All About the Real-Life Mansion Where Hallmark's “A Biltmore Christmas” Was Filmed (That You Can Visit During the Holidays!)

The Biltmore Estate is featured all throughout the 2023 Hallmark holiday movie starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha

In 2023, A Biltmore Christmas was released as part of Hallmark’s holiday movie lineup, highlighting the wonder and beauty of the largest privately owned house in the United States.

Located in Asheville, N.C., the Biltmore Estate is a 250-room property built for George Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. Over the years, the estate, which is still owned by Vanderbilt's descendants, has become a major tourist attraction.

Notably, people flock to the estate during the holidays as its halls are decked for Christmas, including with a 35-ft. Fraser fir, a tradition that first started when Vanderbilt opened the home in 1895.

In September 2024, “America’s largest home” was among the many locations impacted by Hurricane Helene, the Category 4 storm that made landfall in Florida before sweeping across the southeastern United States, including Asheville. 

Although Biltmore “received minimal or no damage,” the 250-room French Renaissance mansion closed its doors for more than a month for cleaning and recovery efforts. It officially reopened for business on Nov. 2 — just in time to “celebrate the joy of the holiday season.”

The stunning property has been the backdrop for many films over the years, including The Swan (1956), Forrest Gump (1993), Richie Rich (1994), Patch Adams (1998) and now A Biltmore Christmas. However, Hallmark’s movie marks the first time the house has had a central role in the storyline.

Starring One Tree Hill alum Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha, the film follows a screenwriter named Lucy Hardgrove as she plans to recreate a beloved holiday movie titled His Merry Wife!, filmed at Biltmore House in 1947. While visiting the estate for inspiration, a magical hourglass transports her back in time to when the original movie was filmed, setting into motion a series of mystical events.

Chase Pickering, vice president at Biltmore and Vanderbilt's great-great grandson, played a big role in getting Hallmark to film at the historic location. 

“The movie A Biltmore Christmas was the perfect collaboration between Biltmore, known for our Christmas celebration, and Hallmark Channel, known for their Christmas movies," Pickering told PEOPLE. He explained that after previously doing a college internship with Wonya Lucas, former CEO of Hallmark Media, when she was at a different company, the two stayed in touch and eventually reconnected in March 2022 when she visited Biltmore for the first time.

"I pitched Wonya the idea, she loved it and sent Hallmark’s development and production teams down to meet with us," he said. "Hallmark Channel welcomed [the Biltmore team’s] creative input during the storyline development, and we were engaged throughout the entire process." After brainstorming the concept of time travel, Pickering said he referenced Vanderbilt's "spectacular hourglass" in his bedroom, which was replicated for the movie prop.

"The movie overall is a beautiful showcase of Biltmore’s architecture, our culture of gracious hospitality and the importance of taking time to connect with loved ones, especially during the holidays," he added. "I hope this movie introduces new audiences to this extraordinary place so they feel invited to travel back in time with their own visit to Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina.”

Related: All the New 2024 Christmas Movies Coming to Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix, Great American Family and More

Several other locations in North Carolina are spotlighted in the film. From the rooms at Biltmore to hot spots around the charming town of Asheville, here are some of the most notable places seen in A Biltmore Christmas.

Front lawn

Of course, one of the notable filming locations is Biltmore House’s front lawn, which boasts a 55-ft. Norway spruce wrapped with 55,000 lights. In the film’s trailer, Lucy can be seen walking on the lawn during a night tour of the home, known as Candlelight Christmas Evenings during the holiday season.

Banquet hall 

As Lucy goes on a tour of Biltmore House at the beginning of the film, she steps into the banquet hall, the largest room on the property, which fittingly includes the largest tree inside the house, a 35-ft. Fraser fir.

The annual tree-raising, which usually takes place in early November, marks the beginning of Christmas at Biltmore. Christmas decor typically stays up through the first week of January, with this year's display in place until Jan. 5, 2025.

The library

One of the primary filming locations for the movie is the library, where Lucy interacts with the hourglass that transports her back in time. The prop from the film was inspired by one of Vanderbilt’s real hourglasses, which is on display in his bedroom.

In honor of the film’s release in 2023, the holiday decor in the library that year was based on the 1940s plot line, including a tinsel-covered Christmas tree in the center of the room. Hallmark’s hourglass was also exhibited in the library throughout that Christmas season.

For the 2023 holiday season, there was also a special time-travel-themed tree decorated with clocks and hourglasses by Biltmore designer Anna Leonard. It was located in the vestibule of the entrance hall under the grand staircase.

Related: The 50 Best Christmas Movies to Stream

The grand entry hall

The grand entry hall plays a major part in the movie as the location of Lucy's big "Cinderella moment," when she attends a party with Jack in a gorgeous vintage dress. During the party scene, the wives of two Vanderbilt family members have cameos: Pickering's wife, Clary Pickering; and Ryan Cecil's wife, Rebecca Cecil.

Tapestry gallery 

Just outside the library’s doors is the tapestry gallery, where costumes from His Merry Wife! are showcased in the film. After time-traveling for the first time, Lucy appears in this room as she compares her call sheet to the one on display. Above the library’s doors are paintings of Vanderbilt and his wife, Edith, whom he married in 1898 a few years after Biltmore opened.

Winter garden 

Another notable filming location from the movie is the winter garden, where Lucy interacts with Jack for one of the first times after traveling back to the set of His Merry Wife! On a tour of Biltmore House, it’s usually one of the first rooms you see.

Biltmore's conservatory 

During a late-night stroll with Jack, Lucy is seen walking in front of Biltmore's conservatory, which includes poinsettias and numerous exotic orchids during Christmas. For filming, the conservatory’s glass ceiling was lit blue to give it some extra holiday magic.

Related: The Best Hallmark Christmas Movies to Watch Now

The Inn on Biltmore Estate

The place where Lucy stays while visiting Biltmore is The Inn on Biltmore Estate. Four rooms at the inn were used as film sets — the lobby, the library lounge and two guest rooms. Visitors can book room 359, where both Lucy and Jack stay in the film.

Additionally, the cast stayed at the inn as they filmed the movie over 15 days. In honor of the film’s release in 2023, several costumes worn by Joy Lenz were on display at the hotel (including the one featured above).

Antidote at Chemist Spirits

In the film, Lucy and several other characters grab drinks at an old-fashioned bar. This scene was not filmed at Biltmore but rather at a local bar in Asheville called Antidote at Chemist Spirits. The perfect setting for the 1940s location, the bar offers “1900s Apothecary Style & Aesthetics with a craft cocktail selection to match,” per its website.

Hendersonville train station 

Toward the end of the film, Lucy goes to a local train station and convinces one of the stars of His Merry Wife! to rejoin the movie. Unlike other filming locations, this scene was filmed at a historic train station in Hendersonville, N.C.

Lucy’s office 

Lucy's office at the beginning of the movie was filmed at an advertising agency in Asheville, called Market Connections.