julies

Estate and some of Europe's famous extravaganzas could you please give me a general comparison? We have spent quite a bit of time in Europe and have visited lots of castles, chateaux, and estates. We are considering a trip to Asheville and are wondering if the Biltomore is worth the $100 it will cost for 2 of us to visit. I am also posting this on the Europe board since I didn't know which one would be more appropriate. Thanks much.

julies

Sorry. I screwed up the copy & paste job. This is what I wanted to say.

If you have visited both the Biltmore Estate and some of Europe's famous extravaganzas could you please give me a general comparison? We have spent quite a bit of time in Europe and have visited lots of castles, chateaux, and estates. We are considering a trip to Asheville and are wondering if the Biltomore is worth the $100 it will cost for 2 of us to visit. I am also posting this on the Europe board since I didn't know which one would be more appropriate. Thanks much.

soccr

If you are going for the purpose of comparing Biltmore to European castles, you may well be disappointed, so save your money.

If you go to experience something about Americans who became wealthy during America's great growth in the late 19th century, and how they thought about their wealth, their residences, their surrounds, you may find it fascinating. In addition, the area in and around Asheville, including the Blue Ridge Parkway is worth the visit on their own merits.

A better comparison is between Biltmore and the mansions of Newport RI and maybe the Hudson Valley, built by the same sorts of people at the same time in our history.

Suggest you go to the website for Biltmore (note the correct spelling) and get a flavor of it. But if you are trying to decide whether the $100 is worth spending or not, I'm guessing you're after something else. http://www.biltmore.com/

starrsville

Good comparison by soccr. If you are "considering" a trip, consider going during the holidays and see the Biltmore decorated for Christmas. I enjoy the evening tours during the holidays.

ellen_griswold

I agree with Soccr. And its also difficult to judge what is 'worth it' to another person, as we're all different.

We have seen several castles in England and Scotland and while they're remarkable, we still thought Biltmore was 'worth-it' although it is more 'estate-like' than a castle IMO. For a true American Castle IMO, you have to see Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA.

I guess it also depends what your purpose is in Asheville. If it's to site see then by all means, do see the Biltmore.

donco

julies, great question. Agree with soccr-and do check out web site.
DH and I have been only to 3 Loire Valley chateaux. One was mostly empty of furniture, one was furnished but a museum, and the third was occupied by descendants of the original family so each had a different atmosphere.
Biltmore is a wonderful museum of its time but was also a working farm when we visited. Because it is more modern, there was more info about it and it shows how America's "royalty" lived. Also, it is filled with what was "state of the art" for a home at the time (stuff not yet invented like an intercom-couldn't a chateau have used that!).
The price is steep but if it includes a tour, I think it's worth it. You can spend a good part of the day there and I think they've developed wines now. We haven't been to Newport but we enjoyed Biltmore a great deal.
Would love to hear your opinion if you do decide to go.

aileen679

We went when the rose garden was in bloom. That, just by itself, was worth the price to ME. The green house are also good. The house was interesting, but to be honest, if the gardens had not been in bloom, or if we couldn't have gone into the green houses,I would have been a little disappointed. I understand it is quite nice decorated for Christmas. It has a wonderful view over the mountains from one of the porches. Yes, I think it's worth the price. Different things at different times of year.

They also had an ice cream shop there that served great big huge cones of absolutely fantasic ice cream. I hope they still do. There are, or were, a couple of restaurants on the grounds too.

donco

p.s.-aileen's post about flowers made me think of the Dupont homes in the Wilmington Delaware area. If flowers and American pre-factory furniture are of interest, Longwood Gardens and Winterthur, while not castles, are wonderful to visit.

calitexan

I went to Biltmore with my mom and two girls a few years ago. To put it plainly...I was bored out of my MIND! It isn't nearly as awe-inspiring as smaller Old South mansions that you might find in, say, Charleston, SC. Much less European sights like the Tower of London or even the outside view of Neuschwanstein Castle (or however you spell it -- oops). Please save your money. The thought of spending that much money to see a dark and dull building of that size gives me pain, to say the least. Just don't bother. Walk up to the outside and maybe around the lawn/garden area and leave it at that, because it's basically just a big house and a display of the pointless things people do when they have too much money.

julies

Thanks for the replies. By the way, I guess in my haste I misspelled the name. I have visited the website and seen the prices involved and that is why I am asking the question. I would love to just see the grounds and do the behind the scene tours. But, that doesn't seem to be a possibility. It looks as though I need to pay the full fare--$40 a head--just to get on the grounds. Then to do the behind the scenes tour is another $7 and the headphones are another $7. I like historic places and beautiful gardens, but I start to roll my eyes when they start talking about the elaborate Sevres teapot or the granddaughter of the owner etc., for example. I know this place represents a different time and frame of reference than European places, but I am really questioning if I would be kicking myself afterwards for spending the time and money or if I will truly miss out on something exceptional if I skip it.

