We had a fantastic day at Leeds Castle! This visit was made possible through a NCL shore excursion from the Port of Tilbury. It usually takes about an hour to get there via the M25, but we encountered an accident on our way to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. We ended up taking a detour through the Dartford Tunnel instead. Our coach driver was able to make up some time. Our guide was great at pointing out everything she saw of interest along the way. She told our group about the history of Leeds Castle as a preview of what we were about to see. Once we arrived, she walked us up to the admission area and gift shop. We received our wrist bands. We also bought 2 bags of bird feed based on her recommendation. Do not leave this store without buying some. The families of birds at Leeds Castle will be extremely happy to see you. I'm not going to get into the age of the castle, nor its history. It's way too much information. Just know that it's something you must see. The interior was last updated in the Art Deco style of the 1930s by Lady Baillie and her French designer Stéphane Boudin. All of her staterooms were beautifully restored. Another cool part of the castle is the Eleanor of Castile exhibit that features a life size AI avatar of the Queen. Ask her a question and she will reply with either an answer or a stern dismissal. It's certainly a challenge to anyone who dares to ask her anything. The garden and grounds of the property are the biggest highlight here. There's so much beauty all around this castle. I wish we could have stayed longer. We were totally amazed by all the birds, ducks, coots, geese, and swans. The flowers in the many gardens are even more spectacular during the springtime. There are so many attractions including a maze, grotto, dog collar museum, birds of prey center, and playgrounds for the kids. There are many activities as well as scheduled falconry displays throughout the day. You can even book a stay at one of the lodges and cottages as well as the Maiden Tower. How lovely is that? It's also popular as a wedding venue. The Castle View Restaurant is available for tourists and guests, and there are some fast food options as well. I could definitely spend a whole weekend here. The owls at the Birds of Prey Center were particularly interesting. I really enjoyed seeing Zorro the Spectacled Owl. I would have stayed for the falconry demonstration, but there just wasn't enough time to see it all. Do plan to stay all day if you have the time. It's so worth the drive from London. read more

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There has been a castle on this site since 857 AD although the current castle, in its current form, dates primarily to the early 19th century when it was extensively renovated. The castle actually sits on an island created by the local river. It is a fairly long walk from the Visitor's Center to the castle itself but they offer transportation via a "land train", which, unfortunately for us, couldn't navigate up the hill due to wet conditions on the day we visited. So, we walked about 1/2 mile to entry but were able to take the land-train back to the visitor's center. This is a beautiful medival castle that was occupied, at various times, by a succesion of kings and queens. Allow yourself at least an hour to tour the inside of the castle and at least another hour to see the grounds. This is a "must-see" site. It's a bit of a ride outside London but is well worth the ride. read more

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I came here as part of a girl trip so this was definitely an exciting part of it. My favorite thing about Christmas, are Christmas lights and this place knocked it out of the park. Just walking around and being memorized by how beautiful the area is, and how creatively placed each artwork of lights were added around the premises. Of course we did see Santa Claus on our walk which we did get a photo with him. I do believe the smartest thing they added on this walk was a hot chocolate stand which of course I then paid extra for the Bailey's. Hot chocolate and Bailey's has been my number one go to while visiting the Christmas markets. When finished we ended up at an area full of food trucks, and picnic tables with a few scattered rides. We all had such a memorable experience and highly recommend visiting here with your friends and family. I would definitely go again. Oh and they do have a pretty amazing store to buy your souvenirs. I think my only disappointment was I was hoping to actually go into the castle, but I guess it's not what our ticket included or if that's even an option. It was too dark to actually get a better look at it and way too far away to have that option. read more

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Beautiful medieval castle with a rich history. Great audio tour will give you the rich history of the place. Plan at least an hour for the tour and another 2 hours to stroll through the grounds and parking. Entry fee is £25-35 depending on the things you add. read more

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Leeds Castle (surprise! not in Leeds) is a really unique castle experience in that it allows a more personal visit in my opinion. Many castles you go to have all furniture and most rooms roped off to protect whatever artifacts are inside, but Leeds castle was, by comparison, quite open and unrestricted. Sure there were areas you couldn't go, but the ones you can far outweigh that. The castle feels more attainable and realistic than most as well - it is beautiful but a bit more humble as well. Very nice grounds to explore if time allows. read more

