ROBBER BARON RETREATS: HOMES OF STORIED BUSINESS TITANS NOW MAKE FOR LUXURIOUS STAYS

The history of America’s robber barons can be read about in books or watched in documentaries, but one intriguing way to gain an interactive experience and education is with a visit to one of their grand estates that are now operating as a luxury resort.

Their legacy is complex, weighing the unfathomable wealth held by so few and the means in which they acquired it against, in some cases, profound philanthropic and cultural contributions. What cannot be argued though is the magnetic appeal that names such as John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and Cornelius Vanderbilt still wield to this day.

One glimmering example of a robber baron estate is Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (from US$1,295 a night) in Puerto Rico about 30 minutes west of San Juan. The original 1,700 acre property was purchased by Alfred T. Livingston in 1905 and passed onto his heir, Clara Livingston. She then sold the property to Laurance Rockefeller, son of John D., in the 1950s with the goal of establishing an early take on what travelers now know as eco-resorts.

“In recognizing a kindred spirit, Miss Livingston agreed to sell her childhood home to Rockefeller who expressed a desire to conserve the land,” says Marcel Kloet, general manager of the resort. “Eight years later, Rockefeller opened Dorado Beach Resort to the most discerning travelers.”

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Even as the hotel has modernized, it has stayed true to its original conservation and preservation roots. For instance, it holds a LEED Silver Certification, one of less than 50 hotels globally to do so, and offers on-site programming in conjunction with its Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment program. Its lush grounds are filled with nature trails for jogging and exploration, and guests receive bicycles to explore and get themselves across the property.

The resort’s 114 rooms are spread across a series of low-slung buildings immersed within the natural environs, and feature amenities such as oversized soaking tubs, outdoor showers, and terraces with ocean views. One historical highlight worth visiting is the enormous, century-old ficus tree found in front of the hotel’s Spa Botánico, while the rocky breakwater protecting the hotel’s calm, crescent-shaped slice of beach is known as Rockefeller’s Rocks.

“As we look into the future, we honor our commitments and continue to build upon the recovery and resurgence of the beautiful land and rich cultural history,” Kloet says. “From the preservation of the Centenary Ficus Tree, to further expanding our conservation efforts through composting programs and sustainable practices.”

While the onset of commercial aviation turned Puerto Rico into an early getaway destination for America’s wealthiest families, a well-known summer enclave closer to New York’s seat of financial might and power was Rhode Island. The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection (from US$1,000 a night), was completed in 1909 in downtown Newport by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, the third son of family patriarch Cornelius Vanderbilt.

“The former mansion has been turned into a luxury resort brimming with alluring eccentricities and meticulously restored to its glory as the coastal city’s social hub,” says Raphael Pazzini, the property’s general manager. The Vanderbilt underwent an extensive renovation and transformation when it was acquired by Auberge in 2018, and now features 33 rooms and a number of high-end amenities and artistic flourishes.

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Of course, it’s not the only Vanderbilt estate in Rhode Island to have national acclaim. The Breakers, built in 1895 and famed for its grandiosity, is registered as a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public as a museum with paid admission. What’s special about a place such as the Vanderbilt, then, is that guests get to do more than walk through a piece of history, they get to live it for themselves.

“Traces of the Vanderbilt’s rich history are woven throughout the property,” Pazzini says. “We also have a lot of fun with the history of the hotel, weaving its lore into design touches, bookable experiences that pay homage to the Gilded Age, and pulling inspiration from Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt’s personality—he was an avid traveler and a bit of a rebellious spirit—with homages to him throughout the hotel’s flirtatious eccentricities, design, and offerings.”

Across the pond, the Cotswolds in England are home to a property with an intriguing history in Cowley Manor (from about US$418), a member of the Mr & Mrs Smith group. The country estate was first built in 1695, and eventually came to be owned by the Sainsbury family, founders of the Sainsbury’s supermarket chain. Lord Sainsbury amassed wealth in the billions while operating the second-largest grocery chain in the U.K. and his clan’s offshoots became enmeshed with English politics and philanthropy, alongside other business dealings.

The 55-acre Cowley Manor estate, which once served as a family home, was Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Now, the property consists of 31 eclectically styled guestrooms pulling in stylistic nods from such whimsical literary history, along with a standalone spa compound including heated indoor and outdoor pools. Though being able to walk the garden’s myriad paths and take in its impressive collection of flora still serves as its best amenity. The hotel joined the Experimental Group in 2023 following an extensive renovation, and features an outpost of the internationally regarded Experimental Cocktail Club.

Back stateside, another property to add to your robber barons hit list is the Point (from US$2,250, all-inclusive for two people) in Saranac Lake, New York. The property was the first Relais & Châteaux member in North America four decades ago, and was built by William Avery Rockefeller II as a series of well-appointed log cabins. While it’s far from the only Gilded Age property to be found in and around the Adirondacks, it’s the only one open to the public and bookable as a stay. The Point features 11 unique accommodations scattered across four original buildings, with décor and furnishings designed to continue evoking the lived-in, residential feel and style of its original heyday.

There’s also plenty to explore down South. In 1886, an uber-wealthy coterie known as the Jekyll Island Club purchased the barrier island of the same name off Georgia’s coast. Families such as the Morgans, Vanderbilts, Pulitzers, Bakers, and Cranes built private cottages on the island in the decades to come.

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One in particular to note is San Souci, which can be translated as “no worries,” a Victorian cottage built for J.P. Morgan in 1896 and featuring 24 guestrooms. Other remaining historic cottages (from US$309) open to the public include Cherokee Cottage, built in 1904 with 10 guestrooms, and the opulent 13-room Crane Cottage, built in 1917; both feature Italian Renaissance architecture. The Jekyll Island Club Resort’s main clubhouse, a modern, all-suite hotel with 40 rooms, is another choice for visitors.

But it’s the island’s history, one rife with political intrigue and machinations, that puts it on the map. Jekyll Island served, for instance, as one of four interconnected sites for the first transcontinental phone call in 1915. Whether in Rhode Island or Georgia, direct links to the extravagance of the Gilded Age’s most notable families and the often charmed existence of such estates in the decades since, makes for an unforgettable stay, especially for history buffs and Americana aficionados.

“Learning about the property’s ties to the Vanderbilt family and Newport’s past, and with the property serving as a backdrop to many iconic films, adds depth and excitement to a guest’s stay,” says Pazzini, of the Vanderbilt in Newport.

Dress the part, snag that perfect photo for social media, and enjoy living out your glitziest fantasies, whether in Puerto Rico, Upstate New York, or beyond.

2024-06-21T21:31:24Z dg43tfdfdgfd