national trust cliveden

Many thanks for taking the time to provide us with your feedback in regards to your recent visit to Cliveden.We are pleased to hear that you thought that Cliveden is splendid and that you intend to visit in the summer, when the gardens shall be at their best.Although the gardens are at their best when they are in full bloom, during the summer months, there are many different amenities and sights of interest within Cliveden estate, to accommodate all ages and interests, therefore we believe that there is something for everyone to ensure an enjoyable day out throughout the year.We are extremely sorry to hear your disappointment when visiting the Orangery Café on your recent visit to Cliveden, and apologise the queues to purchase food and drink were large.We understand that during busy times, especially at weekends long queues can form to purchase items within our catering outlets, and in particular it can take time to make all the different varieties of coffee we have on offer. We installed new coffee machines recently, which we hope will improve the delivery of service.Thank you, once again for your feedback, and we look forward to welcoming you back to Cliveden in the summer.Kindest regards,Cliveden

Thank you for your feedback.We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your first visit to Cliveden with your grandchildren and we are delighted that you were thought the gardens were lovely and to hear that you were able to complete the Maze. Our gardening team have been extremely busy over the winter, and there have been many developments to the gardens.We are delighted to hear that you were particularly impressed with staff members David and Colin at the Main Gate, and thought that they were friendly and informative. At Cliveden we are dedicated to providing excellent customer service, and it is a delight to hear that the hard work from our staff, and the developments that have taken place, has added to your enjoyment when visiting Cliveden, and we shall pass your pleasant comments on to David and Colin for their attention. We are sorry to hear however that you were disappointed with the catering facilities. We understand that during busy times, especially at weekends and school holidays long queues can form to purchase items within our catering outlets. Unfortunately we were overwhelmed with a high volume of visitors during half term, and regret this had an impact on the delivery of service.Thank you, once again, for your comments.Kindest regards,Cliveden

Has it all, worth regular return visits in all seasons:Parterre garden, beautiful House (extra cost, also a fine Hotel), Woods, go down to the Thames (steep) decline, Labyrinth, fish ponds, view of the surrounding valley, picnic area, secret gardens, occasional events, gift shop, walled garden, fountains. Lots to do but usually plenty of space for everyone (except maybe the restaurant at height of season). Beautiful all year round.

What can you say about Cliveden what a lovely place great for walking with the kids and dog beautiful scenery not forgetting the maze a wonderful place to visit.

We've been to Cliveden a couple of times and thoroughly enjoyed the walking routes around the parkland and estate. The are wonderful views to enjoy and there's a choice of long and short walking routes to take you down to the river Thames suitable to how much time / energy you have. We also did the tour of Cliveden itself which was very informative - note that because it is a working hotel the number of rooms you can visit are very limited to one section. But still worthwhile if you would like to learn more about the history surrounding this amazing place.

Many thanks for taking the time to give feedback in regards to your recent visit to Cliveden.We are extremely sorry to hear you had a disappointing visit to the Dovecote Coffee Shop, and believe it was understaffed and food provided is limited.In regards to our catering offer, during the winter period we only operate the Dovecote Coffee Shop at this time of year during weekdays due to operational costs. During the winter period we open the Orangery Café on the weekends only as there are fewer visitors during this period and usually we can serve our weekday visitors comfortably in the Dovecote.We do check the weather forecast to predict visitor numbers to Cliveden, and in turn organise the correct cover for each department. We brought in extra staff to meet unprecedented demand, however due to the limited space, we can only have so many staff working in the dovecote efficiently, I apologise this had an impact on the level of service received in the Dovecote Café.Please be assured we have taken on board your comments, and we are evaluating what we can change for the coming winter.I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this has caused to your enjoyment when visiting Cliveden.Kindest RegardsCliveden

We visited the park on a cold December day and enjoyed walking several paths between the maze, the terrace and the parking lot. We were disappointed that we were not able to enter the hotel as it was out of season and fully booked. We will try to return again between April and October and book a guided tour. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience. The grandsons enjoyed the maze and we all enjoyed the hot chocolate and coffee at the little shop off to the side of the manor. This is a great place for folks who enjoy walking in a beautiful natural area. You won't be disappointed.