While in England I wanted to make sure and visit a real castle and Leeds Castle does not disappoint other than the fact that they don't have a dungeon. It's a bit of a drive from London but hey, it's right on the way to the white cliffs of Dover so that was a plus. They also have a B&B on property so check that out. It was cool walking around the castle and imagining what it was like when it was built. The main gate even has a trap door above it so hot oil could be dropped on invaders. It's not a huge castle but it's still worth a look. read more

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I arrived at 10am when ticket sales started. Buy online and avoid the line and save 10%. Ticket is good for one year of return visits! I went to the gardens And maze first. There is a guide above the mAze that can give you clues if you feel stuck. The cattle was beautiful. Each room had a written description. I spent two hours touring the grounds and castle. You can bring your own food. There are picnic tables to eat at. Free parking. Expect to do a lot of walking. The castle is at least 1/4 mile from parking lot. read more

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A beautiful spot , however the restaurant Castle View requires serious improvement. I booked a table at this restaurant for my friends for a special celebration. It was meant to be special but sadly we left the place with a bitter taste in more than one way. The food was under standard and overpriced with very limited choice. The staff were the worst though. Incredibly rude and lacking any customer services quality. Moreover, we were subject of an indifferent and patronising attitude that I've never experienced before. read more

A really beautiful castle on a beautiful plot of land. If you've never been to a British castle before, start with this one. read more

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Absolutely splendid. Beautiful castle and grounds. The interior of the castle has recently had an 'experience' makeover to reflect the period of ownership of Lady Baillie. It's brilliant and made such a difference. There is now access to rooms that you could only view from a distance before. The grounds are extensive and there is plenty to do for children of all ages. We have season tickets. read more

Leeds Castle - The lake looking across to the children's play area. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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One of the best parts of our trip to London! The castle is beautiful and the tour is really well laid out so you can see how the castle, the occupants, and the use of the space has evolved. You have to park pretty far away, which creates a really pleasant old timey atmosphere on the grounds because there are no cars and buses and you stroll along these picturesque gardens and then VOILA! the castle and moat appear before you like a dream. Do not bother coming here if walking is not your thing. To see anything you're going to need to walk A LOT. Across from the castle is a little stone walkway up to a restaurant overlooking the castle and moat. There's also the dog collar exhibit (so weird, also kind of fascinating) and then the pretty garden. And if you keep walking past the garden you get to the maze. An actual maze! It felt like being an extra in Harry Potter! I was super impressed - maze wasn't exactly easy, either. And then, once you've solved it, you end up in a creepy yet also impressive grotto. It was a great place to bring elementary aged kids. They loved the maze and there is a massive play space nearby. It is HUUUUGE. I'd go here every week if I was staying home with my kids, except for how you'd have to walk 4 miles to get to it. They even have nice shady spots to sit in while your kids disappear joyfully for hours. And if that bores you, there is a falcon area and you can catch some exhibits during the year/day (we didn't do those). I took off a star because they're really not great for food allergies. The restaurant staff were clueless and directed us to a binder that had ingredients like "savoy cabbage" and then when the dish came it had tons of other ingredients, not just cabbage. That is...not helpful and potentially really risky. There were several London places that just had the binder and wouldn't take our list of allergies to the chef to clear the dishes we wanted to order. You'd think given their recent history, the restaurant industry would get this right. So, I'd recommend bringing your own food and doing a picnic rather than buying from the restaurant. Happily, the ice cream was peanut/tree nut free! read more

A stop on our day long bus tour. It's a castle, surrounded by a lake/moat. It's also now a golf course and event center. Nice enough. read more

