A Gilded Age Weekend for the Ages
Updated: 22 minutes ago
The Gilded Age returns Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 9 PM ET on HBO (and on HBO Max), and the real thing is fifteen minutes from our porch. Marble House, The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer and The Elms — the Newport mansions in the show — sit on or near Bellevue Avenue. Our 5-bedroom luxury vacation home on Indian Ave in Portsmouth, near Newport, sleeps ten, with two fireplaces, a table for eight and two primary suites with steam showers.
Spend the day walking the rooms you'll see on screen. Come home to a fire in the sunroom. Or come for the weekend and do both: watch Sunday night from the sofa, walk the mansions Monday.
When does The Gilded Age Season 4 premiere?
Season 4 of The Gilded Age debuts Sunday, Nov 1, 2026 at 9 PM ET/PT on HBO, and it's available to stream on HBO Max. The season has eight episodes. Julian Fellowes, of Downton Abbey, created the show, and Season 4 was filmed in Newport again.
We'd suggest watching the premiere from the living-room sofa, remote-controlled gas fireplace on.
Which Newport mansions were used for filming?
The Preservation Society of Newport County names four of its houses as filming locations: Marble House, The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer and The Elms.
Marble House. Its dining room is where Bertha Russell hosted the Duke of Buckingham. Its kitchen stood in for Mrs. Astor's.
The Breakers. The Billiard Room is where Mr. Russell did his ruthless business, and the Music Room plays the Russells' ballroom.
Chateau-sur-Mer. Look for the Stair Hall and its "Tree of Life" mural. The exterior also appeared as Mrs. Astor's cottage.
The Elms. It does double duty, as the Russells' Newport cottage and as parts of their New York mansion, including the kitchen where the staff work and gossip.
A quick heads-up for superfans: the Preservation Society's guide-led "Inside The Gilded Age" tour ran on Tuesdays and Fridays from May 12 to Aug 28 this year, so it's finished for 2026. In the fall, you tour the houses on your own, which means nobody rushes you out of the ballroom.
Which mansions are open this fall, and when?
Not all four are open every day, so plan around this. These are the Preservation Society's published hours for 2026, and the schedule can change, so check newportmansions.org the week you go.
The Breakers. Open daily, 9 AM–5 PM (last admission 4 PM), through Nov 20. From Nov 21 to Jan 3, it's open 9 AM–5 PM on Mondays to Wednesdays and 9 AM–3 PM on Thursdays to Sundays (last admission 2 PM), with Sparkling Lights tickets on select evenings. Tickets are timed, so buy them in advance. The back terrace is closed for restoration through November 2026, but the gardens and back lawn stay open.
Marble House. Open daily, 9 AM–5 PM (last admission 4 PM), through the fall and the holiday season.
The Elms. Closed until Nov 16, when it reopens with the new "Elms Experience". It needs a special timed ticket, and entries run every 10 minutes from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.
Chateau-sur-Mer. Closed until Nov 21. Then it's open Saturdays and Sundays only, 9 AM–5 PM, through Jan 3.
Every house is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Nov 26.
So on premiere weekend, plan on The Breakers and Marble House. Come back after Nov 21 and you can do all four, holiday trees included. Parking is free on-site at the mansions.
A set-jetter's weekend, day by day
Friday: arrive and light something. Check-in is 4 PM. Unpack, pick a bedroom before the cousins do, and start the wood fire in the sunroom. The dog will find the doggy door to the large grassy back yard before you find the corkscrew.
Saturday: Bellevue by day. Drive 10 to 15 minutes to the mansions. Parking at the houses is free, so park once and hop. On Halloween weekend, that means The Breakers (book your timed ticket first) and Marble House. That's plenty, honestly. By the third ballroom, everyone's feet have opinions. Walk a stretch of the Cliff Walk between them for the ocean side of the story.
Prefer not to re-park? RIPTA's Route 67 runs along Bellevue Ave past the mansions, and it's free to ride through Oct 31, courtesy of Discover Newport. After that, regular RIPTA fares apply.
Saturday night: come home to the fire. Back in Portsmouth, walk the rooms by day and come home to the fire: gas in the living room, wood-burning in the sunroom, or the propane fire pit out back. Marshmallows and s'mores are officially approved.
Sunday: a slow morning, then the premiere. Pebble Beach is a 5-minute walk down Indian Ave. It's a bit rocky for swimming, but just right for a cold, clear walk with the dogs. Then dinner in, the fire on, and the premiere at 9 PM.
Monday: walk it. You've just seen the Gilded Age on screen. Now go see the real thing. (Velvet ropes permitting. They mean it.) Check-out is 10 AM, so pack the car first and make Marble House or The Breakers, both open from 9 AM, your last stop before the drive home. Or stay another night and give Monday the whole day.
Why stay in Portsmouth, near Newport?
We're literally one block from being in Newport. But with Portsmouth, you get the best of both worlds — space, quiet and easy parking, about fifteen minutes from Bellevue. You will need a car. Newport is walkable once you're there, but Aquidneck Island isn't, and we'd rather you hear it from us than from your feet.
5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, sleeping 10.
Two primary suites, each with a steam shower.
A table for eight and a chef's kitchen.
Two fireplaces: gas in the living room and wood-burning in the sunroom — come home to the fire.
A propane fire pit out back.
Heated floors in the primary bath.
Pets welcome: up to 2, of any size, with a $500 non-refundable pet fee. We love pets. We have too many of them.
Pebble Beach, a 5-minute walk (a short walk from the sand).
Easton's (1st) Beach, an 8-minute drive.
Sachuest (2nd) Beach, a 6-minute drive.
Third Beach, a 5-minute drive.
Glen Farm, an 8-minute drive.
The house rules are short. No parties or events: we like them, we go to them, but this is a neighborhood. The off-season minimum stay is 3 nights.
Frequently asked questions
When does The Gilded Age Season 4 premiere?
Sunday, Nov 1, 2026, at 9 PM ET/PT on HBO, and it streams on HBO Max. The season has eight episodes.
Which Newport mansions appear in The Gilded Age?
The Preservation Society of Newport County names Marble House, The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer and The Elms as filming locations. All four are 10 to 15 minutes by car from our home in Portsmouth.
Is the Portsmouth home pet friendly?
Yes. Up to 2 pets of any size are welcome with a $500 non-refundable pet fee, and the sunroom has a doggy door to the large grassy back yard. Pebble Beach is a 5-minute walk.
What are check-in and check-out times, and is there a minimum stay?
Check-in is 4 PM and check-out is 10 AM. The minimum stay is 3 nights, or 5 nights from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Book direct
November and December weekends near Newport are open (3-night minimum — think Thu–Sun or Fri–Mon), confirmed on the Oct 27 master schedule. Book directly with Lobis Luxury Estates, call Jodi at (310) 739-1192 or email at jodilobis@gmail.com. No platform fee when you book direct.
We hope you have a lovely time, and if we can be of any service to you throughout your stay, please let us know. Then have a safe trip home... wherever that may be.
Comments