There is nothing more special to me then to travel during the holiday
season. It’s always so beautiful no matter where you go, with the
decorations, the lights, and the constant festivities. One of my
absolute favorites trips was spending a few days in Asheville, NC,
at the Biltmore Mansion for a special Candlelight Christmas walk.
So a late November road trip was made with a little antiquing
along the way, some great shopping and loads of fun.

The Biltmore is a large private estate and tourist attraction that
was built between 1889 and 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt.
He was an avid art collector and member of the prominent family,
which grew their fortune from steamboats, railroads, and other
various business enterprises. The Mansion is set amongst the
Blue Ridge Mountains on 8,000 acres with beautiful gardens, a
winery, and even a 4 star luxury hotel. The estate has 250 rooms
including 33 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, and three
kitchens.
The holiday decorations were beautiful. Huge elaborate Christmas
trees in every room, tons of poinsettias, and rows and rows of
Christmas garland. If you think the Mansion is beautiful at
other times of the year, Christmas time will dazzle you.

The Solarium was gorgeous with hundreds of red poinsettias as
far as you can see. I could have just stayed in that room for the
rest of the tour, it was so lovely.

We stayed right on the grounds at the Biltmore Hotel. Of course
saying it was beautiful is an understatement. It is not only
huge but the rooms are beautifully appointed, clean and luxurious.
We stayed two nights and wished it could have been longer.

The hotel has different packages throughout the year. We did
the Candlelight Christmas Walk, they also have Dressing Downton
Packages from February 5 – May 22nd, also a Valentine’s Day
Package, February 1 – 14th. The Christmas Candlelight starts
in early November – early January.

The Village at Biltmore is nestled in the mountains near the point
where the Swannanoa River flows into the French Broad, making
it a beautiful setting resembling a small English Village. It offers
restaurants, lodging, and adorable shops and boutiques.

Being a fan of history, I loved stepping back in time and visiting
this grand mansion that is so meticulously preserved. It is such
an experience to see it during the holidays filled with beautiful
decorations and Carolers strolling from room to room singing
our favorite songs of the season.
The house is a true masterpiece and seeing it is a real experience.
I promise you if you go, especially at Christmas, you will be dazzled.