Inside look at historic Breakers mansion

The Vanderbilts once resided in the Breakers mansion, but they weren't alone. They had plenty of staff who didn't quite have a relationship with the family, but more of a respect.
The Rhode Show is WPRI 12's daily lifestyle show for having fun, eating well, and living life.

[bettyweber]

Been there. It's absolutely beautiful.

[njhawk]

Wonderful peek into the downstairs history. The inside story of The Breakers is in the book FORTUNE'S CHILDREN; THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF VANDERBILT. An amazing story!

[JemIsMyName]

Someone can make spin-off Downton Abbey American version at this place..

[Dina]

I toured the Breakers mansion a few years back. Words and photos can not describe the beauty and opulence of this place. It is a palatial and magnificent structure so unreal it is mind boggling. You just have to wonder how people could live here like kings and queens with such insane luxury.

Apparently, the Breakers mansion or “cottage” as it was called, was used just as a summer home. The Vanderbilts would throw lavish parties trying to undo their neighbors’. Definitely a must to see - - the Newport mansions.

[franklesser]

The staff quarters look pretty nice to me.

[usuarioyoutube]

For those that have lived on cruise ships, the rooms would be considered spacious, windows the size of a porthole (although I didn't see one at the Breakers) would be considered luxury.

[isabellasworld]

I’ve been there today actually it was BEAUTIFUL!

[NaYawkr]

Commodore Vanderbilt is buried in a decaying mausoleum in Staten Island that has had to be shuttered with steel and concrete to keep out the grave robbers and vandals. The fortune was squandered away long ago, mostly by Alva wife of August Belmont, the fellow who loved his horses a lot more than most. Alva divorced William K. Vanderbilt after she spent most of his fortune foolishly

[LoneWolfAttack]

You can virtual tour the house from the comforts of your own (presumably smaller) home now. Or at least the parts of it the Newport Preservation Society want you to see, anyway. For whatever reason, even after kicking the heirs out, the top 2 floors are still off limits. So are huge chunks of the basement, the mezzanine floor and an entire bedroom suite on the 2nd floor which they are using as a garbage disposal.

[jody]

I thought it was a tour of the mansion, not the staff

[bobbiecoffey]

So very difficult to find good help these days...m

[toddlavigne]

the hallway and rooms are that of houses costing 1/2 a million dollars today LOL

[joryadamson]

Weren't they referred to as cottages?

[marshacreary]

How would 'The Breakers' in Rhode Island compare to the one in Palm Beach?

[KING-bttm]

3:20 why is that door not touching the ground?

[helenboula]

What a home and a life, but not by the slaves right. Anderson Cooper can tell you all about, im sure

[wescollins]

I'm from Asheville NC home of the biltmore estate the mansion of all mansions in America also owned by the Vanderbilts it puts this place to shame and the servants quarters are bigger than my bedroom

[limited]

Accommodations for the help certainly were spartan. Regardless of that, back then you could hire people for peanuts that were loyal and trustworthy. Try that today.

[puddlespickles]

Why dont they make a Vanderbilt series, like the dynasty series or like the revious comment downton abby

[gordonhall]

Gladys and Paul have been booted out of the servants quarters and escorted out. These were the last Vanderbilt descendants to reside there.