Wonderful place, love the small tour atmosphere where you can have one on one conversations, ask any question, and try to stump the docents. David and Sue were very knowledgeable and charming. In our group was a prominent architect and a successful landscape design architect. Both loved the tour and we can't wait to come back to see more of the place. I sincerely hope you keep the tours small and intimate, would love to have a dinner tour with dinner served outside under tents. Please do not make it into another Hearst Castle. I hope this place can be preserved just the way it is. Shannon August 14, 2024
The tour was stunning and the two tour guides were so generous and patient with all our many questions. Such a beautiful day. Nancy August 9, 2024
A wonderful morning today with two lovely guides. Four gals from our book club toured after reading Empty Mansions. FASINATING! Toni August 7, 2024
What a special day. We have known about this property for many years and were thrilled to finally visit. Our docents, John and Sharon, were a delight, filled with enthusiasm and knowledge. My partner and I travel to Europe every summer and as much as we enjoy learning and exploring, doing so alongside hundreds of thousands of others makes the process less enjoyable. Being able to experience this property in such an intimate setting was very special. I look forward to seeing how this property develops in the future. Jonathan August 6, 2024
Absolutely beautiful estate! The tour was excellent and informative. I highly recommend this tour. Carrie August 4, 2024
Just beautiful. We are coming back. Loved all the docents and staff. Anne July 31, 2024
Like a lot of people in my tour group, I wanted to see Bellosguardo after reading Empty Mansions. I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but the tour far exceeded it. The craftsmanship and attention to detail were incredible, like nothing I've ever seen before, particularly in the rooms that were transferred from the Clark family's former New York City mansion, which were transferred to NYC from castles in Europe. It's also amazing to see how well-preserved the house and furnishings are, considering Huguette owned it until her death in 2011 but hadn't been there since 1953. She spent a lot of money to maintain it just as her mother had it, and now we all get to enjoy it. My favorite room was Huguette's studio. She was a gifted painter. There were black and white photos of several of her paintings in the book, but you really have to see them in person. Our tour guides, Susan and David, were very knowledgable and answered all questions from the group as we went along. Abby July 29, 2024
Wonderful tour of a beautiful house. Kathleen July 28, 2024
Fabulous visit! Intimate and personal. Loretta and Ryan were both very knowledgeable and shared information in a fun and personable manner. Mette July 28, 2024
Amazing opportunity to see the inside of this estate and learn more about this history. Thank you for being open to the public and providing knowledgeable and pleasant tour guides. Quite a relatable and memorable experience having read Empty Mansions. Cynthia July 26, 2024
What a fabulous hidden gem! I have passed by the driveway 100s of times and had no idea what beauty was to be found behind the gates. The home and gardens have been well maintained. The docents were wonderful and steered our group of 9 through the first floor of this gorgeous mansion. The architectural details of the home are exquisite. The well maintained grounds are inviting. The view of the ocean is spectacular, as is the view of the mountains. Thank you for opening this exquisite estate to the public. Well worth the cost of admission. Carol July 26, 2024
This tour was more than I imagined it would be. The interior of the home is magnificent, and you are able to see so many rooms, and hear the history of this family. The grounds are extensive and beautiful, also. The docents were excellent as guides. I took my friend here for her birthday, and she said it was her best birthday ever. I think she was right. Susan July 24, 2024
A fantastic tour! Rob and Ryan were very informed and made sure we all had a fun experience. Definitely recommend touring beautiful Bellsoguardo. Carolyn July 22, 2024
The tour was absolutely amazing! Our docents, Eugene and Eric, were so enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable. The group was limited to 10 which was the perfect size and we never felt crowded or unable to hear what information was being shared. I'm excited to go again and perhaps attend an event in the future. As a local I've waited years for this opportunity. Well worth the wait! Stephanie July 21, 2024
Spectacular! So great to see the mansion and grounds and have some rich content. Gary July 20, 2024
Excellent docents. Spectacular grounds. A unique snapshot into the Gilded Age & Santa Barbara history. Steve July 17, 2024
I enjoyed the tour very much. Ryan and Eugene were entertaining and very knowledgeable. Pat July 15, 2024
Wow, what a tour. Dave and Ryan, our guides, were so knowledgeable about this home and the family. So interesting to see everything so well preserved and to have so much information about the people in whose footsteps we were able to walk. Thank you so much for caring for this place and for sharing it with us. Wanda July 15, 2024
Informative, friendly tour guides. Beautiful views. Amazing story. Gorgeous preservation. Will be back! Michelle July 9, 2024
We had a wonderful visit. The docent team were very knowledgeable and welcoming of questions. Many thanks for a terrific afternoon. Brian July 8, 2024
We had a wonderful time. Ryan and partner were knowledgeable, fun, and did a great job. What an exceptional place. Can't wait to return. Jeanne July 7, 2024
It was really special to be able to tour Bellosguardo and learn more about its history. I appreciate the knowledge and time the docents spent with us during our tour. Thank you to Loretta, Gail, and Gwyneth. Brandon July 5, 2024
What a treat to tour this special and storied estate! Dave and Leslie were amazing docents and provided the perfect amount of history and anecdotes. Autumn July 4, 2024
Fabulous tour and Sue and Jeremy were so informative. Highly recommend. Glynda July 3, 2024
Our docents, David and Leslie, were fantastic! John July 3, 2024
We had been waiting for YEARS to have an opportunity to see this lovely mansion. Our docents did not disappoint! They were extremely knowledgeable and engaging. Did not feel rushed, had plenty of time to roam the gardens and take in the beauty. Pamela July 1, 2024
Wonderful experience. Docents were superb and able to answer any questions. Looking forward to attending events in the future. Robert June 29, 2024
Ryan and Dennis were great. I came in not knowing much about the Mansion and came out of the tour more knowledgeable and curious to learn more. I will definitely be interested in attending future events and more tour experiences. Mario June 29, 2024
Loved seeing all the details and hearing about how special the house was to Anna and Hugette. Andrea June 23, 2024
Great docents—a wealth of knowledge. The history of the family is amazing. Margaret June 19, 2024
We enjoyed the wonderful tour of Bellosguardo and the docents were great! Judy June 12, 2024
My mother and I had the pleasure of visiting and it exceeded all expectations! We had the benefit of being in a small group, and Ryan and Eugene were fantastic hosts—they really brought the Clark story to life with their storytelling and humor. Kate June 2, 2024
Entry to the estate and the outside orientation were flawless and very welcoming along with learning fascinating facts related to the building. All of our docents shared their knowledge and added to each others as we toured the various rooms. Gaylee June 1, 2024
What a treat! The docents were fantastic. We'll be telling everyone they have to go too. Whitney June 1, 2024
I've waited years to do this tour after reading "Empty Mansions." It was on my bucket list, so I travelled from the Island of Bermuda to visit it. I certainly wasn't disappointed. The property is wonderful the guides were superb. My only criticism is that there are no guide books for sale. I really wanted something to bring home and show people. I know I can see it on the internet but that's not the same as having a beautiful book that I can pick up and look at any time. Carol April 30, 2024
We LOVED the tour. The trio of docents brought an interesting variety of voices and styles. The property is majestic and we loved seeing it in the pre-restoration phase. The gardens will be great again since the "bones" are already there. Best view in the area. Looking forward to some musical events. If I lived closer, I'd want to join the docents. Anne April 28, 2024
LOVED our tour! Beautiful mansion and grounds. Excellent delightful, knowledgeable, and engaging docents (Cynthia and Nancy are standouts). Fascinating and rich history. You leave enriched on so many levels, wanting to know more and return. I highly recommend and know I will be returning as they are constantly uncovering more information, fascinating stories, and treasures! Lisa April 27, 2024
We were so lucky that we got to tour this incredible property with three expert docents. They combined knowledge with a light touch, conveying their passion infectiously. Thank you so much Ryan, Sharon and (the particularly funny) Eugene. Patrick April 26, 2024
Thank you to the charming guides. Their playful interactions with each other were delightful. The property is, of course, spectacular. It was an incredible treat to see it. Victoria April 24, 2024
Fantastic! A truly amazing experience with wonderful docents and a fox sighting. Thank you so very much, will be back with more friends. Elizabeth April 19, 2024
What an amazing adventure to go on the tour. The docents were so knowledgeable and so willing to make the tour fit the needs of the tourists. Leslie April 18, 2024
Interesting tour and the hosts were enthusiastic and informative. Kelsey April 16, 2024
I found the tour interesting. It was a little long (one hour and forty-five minutes) without a rest stop or a place to sit. The tour docents were quite informative. I would have liked a handout containing the family trees of the various families that passed through the property. This family tree should contain the birth year and death year of all the members. Murray April 12, 2024
Unique property and a fascinating story. Docents are not only knowledgeable, they are enthusiastic and share both historic and biographical details about the house and the Clark family. I've known about the property for 20 years and it was great to finally tour it. Definitely worth a visit. Courtney April 11, 2024
Susan and Cynthia were AMAZING! They were fun, allowed for interruptions, and SO knowledgable. The property is stunning and we are so grateful that it is now open. We look forward to future events. Nancy April 5, 2024
We—4 well-traveled friends—loved it. Structure is exceptional, property magnificent and our docents, Susan and Loretta terrific! A great afternoon. Andrea April 5, 2024
Fabulous tour and wonderful docents. We all enjoyed our time learning about this incredible property and its rich history. Jasmine April 6, 2024
Great tour, superb docents, very special opportunity to visit a remarkable estate. Diane April 5, 2024
David and Thomas were outstanding Docents. Full of knowledge snd very welcoming. Rhonda April 3, 2024
Impressive and intriguing. Our foursome enjoyed the tour immensely. Ryan, our docent, was outstanding. Emily April 14, 2024