Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle
4.5
Historic SitesPoints of Interest & LandmarksCastles
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Visitors never forget their first breath-taking vision of Leeds Castle in Kent, rising majestically from the moat. With its riveting history serving six of England’s medieval queens, to its elaborate transformation into an elegant 20th-century retreat by Anglo-American heiress, Lady Baillie, Leeds Castle’s rich heritage has secured its place as one of the most visited historic attractions in Britain. There’s plenty for all to enjoy, from exploring the Princess Alexandra Gardens and savouring afternoon teas, to watching in awe as the Birds of Prey fly overhead and challenging the family to a game of adventure golf. For those looking to stay longer, Leeds Castle has a selection of picturesque staycation experiences, from the cosy Stable Courtyard and Maiden’s Tower, to Holiday Cottages perched along the water’s edge.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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  • Karen T
    Sutton Valence, United Kingdom7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This was a family visit to celebrate my Birthday We all had a fantastic day.
    We visited as a family of 8 adults, 2 young children, including a pushchair and a mobility scooter. The grounds were lovely with wide pathways. The staff were all friendly and very helpful. There are wheelchairs at the castle entrance to access the castle with helpful staff on hand. We enjoyed the Sculpture Trail and the Bird of Prey display. The tickets were a bit expensive but they are valid for a year and we didn't do/see everything so will be returning 😊
    Thank you for the lovely review.
    Written 28 September 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 18 September 2023
  • Fay B
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to visit to learn about the history and great fun for adults and children alike.
    We stayed in the stable rooms and they were amazing very clean, large rooms with every amenity that you could require. The castle was a delight with so many different things to do as well as touring the castle. We enjoyed finding out in the castle all about Lady Baillie and her life in the 1920's which added an interesting slant on the rest of the castles' long history. We found the maze, grottos and crazy golf to be great fun and very entertaining. The beach area and adventure playground also looked to be fun if you were visiting with young children. In fact there were lots of activities for children to enjoy as well as adults. The gardens and walks around the castle were well laid out and beautifully kept. The only slight area that we felt let the castle down was the restaurant which served most of the food luke-warm and where some of the staff were not very polite (however we would stress that this was not true of all the staff). Overall it is a great place to visit mixing history with modern activities, the best of both worlds.
    Thank you for your review. We are so pleased that you had such an enjoyable stay with us exploring all the beautiful grounds have to offer and learning about our 900 year history.
    Written 19 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 October 2023
  • Sheelagh123
    Melton Mowbray, United Kingdom130 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loads to do so leave enough time
    We arrived at lunchtime and baulked a bit at the £35 admission price! However, the sculpture trail was great, the gardens and trees really interesting and the building magnificent, despite the patient volunteer locking each door behind us as we went round. (We were definitely the last visitors.). We enjoyed the ferry, although the cost is not included in the entry and there seemed lots for families to do.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 October 2023
  • Dee Moor
    Kent, United Kingdom6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Firework event
    Just got home from your firework event. Awesome, awesome, awesome 👏 Film themed music was perfect 👍 and fireworks choreographed to music, again awesome. Best one yet 👏👏👏👏 See you next year
    What a delight to read such a wonderful review. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. We are all so happy to read that you had an awesome time. See you next year for sure.
    Written 6 November 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 5 November 2023
  • AndrewBale
    24 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wonderful stay!
    We spent four nights at Leeds Castle, one of us was a wheelchair user. It was a really wonderful experience, the breakfast was lovely, the accommodation spacious, the staff were attentive and pleasant. The grounds were beautiful and fortunately for us the weather too. We shall definitely return and I cannot recommend this experience enough.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 November 2023
  • Nomad21764937813
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great but...