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This Yankee SOOO wanted the chance to sleep IN a castle. I'm touring England...let's find one!!! Leeds Castle gives you the opportunity to SLEEP within the castle boundaries. Sure SOUNDED like a REALLY cool thing to do! Us Yankees aren't privy to REAL castles so we decided to seize the opportunity while visiting England and chose Leeds Castle due to its close proximity to London and large castle size. There are actually a few options to choose from for accommodations. However, there are NO options to cozy up WITHIN the castle itself, as we later found out. Our choice for the evening...Bed & Breakfast at The STABLE COURTYARD BEDROOMS, suite #7, which we were told was on the Castle grounds "close" to the castle. No problems with a late check-in and the evening staff were quite chipper. The California heat followed us to Kent and our room on the top floor was bloomin' hot at 9pm! Yikes! No air conditioning and no fans were in the room. You could only cool it down by opening the small windows with no screens. So a few flying insects hung out while the lights were on. 'Scuse me, Room Service? Do you have a fly swatter? Only one window offered a partial view of SOME of the Castle, the actual Castle entry way, but not the castle itself. We had access to the castle grounds and garden, so we had a late evening stroll in hopes of cooling off our suite more. The grounds at night are well lit and emphasize the moat and castle. The moat separates the stable courtyard from the castle and it was cool to see in the evening lights. Dramatic and romantic! There are quite a few activities for families to do while on the grounds but these ARE NOT accessible once the castle itself is closed from 5pm to 10am. No Maze & Grotto access, no castle access, no playground access. Once we settled in for the night, the beds were VERY comfortable and probably would have been more comfortable if wasn't for the uncharacteristic heat wave. Breakfast was included and served at The Fairfax Restaurant in the Stable Courtyards. The staff was friendly & helpful and its patio had a BEAUTIFUL morning view of the complete Castle . Would I stay in the Stable Courtyard Bedrooms again? No. This was just a common modern small suite with little room to roam except in the bathroom. The bathroom was quite large but I would rather not hang out and "Kumbaya" there. Nothing gave a sense of being in a castle within these walls. 3 STARS. If given the opportunity, to get a sense of bunking IN A CASTLE, I would choose The Maiden's Tower Bedroom, as it is located NEXT to the castle, IN the true castle grounds. Its brochure pics hint of a castle type setting. Is Leeds Castle worth a visit? ABSOLUTELY! If Henry VIII thought so, that's good enuf for me, hah! :) The inner workings of the actual castle seems to have been modernized and doesn't really emote "Ah, I'm IN A CASTLE!" ruggedness, though. However, there is a lot of history behind it and a bunch of fun activities to do for the family. My young squires enjoyed all the outside fun to do here, DURING open hours ;) read more

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Wow what a lovely area so big, so green, lots of water, beautiful castle, an amazing maze with a surprise grotto in middle and the grounds are full of birds from swans, wagtails, geece, bluetits etc. This is a great place for a picnics, photography, walkers and bird watchers. You can even see a new cinema like show called The Dark Sky which was very interesting on the army in 1415. The castle is not just beautiful from the outside but also from the inside. Many royals and lords have owned the castle through the years such as William II, Henry VIII etc. with Lady Baillie being the last owner. When she died she left the castle to the charity Leeds Castle foundation. Entrance is £24.00 (your tickets can be used again and again for a whole year) You can get around the area either by walking which is the best way, road train (50p charge), platoon (seasonal £?) and ferry (£1). Feed for birds is £1. Don't be afraid to feed the ducks the seeds from your hand especially the swans. The swans nip your skin a bit but such a magical experience to feed them via your hand. During August on weekends you can feed for free with the swan man at 3pm the swans Falconry shows (seasonal - free to watch) Experiences: Owl experience or Hawk walk experience (3hrs) £75 Bird of Prey experience (half day) £75, (family half day) £200, (full day) £135 Falconer for the day £150 Bird of Prey Photography Day £300 per group for 4 people 5 Day Falconry Course £550 Wildlife experience £40 Go Ape (£?) Golf (£?) and Golf Coaching (£?) Segway Rides Champagne Balloon Flights £99 Also many events take place throughout the year such as Knights Challenge, Flower Festival etc at Leeds Castle so check out their website regularly. You can even stay at Leeds Castle and eat. Celebrities such as Cliff Richard has stayed at Leeds Castle over the past so you really will feel like a VIP / royalty if you stay at the castle. I will definitely be going down to Leeds Castle a lot with my yearly tickets just for the ground alone as I love feeding and watching the birds especially the swans. read more

