Noble Palaces of the Thames

Travel The tour commences and concludes at the Lensbury Hotel. Broom Road, Teddington, Middlesex TW11 9NU United Kingdom Tel: 44-208-614-6400 E-mail: [email protected] Please note that transport to the hotel is not included in the price of the tour.

Transport

If you are travelling by car: The Lensbury is located 15 minutes from the M25 and approximately 10 minutes from the M3.

If you are travelling by rail: Rail Links: Free shuttle service to and from Teddington Station between 07:00 – 09:30 hrs and 16:30 – 19:00 hrs Monday to Friday. Please call the hotel from Teddington Station for them shuttle bus service. 25 minutes to London Waterloo. 15 minutes to Clapham Junction. 15 minutes to Wimbledon.

Accommodation

The Lensbury Hotel The four-star Lensbury Hotel at Teddington Lock is set in 25 acres of beautiful landscaped grounds and nestled on the banks of the River Thames, and within easy reach of London. The hotel's restaurant ‘The Dunbar’ is situated within the lounge and bar area of the hotel, and overlooks the grounds and the River Thames, serving an elegant regional menu. The hotel offers a range of fantastic leisure facilities including gym, sauna, steam room and indoor pool, as well as tennis and squash courts for use. Rooms all have private bathroom with bath/shower, free wi-fi, TV and tea and coffee making facilities. Complimentary car parking is available at the hotel.

More information can be found via the hotel’s website: http://www.lensbury.com

Check-in and departure from the hotel Meeting will be in the hotel reception at 10:00hrs where you will meet Sophie Campbell your expert guide. 10:30hrs – depart from hotel on foot via Bushy Park, walking time approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach Hampton Court Palace.

The rooms will not be ready until 14.30hrs, but the hotel will look after the luggage at reception until you return from the walk at around 18:00hrs.

On the last day, the tour will finish at approximately 17.30 so you should check with your tour manager, or the hotel reception, where luggage should be stored until your departure.

Extra nights If you have booked to stay an extra night at the hotel, this is on bed and breakfast basis and check out from the hotel is at 10:00 a.m. Mon-Fri or 11.00 a.m. Sat-Sun.

Dining On the first night, dinner with wine is provided at the hotel and included in the price of the tour. Breakfast on all days of your stay is included in the price but meals other than these stated are not included.

Special requests If you haven’t already done so, please notify Travel Editions of any special requests as soon as possible to allow sufficient time to make the necessary arrangements.

Places Visited

Hampton Court Palace Discover the magnificence of Henry VIII's favourite royal residence. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the bustling Base Court and marvel at the breath-taking grandeur of Henry's State Rooms. Tickle your taste buds in the vast Tudor kitchens, stroll through over 60 acres of enchanting gardens, lose yourself in the famous maze and appreciate the beauty of one of the greatest palaces on earth. Creep along the Haunted Gallery and discover another palace, the Baroque Palace, full of intrigue and gossip from the Stuart and Georgian era. http://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace

Strawberry Hill House Strawberry Hill is Britain's finest example of Georgian Gothic Revival architecture and interior decoration. It began life in 1698 as a modest house, built by the coachmen of the Earl of Bradford. It was transformed into 'a little Gothic castle' by Horace Walpole, man of letters and the son of England's first Prime Minister. Between 1747 and 1792 Walpole doubled its size, creating Gothic rooms and adding towers and battlements in fulfilment of his dream. Further additions were made by the Countess Waldegrave in the 19th Century. http://www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk/

Ham House One of London’s best kept secrets, this atmospheric Stuart mansion nestles on the banks of leafy Richmond-upon-Thames. It has remained virtually unchanged for 400 years and is internationally recognised for its superb collection of textiles, furniture and art which have remained in the house for centuries. Largely the vision of Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart, who was deeply embroiled in the politics of the English Civil War and subsequent restoration of the monarchy, Ham House and Garden is an unusually complete survival of the 17th century. It is reputed to be one of the most haunted houses in Britain.

Marble Hill House Marble Hill was built for the remarkable Henrietta Howard, mistress of King George II when he was Prince of Wales, and friend and confidante of some of the cleverest men in England. The house and gardens were intended as an Arcadian retreat from crowded 18th-century London. Its grand interiors have been exquisitely restored and recreated and include a fine collection of early Georgian paintings. There can be few places in England which better recall the atmosphere of fashionable Georgian life. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/marble-hill-house/

Your Guide

Sophie Campbell will be your guide/lecturer throughout the tour. Sophie has been a travel writer for 25 years. She is based in London and has written for many national publications including the Daily Telegraph, The Times, Daily Mail, Guardian, Condé Nast Traveller and Saga Magazine. She writes a monthly column on heritage days for the travel pages of the Daily Telegraph and is one of their London online contributors. She has also presented a series of BBC2's The Travel Show, founded a weekend breaks website and lectures regularly on travel writing. Sophie is a Blue Badge Tourist Guide for London and her 2013 book on the traditional events of the summer, 'The Season: A Summer Whirl Through the English Social Season' came out in paperback in April 2014. She lives in Battersea, southwest London, and her favourite destinations are Argentina, Japan, Iran and - of course - Britain.

Practical Information

Tour manager - Your tour manager will be on hand throughout the tour to ensure that everything operates according to plan. If you have any problems or questions please see him or her immediately – it is often possible to resolve complaints or problems very quickly on the spot, and do everything to help you enjoy your holiday.

Tipping –To keep our tours affordable, we do not increase the tour price by adding in tips. However, in the tourism industry, there is a certain level of expectation that when receiving a good service, one does award with a tip. Tour Managers, Representatives, Guides and Drivers appreciate a tip at the end of their involvement with the tour, but this is entirely at your discretion. We believe in allowing you to tip according to your level of satisfaction with their services.

Walking Content – This tour has been graded a 5 out of 5 for walking difficulty.

Please see the key below for an explanation of the footprint symbols:

Insurance Although this is a UK holiday please note that, should you cancel your holiday, the amount paid is non- refundable. For this reason you may wish to take out insurance just in case an unforeseen event caused you to have to cancel the tour. As well as covering cancellations, your travel insurance will also cover your baggage and personal belongings in case they are lost or stolen.

Emergencies Should an emergency arise, please call our offices on: 020 7251 0045 Outside office hours (Mon-Fri 0900-1700), telephone our emergency staff on: 07841 023807 or 020 7987 5910 or 07831 133079 or PLEASE USE THESE NUMBERS ONLY IN THE EVENT OF A GENUINE EMERGENCY.

Travel Editions Group Ltd 3 Young’s Buildings, London EC1V 9DB Tel: 020 7251 0045 Email: [email protected] www.traveleditions.co.uk

PLEASE NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PRINTING. IT IS MEANT AS A GUIDE ONLY AND WE CANNOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ERRORS OR SUBSEQUENT CHANGES