点评:Having grown up locally, the gardens at Hampton Court were somewhere I visited regularly. That was long ago in the days when there was free admission to the gardens, and you could enter through the Lion Gate. You could even walk through the Palace from the front to the gardens without having to pay.
I was taken to visit the inside of the Palace as a child on just one occasion and it was extremely disappointing. So, sixty years on, I thought I'd pay out and visit again. Much of the interior hasn't changed at all - you wouldn't expect it to. But the interpretation is so much better now. The endless dull state apartments have some life given back. The staff I chatted to were uniformly excellent. It says a lot for a place when the people working there tell you they love it. This comes down to excellent staff management - whoever it is is doing a really good job. Friendly, knowledgeable, with a high standard of people skills. They make the place.
The gardens, allowing for a car show being held in the main East Front Gardens, so they were inaccessible, and the very dry summer, were looking good and well cared for. A cappuccino for £4.75? Thinking back, Hampton Court has ALWAYS had expensive food and drinks, so I expected it.
Be prepared for a lot of walking, but most is level and there are plenty of comfy places to sit down. And don't miss the Cartoon Gallery - nothing to do with Disney, but witness to the quality of restoration after a serious fire.
翻译:由于在本地长大,汉普顿宫的花园是我经常光顾的地方。那是很久以前的事了,当时花园免费开放,人们可以从狮子门进入。甚至可以不用付费,直接从宫殿前方走进去直达花园。
小时候我只被带去参观过一次宫殿内部,那时的体验极其令人失望。于是,六十年后,我决定花钱再去参观一次。内部的大部分区域都毫无变化——其实也意料之中。不过如今的呈现方式要出色得多了。那些原本单调乏味的国事厅堂如今也重新焕发了生机。与我交谈过的员工个个都非常出色。当在那里工作的人都说自己热爱这份工作时,这就足以说明一切了。这得益于出色的员工管理——不管是谁在负责,都做得非常出色。他们友善、知识渊博,且具备高超的沟通技巧。正是他们造就了这个地方的魅力。
花园方面……由于主东侧花园里正在举办车展,所以无法进入;再加上这个夏天极为干燥,不过花园看起来依然状况良好且打理得井然有序。一杯卡布奇诺要4.75英镑?回想起来,汉普顿宫的餐饮向来都价格不菲,所以我对此早有心理准备。
准备好走不少路吧,不过大部分路段都很平坦,也有很多舒适的休息处。另外千万别错过漫画画廊——它和迪士尼可没有任何关系哦。不过,它体现了在发生严重火灾后修复工作的质量。