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Sunday morning walk around leeds Castle, Kent. Very informative staff, season/year pass only £27. ( for the year) So will be a frequent Visitor. read more

Leeds Castle - Leeds Castle, Kent - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Really beautiful place. Lots of history, very well preserved, and the estate is just impressive. Highlights: - The ducks, geese, swans and peacocks. For one quid you can get a full cup of bird food to feed the birds in the estate. It's a good 15 minute walk from the entrance to the castle, and there are plenty of streams, ponds, woods and most importantly birds. They are not afraid of people at all. A peacock ate from my hand and that's a lovely experience. - The castle itself is beautiful (see my photo), the history is also well curated inside. - The maze in the garden. It took us at least 25 minutes to find the center. Things people do to keep themselves entertained... - Staff were all very friendly and helpful The only not so positive thing was that it's quite far from the train station, it's hard to go to/from the castle and there aren't usually taxis waiting there because the station is very small. read more

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Well. They advertise very well for the place. I was expecting more. Now, how cool would it be to have a wedding on the grounds or another big event. That would be slick. But inside the castle was less impressive then the grounds and exterior. It's tough to describe, but maybe a little girly. The mid 1900's decor really ruined some of the rooms. Wouldn't mind playing a game of golf on the grounds either. read more

Leeds Castle - Pretty eh - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Leeds Castle prides itself as the most beautiful castle in England. No doubt about it, it is a beautiful castle. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there. There is a 15 min or so walk from the ticket counter to the castle unless you take the 'train' by paying 1 GBP. We opted to walk cause the castle grounds is beautiful, even if the winter weather was a bit miserable. The tour inside the castle is pretty restricted in that there is a 'path' you follow. You can't just roam in every which direction you walk. You kinda follow the roped path laid out to look at each opened rooms. We took many pictures both inside and outside the castle and were done in about 2 hours total time. The castle admission is a bit overpriced as there isn't a lot of activities, especially on a bad weather day. We would have like to have a sit down and do a picnic if the weather permits, but that wasn't the case. Another thing is, you only pay admission once, then the rest of the year is free. For a tourist traveling to the UK, there is no way I would be going back a 2nd time during our short trip. Therefore, I almost feel like we are being punished for being tourists. I wish they had done something even as small as reducing the admission a little and have something to the effect of "for merely 3 GBP more, tour the castle for the rest of the year" kinda promotion. Anyways, I had wanted to see a few castles in our UK trip. Leeds was one of them. I certainly don't regret going. It IS a very beautiful castle. read more

Leeds Castle is not only a beautiful castle, but also is set in some of the loveliest grounds of a castle that I've ever been to. A shuttle to/from the nearby station was easy to get. The castle itself has been beautifully restored in most areas to a period state and the self-guided tour is quite interesting and informative. The grounds outside could take a whole other day, at least, to cover. Ticket prices include a year's worth of entrances, so if you're close by - or even fancy taking the short train journey from London on a few occasions - it's especially worth it. In addition to generally lovely lawns and gardens, the castle boasts a fun hedge maze and a bird sanctuary. The maze was actually a bit of a challenge, and we found ourselves backtracking on more than one path! The bird area is pretty neat and they have well-maintained and appropriately-sized housing for the different varieties of birds. Leeds Castle seems to be very popular with families as the grounds were full of people having picnics and the like. A beautiful castle that I look forward to visiting again. read more

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Really amazing daytrip! If you ever get the chance, stop down and spend as much time as you can here. I went with a tour group and our time was limited so we weren't allowed to do the garden maze, but there's plenty of other things to marvel at on the grounds. An aviary, vineyard, lush gardens, this really is a paradise. They also do open-air theatre in the summer, when I went there was a rendition of Romeo + Juliet being done in a VW bus with a hole cut in the top to make a balcony. It was brilliant and a perfect way to spend a sunny day. read more

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Second time visiting. It's still a wonderful, beautiful castle and grounds. Had the opportunity to view the falconry exhibition. It was very interesting and informative. With lots of opportunities for families, we look forward to bringing our grandchildren with us soon! read more

