1 Frank Sinatra Palm Springs

Sinatra built Twin Palms in 1947 and lived there for 10 years. When in town, he would hoist a flag bearing the Jack Daniels logo to signal party time.

· Sleeps 8; min three-night stay $7,800 (£473pp), including concierge; sinatrahouse.com.

2 Christian Dior Côte d'Azur

The 14-bedrooom Chateau Colle Noire is ideal for a party, (very large) family or wedding - there is a private chapel as well as pool, gardens and tennis court. Dior restored the place in the 50s and it is still exquisitely furnished and decorated.

· Sleeps 25. From £7,606 per week (£304pp) through interhome.co.uk.

3 Francis Ford Coppola Belize

The director bought Blancaneaux Lodge in 1981 because it reminded him of the jungle in Apocalypse Now. It is now an eco-resort.

· Twelve nights at Blancaneaux and two other Coppola properties from £1,945 inc flights with tripsworldwide.co.uk.

4 Lawrence Durrell Corfu

The White House at Kalami is where he wrote Prospero's Cell, his memoir of his time on the island. The dining table and desk he used are still there.

· Sleeps 8; from €600 per week, white-house-corfu.gr.

5 Keats and Shelley Rome

The apartment above the Keats-Shelley Memorial Museum at the foot of the Spanish Steps looks as it did when Keats spent his last days here in 1821. George Eliot, Goethe, Byron, Henry James, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce also lodged here.

· Sleeps 4, from £268 per night; landmarktrust.org.uk.