Go inside America's castles all decked out for Christmas

Take a virtual tour of some of the world's most incredible homes, splendid with holiday cheer

Built for William Vanderbilt between 1888 and 1892, Newport, Rhode Island’s Marble House, is the summer cottage that started it all. Vanderbilt gave the estate to his wife, Alva, on her 39th birthday. Photo: Preservation Society of Newport County

Three years after receiving Marble House, Alva divorced William Vanderbilt, married Oliver Belmont and moved down the street to another mansion. When Oliver died, she reopened Marble House and played host to suffragette rallies, but eventually moved to Paris and sold the house in 1935. Photo: Preservation Society of Newport County

Christmas activities at the Newport mansions begin in November and continue through the first week of January. Marble House is decorated with hundreds of poinsettias, drenched in fresh flowers, wreaths, huge trees and trimmed in silver and gold. Santa makes his lap available every Saturday before the big day. Photo: Preservation Society of Newport County

Night-time is a unique time at Marble House when it is bathed in candlelight and the Christmas trees are aglow. Visitors are serenaded by live jazz bands, choirs and opera tenors. Photo: Preservation Society of Newport County

With the Blue Ridge Mountains as its backdrop, Asheville, North Carolina's Biltmore is the largest privately owned home in America. George Washington Vanderbilt II built the sprawling 8,000-acre estate between 1889 and 1895. Photo: John Warner

William Amherst Vanderbilt Cecil, the grandson of George Vanderbilt, inherited the Biltmore from his parents and still owns the 41,000-square-metre home. His cousin, Gloria Vanderbilt, is the mother of CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Photo: The Biltmore Company

Every Christmas, parts of the 252-room castle are decked out with 41 trees, the largest being a 10-metre-tall Fraser located in the banquet hall. This monstrosity requires the brawn of more than 30 Biltmore staffers to lift it into place. Photo: The Biltmore Company

Christmas Candlelight tours are especially jaw dropping when Biltmore glows in 30,000 lights and more than 150 candles. At least 13,000 ornaments twinkle on the trees while at dusk, Biltmore elves (staff members) rush to set up 300 luminaries that will greet visitors when they reach the estate. Photo: The Biltmore Company

Biltmore has a total of 65 fireplaces and on the Christmas tour you’ll see them decked out in fresh garland and holly. More than 1,000 poinsettias, along with more than 1,000 amaryllis, Christmas cactus, orchids, peace lilies and other plants are placed throughout the estate and the grounds. Photo: The Biltmore Company

Located on California’s Central Coast, north of San Luis Obispo and the sleepy beach towns of Cayucos and Cambria, is America’s most eclectic residence, Hearst Castle, eponymously named after its owner, William Randolph. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado

For its Christmas tours, the castle features a splendid five-metre-tall tree, mantles festooned with garland and holly, as well as docents dressed in period costumes, laughing and enjoying holiday cocktails. The main house, Casa Grande, features 38 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, 14 sitting rooms and 30 fireplaces. Photo: Vickie Garagliano

Evening tours at Hearst Castle are especially fun as you get to see multiple rooms and locations that are not part of the daytime tours. Photo: Carlos Hoyos

Located in Akron, Ohio, Stan Hywet was built between 1912 and 1915 for Goodyear Tyre founder F A Seiberling and his wife, Gertrude. For its inspiration, the couple travelled to Europe with their architect, Charles Sumner Schneider, where they were given unprecedented access to English manors and other estates. Photo: Ian Adams

A National Historic Landmark, Stan Hywet is the 14th largest home in the nation and the sixth-largest with public access. The 6,000-square-metre estate includes five historic buildings and eight historic gardens on 70 acres. Photo: Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

Stan Hywet staff and volunteers pitch in with the Christmas decorations. Photo: Tim Evanson

