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You Can Rent The Mysterious Houdini Estate in Hollywood for $1.5K/Night

Rebecca Renner
Rebecca Renner
Rebecca Renner is a journalist and fiction writer from Daytona Beach, Florida. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Washington Post, Tin House, The Paris Review and elsewhere. She is working on a novel.
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published Apr 23, 2019
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Have you been wanting to escape from your normal life? Take a cue from the legendary escape artist Harry Houdini, and disappear into this historic Laurel Canyon estate, the site of which he practiced his amazing feats before debuting them before audiences. Though it’s disputed whether or not he actually lived on the property, Houdini and his wife Bess did spend time in the mansion and she lived in the guest house after his death, though. However, the original mansion burnt down in 1959, but was recently restored.

In his spacious, Edwardian enclave, you can lose yourself in hidden caves and tunnels. The secluded property is also home to terraced gardens that are graced by a three-story waterfall fed by a natural spring. Many of the underground tunnels and caves were built in the early 1900s, and much of its opulence and grandeur have been lovingly cared for to this day, leaving ornate ironwork and whimsical touches that will make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time in the best way.

The amenities, however, are strictly modern. The estate has four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, and it sleeps up to 14 people. It also has an open plan kitchen, WiFi, a washer and dryer, flat screen TVs, and plenty of room to entertain, have a romantic getaway, take your kids on an adventure—or shoot a movie.

The Houdini Estate is nestled in the Hollywood Hills, just a short drive away from shopping in Beverly Hills or sightseeing on Sunset Boulevard or in Universal City. Even with all of the glitz of Hollywood at your fingertips, there’s still more you can do on the estate’s property itself: You can relax on an hour of hiking trails or unwind at the property’s pool and spa. Take in the gardens as well, with their bright pops of flowers, calming koi pond, and hundred-year-old palms. When you get tired, you can hide from the California sun in one of seven gazebos.

At $1,556 a night, you can take the whole crew and escape into a world of glamour and mystery.

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