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Biltmore Estate

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Biltmore Estate Review

Built in the 1890s as the private home of George Vanderbilt, the astonishing 250-room French-Renaissance château is America's largest private home. Some of Vanderbilt's descendants still live on the estate, but the bulk of the house and grounds is open to visitors. Richard Morris Hunt designed it, and Frederick Law Olmsted landscaped the original 125,000-acre estate (now 8,000 acres). It took 1,000 workers five years to complete the gargantuan project. On view are the priceless antiques and art collected by the Vanderbilts, including notable paintings by Renoir and John Singer Sargent, along with 75 acres of gardens and formally landscaped grounds. You can also see the state-of-the-art winery, one of the largest in the East, and an 1890s-era farm, River Bend. Candlelight tours of the house are offered at Christmastime. Also on the grounds are a deluxe hotel, seven restaurants, and an equestrian center. A new section called Antler Hill Village, with shops, restaurants, and crafts demonstrations, opened in 2010. Each summer, Biltmore Estate hosts music concerts with nationally known entertainers. Most people tour the house on their own, but guided tours are available. Note that there are a lot of stairs to climb, but much of the house is accessible for guests in wheelchairs or with limited mobility. At busier times, self-guided visits of the interior of the house now require a reservation, so call in advance or book online. Save money by buying tickets online rather than at the gate, with the lowest prices for tickets purchased seven days in advance. The best deal is the annual pass, allowing unlimited admission for a year and costing only a little more than one-day admission.

    Contact Information

  • Address: 1 Approach Rd., Biltmore Village, Asheville, NC 28803 | Map It
  • Phone: 828/225-1600
  • Cost: $59 Sun.--Fri., $69 Sat. Discounts available with advance purchase online and at certain times of the year.
  • Hours: Late Mar.--early Nov., daily 9--4; late-Nov.--early Mar., hrs vary.
  • Website:
  • Location: Asheville
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    Great pre-Christmas Experience

    Everything about our post-Thanksgiving 2011 stay at the Inn on the Biltmore Estate was excellent. Large, comfortable top floor room with view of the mountains. 5-star dinner in front of the fireplace in the dining room. Bountiful breakfasts with views over the grounds. The huge Christmas tree in the lobby. The Christmas candlelight tour of the Biltmore Estate itself. The staff were all friendly and helpful. The holiday lights and decorations on the whole estate is a perfect way to get into the spirit of the season.

    by nmweaver, 9/9/12
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    Biltmore Estate Review

    Visiting Asheville without seeing Biltmore is inexplicable - it's such a major element in Asheville's history but also in American cultural history. The main tour is wonderful, but so is the "behind the scenes" tour, which will remind you of "Upstairs Downstairs" or "Gosford Park"; and the grounds are spectacular.

    Two hints: 1. It's not "The" Biltmore (which applies to the various Biltmore hotels around the country); it's just "Biltmore."

    2. Enter late in the day for one tour and your ticket (after a certain hour - check their website) is good again the next day. Candlelight tours of the main house during the holidays are lovely - crowded so avoid weekends - but lovely.

    by Cyanna, 8/19/10

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