What types of celebrity-owned hotels and restaurants are included in the list?

The list features a mix of luxury hotels, boutique inns, and fine-dining restaurants owned by celebrities from music, film, sports, and television.

Are these celebrity-owned establishments open to the general public?

Yes, all of the hotels and restaurants on the list are open to the general public, allowing anyone to book a stay or reservation.

How can I find and book a stay or reservation at a celebrity-owned hotel or restaurant?

You can find these properties through standard travel booking sites, the establishment’s official website, or by searching for the celebrity’s name along with the business name.

Are celebrity-owned hotels and restaurants more expensive than similar non-celebrity places?

Prices vary widely; some are comparable to similar luxury establishments, while others may have a premium due to the celebrity association, but many offer standard market rates.

Gordon Ramsay / Wikipedia

Restaurant

Top 10 Celebrity-Owned Hotels & Restaurants You Can Actually Visit

These aren't vanity projects with a famous name slapped on the door. These are hotels you'd book and restaurants you'd eat at even if you didn't know who owned them — but knowing that Robert De Niro is your landlord or Francis Ford Coppola designed your jungle suite makes the mojito taste better. Fame meets hospitality, and your reservation is waiting.

2026147 viewsMar 15, 2026 Updated Sep 7, 2026

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#1
Robert De Niro — Nobu Empire & The Greenwich Hotel
De Niro co-founded Nobu with chef Nobu Matsuhisa in 1994. His Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca ($800+/night) features a Japanese-style penthouse with a private rooftop pool and a subterranean spa built from 250-year-old Japanese farmhouse timbers shipped from Kyoto. De Niro owns several buildings in the Tribeca neighborhood he helped make fashionable. The man who played the Godfather essentially became the godfather of Tribeca hospitality. His black cod with miso has been copied by every fine dining restaurant on Earth.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#2
Francis Ford Coppola — Jungle Resorts in Five Countries
The Godfather director used his film profits to buy properties in Belize (Turtle Inn, Blancaneaux Lodge), Guatemala (La Lancha), Italy (Palazzo Margherita in his ancestral village of Bernalda), and Argentina. Palazzo Margherita was where his daughter Sofia filmed parts of her work. Coppola wines, made at his Napa estate, are served at every property. The man makes movies about empires and then builds actual ones.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#3
Richard Branson — Necker Island ($5,000/Night)
Branson bought a 74-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands for $180,000 in 1978 when he was 28 — the deal of the century. Necker Island now rents for $5,000 per person per night (with a 34-guest minimum for exclusive hire: $170,000 per night for the whole island). It comes with flamingos, lemurs, a infinity pool overlooking the Caribbean, and Branson himself occasionally showing up in a bathrobe. The island burned down twice (2011 and 2013) and was rebuilt both times.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#4
Dolly Parton — Dollywood & DreamMore Resort
Dollywood attracts 3 million visitors annually and DreamMore Resort ($200-400/night) is a 307-room property that feels like staying at Dolly's house — rocking chairs on the porch, Southern comfort food at the restaurant, and Smoky Mountain views from every room. Dolly's hospitality empire employs 4,000+ people in Pigeon Forge and generates $300+ million in annual economic impact. She built a resort destination in rural Tennessee that outdraws some Caribbean islands. DreamMore's spa literally uses Dolly-branded beauty products. It's immersive.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#5
Gloria Estefan — Miami Beach Hospitality Queen
Estefan and her husband Emilio own multiple properties on Miami Beach's Ocean Drive — including the iconic Cardozo Hotel (an Art Deco landmark), Larios on the Beach restaurant, and Estefan Kitchen. The Cardozo is where they filmed scenes for The Birdcage. Rooms start at $300/night with direct beach access, outperforming the average Miami Beach hotel price of $250/night by 20% for a premium oceanfront stay. The Estefans have invested over $100 million in Miami Beach real estate. Gloria didn't just sing about Miami — she bought a significant chunk of it and turned it into a hospitality portfolio.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#6
Robert Redford — Sundance Mountain Resort