Being members of The National Trust of course has its advantages.I joined the National Trust back in the very early 89's when I first went to Cliveden.I must go there at least once a month now.There is always something going on, today there was the themed walks for the children, where they were looking for snow flakes, raindeer and carots.The vast woodland walks - always nice, especially when the bluebells are out, the huge partere, a fantastic shop, concerts, we have even been on a walk where the planting was explained.The House does food and teas.

Beautiful, historic property and a gorgeous setting. Full of incredible art and a history going back 400 years.

Cliveden is great for summer days out, picnics on the grass, walking in the woods and around the water gardens, my toddler and I and mummy friends are regulars!

Many thanks for taking the time to provide us with your feedback regarding your recent visit to Cliveden.We are extremely pleased to hear that you enjoyed attending the Exclusive House Tours, and thought the tour was very comprehensive taken by very knowledgeable and accommodating guides. At Cliveden we are dedicated to providing excellent customer service, and I shall pass on your pleasant comments to our House guides for their attention.The Orangery Café is our main catering outlet, and last year it was refurbished. It was a terrific opportunity for us to upgrade our outdated service area and kitchens, which has allowed us to improve speed of service and quality of food produced. I am sorry to hear however that you were disappointed with the ambiance of the Orangery Café. Please be assured we have taken on board your feedback and are working to improve our service.Thank you, once again for your feedback, we’re really pleased you had an enjoyable day, and we look forward to welcoming you to Cliveden again soon.Kindest regards,Cliveden

Many thanks for taking the time to give feedback on your recent visit to Cliveden.We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your recent visit to Cliveden and thought the gardens were beautiful. There have been many developments made to the gardens over the last year, and the gardening and maintenance teams have been working hard to make sure that the gardens and grounds are kept to a high standard. Thank you for your positive comments.Cliveden is an unusual set-up for a National Trust property; although the National Trust owns the house and grounds, the house is leased to a private company, who operate a 5 star luxury hotel. Under the lease agreement, there is restricted access into the property for National Trust visitors. The National Trust offer house tours of part of the interior on Thursday and Sunday afternoons from April to October, which are free if you are a National Trust member.Thank you, once again, for your comments, we are glad you had an enjoyable day, and we hope to see you again at Cliveden soon.With kind regards,Cliveden

This is the nearest and the best National Trust gardens we have seen.Seen a lot of changes including the maze bringing the gardens to the attention of the family visitor as well as usual NT members( of which I am one) There are a lot of area to cover and you will need to visit more than once.Some walks are more taxing than others ,especially from the river to Duke of Cumberland statue.If you want peace and quiet stay away from the dolls house are in summer as it is very noisy with children playing.A lot of room in the extensive gardens for all it in all its glory any time of year -you will discover different places every time you go.If you have a question about any plant ask the gardeners ,they all know their stuff!!All in all a great day out,anytime.Most paths are not suitable for wheelchairs,especially further away from the house/hotel.

A fantastic afternoon, lunch was divine, staff were very attentive, very extensive wine list and very helpful and knowledgeable sommelier. Cheese trolley was an adventure in its self, waitress gave a full detailed description of all the cheeses and backgrounds where they came from etc. Open roaring fire in the lounge area. a perfect afternoon in a perfect setting.

We recently spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the grounds of Cliveden. After paying our 9.90 gbp each to enter and parking, we were initially not too sure of what to see first as the leaflet provided isn’t the easiest to follow. ( As noted by another reviewer, it would be much better to list the places of interest numerically not alphabetically ! ).However, the driver of the shuttle bus took pity on us and offered to give us a short tour. This enabled us to get our bearings and after a 10 minute drive we asked to be dropped off at the Parterre. After a short view across the river towards Cookham, we then walked down the 172 steps of The Yew Tree Walk to the Thames waterfront. After a brief rest by the river we then proceeded to stroll through the woodlands before eventually arriving at the Water Garden and stopping for coffee at The Doll’s House.Suitably refreshed, we headed back past the carved wooden animals and small train towards the maze. Finally, we visited the Long Garden, and were particularly impressed by the bushes carved in the shapes of birds.Overall, Cliveden is a very relaxing place to visit, and I can imaging it being even more attractive in the spring. We will return then !