SusieQQ

I have visited quite a few castles, historical houses, mansions, etc. both in Europe and the US. I enjoy them for what they are and what they represent. I don't compare them. I didn't compare Versailles with the Spencer House for example. I think that since you are asking if the price is worth it, then to be perfectly honest I don't think you should go to Biltmore. Which, by the way, I've seen three times.

Sunshinesue

I have been to the Biltmore three times as well. The first time was 25 years ago. I was fresh out of graduate school and my husband was a struggling young accountant. We camped along the Blueridge Parkway for a week for our vacation. The one thing I really wanted to do was visit the Biltmore so we splurged (for us) and saw it. It was more than I imagined. I absolutely loved it.

The next time we visited we had a three year old son and I was pregnant with number two. Believe it or not we camped-at least some of the nights. (I had a good air mattress!) The winery had just opened that year so we included a visit to it along with a visit to the house and greenhouse.

The last time I was there, about 11 years ago, my kids were about 12, 8, and 5. They watched the movie, Richy Rich (which was filmed there) in the car before arriving. The kids thought it was great. I don't know that they would have appreciated the Biltmore as much if they had not seen it in a movie but, what the heck, they saw it and enjoyed it.

By the way, I would go back in a heartbeat. In fact, we hope to go to back in two years to mark the milestone of our youngest graduating high school. It will be just the two of us, like the first trip. Except this time we will stay at the Grove Park Inn. My camping (and budget) days are long gone!

Anyway, needless to say, I love the Biltmore and I have great memories of it. I love the history, the antiques, the artwork, the architecture, the incredible grounds and horticulture and the vision of George Washington Vanderbilt, who built it. If you don't appreciate these things, don't waste your money. If you do, go. The money won't mean anything.

leahinsc

I think you have gotten some great feedback on this question - especially from soccr. Even though I live in Asheville I never cease to be amazed by it. Perhaps it's not so much the building itself but what George Vanderbilt went through to get the land and design the grounds and his home. Having been to the Hudson River Valley and seen other Vanderbilt estates and also seen castles and chateaus in Europe it is just the incongruity of finding such an elaborate estate in Western North Carolina. However, do plan other activities in Asheville besides just going to the Biltmore...there is so much to see and do.

Leona

In my opinion, and as a student of art & design, there is not an American "castle" that compares to those in Europe.

American castles are simply grand homes built by the nouveau riche.

janis

This was also posted over on the Europe forum. There are a lot of responses on that thread.

Here is what I posted to that thread:

The comparison to Waddesdon Manor was a good one -- comparable period, family connections/entanglements, etc. I really love Waddesdon - more than any I have visited in the States.

Most of the "stately homes" in the US seem to be overly impressed w/ themselves charging waaaaaay more than the tours are worth. I found the same thing in many southern Plantations - $35 or $40 admission charge for a pretty ordinary home w/o any gardens to speak of.

I'd stil probably go. But if you have been to many in Europe you are spoiled -- older, grander, better gardens/grounds - for less $$.

I'd much rather spend my money somewhere like Mt vernon or Williamsburg where there is some history and atmosphere . . . .

padams421

Is the price difference between US homes such as the Biltmore and European castles due to the costs of private ownership in the US? The Biltmore is the "family business" of the Vanderbilt heir who currently owns it and the other descendants. I doubt they receive government funding to keep the house maintained and open to the public. I'd be interested in knowing the tax bill for the estate. I recall that there's an issue of how the family is going to keep the property once the current owner passes. Has that estate tax issue been resolved?

As for the European castles, who owns them? I suspect many of them are owned or subsidized by the government.

leahinsc

The Cecil family are the current owners of the Biltmore and descendants of George Vanderbilt. There is another brother who is involved in real estate/land development - Biltmore Park. I believe the family is doing very well for themselves - both sides. They are very involved in the local community and charities and are highly regarded in Asheville. I think they have children that the estate could be passed to. It is much more than just the house as there are the Biltmore Wines that do very well and the restaurants. On the land surrounding the Biltmore house which is part of the estate; they raise a lot of the ingredients and meats that go into the dishes prepared at their restaurants. I guess you could say that the estate is fairly self-sustaining - much as it was intended to be when it was built.

janis

padams421: Sure, some European places are owned by the National Trust or some quasi governmental agency.

But Blenheim Palace, Warwick Castle, Chatsworth, Castle Howard, Hever Castle, Floors Castle, Beaulieu and hundreds of others are privately owned - and most are still family homes. Blenheim Palace - home of the Duke of Marlbouorug and birthplace of Winston Churchill, costs £11 or approx $20. I'd much rather pay that than $50 for Biltmore.

janis

Yikes - typos! Duke of Marlborough . . . .

aileen679

Soooo, the answer is another question. Is it worth 100 bucks just so you can say you have been?