Waddesdon Manor itself would get 5 stats, it's a beautiful place, unusual architecture for Britain, full of beautiful 17th/18th art and objects, plus such an interesting story in it's conception and the family. The grounds are well looked after and the whole place can be a wonderful day out. What ruined our visit is the reason for the low score and the Nation Trust complacency to it's visitors.
Under the National Trust website site, Waddesdon Manor is 4 miles from Bicester North railway station, so we planned our journey by rail and last leg by taxi. It's wasn't until 12 miles later that we reached Waddesdon Manor, the shock of the fare wasn't a good start, and we had to return to Bicester North station because of the tickets. Once we arrived at the visitor's car park, we queued along with everyone else and bought tickets to what we thought was the house, as it's was raining we didn't really need to see much of the grounds, it's the house that we wanted to see.
Wasn't until we got to the house that a National Trust rep informed us that the tickets we got was for the park /garden area and not the house. So the first kiosk could have said something, but just gave us a grim look and the standard sentence... 'paying by cash or card?'. So after getting the house tickets, we were told that the entry into the house was on a fixed time allotment, so we had to find cover for 45 mins as it's was raining.
The tea & coffee kiosks are not cheap or helpful, in fact nothing is about the whole day was cheap, it cost us £60+ each and that's without lunch.
Information on websites is what we use to plan our day-outs, and if the information is incorrect or lacking then it can ruin a day out and be very expensive too, which is the case for the Waddesdon Manor. National Trust read my email....
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