    It's a lovely place and we're lucky it's so local. We've been members for the last 5-6 years. I definitely wouldn't pay over £90 for my family if I wasn't local and it was a one off. It's disgusting that the child ticket is now 3 plus when they aren't even at school. I do think there should be more offers available to locals or parents and toddlers - that includes 3 year olds!!! The play areas are fantastic and the new "beach" has been a great addition. The view is beautiful. And the landscaping through all the seasons can be enjoyed. However, the food and gifts shops are totally overpriced, thankfully there are plenty of picnic benches. Meanwhile surprisingly the crazy golf is currently very reasonable and a great little course, along with the train to ferry you back to the car park. The maze is also excellent especially if you make it through the grotto. We rarely go in the house so I won't comment. Staff are helpful and kind.
    Thank you for the review and the feedback. We do appreciate comments from our guests so we can make sure everyone has a great visit. We are pleased to read that you enjoyed the beach.
    Written 26 November 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 November 2023
  • Heather F
    Chelmsford, United Kingdom45 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Narnia Christmas at Leeds castle
    I visited a Narnia Christmas at Leeds castle with my grandchildren. It was a magical experience, the actors all interacted with the children. The Snow Queen was particularly good. The restaurant food was excellent and the staff very helpful. We can’t wait to return in the Spring and Summer. Very good value
    Thank you for taking the time to write this lovely review. We are thrilled beyond words that the experience was magical for you and your grandchildren. We look forward to welcoming you again very soon.
    Written 6 December 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 December 2023
  • little foxes
    Maidstone, United Kingdom21 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What a treat
    We visited Leeds Castle as a birthday treat for us both. The grounds were getting ready for the Christmas Light spectacular £18pp. However due the cold (we went early) after a nice hot coffee, we decided to tour the castle. You must see the Narnia - The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe event. The display teams have produced the most inspiring spaces. Absolutely spectacular. You follow the route and visit most of the important scenes from the book. A must see. On now until 1 January 2024. A treat for the whole family. Great for couples and singles. You can take photos of yourselves sitting within fabulous scenes. Don't miss it.
    This review was a treat for us to read. Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know of your experience.
    Written 11 December 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 December 2023
  • ClaireCarys
    Maidstone, United Kingdom68 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Christmas at Leeds Castle is beautiful
    We've been to Leeds Castle a few times and always enjoy it. Today we went to the Christmas event (Narnia in the castle) and it was magical. It was very wet and busy but the staff were very good and sorted the queue so we were sheltered. Inside the Castle, we went through a wardrobe to entcostequmes and interacted with the children so well. There were at least 14 impeccablly decorated real Christmas trees inside and a whole forest of fake trees. My kids (9 and 6) loved it, as did I!
    What a glorious review! Thank you and the kids for for your appreciation of our efforts. We have had a lot of positive feedback about our Narnia decorations inside the castle but hearing the word 'magical' is music to our ears.
    Written 11 December 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 December 2023
  • Susan M
    Faversham, United Kingdom103 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Leeds castle Christmas lights 2023
    Happy to pay the £20 each but I thought the £8 to park was unnecessary. With the booking fee it's £50 for 2, that's not an insignificant amount for an hour's walk about. It took us about 1hour 15 mins to amble around, including a stop halfway for a mulled wine :-) The lights are really nice, themed to music and although there were lots of people, we didn't feel crowded at any time. Overall a pleasant start to Christmas, but would've preferred the parking to be free as £20 each is enough for the light trail. Lovely lights, all very clever.
    Thank you for the review. We are pleased that you enjoyed the lights and we appreciate the comments about the car parking in the evening. As a large scale event we do require extra infrastructure in the car parks so the money generated for car parking helps to make the car parking experience as seamless as possible.
    Written 20 December 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 December 2023
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles5,457 reviews
Excellent
3,173
Very good
1,345
Average
462
Poor
229
Terrible
249