Overlooking the city of Portland is Pittock Mansion, a grand chateau built in 1909 by a wealthy publisher and his wife who immigrated to the US from London. It was not completed until 1915 and its inhabitants Georgiana and Henry died in 1918 and 1919, respectively. Photo: Pittock Mansion/Amy Mintonye

When the mansion was facing destruction, the citizens of Portland rallied around Pittock and raised $75,000 to help the city purchase the estate. Their efforts were rewarded and the city not only recognised the historic significance of the structure but also gave $225,000 to complete the purchase. Photo: Pittock Mansion/Amy Mintonye

After 15 months of extensive restorations, Pittock Mansion welcomed its first visitors and continues to thrive. Photo: Pittock Mansion/Amy Mintonye

Check out the old-school bathroom, which has all its original hardware, including a cast iron, claw-footed sitz bath. Photo: Pittock Mansion/Amy Mintonye

Also located in Newport, Rhode Island, is the Breakers mansion, which was built as a summer retreat for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, son of William H Vanderbilt. Photo: Amy Meredith

The Italian Renaissance-style mansion was built in 1895 and clocks in at at 6,000 square metres, making it the 16th largest home in America. During Christmas, there is plenty of room to host visitors as they watch twirling ballerinas, jazz ensembles and even choirs. Photo: John W Corbett

The Breakers replaced a building that burnt to the ground, which led to Vanderbilt’s insistence that no structural elements of the home be made from wood, save the flooring, trim and molding. Consequently, its main components include marble, concrete, steel, limestone and brick; the roof is terracotta. Photo: John W Corbett

Underneath the Louis XV-style panelling in the home’s breakfast room is solid limestone, while below the chevron-patterned wood floor is concrete and steel. Photo: John W Corbett

The family music room’s gilt coffered ceiling is lined with silver and gold and bears the inscription 'chanson, musique, harmonie et la melodie', French for 'song, music, harmony and melody'. Photo: Preservation Society of Newport County

The music room’s fireplace was a popular gathering spot when the family enjoyed concerts at the Breakers. The mantle is made of veined Campan marble as are the tables, which were designed to match. The rare marble was imported from France. Photo: Preservation Society of Newport County

The Vanderbilt family leased the Breakers to the Preservation Society of Newport in County in 1948 for $1 a year. The group later purchased the home in 1972 for less than $400,000 with the stipulation that the family could still reside on site. Photo: Wally Gobetz

Located on the Hudson River in Tarrytown, New York, Lyndhurst was originally designed in 1838 to be a country villa for New York politician William Paulding. Upon his death, it was passed to George Merritt, who doubled its size. Photo: Lyndhurst

It is a Lyndhurst tradition to suspend a Christmas tree from the parlour room ceiling, perhaps to show that while the house is grand, no one is putting on airs. Photo: Lyndhurst

The Elms rounds out the Christmas tour of Newport’s mansions of the Gilded Age. Built between 1899 and 1901, it cost approximately $1.5 million and served as the summer home for Edward Julius Berwind and his family. Photo: Wally Gobetz

The ballroom at the Elms once played host to the socialites of the Gilded Age. After the death of Berwind's sister, Julia, the Preservation Society of Newport County bought the mansion for less than $120,000. Photo: John W Corbett

Julia Berwind was said to be one of Newport’s last great hostesses and continued traditions set for entertaining in the Gilded Age throughout the 1950s and until her death in 1962. Photo: John W Corbett

Ever wondered how Christmas was celebrated amongst the fabulously wealthy during the Gilded Age? We've got your peek into some of America’s most beautiful and celebrated homes.

Marble House

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Marble House is decorated with hundreds of poinsettias, drenched in fresh flowers and evergreens and wreaths and filled with massive trees, trimmed in silver and gold.

Built for William Vanderbilt between 1888 and 1892, this spectacular mansion was a gift for his wife Alva and used as the family’s summer cottage.

In 1963, Alva’s son Harold helped the Preservation Society of Newport County buy the house back and then donated much of its original contents so that it appears much as it did during its gilded days.

