Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)
-   -   Hampton Court (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/hampton-court-1665099/)

Kaneohe Mar 23rd, 2019 11:40 PM
Hampton Court
 
I'll be visiting London in June and will be attending a conference at Hampton Court Palace and am debating if I should stay closer to Hampton Court (Kingston on Thames area) or just train in from London. Any suggestions? I've never been to Hampton Court Palace and will tour that during the day; what else is in the area?
Thank you,
Kaneohe

Odin Mar 24th, 2019 12:39 AM
How many days is the conference? You can stay in Kingston and take the bus to Hampton Court or you can stay right at Hampton Court. There is a Hilton Doubletree in Kingston and the Hotel Mitre right opposite the Palace.
Or you could stay in London and take the train from Waterloo daily to Hampton Court.
Or stay in Richmond and take the R68 bus but in rush hour could take a while.
i guess it depends on your interests and how long you are staying. There are some restaurants close to Hampton Court, Kingston has several along the river but are mainly chain restaurants, Richmond is easy to get to in the evenings as is central London.
Bushy Park is right next to HCP, great for a walk.
Richmond, Kew Gardens, Ham House are in the area.
Kingston itself has a nice shopping area.
If you are already going around the Palace during your conference visit you might want to stay in London. The trains run twice an hour, less at off peak times.

Underhill Mar 24th, 2019 08:42 AM
My choice would be to stay at the historic Great Fosters, in Egham, once a Tudor hunting lodge. The property is beautiful, and some rooms are huge; ask for one in the original building, where there's period furniture.

Odin Mar 24th, 2019 09:10 AM
Great Fosters is lovely but very inconvenient for commuting to Hampton Court & back. You’ll need a rental car plus lots of time to sit in rush hour traffic on the M25. If the conference is only for a day it might work but wouldn’t suggest it as a place to commute from for a couple of days.


janisj Mar 24th, 2019 09:41 AM
As Odin says -- it really depends on how long the conference is, and if you are staying in London before or after the conference. If you are traveling JUST for the conference, then I'd stay near HCP -- In Hampton Court would be my 1st choice but somewhere nearby in any case.

But if the conference is just a few days of a longer visit, then I'd either stay in Central London, or the nights of the Conference in Hampton Court and the rest off your time in central London.

And yes, Great Fosters would be lovely but an awfully inconvenient commute to HCP during work hours (though you wouldn't have to travel via the M25 - nor the M3 really)

Odin Mar 24th, 2019 09:52 AM
The route makes no difference, M25/M3 or local routes, traffic is not great during rush hour.

Kaneohe Mar 24th, 2019 09:59 AM
Wow, thanks to all of you for the feedback. I'm sorry I didn't provide more details (I know better, shame on me!), was having internet connection problems and wanted to get the question posted before I lost connectivity again. ugh, technology is great...

A few more details:
  • I'll be in London for 11 nights previous on holiday. I've been to London many times and never get tired of this wonderful city, so the idea of adding a few more nights in London is A-OK with me!
  • I'll actually be attending a concert at HCP, not a conference as originally indicated (that's a different trip!). I expect the concert to end at 2230-2300. I have a refundable hotel reservation very close to HCP as a placeholder until I decide where I want to stay. I will not have a car, so am reliant on public transport & cabs. How late is the last train back to London? This is my biggest question, trying to figure out transport logistics for the trip back to London late in the evening. If trains stop running at 2300, then I'll stay at least one night near HCP.
Any help/info on the transportation question is very much appreciated.
Thank you.

janisj Mar 24th, 2019 10:05 AM
Originally Posted by Odin (Post 16892779)
The route makes no difference, M25/M3 or local routes, traffic is not great during rush hour.
I agreed -- I was just pointing out that the M25 wasn't the only (awful) way to get there :)

janisj Mar 24th, 2019 10:11 AM
The last train leaves Hampton Court at 11:59PM -- there is a change at Surbiton with a nearly 30 minute wait so the total journey take just over an hour. The next earlier train is at 11:24

You'll have plenty of time to catch a train

Odin Mar 24th, 2019 01:50 PM
Unfortunately there are only 2 direct trains an hour from HCP to Waterloo at peak times and only one at offpeak, the change at Surbiton with a 30min wait on a journey that normally takes only 35mins in total is a real pain, you should have time to take the 2324 which only has a 6 min wait. Otherwise staying one night near HCP is a good idea, the area is heaving with people/cars/taxis etc right after the HC Music Festivals finish.

janisj Mar 24th, 2019 03:59 PM
The difference is a 6 minute transfer vs. a 30 minute transfer. Either IMO is better than packing and moving hotels. Either train will get you back in to central London after the concert so I personally wouldn't move hotels just for that.

PalenQ Mar 24th, 2019 04:31 PM
Consult rail schedules at National Rail Enquiries - Official source for UK train times and timetables

If you have time before the concert, take a nice walk up the Thames a short bit to the Moesley Locks - great places to watch boat action:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Mols...w=1280&bih=625


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:45 AM.