Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/06/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to express my concern regarding the recent changes to my admission tour tickets for Biltmore Estates in *********, **. I purchased tickets for four people on September 7, 2024, for a tour scheduled on December 19, 2024, at 11:00 AM. I received these tickets via email.On December 5, 2024, I received an email from Biltmore Estates informing me that the admission time had been adjusted from 11:00 AM to 2:15 PM on December 19, 2024. I contacted customer support on December 6, 2024, to request an earlier admission time but was informed that this was not possible. I then requested a refund, as the change was made by the company and not by me, the customer. Unfortunately, I was told that a refund was not possible.Given that the change was made by Biltmore Estates and the new admission time is more than three hours later than the originally scheduled time, I believe a refund is warranted.Thank you for review of case and of your assistance.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/12/2024

  Dear *** *****, 

  Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We apologize for the delay in response and any inconvenience this has caused. 
  
  Biltmore admission tickets are non-refundable once purchased, however, used daytime tickets for the self-guided visit of Biltmore House never expire and can be exchanged for tickets at a later date. Unused Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets never expire and are valid as daytime admission, even for the next holiday season. Other tours and activities can be rescheduled in advance of the scheduled visit date. Additionally, tickets are not name-specific and can be given to friends or family for use. 
  
  We expect our shortened hours of operation to be temporary and look forward to welcoming you in the future when normal hours have resumed. 
  
  For assistance rescheduling your reservations, please contact Reservation Sales and Guest Support (Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST) at ************.
  
  Sincerely,

  **** *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/12/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/28/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My family bought tickets, made airline reservations and rented an air B & for a visit to Biltmore Estates in ********* , **************. For the week of 12/02 to 12/06/2024. Then hurricane ****** occurred with sever damage to the town of ********* and Biltmore Estates. ********* was closed for a few days. We decided to cancel our trip because according to the news reports there was severe damage to the town of ********* and surrounding area. We first received an e mail from Biltmore stating they would get back with me because they could not respond to the e mail because of the over abundance of e mails. Then I received an e mail stating there would not be any refunds except for the few days they were closed. I called and talked with a lady on the phone that was very adamant that they would only refund the ticket money for the time they were closed. I feel they should refund money for a longer period of time. This lady told me at that time that there was not good drinking water in *********. The money was refunded for the air ***** that we rented. And they told us that it was not a good idea to come there because there was still roads closed and a lot of damage remained in the surrounding area.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/13/2024

  Dear **** *****, 

  Thank you for sharing your experience. The estate did reopen on November 2 for Christmas at Biltmore. We are receiving positive feedback from our guests. 
  
  Biltmore admission tickets are non-refundable once purchased. Unused daytime tickets for the self-guided visit of Biltmore House never expire and can be exchanged for tickets at a later date. Unused Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets never expire and are valid as daytime admission, even for the next holiday season. Additionally, Chihuly at Biltmore has been extended through February 2, 2025. Other tours and activities can be rescheduled in advance of the scheduled visit date. Tickets are not name-specific and can be given to friends or family for use. 
  
  If you have questions about your reservations or need assistance rescheduling, please contact Reservation Sales and Guest Support (Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST) at ************. We hope to see you on the estate soon.
  
  Sincerely,

  **** Askew 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/25/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My family and I would like to have a refund of our 5 tickets. When we made the original purchases in May and September 2024, Biltmore's operating hours afforded us ample time to tour the more than 8000 acre estate to include the winery, the working farm, dining, gardens, and other activities. Our only chance to visit the more than 8000 acre estate is December 23rd, 2024. We purchased and annual pass and 3 additional tickets for this trip. The opened their gates at 8 or 8:30 am and our house reservations were at 10:30 am, again allowing us plenty of time to tour the house, gardens, winery, and grounds. I called Biltmore on November 20, ********************************************************* that you are only operating at half capacity, half staff, half everything and that the gates will not even open until Noon. He also informed me that my house reservation time was cancelled (unbeknownst to me) and rescheduled for 3:45 pm. We are driving for 7 hours up from ******* for 1 day to tour your estate. Due to the recent changes in their operating hours and house reservation time, we are no longer interested in visiting the estate because it will not be worth the drive, time, or expenses, to only tour the estate for that short amount of time. There is no way feasible for us to tour the more than 8000 acre estate to include the winery, the working farm, dining, gardens, and other activities and it be worth the effort, the drive, the time, or the expenses incurred. We are requesting a full refund as we have no determination as to when or if we will be able to make it back to your estate. Their reduced operating hours do not afford us the opportunity to enjoy the experience of touring your estate, grounds, activities, winery, or house. Our serial #s are as follows: **********************38, ***********, ***********, and ***********. We purchased 3 tickets ($479.91) as well as an annual pass ($223.65).

  Business Response

  Date: 12/11/2024

  Dear *** *******, 

  Thank you for taking the time share your feedback about your recent experience. We apologize for the delay in response and any inconvenience this has caused. We regret that the change in our hours of operations did not meet your scheduling needs and have refunded your purchase in full. You should see a total refund of $703.56 back to the credit card used in the purchase of the tickets and the Annual Pass; $223.63 for the Pass and $479.91 for the tickets.  

  Again, we apologize for any inconvenience and hope to be able to welcome you to the estate in the future. 

  Sincerely, 

  **** *****

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/12/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/16/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  i bought tickets in august for Dec 4th. at the same time I bought plane tickets. when the hurricane hit, I give the i gave the community of ********* and biltmore estate about a week to help get on there feet. I felt really bad for them. I started watching the website and I made a call to the estate. it took awhile to actually talk with some(I totally understand this) when I did get through the lady was really nice, she said the area was hit hard. she expressed uncertainty about when they would reopen and said I could apply for a refund online. I did just that, and I also changed my families vacation plans. I was told it would take a while to process the refunds because of everything that had happened. I called today to inquire why I haven't received a refund and they told me I'm not going to. This is absolutely stealing, you can't leave people in the dark and not expect them to ask for a refund. You can't tell people you're processing the request for a refund only to tell them that you're not gonna give it to them.I feel bad for the people of ********, but it doesn't give you the right to do what you are doing.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/22/2024

  Dear *** *******, 

  We apologize for the delay in response. We are pleased to inform you the estate has reopened for Christmas at Biltmore and your tickets for December 4 may be used. You may check for estate updates on our website. 
  
  Biltmore admission tickets are non-refundable once purchased, as outlined in our terms and conditions. Unused daytime tickets for the self-guided visit of Biltmore House never expire and can be exchanged for tickets at a later date.
  
  Unused Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets never expire and are valid as daytime admission, even for the next holiday season.
  

  Other tours and activities can be rescheduled in advance of the scheduled visit date. Additionally, tickets are not name-specific and can be given to friends or family for use. 

  We hope to see you in December. If that is not possible for you, we hope the flexible nature of our tickets will allow for a future visit for you and yours.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** *****
  The Biltmore Company
  Reservation Sales and Guest Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/23/2024

   
  I am rejecting this response because: I was told aplly for a refund and they would process it. At the time they said this they acted like they would give me a refund. The only thing they said it would take a little time because they were processing so many. 

  The estate did this intentionally to get outside the 60 day window of time most credit card company require card holders file for refunds. Because they knew if people applied for refunds to their credit card company it would have been processed immediately. 

  You can't say no refunds, when you couldn't even say the estate would reopen.

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 12/12/2024

  Dear *** *******, 

  According to our records, your reservations were refunded on November 24. You should have received two separate refunds, one for $369.16 and another for $184.84. We appreciate your patience in this matter and hope to be able to welcome you to the estate in the future. 

  Kind regards, 

  **** Askew 

  Reservation Sales and Guest Support Supervisor

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/13/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/05/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My mother, **** *******, ordered 5 tickets to tour the Biltmore on 11-11-2024. (conf # **********)I have been trying to reach the Biltmore to ask if we can re-schedule as our accommodations at the ************** were canceled by the inn, so we cannot come to ********* 11-11-2024. My mother and I have been on hold for hours using the only contact phone number available: ************. We know of no other way to contact the Biltmore and we just want to re-schedule our visit. We are unable to leave a message, the Biltmore customer service number does not accept my phone number when I try to enter it and no email address for ticket changes is provided.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/20/2024

  Dear Ms. ***************** apologize for the difficulty you experienced in reaching an agent and the delay in our response. We were unable to locate a reservation with the order ID you provided. We will reach out directly to gather more information from you.
  