The Biltmore Estate

Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Biltmore Estate and gardens is a year-round must-see. During Christmas, almost all 8,000 acres are awash in Christmas cheer with over 135,000 white lights on the exterior alone.

Built between 1889 and 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt, the estate was designed to be completely self-sustaining with the land and gardens providing everything residents needed for comfort. It originally sat on close to 100,000 acres; most of the land was sold to the US Forest Service at $5 an acre, creating the Pisgah National Forest.

The home is no stranger to the spotlight and has appeared in many motion pictures, most notably Being There, which stars Peter Sellars and Shirley MacLaine.

For Christmas, parts of the 252-room castle are decked out with 41 trees, 30,000 lights and over 150 candles. 13,000 ornaments twinkle on the trees while at dusk Biltmore staff elves rush to set up 300 luminaries that will greet visitors when they make the journey down the long drive.

The estate’s 65 fireplaces are dressed with handmade ornaments and Fraser fir wreaths ornamented with golden arborvitae, holly, or other natural materials.

Around 360 fresh wreaths and sprays are placed the estate during the holiday season, requiring seven full-time floral designers and 14 members of the floral reserve team.

The best part is that you can book a room in one of the estate’s cottages, the five-star inn or at the village hotel and live like a Vandy.

Hearst Castle

Located on California’s central coast is America’s most eclectic residence, Hearst Castle, built by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst.

Once the weekend playground for Hollywood’s elite, including Cary Grant, Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford, the property has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a full-scale screening room/theater, an airfield, and the world's largest private zoo. Zebras and other exotic animals still roam the grounds and you might spot one if you keep your eyes peeled when the shuttle bus takes you up the long and winding driveway.

For its Christmas tours, the castle features a splendid 18-foot-tall tree, mantles festooned with garland and holly as well as docents dressed in period costumes, laughing and enjoying holiday cheer.

The 65,000-square foot main house, Casa Grande, was never completed as construction ceased in 1947 when Mr Hearst's health began to fail. It features 38 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, 14 sitting rooms and 30 fireplaces. There are also three guesthouses on the estate.

The family donated the home to the California Department of Parks and Recreation in 1958.

Some of the castle's outdoor elements are under repair due to recent storms and is consequently closed to the public.

Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens

The inspiration for Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens started with a trip to Europe and unprecedented access to English manors and other estates. Imagine if someone knocked on your door and asked to take a look around because they wanted to copy elements of your home, which is basically how the Tudor Revival was designed.

Located in Akron, Ohio, it is the 14th largest home in the US and the sixth largest with public access. The 65,000-square foot estate includes five historic buildings and eight historic gardens on 70 acres, though it originally sat on 3,000. All of the collections and furnishings in the manor house are original and were once used by the family.

Every year the estate is decked out in some one million lights and features holiday film screenings throughout the house.

The Breakers

Also located in Newport is the Breakers mansion, which was built as a summer retreat for Cornelius Vanderbilt, the great-grandfather of Anderson Cooper.

The Breakers replaced a building that burned to the ground, which led to Vanderbilt’s insistence that no structural elements of the home being made from wood, save the flooring, trim and molding. Consequently, its main components include marble, concrete, steel, limestone and brick; the roof is terracotta. It is so solid and sound that it survived the New England Hurricane of 1938 with minimal damage and hardly any flooding.

During Christmas there is plenty of room to host visitors as they watch twirling ballerinas, jazz ensembles and even large choirs.

The Vanderbilt family leased the Breakers to the Preservation Society of Newport County in 1948 for $1 a year. The group later purchased the home in 1972 for less than $400,000 with the stipulation that the family could still reside on site. The family donated most of the furnishings back to the society.

Not part of the tour is the home’s entire third floor where Countess Anthony Szapary, the great-great granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, lived part time until her death.

The countess would occasionally join tours and correct docents' mistakes about the home. Sounds just like being home for the holidays.

See more images and even more homes in our gallery.