Palace of Stardust is a Christmas Light Trail at Hampton Court. I visited a few days ago and I thought it would worth sharing my review as the trail is still open until 3rd January, so there is plenty of time to go for a walk if you fancy it.
The trail takes about 40 minutes to go through, but I would suggest allowing for an hour at least, so you have time to look at some displays more closely. There are a few food & drink stalls midway through, with plenty of outdoor seating. Because of the timings when Hampton Court is open for visitors and the time the trail starts, you can’t do one after other. We went for a late lunch between the two and that was the best choice, thus I’m recommending this version.
The clocks do have a meaning and a connection with Henry VIII, but you can read all about that in their free leaflet.
This is the food & drinks area.
Overall I can’t say that I was impressed, as I’ve seen better light trails and I had higher expectations. That being said, I think it is worth a visit if you are living in London. On the same day we visited the palace too and if I take that into account I think it is well worth the time and money, so that is another thing to keep in mind.
The entry tickets are £12.50 for adults with cheaper prices for children and half-prices for members of HRP. The trail is open from 4pm to 8pm. Tickets need to be booked in advance, which is what is recommended anyway, as these would most likely sell out fast. There is an Ice Rink at Hampton Court too, if that is something that might interest you too.
I treated the family as I thought it would be a lovely family outing and fitting end to the Christmas break but we were all bitterly disappointed. It was a total rip-off; £75 for six of us, plus exorbitant prices for food snacks and drinks. Large balloons supported by stands, resembling planets – one had started to deflate as well! We were not impressed.
The best part was the clock with special effects which I understand was created in-house.
We have visited Hampton Court Palace events on many occasions and have not been disappointed but will now definitely wait for reviews before visiting again.
I was very disappointed – I liked the light patterns imposed on the clock but most of it seemed like arty ideas that must have seemed good in the artists head but didn’t communicate much. What were the megaphones that occasionally muttered stuff about? – I often couldn’t make out what they were saying (if they were all saying something) and when I could make it out it didn’t seem to mean much. Some metal frames dressed with cheap coloured paper, turning round and not adding to the phases of the moon which the guide seemed to say it was about. We dragged it out as long as possible including pictures and food but didn’t manage to stay much more than 45 minutes.
Save your money and go to Kew Gardens – we found this disappointing it was over too quickly. Few light displays and game over – Kew offers a beautiful experience with music and interactive displays in stunning surroundings – they really do it best! X
It looks fun but I’d really love to see the inside of the palace! Probably the best way would be to combine them.
This looks lovely! What a fun event, the lights are so pretty!
Hope that you have a wonderful Christmas 🙂
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I remember seeing the planets/orbs on your Instagram. They look pretty neat to me!
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I’ve been to another light trail, a few years ago, and it was magical. This one was not as detailed and exciting. At Kew they have an elaborate display, but the tickets are sold out (more expensive than Hampton Court, so the difference in prices can reflect a difference in money spent on the display).