Redford bought 5,000 acres in Utah's Wasatch Mountains in the 1960s and built Sundance — a ski resort, arts colony, and the birthplace of the Sundance Film Festival. The resort has 95 rooms ($300-800/night), a working art studio, a glassblowing workshop, and a general store that sells locally made goods. It's intentionally uncommercial — no chain stores, no neon, no crowds. Redford turned a mountain hideaway into a cultural institution that shaped American cinema.
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#7
Pharrell Williams — The Goodtime Hotel, Miami Beach
Pharrell partnered with nightlife mogul David Grutman to open The Goodtime Hotel in Miami Beach's Washington Avenue in 2021. Rooms start at $250/night and feature retro-modern design — candy-striped pool loungers, millennial pink walls, and a rooftop pool that books out every weekend. The lobby restaurant Strawberry Moon became one of Miami's hottest dining spots. It's designed to be Instagrammable from every angle — which is either genius hospitality design or proof that hotels are now content studios. Either way, it works. Occupancy rates exceed 80% year-round in one of America's most competitive hotel markets, outperforming the average Miami hotel occupancy of 72% by 8 percentage points.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#8
Mark Wahlberg — Wahlburgers (200+ Locations)
Wahlburgers — co-owned with brothers Donnie and chef Paul — has expanded to 200+ locations across the US, Canada, and internationally. The A&E reality show Wahlburgers ran for 10 seasons, essentially providing free advertising. Menu highlights: the "Our Burger" ($8.99) with Paul's signature sauce, and the "BBQ Bacon Burger" that food critics admit is actually good. Revenue exceeds $100 million annually, which is 25% higher than the average celebrity chain restaurant's revenue of $80 million. It's the rare celebrity restaurant that works as a chain — not just the flagship. The Boston accent, the working-class brand, the family story — Wahlburgers is the anti-Salt Bae. Affordable, genuine, and expanding.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#9
Lady Gaga — Joanne Trattoria, NYC
Gaga's family opened Joanne Trattoria on the Upper West Side in 2012, named after her late aunt Joanne Germanotta. It's a traditional Italian-American restaurant run by her father Joe Germanotta. Pasta dishes run $22-35, notably $5 cheaper than the average Manhattan Italian entrée. The meatballs are Grandma Germanotta's recipe, and Yelp reviews range from "best Italian in Manhattan" to "overpriced tourist trap" — the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's a genuine family restaurant that happens to have the most famous person on Earth as its silent partner. No gimmicks, no gold leaf, no Gaga branding — just red sauce and family photos on the wall.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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#10
Jay-Z — The 40/40 Club, NYC
Jay-Z opened the 40/40 Club in Manhattan's Flatiron District in 2003 as a premium sports bar for the hip-hop elite. The club has hosted Super Bowl parties, album release events, and served as the backdrop for countless celebrity sightings. It expanded to Atlantic City and Barclays Center. The original location remains a staple of NYC nightlife — if you can get past the door. It's not a restaurant in the traditional sense; it's a $25 cocktail experience where the sports bar concept meets VIP bottle service. Jay-Z doesn't eat there. He collects rent.
source: wikipediaVisit →
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<h2>Frequently Asked Questions About Celebrity-Owned Establishments</h2>

### Do celebrities actively manage their hotels and restaurants?

While some celebrities, like Robert Redford with Sundance, are deeply involved in the day-to-day operations and vision, many others partner with experienced hospitality groups or chefs. Their involvement can range from conceptual input and marketing to more hands-on management, but it's rare for them to be personally overseeing every aspect.

### Are celebrity-owned hotels and restaurants typically more expensive?

Not always. While some, like Richard Branson's Necker Island, are ultra-luxury, many celebrity-owned establishments, such as Wahlburgers or Dolly Parton's DreamMore Resort, offer a range of price points accessible to a broader audience. The pricing often reflects the location, amenities, and type of cuisine, rather than just the celebrity association.

### How can I find out if a celebrity owns a restaurant or hotel I'm visiting?

A quick search on the establishment's official website or a reputable travel review site often provides ownership details. Many celebrity-owned places proudly highlight their famous connection in their 'About Us' sections or press materials.