Christmas at the Biltmore {Travel with me Thursday}

Christmas at the Biltmore? Yes, please.

It’s a joyous time of year, when the brisk chill of winter whirls and swirls, when the cheery lights of the season wink on in windows and dangle, glowing and swaying from shingles and shrubbery in homes across the world. The sights, sounds and smells of the season are all around. And there’s simply no better place, in my opinion, to celebrate than in Asheville, set deep in the mountains of North Carolina, and home to the Biltmore Estate, because nothing says Christmas like a 35 foot Fraser Fir laden with gifts and ornaments large enough to hold court alone under our most humble household trees.

So if you have you ever longed to spend your holidays in a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, warming yourself by a roaring fire, the scents of pine and cinnamon perfuming the air, carolers harmonizing faintly in the background while you sip estate-made wine , then put that Passport away and look no further than a five and a half hour flight back east to celebrate Christmas at the Biltmore Estate.

I’ve traveled. A lot. I have been to French Chateaus in France (check out the post about that by clicking here!). I’ve visited wineries and champagne cellars. I’ve experienced holidays at home and abroad. And I’ve never been more charmed, more delighted, or more inundated with the Christmas spirit than during the Candelight Christmas evenings I’ve spent at the Biltmore.

Yes, it’s kind of like a theme park. You have to buy tickets ahead, reserve your restaurants, choose your hotel, but once you’re there, once you’re inside, it’s like stepping back in time. And there’s no better season to visit than Christmas. It’s your one chance to tour the estate at night, with the fireplaces lit, carolers singing, gingerbread baking and candles glowing. It can get crowded, but even when it is you still can find moments of peace and quiet to just soak in the season.

I won’t bore you with estate history (you can find that all online at www.biltmore.com) but here are my top tips for visiting the estate at Christmas.

• Absolutely do the Candlelight Christmas tour, and do it first. It’s magical. And it comes with estate access for a 2^nd day so you can go back through in daylight hours, which I also recommend. But if you’ve never been before, your first experience must be after dusk, when everything glows from within.
• Splurge and stay at the Inn on Biltmore. As of right now, you cannot stay in the actual historic chateau, but the Inn was built to resemble it, and the rooms are top-notch, as is the service (turn down, chocolates on pillows, concierge, the whole nine). And at Christmas, there are gingerbread houses in the lobby, decorations that rival the Chateau itself, and real fires that you can actually sit in front of, after-hours, and sip on a cocktail or hot beverage. (Note: there are other on-property hotel options, to include a more budget-friendly hotel in the newer Antler Hill Village. I don’t have experience staying there, but having done a walk through, it’s a nice hotel that reminds me of a mid-level Comfort Suites).
• Make time for the winery. You of Napa valley knowledge might turn your nose up at North Carolina wines. I did. At first. Because my initial experience living in the Carolinas many years ago was with vintages that tasted more like cough syrup than Chardonnay. But that was then, and the Biltmore winery, under the guidance of a French winemaker, turns out some of the best wines I’ve had. I joined the wine club after my last visit and truly didn’t get a wine I didn’t like. The reds in particular are very, very nice. (Insider Secret tip – even if you plan to never go back, join the wine club while you’re there. Do it at the start of your visit and for the remainder of the time you’re there you have fast access to wine tasting, tasting of special vintages, and you can cancel before your first shipment (though why would you want to?)). https://www.biltmore.com/wine
• Plan your schedule around estate dining. There are two on-site eateries that the foodie in me rejoices at every time I go back – the Bistro (seasonal farm to table adjacent to the winery) and The Stable Café, which, you guessed it, used to be the stables at the Chateau and is directly connected to the house.

Here is my suggested 2-day itinerary: First, make all your reservations ahead. In terms of timing, you can beat the crowds by going in November or January and reserve well in advance for discounts. Day 1, arrival, check into your hotel, and do the Candlelight Christmas tour that night (tickets are timed entry so you can plan more easily) and make reservations at the Stable Café immediately following (allowing 2 hours to tour the home). Day 2, go back for your daytime access to the house, consider booking ahead for one of the behind the scenes tours like the Rooftop Tour (think Gargoyles and gorgeous views) or the Upstairs/Downstairs (think Downton Abbey). After that, grab a quick lunch at one of the grab and go cafes (I recommend the hot chocolate and gingerbread man baked on site) and take a long walk around the grounds and gardens, soaking in the Carolina winter sunshine. Once you’ve had your fill, visit the winery, participate in the free wine tour (or sign up early for one of the more in-depth wine tours they  offer daily) then eat dinner (reserved ahead) at the Bistro. If you’re staying more than 2 days, take some time to explore Asheville and drive the Blue Ridge Parkway to catch some of the famed views of the Great Smoky Mountains.

And maybe, just maybe, if you get lucky, it will snow.