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While Frank Sinatra always seemed to be a man about town (what with all the carousing and his Rat Pack antics) he also liked a nice respite from the city. This is evidenced by Villa Maggio, the sprawling Coachella Valley estate that was built in the 1967 for the famed actor/singer.
The estate has changed hands since it was owned by the late singer, and now it’s back on the market for $3,695,000.
As explained on the estate’s listing, Sinatra had a couple ideas for his getaway pad. He needed a private place to entertain “traveling dignitaries, sports stars, elite power players and members of the Rat Pack,” and wanted to sidestep the oppressive heat of the desert valley. The solution, then, was to build Villa Maggio at a 4,300 foot elevation for a more temperate climate. The other upshot to the elevation: it makes for some nice views of the horizon.
The term “getaway” may connote something quaint and intimate. While you can make a case for the former, the estate is anything but small. The house itself—spread across three buildings—is 6,428 square feet, and includes nine bedrooms and more than ten baths. In total, the lot size spans 326,700 square feet. The features are fittingly lavish. There’s a lighted tennis court, a resort-sized pool, and even a helipad so that you can accommodate friends who’ll be arriving in a Bell 206 Jet Ranger.
The above pictures show a home that is thoroughly furnished. We’re not sure if much of that originated from Sinatra himself (hopefully that Ayn Rand book on the shelf wasn’t his). And, certainly, there’s a lot to take up your attention inside the house. There are the many, many paintings on the walls, the Vegas-inspired wallpaper, the countless lamps, the pictures of the Rat Pack, and a chandelier that looks like something out of Lord of the Rings.
Taken as a whole, the place aims for a rustic slant: the listing notes that it was designed in the mode of "Mid Century-Lodge," and was built using locally-sourced materials including natural stone and hardwoods.
As for the name “Villa Maggio,” it’s inspired by the movie From Here to Eternity, in which Sinatra played the character Angelo Maggio. Here's Maggio starting a bar fight in the movie:
