Carolands Chateau - Hillsborough, California

R C (MetaData)

Ok, so there is a lottery system to be able to go for a historical tour of the Carolands Chateau. You cannot just show up and expect a tour. It’s very well explained on their website. Go there for information.
As for the docent-led tour itself, that was amazing and wonderful! So much history and information I’m still processing all of it even now days after. I highly recommend you sign up and see if you can attend the tour via their lottery system! It is well worth the time especially if you like history like I do!! I wish there were more than five stars for this review! No photos are allowed inside the chateau.

Darlene Tenes

This week we went on a tour of the Carolands Chateau, a 46,050-square-foot, 4.5 floor, 98 room mansion on 5.83 acres in Hillsborough, California. 17 bedrooms were just for staff. A beautiful example of one of the great estates on the pennisula along with Filoli Historic House & Garden which is less than 8 miles away.

Our tour guide was very knowledgable and passionate about the architecture and history of the home. He did go on a little long about nooks & crannies in the home which could have been condensed. Otherwise it is a fabulous site to visit and I am so glad we had the privilege of visiting.

Tips: Must make reservations in advance. Albeit interesting the tour is very long. Make sure to eat beforehand and wear comfortable shoes so you can go up and down stairs.

Retrospect-Vintage Fashion

The Carolands Foundation is an absolute gem! We had the privilege of doing a fashion installation at the historic Carolands Chateau, which provided a unique and inspiring backdrop for our work. The architectural grandeur and meticulous preservation of this stunning estate are truly remarkable. Can’t wait to visit again

Rich Wales

An absolutely gorgeous home in Hillsborough that has been incredibly well restored - even surpassing it's original beauty. The 2h 15m tour covered the lower floor cooking areas, and proceeded to the second floor with the amazing library. Proceeded to the upstairs and saw many of the guest bedrooms as well as Ms. Pullman's room. All beautifully decorated for the holidays. Amazing! Reservations are required but the tour was free.

J Tan

Free guided tour is available every Wed afternoon by lottery. I had planned to go last year but unfortunately the tour was cancelled due to COVID-19. The tour is now back running and the tour I went with was full (20 people). The guide was very knowledgeable and passionate and you can learn a lot about the history and architect in the 2-hour tour. No photography is allowed inside the house but you can take pictures at the end of the tour outside. I would appreciate more free time at the end to stroll around the property, but unfortunately that's not allowed and you have to stay with the group pretty much the whole time.

Grace Merritt

Cannot say enough good things about this place. We have an exquisite piece of history in our own backyard put your name in for the raffle for the tours and enjoy!

Christine C

Fun and informative tour; I learned so much from architect/tour guide Allen about how to incorporate French design elements into home decor using soft lighting, earth toned colors, balance, symmetry. What a treasure that has been preserved for many yesterday to come.

Bobby Miller

Tremendously cool to visit. Lots of bay area history in an exquisite period mansion. Our tour lasted around 2 and a half hours long and we could have easily listed to our expert guide talk for hours more. Absolutely worth trying for the lottery to get a tour - you won't find anything else like this in the Bay Area.