Overnight in Hampton Court, London
I’ve been to London several times and have always wanted to tour Hampton Court Palace—a piece of historic architecture that combines medieval and baroque styles, numerous gardens, and a royal tennis pavilion that still welcomes local players. However, with Hampton Court being somewhat removed from central London, we failed in two previous attempts to visit the site. On a recent trip to Morocco, we had a two-day layover in London, so we thought we’d give it one more try!
Trip Recap
- Day 1: Landed at Heathrow, stayed at Mitre Hotel by Hampton Court Palace.
- Day 2: Explored royal history, enjoyed dinner, and prepared for our next adventure.
Highlights
Hampton Court Palace Gardens
The Historic Mitre Hotel
Day 1
We landed at Heathrow at around 1pm and headed to the Mitre Hotel, which is right across the street from Hampton Court Palace. The Mitre was originally built in 1665 as a guest house for the palace. It includes a restaurant with a pretty outdoor space on the shores of the Thames.
Day 2
We spent the day touring the palace, including the hall used by Henry VIII for state dinners and his chapel, the baroque section of the building used by later monarchs, the large kitchen complex, and the gardens. Visitors can buy produce from the palace gardens, though on the day we were there it was all beets. We had an early dinner at the Mute Swan pub next door to our hotel, explored some of the village shops, and then headed to Stansted, ready to catch our next flight.
