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A Guide to Biltmore Estate
Slip case gift edition. Deluxe cloth binding with matching slipcase. See photo.
116 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1994
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66 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 10, 2022
Would probably make a great souvenir of a visit to Biltmore, but not as compelling for armchair traveling
April 24, 2018
A compact book with pictures and descriptions of the main highlights of The Biltmore Estate. A short history is also provided at the front.
The book was just okay. I actually got a lot more information from other books on the Biltmore and from the internet.
The book was just okay. I actually got a lot more information from other books on the Biltmore and from the internet.
January 8, 2017
I bought this book and another one because I was supposed to go on a trip to the Biltmore in 2016, then the trip got cancelled. But this book has wonderful photos of inside & outside the Biltmore mansion/castle. Bought the book on Amazon for under $5 used and it is a great book to have with so many interesting information. Still in hopes to get to this destination one day.
Another book I bought online Amazon.
Exploring Biltmore Estate from A to Z by Chris Kinsley. It too has awesome photos and a short story for each page.
Each of the books have maps of the grounds and house. These two had the best reviews on Amazon & Goodreads when I was looking for books. :-)
Another book I bought online Amazon.
Exploring Biltmore Estate from A to Z by Chris Kinsley. It too has awesome photos and a short story for each page.
Each of the books have maps of the grounds and house. These two had the best reviews on Amazon & Goodreads when I was looking for books. :-)
April 15, 2021
This is a great book when you want to absorb yourself into the Biltmore lifestyle. It’s an easy read that begins with a brief history of the Vanderbilt family and construction of this amazing home. There are pictures of the rooms with accompanying descriptions. There’s a floor plan of the house included; I love being able to fantasize navigating from room to room as the family did during their time here. The book moves from the house to the gorgeous gardens, conservatory, and bass pond and concludes at the Estate’s winery. It’s probably time for an updated version of this book to be printed as the Biltmore Company has significantly expanded since this book’s publication.
January 27, 2021
The book consists of seven sections which starts with a foreword by William A.V. Cecil, Jr., the great-grandson of Biltmore Estate creator George Vanderbilt.
The second section consists of the story of how the Biltmore family abs how Biltmore Estate came into existence.
The third section the book focuses on each of the four floors of the main house and downstairs area as well as other areas of the estate such as a bachelor’s wing and stable.
The four section focuses on the Biltmore gardens & trails which includes three distinct types of gardens as well several varieties of roses, shrubs, and azaleas.
The fifth section focuses on the Biltmore winery and discusses the process that goes into creating their white and red wines through the use of handpicked grapes.
The sixth section highlights River Bend Farm which is where the blacksmith and other farmers who worked on the Biltmore Estate lived.
The seventh and last section focuses on the legacy of Biltmore and expresses how by opening up the Biltmore Estate to the public on March 15, 1930 as a way to generate tourism dollars to improve the local economy hard hit by the Great Depression as well as bring in much needed dollars for the preservation of the Biltmore House and the Estate.
This book is both beautiful to look at as well as informative and highlights the impact the one person can make on an entire community. By reading this book,it brought back fond memories of taking a girl’s trip with my best friend since middle school as well as provided an opportunity to step back into time to see what was viewed as high end luxury in the late 1800s.
The second section consists of the story of how the Biltmore family abs how Biltmore Estate came into existence.
The third section the book focuses on each of the four floors of the main house and downstairs area as well as other areas of the estate such as a bachelor’s wing and stable.
The four section focuses on the Biltmore gardens & trails which includes three distinct types of gardens as well several varieties of roses, shrubs, and azaleas.
The fifth section focuses on the Biltmore winery and discusses the process that goes into creating their white and red wines through the use of handpicked grapes.
The sixth section highlights River Bend Farm which is where the blacksmith and other farmers who worked on the Biltmore Estate lived.
The seventh and last section focuses on the legacy of Biltmore and expresses how by opening up the Biltmore Estate to the public on March 15, 1930 as a way to generate tourism dollars to improve the local economy hard hit by the Great Depression as well as bring in much needed dollars for the preservation of the Biltmore House and the Estate.
