GROUP VISITS GUIDE 2021-2022 INTRODUCTION AND CONTENTS We are a team of people who love and look a fter six Treat your groups to over 900 years of drama, of the most wonderful palaces in the world. We create devotion, secrets stories and royal intrigue at some space for spirits to stir and be stirred. We want everyone of the greatest palaces ever built. Your visits will to feel welcome and accepted. We tell stories about the follow in the footsteps of the great, good, devious monarchs you know and the lives you don’t. We let and dastardly, providing memories of a great day children explore and we set minds racing. We are a charity out, your customers will want to return again and your support gives the palaces a future, for everyone. and again. This Group Visits Guide is designed to give organisers of TOWER OF PAGE 8 group travel and travel industry professionals inspiration LONDON for excursions and days out and to make the process as seamless as possible. With so much to uncover at so many attractions, your only challenge is which to choose first! HAMPTON PAGE 14 COURT PALACE How to use this guide KENSINGTON PAGE 20 We have designed a helpful key to assist in the planning of PALACE your group visit and to ensure your customers have a fun packed day and make the most of their time at the palaces. Look out for these icons on the “Must see KEW PALACE PAGE 26 attractions” pages for each palace to best tailor THE ROYAL KITCHENS, your group’s experience. THE GREAT PAGODA, QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S COTTAGE Steps and uneven staircases HILLSBOROUGH PAGE 32 Wheelchair access CASTLE AND GARDENS Youth groups – children, families, multigenerational friendly Large groups – space for large BANQUETING PAGE 38 group visits HOUSE Small groups – suitable for groups up to 20 people at a time Private tours available on request AT YOUR SERVICE PAGE 3 TICKETING OPTIONS PAGE 4 Gardens – activities for groups with CATERING PAGE 6 an interest in gardens GET SOCIAL WITH US PAGE 40 1 AT YOUR SERVICE Historic Royal Palaces has a Sales Blue Badge Guides are given free Easy to get to Team to assist group organisers admission to escort their clients. For group visits, all palaces have in planning visits to the palaces Palace Explainers will be on hand coach parking or pick-up and as well as advising coach and tour to answer any questions your drop-off facilities. All the London operators with itinerary and clients may have. palaces can be reached by rail, excursion planning. underground and four palaces For further information, please contact by riverboat. Sales support [email protected] The Sales Team can help you with Accessibility all your arrangements for your Fanfare Our palaces welcome all visitors and group’s perfect day out including Published three times a year, Fanfare we try to ensure everyone’s visit is assistance with planning itineraries, is our newsletter with news on successful and enjoyable. Registered information on our group forthcoming exhibitions, seasonal disabled visitors are charged the ticketing options, dedicated group events and special tours to help you relevant ticket price and carers are ticket offices and on-site catering. plan your excursions. admitted free of charge. The sales team can also help you promote and sell your tours and Quick-Blast! As historical sites, our palaces do excursions with content and images, News of last-minute offers and timely have uneven or cobbled surfaces which can be downloaded from announcements of new exhibitions and narrow staircases in places. Full hrp.org.uk/travel.trade. and events will be sent in our accessibility information including Quick-Blasts! wheelchair access and information Free admission on sign language tours can be found Free admission is given at all palaces Sign up here for Fanfare and on our website hrp.org.uk. to coach drivers and locally Quick-Blasts. registered Blue Badge Guides. Website Groups that include members of Added value Visit the dedicated group planning Historic Royal Palaces will avail of Group discounts apply to parties pages on the Historic Royal Palaces the group price as long as there are of 15 visitors or more and regular website, hrp.org.uk/travel-trade, for 15 people in total. Full members of interpretation events are included the latest information and help in Association of Group Travel in general admission. planning your itineraries and online Organisers (AGTO) are eligible for group booking. free admission when bringing a Money saving catering vouchers and group of at least 15 paying visitors. group menus are available in palace cafes. Guiding in the palaces Blue Badge and Accredited Guides Admission voucher scheme and can guide inside the