Ultra-rich tourists shell out $2.4 million to secure Airbnbs three years ahead of Olympics

The Los Angeles Olympics are still three years away, but mega-rich tourists have already dropped millions of dollars to secure their luxury accommodations for the games.

Luckily for the millionaire spectators and star athletes attending the 2028 Olympics, LA has plenty of mansions to spare for visitors who demand pools, butlers, pickleball courts and even helicopter pads.

While bookings are usually not accepted three years in advance, exceptions are being made by luxury villa rental companies in the city's most sought-after neighborhoods.

Luxury real estate developer Hank Stark, founder and CEO at LuxJB, told The LA Times that his company is getting five to 10 inquiries per week because people want to secure their spot as soon as possible.

LuxJB owns 14 mansions in LA's fanciest neighborhoods - including Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Hills and West Hollywood. Nine of them are already booked for next summer's 2026 World Cup, when just a few major matches will be in the city.

Three of the mansions have already been snapped up for the Olympics, and not just for the two weeks of events, but for most of the year.

'If you're an Olympic federation from a specific country, you'll be here all year training athletes before the Games begin,' Stark told the LA Times. 'If you're a major sports brand, you'll want a presence in LA before and after July.'

LuxJB's most exclusive property is already off limits, having been rented out by a client from January to August 2028 for $300,000 a month - a whopping total of $2.4 million. 

The home comes with everything from a team of three maids to a movie theater, nine bedrooms and a pickleball court. Plus, the client is saving $25,000 per month on utilities, which LuxJB covers. 

Still on offer from LuxJB for the Olympics is the 'Villa Royale' - a mega-mansion that is going for $49,000 per night and offers nine bedrooms, 14 bathrooms and an elevator. 

LuxJB is offering more modest rentals for the 2028 Olympics, with some of the cheaper villas with five bedrooms going for $1,900 per night. 

Stark told the LA Times that the extortionate prices are worth it for the likes of star athletes who travel with their entourage and want privacy that those in UCLA's Olympic Village certainly won't be getting. 

'You can't put [Cristiano] Ronaldo in a hotel room surrounded by strangers. He's the most valuable player in the world,' Stark told the outlet. 'Plus, our place has a $6,000 zero-gravity massage chair.' 

Stark said it's normal for rentals to be booked far in advance and for months at a time to host celebrities for award shows, for example. But he says booking three years in advance is unusual. 

Hotels don't usually allow reservations more than a year in advance, nor do rental companies - because a lot can change in three years, properties can be sold.

This isn't an issue for LuxJB, as they own their mansions, but another luxury rental company in LA - the Nightfall Group - rent on behalf of owners, so three years can be too far in advance in some scenarios. 

Nightfall founder Mokhtar Jabli told the LA Times he has already received many requests since the group launched its 2028 Olympics rental page.   

Jabli told the outlet that prices for Olympic bookings are approximately 40 percent higher than usual and that the number will likely go up as we get closer to July 2028. 

Nightfall has around 100 luxury rentals in Los Angeles, which usually start at $50,000 per month.

While some hotels and rentals offer filters such as air conditioning and laundry, these mega mansions allow customers to filter by whether the property has a yoga studio, a helicopter pad or a wine cellar.

Add-ons for these properties can sometimes amount to $50,000 per month. 

One of the most expensive properties still on offer on Nightfall's 2028 Olympics page is a 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom mansion in Bel Air that is going for $23,000 a night. The house has a basketball court, a tennis court and a pool.

Nightfall has hosted star athletes before, most recently soccer stars Ibrahima Konate from France and Amine Adli from Morocco, according to the LA Times.

Jabli expects more of these international athletes in sports such as basketball and soccer to book luxury villas for their families rather than hauling up in the Olympic Village.

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