Second time have been to Leeds Castle. The grounds are gorgeous, it's lovely to have a good walk upto the castle, taking in all the scenary. The castle looks bigger than it is, as in we expected to see alot more..and wanted too! It's a pretty castle to look at. We all loved the maze, took us forever to find the middle lol and the children found the underground part exciting. There are lots of noisey birds in the aviary and the childrens play area is good. They do an activity booklet which consists of a nature trail for children, where they can collect rubbings of leaves, birds etc, it's costs a pound from small entrance shop. The food is overpriced as they usually are at tourist attractions, wasn't a great deal of choice. Had it of been warmer, we'd have brought a picnic as there are some stunning places to sit and eat and admire the views. The ticket gives you unlimited visits for a year read more

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I think the most important thing to say about Leeds Castle is that it's in Kent and nowhere near the better-known Leeds, in Yorkshire! Another point is that it isn't a ruin; it's livable-in, if not actually lived in. So, it's more like a Stately Home than a castle. There's very little to see here in the way of weaponry and armour I don't think it was ever attacked or laid siege to. For me, the best point is the extensive gardens which, if you don't want to walk all that way, you can view from a 'land train'. And, if you live in England, read the fine print on your ticket, and don't throw it away. It's good for re-entry for a year and a day after its initial purchase! read more

Leeds Castle - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

An excellent castle ... not as grand as Warwick, but also not as kid-centric. Really can be seen in a few hours. I recommend seeing as part of a larger day tour. read more

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I visited Leeds Castle on a one-day tour from London, as a part of the Leeds Castle / Cliffs of Dover / Canterbury package. Leeds Castle was a great stop for 2 hours. My expectations were a perhaps too high --- for me, a castle in Europe conjures images of drawbridges and archers firing from castle walls. Well, there weren't high stone walls. But this was a good visit, and the experience reminded me of Hearst Castle (in San Simeon, California). The castle itself didn't take long to walk through. The rooms were beautifully decorated and well-preserved, but I didn't find myself needing to spend a lot of time, as there wasn't anything that required close examination. I did appreciate that I was able to tour the castle at my own pace. After the castle, I headed to the maze. My tour guide warned us to not enter the maze unless we had 45 minutes. WRONG! The attendants at the maze told me most finish in 20 minutes, which is about how long it took me. The castle grounds were beautiful but I didn't have a chance to walk through. Not sure I would go specifically for the park, as Leeds is a bit of a drive from London, and there are plenty of nice parks in London. read more

My favorite castle we visited. The outside with the surrounding lake was worth it just by itself. Pure beauty. I would encourage anyone visiting London to take a detour to Leeds. read more

So you are off for the day and in London. You want to do something a bit different that not many others do and get out of the city. Well you can take a day trip to france (major pain) or the cliffs at Dover or something equally far. However, there is another option! Do you want to visit one of the most beautiful castles in the world? Sitting picturesquely on a lake/moat is a former home, yes home, to many royals of England. It is also one of the cheapest things that I did while in the UK. Pro Tip: Do not expect lots of armor swords and knights This Castle was remodeled many times and now appears more as a living quarters than a hive of warriors. It was defensible and commanded a nice area. Now it is a location to host lavish parties and show how many lived in the 16th-19th Centuries. The Maze is a lot of fun to walk through. The mini zoo also holds quite a few special creatures that it is nice to see. However, watch where you step though! There are quite a few geese and ducks around leaving bombs. Pro Tip #2: take the train from London and then the shuttle from the train station to the castle. It makes a much easier and cheaper mode of travel to get here. This was one of my favorite things that I did on my last trip to London. I hope you are able to make it here as well and enjoy it thoroughly. read more

Loved visiting this place! Not only is the castle beautiful, the grounds are amazing and home to so much wildlife...So many geese, swans, and other birds. We got to see a falconry show as well which was really interesting. We also really loved the maze, which was challenging even for 4 adults! It really was a lot of fun. The castle itself has an interesting history and combined with the grounds it's a great day out. Price wise? £24?? Hmm we had 2 for 1 tickets otherwise I doubt we would have paid that much (hence 4 stars not 5). read more

