The Carrington has been visited and written about by everybody from royalty up. Here's my contribution, based on a few hour's recent acquaintance and vague memories of living opposite (1936 to 1941). Construction started in 1880, and the Carrington has been added to, renovated, redesigned, and re-invented with various degrees of enthusiasm and taste almost continuously ever since. Except when, in the 1980s, National Trust and Heritage Commission listed, it was boarded up and left to run to seed because it couldn't meet fire safety standards and nobody was brave enough to spend money on it. But now, a lot of obvious money has been spent on it. Amazing rooms, stained glass everywhere, enormous baths, "high tea", enthusiastic staff, conspicuous chimney, great food, reminders of history, a worthwhile experience. And that's without finding the billiard room or the spa and without staying for Yulefest.