill, luck, inheritance and youve acquired the des res of your dreams, would you want to rent it out to the hoi poloi? One can only guess at the motives of the following celebs who have done just that, do they have an urge to demonstrate to the world their tastes and style, or maybe a subconscious need to flaunt their wealth? Or could it be they are short of a bob or two? Probably a combination of some or all the above along with a benevolent streak to share their good fortune with their fellow man, as long as that fellow man has nearly as much dosh as the owner of said des res, staying in the following examples isnt cheap.
Richard Branson: Necker Island Villa, British Virgin Islands
$35,000 a night will get you more than a good sleep in Mr Bransons shack, you get the run of the whole Island too, 74 acres of it. Necker Island Villa is the only property on the island which was uninhabited before Mr Money Bags set eyes on it. Among the former guests whove stayed there are Princes Diana, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Speilberg, its not known if they got mates rates or lost their damage deposits but any clearing up will have been no problem for the eighteen or so staff included in the price. So, round up twenty three of your buddies and split the cost and for just shy of $11,000 you can play tennis, windsurf, snorkel, swim and hire a calypso band for seven days and nights of hedonism.
Mick Jagger: Villa Mustique, Carribean
Richards mate Mick, not to be outdone, has his own island paradise; although he has to share the island with other residents, his villa is probably the most lush. To rent his pile you have to subject yourself to a grilling and pass a suitability to rent test. Mr Jagger personally vets all prospective guests and if you dont pass muster Im afraid youll have to try the Travelodge further down the beach. Divided into six separate living areas, the whole is united by Japanese themed decor, complete with landscaped gardens and a koi pond, dont even think about fishing here or youll have Keith breathing down your neck and youll most likely be fitted for a pair of concrete shoes, possibly designed by Tommy Hilfiger, who frequently slums it here. Micks jeep is included in the price, as are the six extremely discreet and exceptional staff members, who are all adept at peeling grapes.
Ronaldinho: Barra da Tijuca, Rio De Janeiro
Are you browned off with your sofa? are the wanna be football managers down the boozer getting on your nerves, as they pontificate on everything and anything, from the length of shorts to Shearers stubble and the chances of Ecuador making it out of the group stages, is the World Cup Experience in your neck of the woods starting to grate slightly? Well why not get over to Rio now, theres still time. You can rent Ronaldihos pad for $15,000 a night and be in the thick of it. Believe it or not hes advertised his mansion on Airbnb, to try to cash in on the invasion of his country by football nuts from across the globe. For your money youll get a swimming pool, extensive gardens, a childrens playhouse and a stage for music concerts, why not hire the Stones, Micks looking for a place for the duration as hes renting his Mustique Villa out to a party from Slough.
Aristotle Onassis: Christina O (Yacht), anywhere you like
Perhaps you are completely turned off by the World Cup, full stop, and just want to get away from it all. $65,000 a day will get you to the middle of the ocean with not a football in sight. In 1954 Aristotle bought this former Canadian Navy frigate and transformed it, with a serious injection of cash, to become arguably one of the most luxurious yachts ever to grace the seven seas. Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Princess Grace and Winston Churchill have all set sail on her at one time or another and Onassis lived aboard the yacht for twenty years, it was his floating home, so you can bet nothing was overlooked in terms of luxury and convenience. Maybe you wont sail too far though, the fuel is an additional cost at $600 an hour.
Ian Fleming: Goldeneye Resort, Jamaica
James Bond is fictional but the almost $60,000 it will cost you to stay here isnt-yes, its a lot of money, Fleming is pretty good at making things up. Fourteen of the Bond books were written over a twenty year period when the author would spend the winters here getting his head down and meeting deadlines. Theres always been an air of luxury and wealth surrounding James Bond, perhaps inspired in part by the elegance and sophistication of this beautiful residence. The outdoor terrace overlooking a sandy cove and the sparkling ocean beyond, the high ceilings and huge windows, the garden courtyard complete with bamboo fencing and tropical foliage must have played a part in the creation of the Bond lifestyle, many a Martini must have been prepared here to sip on the terrace, shaken, and not stirred.Sometimes outside the James Bond scenario “shaken, not stirred” is used to mean “having had a shock but not suffering lasting mental effects from it”, exactly the effect when you write the cheque for a weeks stay here.