LNB
12 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Family
Booked to take my children here yesterday. Our annual ticked expired in July so I assumed that we would have the 3 months we were unable to attend would be given to us once it opened again. When I got to the counter the man said we couldn’t enter unless we bought another 12 month pass, and then we would get the 3 months back that we missed out on! So basically we would have to buy another yearly pass to get back what have already paid for, so we’ve paid for a 12 month pass and only got 9 months! Really really poor! We won’t be buying another annual pass on this basis, I don’t understand how you can think that this ok?
Written 28 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jjdaisyduke
53 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Having stayed yesterday evening at Leeds castle I wanted to take the time to share my disappointment with you.
We arrived yesterday afternoon and the room was lovely, my parents had a small double, but again, very nicely Presented. We went for a wander around the grounds, and had a table Booked for 7.15 in the castle restaurant.

Our experience in the restaurant was a let down from the outset. Nobody came back to offer us a drink for 20 minutes. The menu was poor with hardly any options, and the drinks took another 20 minutes to come, and they returned with a bottle
Of white wine instead of red. Eventually we got our drink. The service was slow throughout with us approaching the bar numerous times ourselves to get another drink. One waitress even forgot us after taking our order and never returned! The food is very overpriced as is the drink. We later ordered 2 mojitos which arrived with flat soda and blacked mint leaves, they were so bad we had to send them back.

We ordered the baileys bomb to share for dessert which was nothing short of laughable. It could
Not be shared due to the tiny size and not even enough for one! It was honestly one of the worst restaurant experiences I’ve had and cost me little under £200 for four of us.

Back at the room the bed was comfy for the evening but the heating was on full blast and the room was unbearable so we had to have the window open. In the morning, there was no hot water in any of our rooms. We couldn’t even shower there and walk around the grounds in daytime due to feeling so disgusting. On going into reception to tell them, we had half an hour before our actual check out, and all we were told is “sorry about that, here’s a 10% voucher if you want to come back”...that ruined our second day and the party just wanted to go home and shower.

The break cost me little under £500 and was meant to be a rare treat for my parents. I have left feeling very disheartened and very disappointed. Further more, as season ticket holders, I will not be renewing them.
Written 12 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Guest, Thank you for taking the time to review Leeds Castle. I'm sorry to hear you are disappointed with your stay, the Accommodation Manager has since been in contact with you via email.
Written 20 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Angie_K_78
Kent, UK24 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Lovely place if you like walking, beautiful scenery, shaded walk up to the castle...
But even though they have allocated a certain amount of people at each time slot there was a huge 40 minute queue just to get in!! I had two toddlers in tow who were moody and grumpy because of the long wait. Can’t say I blame them. They are letting in far too many people at each time slot if they can’t cope with entrance system.
Certainly put me in a bad mood before we even got in!.

Also, they haven’t got the train running back to the car park, and considering the play area for kids is a very long way from the entrance, it was so painful getting them back at the end of the day!
Just be aware of this if you haven’t been before and you are going with kids.
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. There are sometimes queues to enter the grounds, but we have reduced the amount of visitors per time slot and our overall capacity is signifcantly reduced from our normal levels due to social distancing measures. The Castle Train is not in oepration yet, but we hope to start running it again soon, when we can safely do so.
Written 21 August 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Chloe S
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021 • Friends
It’s a tough to write because I have loved Leeds castle for so long having grown up in the area and been a regular visitor for over 10 years.
I can I imagine new visitors are still impressed because visually it really is still wonderful. Even though there hasn’t been a single update inside the castle in years..literally nothing new to see. In 10 years. I still come hoping things will improve but sadly everytime I’ve come it’s gotten worse 😫
So this it’s what’s driven me to leave this review:

The food and drink. Costa has gone..in my opinion an error. Unless you want to eat a full sit down meal (regardless of covid) you are unwelcome in the restaurant.

For a sandwich or tea and cake it’s take away and find a bench. (They are NEVER free..even at 1pm on a drizzly Thursday they are all full)

I say “cake” it’s plastic packaged muffins or chocolate twist for £2.50. As for the coffee...one size (about the same as a small in Costa) and it’s £3.

Bottle of water is £2..sandwich in a box that you have to walk off with £4.50.

The restaurant used to do pots of tea and scones and jam or their lovely laminating cakes were ideal for an afternoon at Leeds castle. They had big tables of fresh cakes that were just excellent.

It really is so disappointing. I know times are hard but charging that much for tiny coffees and plastic wrapped cakes with little choice to sit outside on benches (if you can) is a far cry for the Leeds castle I used to know.

Hopefully this isn’t permanent and the restaurant will change its menu once restrictions ease?