  The estate has reopened for Christmas at Biltmore. You may check for updates on our website. Biltmore admission tickets are non-refundable once purchased. Unused daytime tickets for the self-guided visit of Biltmore House never expire and can be exchanged for tickets at a later date.
  
  Unused Candlelight Christmas Evenings tickets never expire and are valid as daytime admission, even for the next holiday season!
  
  Other tours and activities can be rescheduled in advance of the scheduled visit date. Additionally, tickets are not name-specific and can be given to friends or family for use. 
  
  If you have questions about your reservations or need assistance rescheduling, please contact Reservation Sales and Guest Support (open daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST) at ************. We hope to see you on the estate soon.
  
  Sincerely,

  **** Askew 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/22/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased 3 tickets for a rooftop tour, along with a one-night stay at the ************* at Biltmore for July 2023. I had to reschedule and was told that I would have 6 months to choose another date sometime within a year. In November 2023, I rescheduled the hotel stay for a date in ***** **** and at the time was told that I would need to call back closer to ***** in order to schedule the time for the rooftop tour. Today, (2/21/24), I called to attempt to schedule the rooftop tour and was told that I had lost my rooftop tour tickets back in July 2023. I paid $150 for the 3 tickets and was told that my only option would be to pay another $130. I would like the company to either give me 3 rooftop tickets valid for 4/15/24 or give me a refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2024

  Dear ******************, 

  Thank you for contacting Biltmore and for taking my call today. Rooftop tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable once purchased. However, as we discussed we have exchanged your Rooftop tickets from July to April 15, ****, at 12:30 p.m. as a one-time exception. You should momentarily see an email from our ticketing partner, ****. 

  Please let us know if we may be of further assistance. 

  Sincerely, 

  *******************************
  The Biltmore Company
  Reservation Sales and Guest Support
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/22/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to my complaint, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Thank you. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/22/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My husband and I stayed in room 573 at The Inn at Biltmore (we had a two night stay that started 12/15 and ended 12/17) at the Chateau level (the priciest level) for our 6 year wedding anniversary. We had a very poor night's sleep on 12/15 as our room had a malfunctioning smoke alarm that went off 4 times between 2 and 4 am. It also involved engineers needing to enter our room twice during that window to try to fix it which felt uncomfortable for me as a young female in pajamas, and they were on a ladder over the bed attempting to fix the alarm. The smoke alarm continued to go off two additional times after the engineers left for the second time so all in all it was a horrible night for both of us. We also were unable to be seated for the brunch on 12/16 we had pre-paid for as part of our room package because it was too busy, even though we came over an hour before brunch was supposed to end, so we had to get brunch to go which felt a lot less special than what we thought we had pre-paid for. Because of this poor experience in the top tier room level, we were hoping to be refunded for the first night and the brunch, to make up for what we endured. The room was over $1000 per night, and we spent a total of $3825.95 on the property between two nights in the room + tickets for the Biltmore House and wine tasting + falconry + two dinners + shopping on the property (the point of me disclosing this is that we are not here for a money grab, we simply wish to be refunded for the extremely poor experience the first night in the room and at brunch, about $1200ish of a refund). We reached out the the Biltmore House on 12/15, and were told they would get back to us in a prompt manner, but it has been over 5 weeks and they still do not have an answer or resolution provided to us despite us reaching out multiple times within that window, which forced me to have to go to the BBB in hopes of a resolution.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2024

  Dear *****************, 

  We are saddened to hear of your experience at The Inn on Biltmore Estate and that you have not received an appropriate response regarding this matter. We have escalated this issue to senior management at The Inn so that this can be properly addressed. 

  We appreciate your continued patience as we work on a resolution for you. A member of our team will reach out to as soon as possible. 

