Hampton Court Palace Private Tour - discovering the excesses of Henry VIII | 1 hour 30 minutes

7 Reviews | London
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Inclusions / Exclusions

  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English
  • Sandy is a fun and professional local guide, accredited by the I.T.Guides and Hampton Court Palace
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Cost of entry tickets to Hampton Court Palace
  • Private transportation

Overview

Henry VIII was a man of excess and he certainly did not do things by halves! On this tour with me (Sandy) you will wander through the enormous kitchens where feasts of nine courses were prepared for him and his noble guests to enjoy; you will be amazed at the exquisiteness of his tapestries which cost double the price of his favourite war ship to make. You might also be horrified by the story of Henry's expanding collection of wives and how, as desperation set in to find a son and heir, Henry took drastic measures! This tour will fill you in on Henry's life of excess: the size of his kitchens, the glamour of his furnishings, why he became so large, who his wives were and what happened to them all. But most of all, this is a chance to enjoy imagining the unimaginable: wealth and excess that knew no bounds resulting in one of the most magnificent courts in Europe!

Itinerary

  • Hampton Court Palace

    Henry VIII's palace is the Tudor equivalent of a 5* hotel. We start the tour in Base Court, where Henry welcomed his noble guests, and move from there to the kitchens. These were a vast complex of rooms and employed an incredible 200 staff. Imagining the type of dinners created in these kitchens is fun as is the first sight of Henry's Great Hall, richly decorated with tapestries which cost the same as his favorite warship. Having marveled at the stained glass windows and the beautiful hammer beam ceiling we wander through an arch into the Great Watching Chamber. Here the nobles, closely guarded by the Yeomen, waited to chat with Henry. The ceiling of this room celebrates Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour, the woman who gave him the longed for son. We move on to the Haunted Gallery, where I tell the story of Henry's tragic fifth queen, before taking a peek at his replica crown in the Chapel Royal. The final stop is to admire the colorful work of art, the astronomical clock in Clock Court

    1 hour 30 minutes

Sample Menu

Additional Info

  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • When your booking is confirmed, you will receive contact details for me (Sandy), your guide for this tour. My aim is to give you the best experience you could possibly have so if you have any special requests, be sure to let me know! If you need to go at a slower pace, or stop for a break midway through the tour, that will be fine with me. There are plenty of opportunities to sit down during the tour and I will tell you where they are. I will contact you once your booking is confirmed to finalise the details of your tour.
  • The tour will last up to 1.5 hours and is flexible.
  • The tour will cover roughly 1 mile.
  • The tour will go ahead come rain or shine so please don't be put off by the weather. Do wear comfortable shoes and clothing and, if needs be, bring waterproofs and an umbrella.
  • Due to uneven surfaces, and an unreliable lift used to take wheelchair or disabled clients to the first floor, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Visitors must be able to cope with stairs and so this tour is not suitable for anyone with serious medical conditions and back problems.
  • When you turn into the palace grounds from the main road, follow the driveway with grassy stretches on either side and I will meet you at the end of the drive in front of the West Front Gatehouse.
  • The tour starts at 10.00 a.m. but once a firm booking has been made, the start time of the tour can be adjusted to fit with your arrival at the palace.
  • If you need directions to travel to Hampton Court from your hotel, do contact me on sandyrhodes@live.co.uk
  • 100% of my Trip Advisor/Viator reviews are graded as 'excellent' and as I now have over 100 reviews, I must be doing something right!
  • I prefer to guide small groups of up to five family or friends so everyone can hear what I am saying in the often narrow corridors of Henry's haunted palace. Also, everyone can feel relaxed enough to ask whatever questions they like!
  • I ALWAYS contact my customers in advance of a tour so if you have not heard from me one week before the tour date, please contact me instead.
  • I only accept bookings directly from customers. Any bookings made by a travel agent on behalf of a customer will be cancelled.

Free Cancellation

July 31100% refund
August 01No refund

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews

5.0

7 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
  • 5 stars
    7
  • 4 stars
    0
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Reviews by TravelOne travelers

Showing 1-5 of 7 reviews with 5 stars

Excellent tour of Hampton Court Palace

Published on Oct, 2024

Sandy is very knowledgeable, personable and attentive to her clients. She adapted the tour to our interests and physical limitations. I can’t say enough good things about her.

Tudor fan ☑️

Published on Jun, 2024

Ms Sandy was such a sweet & lovely lady!; she is full of knowledge. Great communication before arrival with detailed instructions for meeting point and directions form our hotel. I traveled with my 18yo son and 16yo daughter. To my surprise, Ms Sandy kept them engaged and interested the whole 1.5 hour tour. If you have teens, you must do the Maze afterwards in the gardens; my kids had a blast!. We traveled June 5 and weather was perfect. Thank you Ms Sandy it was fun!

Henry tour

Published on Nov, 2023

Sandy our tour host was exceptional! First, coordinating and making sure we meet at the right place was really easy. Her patience, knowledge and pace set up for a great day for the three of us. The information provided was detailed enough to make you strive for more. It even gave us a lot of valuable information for the other places that we visited. Overall, Sandy was amazing and she really make our tour the best.

Fresh and very informative

Published on Jun, 2023

The tour was fun and informative. I learned great tidbits of information I never heard anywhere else. Sandy is a considerate guide and includes everyone. We would definitely choose Hopnob tours again!

Hobnob UK Tutor Tour Review

Published on Jun, 2023

Sandy gave an excellent tour that brought the palace to life. Her knowledge and delivery were captivating and made the nuance of life at court tangible. Henry the VIII and those around him became very human and real. I thoroughly loved the experience.

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