Tower of account facilities for coach and tour London and Hampton Court operators upon application. Palace. No guiding is currently allowed inside Kensington Palace due to space restrictions however 3 TICKETING OPTIONS Historic Royal Palaces have Once booked, tickets are sent with Royal Pass developed group friendly ticket your confirmation email. For six or One ticket to over 900 years of royal options that allow easy access to less visitors, tickets can be presented history! the palaces for your customers on a mobile device, for more than six and simplified payment terms for visitors, tickets must be printed and This Travel Trade only, flexible volume Travel Trade suppliers. distributed to group members prior combination ticket offers unbeatable to arriving at the gate. value. The pass is valid for one year Online Group Ticketing from the date of issue for one visit Groups Organisers, coach and tour All tickets are scanned at the per valid palace, therefore giving operators can book their tickets point of entry, avoiding queuing the traveller flexibility to plan their for the Tower of London, Hampton to exchange vouchers for palace own itinerary. Court Palace, Kensington Palace tickets and allowing more time for and Hillsborough Castle and customers to enjoy the palaces. The Royal Pass gives the traveller Gardens via our website entry to the Tower of London, hrp.org.uk/travel-trade. Group rates Agency Voucher Scheme members Hampton Court Palace and apply to orders for 15 tickets or more, can cancel bookings via the B2B portal Kensington Palace. payment by credit card is required portal up to the day of arrival. To at time of booking. Tickets are sent ammend a booking, please email This pass is exclusive to group with the confimation email. Tickets [email protected] no later than one organisers and Travel Trade clients must be printed and distributed to week before the planned visit date. and cannot be purchased at the the group members in advance of palaces directly. arriving at the gate. Please contact groupsandtravel- [email protected] for registration and For details of pass prices contact Agency Voucher Scheme and User Manual details and criteria for [email protected]. B2B portal joining the Agency Voucher scheme. Members of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency Voucher Scheme must pre-book customers through the B2B portal. With a secure login, bookings can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. All palaces operate on a timed admission basis, so you must reserve a date and time slot in advance. Details of opening and closing times and time slots are detailed on the palace pages in this guide. 4 CATERING DEALS RETAIL THERAPY Our meal voucher scheme for HAMPTON COURT PALACE KENSINGTON PALACE groups of 15 or more (20 or more Tiltyard Café Situated on the Orangery lawns, for Hillsborough Castle), provides Option 1 - Morning tea or coffee overlooking the sunken garden, the great meal deal options across before 12.00 Pavilion offers an alternative on-site the palaces throughout the day. including a freshly baked muffin catering space whilst the Orangery Simply select the one that best or pastry. undergoes restoration and rebuilding suits your itinerary! £6.00 per person work. TOWER OF LONDON Option 2 - Light lunch Breakfast before 11.30 New Armouries Café A bowl of seasonal soup and rustic Start the day with a ‘Full English’ – Option 1 - Morning tea or coffee bread or a freshly made sandwich, streaky bacon, field mushroom, BANQUETING HOUSE before 11.00 both with a choice of non-alcoholic vine tomatoes, sausage, black Whilst there are no on-site catering including a freshly baked muffin drink and a slice of cake. pudding and scrambled eggs, facilities at the Banqueting House, or pastry. £10.50 per person including a choice of tea or coffee. close by there are numerous £6.00 per person £12.50 per person restaurants, cafes and bars. Option 3 - Hot lunch Option 2 - Light lunch Main course dish served from Morning Cream Tea before 12.00 KEW PALACE A bowl of seasonal soup and rustic our hot counter and a dessert pot Orange scented and currant scones At Kew Palace groups can arrange bread or a freshly made sandwich, or slice of cake with a choice of served with Cornish clotted cream refreshments with Kew Gardens Whether inspired by the iconic black Visitors can also select products from both with a choice of non-alcoholic non-alcoholic drink. and English strawberry jam. Served caterers by calling +44 (0) 20 8332 5186. ravens or the legendary Royal Beasts our in-store tablets and have gifts drink and a cake or dessert. £17.95 per person with a range of loose leaf teas and at the Tower of London, by the shipped direct to home.