Came here today for the first time. I really enjoyed it, and would have given five stars, but two things prevented me: 1) Some parts were closed to the public because of meetings or an event showcase or something. Which would have been fine, except: 2) We were still charged £24 apiece. I don't mind missing out on a couple of rooms because of an event. I do mind being charged full price and not finding out until after I've walked 25 minutes from the gate to the castle that I can't see everything my ticket would normally cover. Especially when that ticket is on the expensive side (or maybe I'm just cheap...) Anyway, we arrived at 9:55 this morning and had to wait until the car park opened at 10. Surprisingly, about six or seven other cars were doing the same. When the car park opened, we drove a bit, found a spot, then went to get tickets. It's about a half hour walk through beautiful grounds before getting to the castle (though they do have a train to get you there for 50p). We went to the castle and made it through in about 35 minutes - with only about 5 other people there, it was easy to get through at our own pace, plus a few rooms were closed. I was a bit disappointed to see most of the rooms were done up as they were in the 1900s - a bit more modern than I expected. Overall, very enjoyable, just not what I expected. read more

Never has the saying 'Great day out for all the family' been so applicable. The castle is beautiful and interesting and the grounds are vast. There are falconry displays and play parks and a maize. You can buy food and drink there for a reasonable price but I would recommend a picnic as the gardens are too lovely to miss out on. read more

Leeds Castle - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Too much history in a landmark! We loved the views, the lake, flora & fauna are well maintained.

This review is only for the annual open air classical concert which I have been to twice. Do not read this as a review of the castle itself (which I'm sure is lovely, but I've never been in). So for the concert - it's a really lovely experience. There's plenty of parking and the gate staff are friendly, rather than the evil bouncer types you'd get at other more traditional establishments. The night actually starts in the afternoon where you're encouraged to set up a picnic on the vast lawn. There are some food stalls available but they aren't really to my taste. As you enjoy your picnic the show begins with some live Jazz, and then the main event starts. The London Philharmonic Orchestra then plays a mix of favourites and some regular tunes. You get a real spitfire plane flying in for an aerial acrobatic display, and it finishes with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, complete with actual firing of military cannons. And all this happens as you experience the beautiful sunset behind the castle. It's a really wonderful experience! :) read more

Few castles have the cojones to look at Edinburgh and say 'Is that all you got?'. I suspect Leeds Castle would, if it could talk, in a deep castle-rumble that shook the very foundations on which it is built. Those foundations are deep underwater, for this is a castle built across two island, with a complete moat circling the whole thing. It's been there for years, hundreds of years, and looks damn pretty. The overall experience is quite the full day out. The grounds extend to many lakes, a golf course, proper hedge-maze, aviary, flower beds, streams and lawns. And a dog collar museum. Yes folks, you heard. It isn't cheap to get in, but they go for the 'this ticket is valid for 12 months' approach, which is probably great news for those who live a little nearer. I don't, I have to make do with Edinburgh Castle, sitting up there on its volcano, but I have relatives in Kent so could well find myself visiting Leeds again before the year is up. (Yes, don't go to Leeds in Yorkshire for this one... head a little further south.) Highlight of the day was watching the birds of prey demonstration when one of the birds headed into a tree and refused to come back down: jolly good fun. The Castle itself is quite the place, but they weren't into their feng shui back in olden times I guess: the rooms are a big all over the place and courtyards have a few odd corners - maybe best to flatten it and start again? Get there quick before they get planning permission! read more

Pretty castle, but not as impressive as Ludwigs and other castles around. I don't know what it is, but I found more rude people in London and a staff at leeds castle gift shop. I ran out of pounds, so I intend to use my card for my purchases. Anyway, I intend to buy one sovenier and when I got to the register, the lady scanned the product and I hand her my card. Next thing you know, she asked me where the card was from, and so I told her, i am from the united states. at that point on, in a rude way, she told me that I won't be able to accept my card and that i have to buy two things and more just so i can pay with the card. What a crazy thing! read more

This is the best excursion of our London trip. I wish we could stay longer than just a day trip. Keep calm!