This book is both beautiful to look at as well as informative and highlights the impact the one person can make on an entire community. By reading this book,it brought back fond memories of taking a girl’s trip with my best friend since middle school as well as provided an opportunity to step back into time to see what was viewed as high end luxury in the late 1800s.
April 18, 2011
This was a very nice gift, as I am physically inable to tour about half the house (I take the 1895 elevator to the second floor). Great pictures!
June 15, 2017
This is the book sold in the Biltmore gift shop and it lavishly describes the massive home in North Carolina that George Vanderbilt completed in 1895. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt and landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted, it’s large beyond belief and decorated and furnished with incredible artworks and beautiful tapestries, paintings, wood and stone carvings, and custom-made carpets throughout. The book devotes chapters to the history of the construction of the home, the different areas of the home, and the surrounding estate which is extensive. It kind of ends with a commercial for the wines produced there and Biltmore brand bedding, among other products, but that’s okay because the preceding pages chronicle one of the largest, most well-thought-out and most expensively decorated homes imaginable. There is simply room after room of amazing painting, sculptures and prints, beautiful beds and chairs, a bowling alley, a pool, and incredible gardens. The combination of history and art and architecture will appeal to many. This is a must have book if you are planning a visit or if you have already visited. It will provide a greater depth of information for all the many things you’ve seen and the many things that you probably missed.
August 10, 2025
interesting guidebook of the beautiful Biltmore estate.
February 2, 2015
I found a beautifully bound, in perfect condition, hardcover edition on ebay, one third the price of the new paperback. We'll visit Biltmore this year, and I wanted to "study" a bit before our trip. This is a wonderful guide with outstanding photographs of the interior and exterior plus gardens and the winery. There's a lot of information on the house, but there isn't a lot of information about the Vanderbilts - just enought to wet my appetite for additional reading. This is said to be the largest and grandest home in America. I can't wait to see it with my own two eyes!
February 4, 2012
See Biltmore. One of the two true castles in America. The book of course is a tourist guide but an excellent one, informative and somewhat gossipy. It accompanies you through the castle that George Washington Vanderbilt constructed after several visits to Europe based on several different castles he admired. The grounds are wonderful and I highly recommend a visit in the spring when the gardens are in full bloom. The whole experience is breathtaking. And the book is too.
March 30, 2008
There are no words that I can use to describe this place. If you've never been, it is a must go and see. And the book just helps you to know what you are seeing. And if you go, take the behind the scenes tour!
September 21, 2025
I greatly love visiting Biltmore. I love the history behind it and the grandness as well. This book can be bought at the actual Biltmore in North Carolina. The pictures that are provided are always as if you've visited the house yourself. Very interesting to read and look thru.
June 22, 2012
Since you can't take pictures inside the Biltmore house/mansion/castle, this is a great book to have. The book is quite informative and very interesting.
However, it only gets four stars because of the over-inflated purchase price. If you want to get it, don't purchase it AT Biltmore.
However, it only gets four stars because of the over-inflated purchase price. If you want to get it, don't purchase it AT Biltmore.
January 3, 2017
Picked this up as Christmas reading on a visit to Virginia, and it makes me look forward to a future visit to Biltmore. The pictures throughout the book are stunning, the background to the rooms is brief but helpful and overall this is a very nice guidebook.
April 20, 2009
Considering that guests are not allowed to take pictures while in the estate, this book is a comprehensive view of everything you see on the tour. Of course, nothing replaces the real thing....
July 18, 2011
Very pretty book to an amazing example of American excess.
April 10, 2012
Love all the photos of the house, including things you do not see on the tour. Also love all the corresponding information about the house and family.
December 1, 2015
I just looked through the pictures and read a little bit of the captions. I went many years ago and it was nice to re-visit.
August 25, 2025
A slightly dated coffee table book with lots of bourgeois pictures. If you like Biltmore Estate, you'll surely dig the guide.
January 8, 2009
A fascinating and informative read about one of my favorite places on earth.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews