Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
4.5
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill,, Blenheim Palace is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture that boasts over 300 years of history to discover. This World Heritage Site is set within more than 2000 acres of Parkland landscaped by 'Capability' Brown, and the Palace itself houses some of the finest collections of antique furniture in Europe.Situated in Woodstock, just 8 miles from Oxford, Blenheim Palace is Britain's Greatest Palace and offers visitors a precious time, every time.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- Cathy C5 contributionsLovely Day outI am 67 and went to visit with my Daughter and grandchild, the Grounds are great, plenty to see, plus a visit to the palace. There is a small wooden play area and a lovely maze free in with the annual fee. There is a new play area which is more expensive.Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and share your comments with us. We are delighted to hear you had a wonderful day exploring our gardens and enjoying the sun. We do hope to welcome you back in the future.Written June 13, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 6, 2023
- LevinsonGederaGedera, Israel483 contributionsGreat experienceMy first visit and the palace and grounds were fascinating. The flower show was a small extra bonus. The staff were polite and friendly. Our visit coincided with the annual flower festival which is mainly a large garden centre showroom. The site was packed and it took 40 minutes to leave the car park. I recommend arriving 30 minutes before opening time. However Blenheim and the Churchill section and his birhroom are very specialThank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and share your feedback with us. We are delighted to hear you had a wonderful time exploring our Parks, Palace, Grounds and Flower Show. We do hope we can welcome you back again shortly to continue exploring everything we have to offer.Written July 2, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited June 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten June 24, 2023
- Ange M125 contributionsLovely day out for familyGreat day out as grandparent with our children and baby granddaughter. Attended an event but took a walk around the park. Lots of open space for walking or picnics. Plenty of parking. Shops and cafes available. Flat ground for pushchairs and wheelchairs.Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and share your feedback with us. We are delighted to hear you had a wonderful time exploring our gardens. We do hope we can welcome you back shortly to continue exploring everything we have to offer.Written July 2, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 24, 2023
- Tina FFlorida, Missouri68 contributionsDon’t miss this! Well worth it!Seeing Churchill’s family home, where he was born, where he got engaged to Clementine was well worth the trip from London. The palace is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced! It is spectacular, absolutely stunning! So many beautiful details. And having tea outside in the gardens was a nice bonus! I will go back again & again!Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed exploring and learning about our treasures; hopefully, we can welcome you back soon.Written July 2, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2022Written June 30, 2023
- Pds1Birmingham, United Kingdom426 contributionsBUGGY TOUR WAS GREATWe had only visited at Christmas so we’re keen to see everything in the daylight. Due to mobility issues we booked a buggy tour of the gardens which was absolutely brilliant & only £5. David, our tour guide, was great & very friendly & knowledgeable. We were too late to book an upstairs tour so will book in advance if we come again. Only downside was there wasn’t much to eat for vegans / those with allergies. A couple of vegan or dairy free cakes would be greatThank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace. We're glad you have such an enjoyable visit and we will pass on your kind comments to David, our buggy driver. We look forward to welcoming you to Blenheim again soon.Written September 23, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 2, 2023
- victoriaNottingham, United Kingdom28 contributionsDucks!Really enjoyed my first visit. As a Historic houses member i upgraded for £12.50 to see the palace, so it felt like good value. Really enjoyed the guided tours. Norman was an excellent guide. Didn’t get time to see much if the grounds. Loved the ducks wandering around in the tea room. Agree with previous reviewers, the chicken salad baguette is really dry. I couldn’t finish it. The filling was good. The bread awful. All the staff o met were lovely, and very helpful. I did have half a rainforest of different tickets though!Thank you for taking the time to review your visit to Blenheim Palace. We're glad to hear you had such a wonderful visit and we look forward to welcoming you to Blenheim again soon.Written September 23, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2023Traveled soloWritten July 4, 2023
- Trudy HMaesteg, United Kingdom126 contributionsBeautifully impressive inside and outAmazing from start to finish. Beautiful home and surroundings. Loved the detail and history of Winston Churchill. The memorial garden and rose garden were beautiful, as was the lakeside walk. Very impressed with the palace and all its displays (we spent hours in there!) loved the nod to Bridgerton and Lady Winterdown (I think her name was) in the little ‘dear reader’notes left around. The only down side was if you wanted to go downstairs it was an extra £4.50 and upstairs yet another £4.50 considering the ticket for house and gardens was already £35 I thought that was a rip off! Having said that I have to doubt it all goes towards the cost of upkeep and £35 bought me an annual ticket. A few eateries to choose from and the shop was packed with different and interesting things, although the prices on some items were a little salty. £36 for a bottle of Churchill cider! Note: card only everywhere no cash.Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace. We're so pleased to hear you had such an amazing time and we hope to welcome you back to site again soon.Written September 24, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2023Traveled with friendsWritten July 8, 2023
- Colin JHerefordshire, United Kingdom9 contributionsDid not disappoint!I have always wanted to visit Blenheim Palace and it did not disappoint. We went out of school holidays to avoid the crowds but it was still busy. It's a very impressive building, history, gardens and grounds - LOTS to see!!!Thank you for reviewing your trip to Blenheim Palace. We're so glad you had such an enjoyable time and we look forward to seeing you again soon!Written September 24, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten July 8, 2023
- HotelspyManchester, United Kingdom446 contributionsAmazingWe had a great time at Blenheim Place, a lot to see without paying extra. I originally went as it was the location of the final scene in the TV series Endeavour and it offered so much more, including a display of costumes from The Crown relating to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. There was one extremely annoying aspect that I’m raising here and hopefully they do something about it, I’m not the most mobile and walked all the way to Clementines on the lawn thinking it would be nice for lunch only to find it closed for a private function, please Blenheim just notify people with a simple sign at the start of the path if you’re going to close it again.Thank you for taking the time to review your visit to Blenheim Palace. We glad to hear you had such a wonderful time and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon.Written September 24, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2023Written July 12, 2023
- Julia COxfordshire, United Kingdom22 contributionsCommending Sandra MillerIt's always pleasure to go back to Blenheim. I write particularly to commend Sandra Miller who was an unfailing help in driving us from, and back to, the car park, and in arranging assistance on the lift for my friend. She is on top of her game, and a great asset to the team. Thank you warmly, Sandra.Thank you for reviewing your experience at Blenheim Palace. We're glad to hear you had such a lovely time and will pass your lovely comments on to Sandra. We hope to see you at Blenheim again soon.Written September 24, 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited July 2023Traveled with friendsWritten July 14, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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YAT1111
London, UK21 contributions
Feb 2020
I have taken my daughter to Blenheim Palace on a couple of occasions, including the Christmas at Blenheim and recent half term. The prices for the Christmas event was pricey, though slightly offset by the fact that you can convert it into an annual pass. The Alice in Wonderland exhibition during Christmas was impressive and one could see a lot of work has gone into it.
During the Christmas event, we dined at the Orangery as they seemed to have closed off many of the cafes. Only a pricey and limited festive menu was available with no a la carte option. When we visited during half term, we ate at the Water Terrace cafe and Pleasure Gardens Pizza cafe. Both locations were by no means busy compared to normal high street restaurants weekend/lunch time crowd, by the staff seemed to struggle to provide a minimum service. They needed prompting to collect plates/dishes left behind by previous diners, and few of the tables were cleaned after previous diners had left. As a result, many people had to take out tissues/wipes to clean the crumbs and mess off the table.
This unfortunately happens to many dining outlets attached to country houses/stately homes which have presumably been subcontracted to outside providers. There is a discordance in the service provided in the dining outlets compared to the grandeur of the location. Such a shame, but should be easily rectified.
During the Christmas event, we dined at the Orangery as they seemed to have closed off many of the cafes. Only a pricey and limited festive menu was available with no a la carte option. When we visited during half term, we ate at the Water Terrace cafe and Pleasure Gardens Pizza cafe. Both locations were by no means busy compared to normal high street restaurants weekend/lunch time crowd, by the staff seemed to struggle to provide a minimum service. They needed prompting to collect plates/dishes left behind by previous diners, and few of the tables were cleaned after previous diners had left. As a result, many people had to take out tissues/wipes to clean the crumbs and mess off the table.
This unfortunately happens to many dining outlets attached to country houses/stately homes which have presumably been subcontracted to outside providers. There is a discordance in the service provided in the dining outlets compared to the grandeur of the location. Such a shame, but should be easily rectified.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear YAT1111
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us. This is not the experience we wish for our visitors. We value all our visitors’ opinions and are always looking for ways to improve customer experience. Please email Blenheim.Sales@searcys.co.uk with more details so we can investigate further to help improve for the future.
Despite this, We are delighted you enjoyed our spectacular Christmas events. We hope we can continue to welcome you back throughout the year to discover everything we have to offer.
Best wishes,
Nicole
Written February 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CPaM68
Texas681 contributions
May 2019
Blenheim Palace is a monumental and magnificent country house in Blenheim, Oxfordshire, England. It is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough and is still their principal residence. The palace is famous, not only because it is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill in 1874, but because it is the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. One of England's largest houses, it was designed and built between 1705 and 1722 in the rare and short-lived English Baroque architectural style, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It is unique in its combined use as a family home, mausoleum, and national monument. Winston Churchill’s father, the second son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough, inherited neither title nor property, so although Winston grew up with social status, privilege, and a sense of heritage, his immediate family had little money or wealth. Ironically, at the end of the 19th century, the palace was saved from ruin by funds gained from the 9th Duke of Marlborough's marriage to the American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt. The audio guide, which I would recommend, is very comprehensive and gives the commentary and historical background in a very relaxed and understandable way. There are also plenty of people to answer your questions as you tour the rooms and view the historical artifacts. (PaM)
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace, and for sharing your feedback with us. We're delighted to hear that you had such a nice visit and enjoyed exploring around the grounds and learning about the history of the Palace. We hope you'll consider returning to see everything you may have missed about our historic site.
Written January 27, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alice
30 contributions
Aug 2020
Despite having booked the arrival slot we queued on our feet for almost TWO HOURS in the sun to get into the Place itself. We were told it was an hour wait, it wasn’t. A bottle of water would have been appreciated or maybe some music playing. There was nothing. Although the kids working there were pleasant they were not enforcing social distancing in the queues at all, there were several very large family groups (one family in front of us was a group of 15!) it was and felt chaotic. I Witnessed Several other people pull faces and swerve when people brushed past them. Wouldn’t be surprised if this place gets temporarily closed again. The butterfly house and many other attractions were still closed (not their fault) but even with those open I’m not convinced the entry fee is worth it, they should think about something they could do to give extra value (free drink even? Water?! Small gift bag) something to stop you feeling it’s all being done to squeeze every penny. The palace inside is of course absolutely stunning but you can easily do it in under half hour and we had to queue another 45 mins to see the main bit, Churchill’s exhibition. Thankfully a gentleman began playing the beautiful organ otherwise it would have felt soul destroying after the already two hour wait. Didn’t take the train as the walk was nice plus too crowded. Bring your own hand gel as the touch free electric dispensers ‘sometimes don’t work’ according to the girl at the entrance.
Glad I didn’t trek family up here, I don’t think I’d bother again. I kind of regret going now.
Glad I didn’t trek family up here, I don’t think I’d bother again. I kind of regret going now.
Written August 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Alice S,
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us.
We are sorry you had to wait so long. To ensure we can keep to social distancing and minimise interaction between visitors we have moved from an all entrance and walk round together system with no barriers to a 3 minute starting slot system throughout the day of only related family groups up to 6. That has naturally caused delay to keep everyone safe and this past weekend we saw visitors almost reach our reduced operating capacity limit at 60% of normal volumes and with such wonderful weather it did apply pressure to the new system. We did have some light entertainment in the Great Court at certain points during the day but was limited.
We have already reviewed our procedures and notices to address this impact and to ease queueing going forward. We will now be opening the Palace earlier, not insisting everyone comes on arrival to spread out numbers and deliver more roaming entertainment at the weekend to help deliver further visitor interaction.
The maze, butterfly house and Chruchill’s destiny exhibition located outside are the only remaining free entry areas that remain closed as we can’t keep visitors safe in these areas and comply to the social distancing rules.
We have added a new treasure hunt, formal gardens audio guide, family entertainment at the pleasure gardens, trails and more to increase added value whilst these areas remain closed and also encourage visitors to explore our 2000 acres and formal gardens so that our full experience is had.
You can convert your ticket to an annual pass for free and online up to 14 days after your visit at www.annualpass.com which will enable you to visit throughout the year for free and enjoy many benefits and access to events.
We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the organist playing inside the Palace. We hope you will return again soon and that we can meet your expectations.
Best wishes ,
Nicole
Written August 3, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
BramhallHatter
Bramhall, UK154 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We arrived at Blenheim Palace during a downpour and needed to queue for a while before being allowed indoors (getting soaked in the process). However, it was worth the wait and the guides were really helpful and knowledgeable when asked questions about various rooms. Later in the day we enjoyed rowing on the lake, walking around the grounds and watching the kids play on the very good play areas. We all really enjoyed ourselves and I would recommend it to other families with primary school aged kids.
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear BramhallHatter,
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace. We’re pleased to hear that you enjoyed your experience and hope to welcome you back soon to continue exploring.
Written August 18, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Fred480
Gloucester, UK18 contributions
Jan 2020
Very poor. We often meet in Woodstock and walk in the palace grounds but have not been inside the palace or gardens before. This time we decided to buy the Privelege Pass and go on a Restoration and Conservation Tour which was excellent thanks to Peter. However, we went for lunch in the Water Terrace Restaurant and were very disappointed. We chose a vegetarian curry which was cold. When we took it back the chef merely put our plates in the microwave. Mine came back patchily hot but my friend’s was still cool. By then we had had enough and did not want to eat any more. We were also rather surprised that we had to drink wine out of water tumblers.
The decor is terribly tired and dated. Surely you could make a lot more money from this if it were a lovely place to be. The views are wonderful but most tables did not benefit from them.
The coffee in the Pantry was all right but the cakes looked unappealing.
We recommend the Woodstock Cafe in the High Street for coffees/teas/cakes/lunches. A wonderful place, service and food and drink.
The decor is terribly tired and dated. Surely you could make a lot more money from this if it were a lovely place to be. The views are wonderful but most tables did not benefit from them.
The coffee in the Pantry was all right but the cakes looked unappealing.
We recommend the Woodstock Cafe in the High Street for coffees/teas/cakes/lunches. A wonderful place, service and food and drink.
Written January 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed our Conservation tour.
We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed in our cafes, this is not the experience we wish for our visitors. Please email blenhiem.sales@searcys.co.uk and someone from the catering team will be in touch with you regarding the feedback.
We hope we can welcome you back again soon to continue discovering everything we have to offer.
Written January 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lowkat
Cold Ash, UK20 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
We prebooked tickets for the palace and the gardens, for an arrival time of 11am, when booking it was stressed that we had to go into the Palace within 1hr of arriving so numbers could be monitored. Because of this I was happy that the site was booking maximum numbers for time slots and managing that well so we would be safe.
Unfortunately when we went to go to the palace at 11.10am we were told the queue was 45 mins long and to come back. When I explained we were booked at 11am I was told this was just our arrival time and not the palace entrance time. I tried to argue the point that we were told to go to the palace within 1hr of arrival but it fell on deaf ears. When I asked why if we returned later in the day the queue would be any different and she said “it might not be” so you could have purchased tickets for the palace and never got in?!
We thought we would look in the shop, get the kids a drink and have a coffee and decide what to do, but we were met with yet another massive queue, with def not 2m within people.
We then left, lucky for us we are annual pass members so it didn’t cost us anything. Other than disappointed children who were placated by a trip to Millets farm who are impeccably organised in comparison!
Unfortunately when we went to go to the palace at 11.10am we were told the queue was 45 mins long and to come back. When I explained we were booked at 11am I was told this was just our arrival time and not the palace entrance time. I tried to argue the point that we were told to go to the palace within 1hr of arrival but it fell on deaf ears. When I asked why if we returned later in the day the queue would be any different and she said “it might not be” so you could have purchased tickets for the palace and never got in?!
We thought we would look in the shop, get the kids a drink and have a coffee and decide what to do, but we were met with yet another massive queue, with def not 2m within people.
We then left, lucky for us we are annual pass members so it didn’t cost us anything. Other than disappointed children who were placated by a trip to Millets farm who are impeccably organised in comparison!
Written August 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Lowkat.
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us.
We are sorry had to wait so long. To ensure we can keep to social distancing and minimise interaction between visitors we have moved from an all entrance and walk round together system with no barriers to a 3 minute starting slot system throughout the day of only related family groups up to 6. That has naturally caused delay to keep everyone safe and we have reduced operating capacity limit at 60% of normal volumes however with such wonderful weather it did apply pressure to the new system.
We have already reviewed our procedures and notices to address this impact and to ease queuing going forward. We will now be opening the Palace earlier, not insisting everyone comes on arrival to spread out numbers. We are continuing to review this on a daily basis.
We hope despite this you still managed to enjoy your visit. We are delighted to hear that you have an annual pass, we hope you will choose to return again and explore everything have to offer.
Best wishes ,
Nicole
Written August 5, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
KiwiKerry53
Wellington, New Zealand4,901 contributions
Oct 2019
Blenheim Palace has been on my radar over many visits to the UK and finally, this trip we got time to go! We heard on the car radio that there had been an "incident" at the palace and that it was closed and due to open at 2pm.
We arrived at 2pm to find the Palace still closed. We were told we could, for 5 pounds per person, wander the grounds, pretty much everything but go into the Palace. We were really disappointed, because the courtyards and other areas were all blocked off.
To the idiots that stole the solid gold toilet on loan from a museum in New York - thanks for ruining my opportunity to explore Blenheim Palace. What type of people just rip out a toilet and leave damaged plumbing to flood a magnificent heritage building.
I have no doubt the palace is amazing and to do your visit justice and enjoy the grounds would take the past of a day, even pack a picnic. Sadly for me, this visit was just not to be...
We arrived at 2pm to find the Palace still closed. We were told we could, for 5 pounds per person, wander the grounds, pretty much everything but go into the Palace. We were really disappointed, because the courtyards and other areas were all blocked off.
To the idiots that stole the solid gold toilet on loan from a museum in New York - thanks for ruining my opportunity to explore Blenheim Palace. What type of people just rip out a toilet and leave damaged plumbing to flood a magnificent heritage building.
I have no doubt the palace is amazing and to do your visit justice and enjoy the grounds would take the past of a day, even pack a picnic. Sadly for me, this visit was just not to be...
Written January 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us. We are really sorry that your visit for affected due to this unforeseen incident.
We hope you still enjoyed walking and exploring the grounds. We hope we can welcome you back again in the future to continue exploring everything we have to offer.
Written January 26, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Luke P
Eastbourne, UK523 contributions
Sep 2021 • Couples
Blenheim Palace was a wonderful day out. It was a bit expensive to get in but I have a defense discount card so got 30% off the household (same for blue light) which made it much more reasonable. The palace and grounds are stunning. We started by visiting the Churchill exhibition which was really interesting. We then went into the stable exhibition which was good, and I can see would be amazing for those more interested in horses or riding than myself. We then had some lunch in the cafeteria style restaurant and sat out on the benches at the side of the palace overlooking the lake, the food was good and reasonably priced. We then walked over the Bridge to the Harry Potter Tree which is worth the short walk for fans of the films. Following this we went into the main palace, we didn't realise that we needed to queue to go in as groups of 12 and wandered in only to be sent out. A sign on the main steps might be helpful. After a brief talk we were able to roam around the rooms that were open including the room Winston Churchill was born in. Each room was stunning in it's own way and had a story to tell. I thought there would have been more rooms to see but what we could see was great. We then went to the gift shop which offered gifts and souvenirs for all ages at a reasonable price. I would highly recommend a visit if you are interested in the Marlborough family, Churchill or historical buildings/grounds. A wonderful day out.
Written September 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us. We value all our visitors opinions and are always looking for ways to improve our customer service/experience.
We look forward to welcoming you back soon to continue exploring everything we have to offer.
Written September 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
_ericaduckworth4
Harrietsham, UK35 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
This is a beautiful Palace and worth visiting. In difficult circumstances the staff are trying hard to keep everyone safe. Without the “Untold Story” I would have felt short changed with how few rooms you got to see. This story tour was good but we we’re fortunate to be near the front of the queue, several people left the queue from behind us when they realised it could take an hour to get to the front. My biggest disappointment was walking round the lake to see the Cascades only to find that they were closed and we couldn’t see them. I wouldn’t have minded so much had we been told at the start of the walk that there was maintenance taking place, but walking for two hours to see fencing was really disappointing. Lots of water maintenance taking place which obviously has to be done at some stage, but better signage and explanations would have been useful. Still enjoyed the day. We converted our tickets to an annual pass so hope to visit the area again next year when things may have improved.
Written September 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear _ericaduckworth4,
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace. we are pleased that you managed to enjoy the Untold Story and you didn't need to wait too long.
We are sorry that you felt disappointed that you walked to the Cascades to find it closed. We will feed this back to the management team to review and look at new signage.
We look forward to welcoming you back to discover everything we have too offer.
Written September 18, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Emma
2 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
Very disappointing experience when booking and visiting the palace.
Booked the deal whereby you can book a day pass and upgrade to a 12 month pass, thinking this pass would be great for day trips for my family.
I had all sorts of trouble booking the tickets on the website, as it kept freezing, and wasn’t sure if I had managed to book successfully but I was glad when I received the email to tell me it had gone through. Apparently it hadn’t worked as it was supposed to, however, as the very flippant man at the service desk informed me. He went on to point out that quite a few people had had the same issue as me. Customer service manner was way below par.
On arrival myself and my two young children had to stand in a very large queue to convert our tickets in the very hot sun, making my son quite upset, only to be told that I had booked the ‘wrong’ tickets and they could not be converted. I am still unsure as to why I have been told this and feel it is completely false advertising being sold one thing but not honouring the deal after the purchase has been made. The tickets I bought were the type which can be converted, and I have done this procedure before. Seems like a massive con to me.
I also found the facilities sadly lacking as my son has a dairy allergy and there were no suitable dairy free alternatives at the shop where we tried to buy ice creams.
Also, there were portaloos with hand sanitizer but nowhere to actually wash hands which in the current climate is pretty unsafe.
All in all, a very negative experience while we had previously been looking forward to visiting. I have been an annual pass holder in past (having bought and converted my previous tickets in the same way) and enjoyed visiting on numerous occasions but this has quite frankly put me off ever going back again.
Booked the deal whereby you can book a day pass and upgrade to a 12 month pass, thinking this pass would be great for day trips for my family.
I had all sorts of trouble booking the tickets on the website, as it kept freezing, and wasn’t sure if I had managed to book successfully but I was glad when I received the email to tell me it had gone through. Apparently it hadn’t worked as it was supposed to, however, as the very flippant man at the service desk informed me. He went on to point out that quite a few people had had the same issue as me. Customer service manner was way below par.
On arrival myself and my two young children had to stand in a very large queue to convert our tickets in the very hot sun, making my son quite upset, only to be told that I had booked the ‘wrong’ tickets and they could not be converted. I am still unsure as to why I have been told this and feel it is completely false advertising being sold one thing but not honouring the deal after the purchase has been made. The tickets I bought were the type which can be converted, and I have done this procedure before. Seems like a massive con to me.
I also found the facilities sadly lacking as my son has a dairy allergy and there were no suitable dairy free alternatives at the shop where we tried to buy ice creams.
Also, there were portaloos with hand sanitizer but nowhere to actually wash hands which in the current climate is pretty unsafe.
All in all, a very negative experience while we had previously been looking forward to visiting. I have been an annual pass holder in past (having bought and converted my previous tickets in the same way) and enjoyed visiting on numerous occasions but this has quite frankly put me off ever going back again.
Written August 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Emt1122,
Thank you for taking the time to review Blenheim Palace and to share your feedback with us. We value all our visitors' opinions and are always looking for ways to improve customer experience.
We are sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your visit. We are aware of the queuing time to get inside the palace and this is being reviewed on a daily basis. It was particularly busy due to our reopening of the palace after filming, and to ensure everyone's safety. We are only able to operate with limited staff inside the Kiosk to ensure the safety off our staff, we appreciate this may cause queuing.
We will pass on your feedback to the Catering team to investigate further if you wish to contact them please email blenheim.sales@searcys.co.uk.
Thank you for providing us with your feedback, we will be reviewing our procedures closely and hope to ease queuing as safely as possible, moving forward.
We hope to welcome you back should you wish to visit us again to continue exploring everything we have to offer.
Written August 31, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Gillian Hicks
1 contribution
does national heritage membership entitle you to a discount to see the xmas lights at Blenheim thi year
Kaytee
London, UK453 contributions
Sorry no idea. I was planning to go this year but didn't get a chance .
Ad Lib
London, UK8 contributions
We are going to a concert in June at Blenheim Palace. Finding it very confusing which hotels are close by and in the thick of it, so to speak! It’s for one night for a birthday and want something lovely but not too pricey. Can anyone give me a steer please on hotel names to look at? Thank you!
Ad Lib
London, UK8 contributions
We are going to a concert in June at Blenheim Palace. Finding it very confusing which hotels are close by and in the thick of it, so to speak! It’s for one night for a birthday and want something lovely but not too pricey. Can anyone give me a steer please on hotel names to look at? Thank you!
How far is it from the main car park to Clementines
Neil S
London, UK303 contributions
Easy walking, but quite a distance 10-15 mins probably.
Can we get transport from trademark to Clementine restaurant, how far would it be to walk. My sister has RA and her knees are painful thank you
SamJ
Essex, UK82 contributions
Hi Carol. We didn't go to the Clementine's restaurant when we went to the Christmas event but I can only say my Mum used her mobility scooter and the whole place and staff were fantastic. She used it around the Palace, into the cafe which is through the courtyard and all round the Christmas trail. It was so accessible. You can borrow a mobility scooter there but not allowed to use their scooters within the Palace apparently. Sorry I can't add any further as not sure. It is a lovely place to visit though, for sure.
weemagee
Ireland2 contributions
Hi, Visiting Oxford next week and have tickets for Blenheim. My friend has a bad knee and uses a stick to help her. I was planning on getting the Stagecoach from Oxford. Is the walk from the drop off point to the palace far? Would we be better getting the train to Hanborough and using the shuttle connection?
Many thanks 😊
Travellerclass
Farnham, UK1,162 contributions
Hi Weemagee, just an update for you, my wife actually remembers seeing a shuttle bus rather like an elongated golf buggy with a roof and bench seating. She seems to feel that this does pick ups and drop off's like a shuttle service. I must say I did see one drive by with several people in one but never gave it much thought. If you have any concerns or requests it maybe an idea to contact Blenheim Palace direct as they should be able to give you a much better idea of how the shuttle service operates and from where etc. Good Luck and have a great time!!
eschulz865
Marion, IA13 contributions
Will a family pass work for 4 (parents and 2 young adult children) and do we need a parking pass?
Travellerclass
Farnham, UK1,162 contributions
Hi Eric S, We have just visited Blenheim Palace and there is FREE parking available for all Palace visitors. With regards the Family Ticket, I suppose it will depend on the ages of the children? The Family Ticket 2 Adults and 2 Children which covers the Palace, Park & Gardens is £90. They also do a privilege pass for £98. They have on there website information which should help you but all tickets to Blenheim Palace have to be bought in advance. As you have mentioned two young Adult Children visiting it maybe an idea to send Blenheim Palace an e-mail to ask them the question direct as they may consider someone younger than 16 as a Child and over that as a Student/Adult? Good Luck.
Jessi_9018
Raleigh, NC339 contributions
Is it free to walk the garden/outside area?
Samantha L
56 contributions
Yes, that part is free.
Anne Cherry
Driffield, England, United Kingdom1 contribution
Where do I catch the bus in Oxford for Blenheim Palace please
Noraatc
Sudbury, MA38,462 contributions
Bus S3 and #7 stop is at the Oxford Center and NOT at the Railway station.
Vacationer77806
1 contribution
Can you arrive on the day with english heritage membership
David P
Llanidloes, UK38 contributions
Think you're question has been answered.
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