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March 2024 by C Perez
Feels like the inside of castle was decorated in the 1600 but was made 1919. Awesome
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March 2024 by Lucas Casali
Awesome experience! I really enjoyed learning about the history of this place, and how it was a 250+ year work-in-progress that predates the acquisition of California by the US
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March 2024 by Julian Garcia
It is so fun you must go
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March 2024 by Roy Rosnik
Wow! This place is amazing. The architecture and history is mind blowing. It’s hard to imagine that one person could put all of this together. Definitely worth the price of admission.
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March 2024 by Benjamin Pavlakovich
Must visit if you are in San Louis County!
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March 2024 by Laura Vazquez
Loved the informative tour and Hearst Castle. The only thing that I was taken back with was the lady at the very front desk when you enter. It was 3/23/24 and 1:25pm when we came up to the desk and asked her where we could get tickets, she asked if we had booked a tour prior to coming. We said we had just popped in last minute so we understood if there weren't spaces left. She gave us a face and gave us a flat, rude "Good luck." Luckily, some people hadn't shown up so we got their spaces. The bathrooms were out of service inside the building so I came again to the front desk and asked her if there were any other bathrooms available, she again, flatly and rudely said, "No." No explanations, no helpful alternative. I went outside and realized there were several portable potties outside the building.I am not sure why she couldn't just tell me there were several toilets outside. I was unable to read the sign's small print so I legitimately believed there were no other bathrooms in the facility.It was extremely difficult to deal with such an unprofessional staff member and it shocked me, coming from a customer service background, to know a person with that kind of behavior and communication skills is allowed at the front desk. The front desk is the first impression, the introduction of the quality of service you can expect to receive at any business. I know public service jobs can be draining so I try to be as friendly and understanding as possible, but that lady's rudeness came out of NOWHERE.
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March 2024 by Mai
This should be the #1 thing to see in Central Coast. Yes, we do have castle in CA that you must see to appreciate. We did all three tours at 2 different times. The castle was under renovation for 5 years and is just now opened again. We just walked in and purchased tickets for the second time rather then booking online.Make sure you give enough time to see the movie which is about 45 mins right after the tour. Parking is fast and easy. The tours are very well organized with great tour guides. Some of the earlier tours are packed so maybe later time would better.
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March 2024 by Anna Leader
Fantastic, crazy place to visit! We did two tours, the Grand Rooms tour (approx 40 people in the tour group) and the Upper Suites tour (only 8 people). Recommend the Upper Suites tour in particular, as there is so much incredible art upstairs, and you get to cover so much ground and see so many bedrooms, sitting rooms, and libraries. Smaller group means more opportunities to ask questions. This place is one of a kind... Go take a tour, or two, or three!
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March 2024 by Jeffrey Inferrera
5 Stars. Stunning views, beautiful art. The house is built to impress.
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March 2024 by Missis Ella
Hearst Castle is located at the top of a mountain. Down in San Simeon is the visitor center with a restaurant and souvenir shop and a huge parking lot. From here you will be taken up to the castle by shuttle bus (this takes about 15 minutes), taken on a guided tour and then driven back down. You are not allowed to drive up or walk around the site without an escort/guide.The path up is laid out in serpentines. You go up on the right and down on the left, so the buses don't have to squeeze past each other.On the right side are pastures where cows and zebras graze. Yes, we were amazed. They were left over from Mr. Hearst's former private zoo and “released free.”The restaurant was closed and all toilets were closed. There were only Dixi toilets outside in the parking lot and smaller snack stations.Everything is cordoned off at the top of the castle. There are guards there every few meters who make sure that you don't touch anything, that you don't run into the area, that you don't step on the floor (you can only walk on the runners that have been laid out) and that nobody stays behind.We had booked 2 tours. The first was the Grand Rooms Tour. Here you could see parts of the garden, the guest houses from the outside, the large outdoor swimming pool and the most important rooms on the ground floor such as the dining room, the men's room with a pool table, the indoor swimming pool, the tennis court and the cinema.The second tour was the Upstairs Suites Tour. Here you could see Mr. Hearst's apartments, those of his girlfriend, tons of guest rooms (each designed as a double room, with its own bathroom and each in its own unique style) and also parts of the garden, both pools and the tennis court.The whole house was very dark, sacred, dark wood, lots of carvings. In the dining room and playroom, the side walls consisted of seating walls (like the aisles in churches).Mr. Hearst simply bought everything he discovered on his travels that he liked and had it brought/shipped to San Simeon (a port even had to be built specifically for this purpose). These could be Nepalese ceiling beams, Indian doors or Egyptian figures. And if there weren't enough doors, for example, he simply had them carved. The entire border of the house was carved in great detail from mahogany wood. It's unimaginable what all that must have cost.A number of tiles have already fallen off the ceiling in the swimming pool.We bought 2 books in the shop that show the rooms well and tell a bit about the story, as you just couldn't photograph the rooms very well yourself. Because you are rushed through quickly, you can't even stay behind for a short time and there are tourists and guards "in the way" everywhere.
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March 2024 by Richard Steedley
Pretty interesting overall. We enjoyed the great rooms tour. Like others have said, no public restrooms -- only porta-potties outside. Tour guide Paul (cottages and kitchens) was kind of a jerk to everyone and the tour was very rushed. More of your focus is given to making sure that Paul doesn't scold you for not being stationed precisely where he wants you than to enjoying the tour itself. Don't expect to be able to get any good photos on the C&K tour.
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March 2024 by mike buchanan
Oh, to be rich. Even with a massive inheritance he racked up $150 million in 1920's dollars debt. Some people just seem to get to play the world by different rules. The best part is the underground grotto pool, the stars painted on the floor tiles, the sea onto the ceiling. A topsy-turvy place.
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March 2024 by Maurizio Carboni
A one of a kind work.
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March 2024 by Kurt Ellis
I’ve never been here, but I want to go!
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March 2024 by Brian M
Absolutely amazing experience. Never made it here in all my years and wasn't disappointed. The place is administered by California State Parks and I'm glad to see they don't go stingy with the budget. The visitor center has many food and shopping options and the IMAX theater they use to show the history videos was awesome.Do not come here without a ticket first because it's busy and you won't be guaranteed a spot. Also do not be late and expect it to be ok, because again, it's busy and the spots for the bus ride up the hill fill up fast and they won't accommodate you if there all full. So just make sure your on top of things if you want to go on the tours.The tour itself is fantastic and well narrated. The guides are also well trained and are full of information. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that there on a clock and won't be able to accommodate everyone's questions, so be mindful of time. They have this place tuned pretty well and is definitely worth another visit. You need to come back I think 4 or 5 times to see everything, because they have different parts of the property assigned to different tours and you can't wonder around by yourself of course.Come see this wonderful place and be impressed.