A great day trip for people who want to experience England in a different setting away from all the hustle and bustle. The day was beautiful, and we were able to walk around the grounds, which were breathtaking and clean (a welcome change to what i've had in London). Its a peaceful place to check out the elusive black swans as well as the beautifully manicured trees/maze. It isnt the cheapest to get in -- £20 to get in once and apparently you get to go all year, but no matter what, its a great escape from London taking you back to the historic times of England with beautifully restored castles and a completely interesting story on how far back this castle goes. We had a snack at the restaurant, which we were at first worried would be overpriced, but wasnt. It was a nice meal on the deck overlooking the castle, and I'm so happy that I got to check it out. Minus one point for the numerous trains I had to change to get here and the ONE bus that takes you from the train station to the castle, but now I know we should drive there and it hopefully will be less of a hassle. read more

This is mainly a review for the Knight's Glamping. The castle and grounds are pretty cool but I think they are covered here sufficiently. During the summer, there is the option of staying in "medieval" tents on the castle grounds. These are large and have a four poster bed inside (with the option of two children's campbeds as well). On top of this, there's a dressing table, and a wood burning stove - so very spacious and perfectly cosy with the fire going. It also has electricity inside with lights and plugs. The wifi wasn't working when we were there, but allegedly it exists most of the time. It's a really cool experience and we enjoyed it a lot! It would be particularly lovely in good weather but we were there in overcast times and it was still nice, even if we spent less time outside. There are bbqs and a fire pit so you can cook in the evening, but you need to bring your own food and we came by train so went to the Fairfax restaurant (very average). I think cooking would have been fun though and possibly quite communal - there are 8 tents in total. There is also a house nearby where you can use toilets/showers, wash up and use a fridge for drinks. You can also buy drinks and there is an option to buy breakfast (so for £5 you get a bacon sandwich and hot drinks delivered in the morning). read more

Leeds is a really pretty castle, but know going into it that there are a lot of modern aspects (modern like the 20th century) because an American woman fell in love with it and paid to have it restored. Her story is pretty interesting in itself, because it has to do with all the railroad, oil, and real estate fortunes being made at the end of the 1800s into the 1900s. In any case, she actually lived here and paid to have it restored, so there are antiques from many eras. The grounds are beautiful, and this is a nice place to see and can be part of day trips from London. read more

Leeds Castle in Kent certainly has some interesting history and it offers some scenic views of parkland ... but as far as the overall experience goes in soaking in British culture - wasn't that great. Here's why.... The castle dates back nearly a thousand years to the Norman conquest. Since then its housed a number of historical figures including King Henry VIII. Most recently, it was rebuilt by a wealthy heiress that used it as a summer home til she died in the 1970s. Problem is ... the décor of the castle looks like a home that dates back to the 1970s. Less historical, more cheesy in a Brady Bunch kind of way. What's worse ... the castle bills itself as one of the most beautiful castles in the world. Its hard to impress when trying to hit such high expectations. And having visited some truly magnificent palaces like Versailles - I was wholly unimpressed given the expectations that were set before I walked in the door. If you take it for what it is - a quick getaway into the countryside less than an hour's drive from Central London - its a nice way to spend the day. Also great for locals if you're looking for a wedding locale. Some really nice backdrops and facilities for that. But if you're looking for history and culture -- lots of other options in the UK and around Europe that better impress. read more

Advertised as The loveliest castle in the world and it is nice, however it can be a bit expensive and its a completely naff venue for a Christmas party. We had our work do there last year and it was pretty bad, I was expecting some lovely banquet in a castle, instead we got some dry old turkey and burnt roast potatoes in some room off the gatehouse. The food was truely awful and the drinks were expensive, it annoys me when you get charged £2 for a coke that comes out of a plastic bottle with 99p on the label (and they make no attempt to hide it by pouring it out on the bar right in front of you) They also had Ice skating there which actually turned out to be more like Plastic sliding it was that bad. It is a nice place and I would recommend going there for an afternoon out or going to one of the events like the hot-air ballooning or the Fireworks night just dont have a party there or eat there, you will only be dissappointed if you do. read more