Extraordinary homes welcome you for a brief encounter
Here at Hot Property, we usually spend our time scoping out jaw-dropping properties for sale, most of them at sky-high prices.
But some of the most unusual and spectacular homes in and around Los Angeles can be had for a lot less, providing you want to spend just a night or two.
Home-sharing and short-term-rental companies are opening up the doors to many well-known homes, allowing tourists and architecture fans to get a small, temporary piece.
Here are five of our favorite rentable homes. They range from affordable to, well, let’s just say an average monthly mortgage payment would t be a lot less.
Chandelier Tree House (Silver Lake)
Average $125 per night on Airbnb
Reverent fans of Silver Lake’s Chandelier Tree gather daily to admire the dozens of twinkling, crystal light fixtures on a century-old sycamore tree on West Silver Lake Drive. Artist Adam Tenenbaum created the magical landmark nearly a decade ago. Taking time and money he would have spent at Burning Man, two years ago Tenenbaum remodeled a backyard cottage into a rental that immerses guests in the neighborhood, his creative workspace and the glow of the tree. Four chandeliers hang in the studio, along with his international travel photography. “When people come to L.A., there aren’t a lot of options to stay in Silver Lake because there are no hotels here,” he said. Now more than 200 guests have booked the space, sometimes, he said, to get a feel for living in the area before buying real estate there.
The Orson Welles Estate (Hollywood Hills)
Begins at $700 per night on HomeAway
Hollywood royalty slept — and worked — here. Film buffs marvel that director Orson Welles owned this Cape Cod-style home when he wrote his masterpiece, “Citizen Kane.” The 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bath home was built in 1928 by Sidney Toler, who played Charlie Chan in 22 movies. Real estate broker and Villaway founder Joe Liebke bought the home from songwriter Paul Williams, who penned several hits there. “For a creative person’s retreat, it’s got some great history,” Liebke said. Guests have included Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and David Bowie. Perched on a private knoll above the Sunset Strip, the property includes a lagoon pool that sits above the house and offers views that many have found quite inspiring.
Saddlerock Ranch (Malibu)
Average $707 per night on Airbnb
It may be the only Airbnb rental that comes with a collection of exotic animals and a view of the Channel Islands. One of two short-term rentals available at Malibu’s Saddlerock Ranch is a recently remodeled four-bedroom log-cabin home across Mulholland Highway at Kanan Road. A working ranch, the 1,000-acre spread grows grapes for Semler and Saddlerock wines and hosts film shoots, weddings and special events on the scenic property. Ranch owner Ron Semler added the new rental to give guests access to overnight accommodations and to offer as an amenity for wedding parties. Guests can visit the ranch’s Malibu Wines tasting room, hear a scheduled concert, reserve a picnic table, wander the expansive grounds or book a ranch wine safari to taste six local wines and interact with zebras, camels, alpacas, bison and a local celebrity, Stanley the Giraffe.
Ravenseye (Malibu)
Average $1,643 per night on HomeAway
Malibu’s world-famous architect Harry Gesner designed and remodeled the wonder that is Ravenseye, a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom residence that feels more like a modern church of nature. Defined by an enormous glass wall interspersed with huge, Gothic arches, the gigantic window captures the expanse of lush landscape and vast ocean. Inside, the 25-foot-high ceiling in the great room is grounded by a mosaic stone floor, eclectic antiques and a new stone fireplace. The owner, a private Londoner, decorated the hillside home with finds from across Los Angeles — industrial lamps, raw-edge tables, mounted horns and an arched, oak entry door. Built for playwright Jerome Lawrence 25 years ago, the structure was fashioned to withstand fire and earthquakes with ultra-thick, insulating walls.
Artemesia (Los Feliz)
Three-night minimum stay from about $29,700 on HomeAway
A historic, 1915 mansion, Artemesia is one of the largest Craftsman homes in America, containing in its 13,290 square feet seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, six massive Batchelder tile fireplaces, a ballroom bigger than most homes, a 40-foot living room, a dining room that seats 40 and an enormous pipe organ by master builder Murray Harris. Sitting high on a secluded, 2-acre hilltop in Los Feliz, the estate is reached via a gated, private road in a celebrity enclave that’s home to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie-Pitt. Owner Leonard Felton spent 25 years meticulously restoring the eco-conscious property and grounds, which include a waterfall, terraces and an outdoor sleeping porch.
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