Stately home criticised by some visitors over its ‘expensive’ admission charges
1. Chatsworth House
The stately home in the Derbyshire Dales is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has been passed down through 16 generations of the Cavendish family.
It continues more than 30 rooms which visitors can explore, including painted hall, regal state rooms and 8. Egeskov Castle, Denmark sculpture gallery, along with extensive gardens, parkland and adventure playground.
The Portuguese Quinta da Regaleira takes the second spot, according to research undertaken on behalf of interiors firm Living Cozy. The breathtaking, palace-style
A DERBYSHIRE stately home has been criticised by visitors for being too expensive.
Hardwick Hall has received a number of recent negative reviews on TripAdvisor, claiming it has become overpriced.
The National Trust site charges £9 per adult for entry to Hardwick’s garden and park, £4.50 per child, or £22.50 for a family ticket.
The hall, at Doe Lea, near Chesterfield, which is closed for maintenance, normally charges £16 per adult, £8 per child, or £40 for a family.
According to its website, when inside, guests can enjoy “architectural and artistic delights from Elizabethan embroidery to forties furnishing”.
But some have suggested it isn’t worth the price tag. One visitor took to TripAdvisor this month to voice concerns that the site had become “all about the money”.
They wrote: “Unfortunately this has gone the way of all other National Trust properties and is entirely focused on how they can extract as much money from you as possible rather than offering a good experience.
“For many years now we have parked in the car park at the bottom near the ponds, paid the parking fee and walked to the top café, where we generally spend £40 to £50 and then have a walk back to the car.
“Today was the first time we’ve been there for a while, and they’ve now thought it’s a good idea to put in an entry pay station 100ft away from the café.
“But at £9 per person, it was going to cost us £36 to walk into the 9. Solar De Mateus, Portugal
mansion could have come straight out of a fairytale; featuring an 88ft deep well and underground gothic tunnels.
In third place, Highclere Castle is more commonly known as one of the main filming locations in the TV show Downton Abbey. Although café to spend money. I explained to the lady in the shed that we only wanted to use the café and she looked very embarrassed and told us that she couldn’t do that. Obviously, we didn’t do that and won’t be returning. I would imagine the café is now losing out on a lot of money.”
Pricing concerns have been raised prior to this.
In August 2021, another user said: “I had planned to visit Hardwick Hall. However, the cost of entry is now £16 per person. For us and our friends, who we met there, that would have been £128 total. We did not want to go into the hall, just have a wander around the grounds. So we declined and did a local walk instead. I am sure the hall and grounds are lovely, but the cost is too prohibitive. Such a shame that National Trust does not consider a fairer pricing structure, particularly for families.”
In response, Denise Edwards, general manager at Hardwick Hall, said, as a charity, the site relies entirely on visitor admissions, as well as memberships and donations, to ensure its survival.
She said: “The single day
Highclere is not a royal-owned residence, it has been owned by the Earls of Carnarvon since 1679.
The UK claims four of the top spots in the top 10 ranking, with Chartwell also ranking in fourth place and Burghley House, in Stamford, ranking in sixth. admission charge for non-members of £16 includes car parking, access to the house, and its collection, Grade I-listed garden and our Grade II listed stableyard facilities of a shop, restaurant, and toilets. Currently, as the house is closed this price has been reduced to £9 to reflect the change of offer.Visitors can access our wider estate and trails without paying an admission fee.
“Visitors, both members and payers, are essentially helping us to preserve this stunning Elizabethan house, gardens, 2,000-acre estate, and its internationally renowned collection. Without this fee we would not be able to give this historical gem the care and attention it needs or deserves.
“Everything that visitors see when they visit us needs a huge amount of care. From the gardeners keeping the grass mown, the facilities team keeping our toilets clean, to our house team who conserve our collection, these services incur a cost.
“We know that Covid has made huge difference to the money we all have available to spend, the National Trust has been particularly hard hit as an organisation. Over the last year we have lost over £200m, so these admission charges are essential for us to deliver our core charitable purpose of protecting and conserving these special places while providing visitors with a day to remember at one of the finest Elizabethan houses in the country.”
The hall will be reopening for its “behind closed doors” experience on February 12.