Just my opinion as a lately- repeatedly disappointed regular.
Written 15 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LondonLady
Cleveland, OH2,320 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We took the Train from Victoria to Bearsted to visit Leeds Castle. I would recommend calling ahead for a taxi as we waited about 25 minutes for the shuttle to come and take us to Leeds and no Uber was picking up our request. The shuttle is only 2.50 pounds so that makes it economical. We toured the castle and the grounds are lovely. Lots of things for kids to do including a maze and a huge playyard, plus walking the grounds. The Castle itself is geared toward business conferences or weddings, do touring it is a bit more modern and less ornate than what you see at Windsor or at Warwick. The rooms were redone in the 1930-1950's for the high society set and those are the rooms you tour. We enjoyed our meal in the restaurant Fish and Chips and Meat pies - all very good. Nice gift shop too..
Written 12 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Visitor, Your positive comments are greatly appreciated and we thank you for taking the time to review Leeds Castle. Feedback is very important to us and we are thrilled that you enjoyed your visit. We hope to welcome you again in the future.
Written 21 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Twixpeaks
Rochester, UK32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Family
The castle grounds are well kept and pretty and now have a one-way system due to Covid. The entrance ticket is expensive but it allows you access to the castle & grounds for 12 months. There are a lot of bird droppings and if you take a picnic the ducks and jackdaws taunt you for food. Crossing the lake on the boat costs £1 per person and is a thrill for young children. The aviary has a good number of birds if prey and their volunteer keepers are very knowledgeable. Young children enjoy the playground and play swords and archery sets that are sold in the castle shops.
Written 3 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, hope to welcome you back again soon.
Written 7 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bradley21march
Doncaster, UK9 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Went several years ago, and loved it. Now,, what a letdown. Arrived and first task visit the ladies toilet. It was filthy, water, paper, all over the floor, Soiled basins. A visitor said 'They have just charged us as a family £99 and this is what we get.'
It was £28 per person, to go in,
We queued 20 mins. for a coffee, one poor lady on her own trying to make and serve snacks and coffee, no one to clear tables, the floor area was covered in litter.
Advertised as the finest castle in England, It doesn't matter how fine it is, if the entry and reception areas leave visitors with such a bad taste, and the high price of entry they will soon find visitors doing what we did, we simply left.
Written 31 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Elliottksk44
19 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
Me and my family have an annual ticket and visit Leeds Castle regularly. We absolutely love our days spent as a family and everything is great except for the food offering. It’s ok in the summer because you can take a picnic, but we visited in half term and it was raining really hard so we had to buy something for us and our children.
The cafe nearest to the play park served the most disgusting food the other day. The chips didn’t taste cooked (they were soggy) and the sausage was white and didn’t look cooked either. The service was terrible and it took so long to be served.
The restaurant is so expensive and busy. You can easily end up spending £40.00 for 2 adults and 2 children and that isn’t anything that special.
Costa is always the slowest service in the world.
There really needs to be something done to appeal to families because it’s really put us off buying another yearly ticket when this one runs out.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dereksmith729
Whitstable, UK19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2020 • Couples
Leeds castle tickets give you access for a full year and we're lucky as we live locally so often visit. We visited on Friday 11th for the Christmas theme. Obviously due to covid etc they couldn't decorate the castle rooms but instead have erected small wooden cabins along the walkway with Christmas trees which are lit with Carol's playing made of different materials depicting the rooms.
In what has been a very difficult year for all tourists attractions I think the castle has done really well , I felt it was worth going to and it felt Christmasy as it got darker.
Written 12 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, we really appreciate the postive feedback. Have a lovely Christmas!
Written 18 December 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Neil
Sutton, UK1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Went to the castle last Friday and would not recommend if you're going as a couple! Part of the Castle was closed due to an upcoming Wedding event, and what's worse considering the ridiculous price was the food! The Restaurant was closed, so we ended up buying expensive Fish and Chips at the Castle which looked like something Straight out of a Theme Park stall.

Food took ages to arrive, the Fish was barely Fish just a ball of Batter and there was hardly any seats, which meant people were sitting on the floor or on the steps. So If you're going to pay nearly £9 each, save your money and don't spent it at Leeds Castle!

But hey at least the Wildlife and Birds of Prey Sanctuary was worth visiting. Will not be coming back 😡
Written 24 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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