Some people appear congenitally incapable of appreciating any house bigger than the one they live in, hence the pejorative labels.

We went a few years ago in Feb. It was interesting to see, but my main issue with it is the lack of access for people with mobility issues and families with strollers. If you have family members who fall into these categories, it would be a hard visit.

Our two boys (10 & 13) were fascinated by it. I was unimpressed with Asheville overall. But Biltmore was fun.

My husband and I went during Christmastime to see the big tree because we saw something about it on the Travel Channel. I was so underwhelmed that we left halfway through. I felt like we paid a lot just to gawk at some wealthy family’s possessions (which, I guess, is maybe the point). Not my style. The mountain views were stunning, though (but that part was free haha).

Anonymous wrote:I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I don't remember much. But, I saw a TikTok recently about how people think that the pool was a place for sacrifices or something? A room in the basement also...a bowling alley or something sports or kid related? Anyway, do you recall anywhere being especially creepy/spooky?

Nothing was creepy. There's a swimming pool and a bowling alley in the basement. And there's the "Halloween Room," which had nothing to do with Halloween, but was a room where the guests helped paint scenes from an opera or musical on the walls during a party. But the paintings aren't especially creepy.

Anonymous wrote:The hotel in Coral Gables?

You knew what OP was talking about. Playing dumb is not an appealing look.

I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I don't remember much. But, I saw a TikTok recently about how people think that the pool was a place for sacrifices or something? A room in the basement also...a bowling alley or something sports or kid related? Anyway, do you recall anywhere being especially creepy/spooky?

Anonymous wrote:Go in the spring when the gardens are in full bloom or in winter when it’s snowing and the castle is decorated like a fairytale. Not in the dead of summer with a million kids and 105F weather and no A/C.

Yeah, we went in the spring and it was lovely.

Anonymous wrote:The hotel in Coral Gables?

The Biltmore is the Vanderbilt estate near Asheville, NC.

Go in the spring when the gardens are in full bloom or in winter when it’s snowing and the castle is decorated like a fairytale. Not in the dead of summer with a million kids and 105F weather and no A/C.

The hotel in Coral Gables?

We quite enjoyed it. Nothing McMansion-y about it -- it was designed to be in harmony with its surroundings, and the gardens are lovely.

I completely disagree. I’ve seen a ton of tacky and overdone “mcmansions” and I was struck by the restraint and attention to blending with the natural surroundings. It’s an enormous house but it’s far less opulent than most of the grand houses in Newport, NYC or something like Hearst Castle. And yes, the gardens are spectacular. But I was surprised by how the main house was not as “fancy” as it could’ve been.
The basement room that they let their guests decorate is so fun, and the view from the porch with the unspoiled rolling hills and woods is beautiful- and something they left alone rather than trying to make it into an overly manicured garden.

The gardens are gorgeous. We didn’t go in the full year of summer though. We enjoyed it.

The Biltmore mansion is a gross, old, tacky mcmansion. It was exhausting to tour it. One star from me.