Cowell splashes the cash on USA X-Factor hopefuls

Simon Cowell has picked up a $500,000 hotel tab after giving X Factor USA wannabes the five-star treatment.

The music mogul put the delighted contestants up at exclusive hotels in Miami for the boot camp stage.

The lucky 160 singers got rooms in the plush, five-star Mondrian, Delano and Shore Club hotels overlooking the beautiful beaches of South Beach.

It’s news that might not go down so well with the pop hopefuls auditioning on the show’s UK version.

They got the budget treatment, being put up at the Holiday Inn Express in Liverpool.

An insider said: “Singers on the British version of the show will be green with envy but Cowell stumped up $500,000 putting everyone up in plush hotels in Miami for boot camp.

“He wanted to give them a taste of the celebrity lifestyle and help propel them on to great things.”