  Thank you, 

  *******************

  Centralized Guest Recovery Supervisor

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/05/2024

  We requested a refund for the full amount we were charged for our first night given the very poor experience we described at length, which we felt would be a fair resolution, especially considering when we checked into our hotel, we were given a letter from the Senior Director of Resort Operations stating "In keeping with the Vanderbilt tradition of world-class service and gracious hospitality, our mission is to exceed your expectations with our service and accommodations" - and our experience was far from that. The Biltmore did not bother to reply to our inquiry specifically requesting a full refund, and given that we need to state whether we accept the response from the business within 5 days, we have no choice but to select that we do not accept their response as their response to this request was never provided.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/02/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased three tickets for the ******* Renaissance, self guided House tour, and carriage ride on Nov 10,2023( Order ID: **********. I cancelled one ticket on Dec 19,2023. I then reinstated this ticket on Dec 22,2023. I was recharged for this ticket and told the refund for the other ticket would take 5-7 business days. (Order ID: ***********) I never received an email for the refund and it is now been 8 business days excluding Holiday. 2) The reinstated ticket did not work. I was stopped at every ticket scanner claiming that my ticket was invalid. (Order ID: ************* only did I never receive my refund, but the ticket I was given was invalid. I want a refund for the invalid ticket and my refund that was not processed. 1st total price: $633.06 + 219.58(additional payment for invalid reinstatedticket)Now total price: $861.20- without refund.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/09/2024

  Dear Ms. ********, 

  We are sorry to hear of this experience. Your case has been assinged to a member of our Guest Support team for research. We will be contacting you as soon as possible to review our findings with you. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your continued patience as we investigate this. 

  Kind regards, 

  *******************;

  Reservation Sales and Guest Support Supervisor

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/20/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I visited the Biltmore on October 14. It was actually on our 1 year anniversary. The visit to the estate I must say the estate its self and property are stunning. HOWEVER, this ticket that I purchased included the following:Daytime visit to Biltmore House with an Audio Guide ***** Acres of Gardens and Grounds **************************** Complimentary Wine Tasting Complimentary Parking **** acres sounds like a lot, and the complimentary wine tasting sounds great as well. Here is the issues I had.1.) When we got to the grounds the place was so packed every trail we had to continuously pass people, wait for people with kids/eldery, just while walking around the estate it was troubling to get around. It was not enjoyable at all.2.) After walking around the paths for about an hour, not being able to enjoy it much we got in line to see the house. We had a specific time reservation which I believe was to keep it comfortable while walking around the house. That's not true at all. This place was JAMMED pack. Even with a time reservation we had to wait 25 minutes in a line. Then, once we got into the house I had a panic attack because of how absolutely slammed it was. They did not even let me take my water in. Additionally, it's noisy because everyone is holding up an audio device. I was stuck behind people, couldn't really move around and was continuously held up. 3.) We went to get our complimentary wine tasting and they told us it's a 45 minute wait. This is ridiculous! We had a late ticket, so there wasn't really much time. We ended up having to purchase wine because the complimentary tasting was such a long wait. I will likely never go back to this place, and will cherish it from afar and from online. I would like a full refund for our tickets as our visit was not enjoyable at all and we weren't able to get all of our benefits.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/24/2023

  Dear *****, 

  Thank you for contacting Biltmore, and for your comments regarding your recent visit. We are sorry to read of your disappointment with the volume of guests inside Biltmore House and wait times inside of The Winery. We do our very best to ensure everyone's enjoyment while visiting Biltmore, and we apologize that in your case we did not succeed.
  
  October is a very popular time of year to visit Biltmore due to the fall foliage. House entry times are required for each guest wishing to enter Biltmore House so that we are able to better control the flow of traffic inside. However, there are still days of increased visitation on the estate and within Biltmore House. We apologize that this did not meet your expectations and negatively impacted your visit. We appreciate you sharing your comments with us. We greatly value and encourage feedback from our guests, as it plays an invaluable role in our decision-making process for any future changes. We will be sure to share your message with the appropriate leadership teams to be taken into consideration. In light of the situation, we have provide a full refund in the amount of $272.86 back to the original credit card used to purchase the tickets. Please allow **** business days for the refund to reflect on your baking statement. 

  Please let us know if we may be of further assistance. 

  Sincerely, 

  *******************************
  The Biltmore Company
  Reservation Sales and Guest Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/19/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am very upset about my visit today. Let me state I have been several times with no problem but today it was freezing outside and we ordered a hot apple cider at the cafe. It was so hot I have burned my tongue and lips severely. I cant imagine what would have happen if I had given it to a child. I am trying to find something to help heal this and take away the pain. You should take more care to test your products!!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/19/2022

  We have emailed the guest and also reinstated their tickets for a future visit. response in help ******- 541246