Powderham Castle Reviews Summary

Accessibility

Pros:

• "I am disabled and use a mobility scooter. Brilliant. Good paths, but not all are tarmac."
• "All the footpaths are 'accessible' in that there are no steps."
• "Very good access for wheelchair users."
• "Dog friendly, including inside the castle."
• "The walled garden is a must if you have small children, plenty of space to play and so many fab animals to get to know."
• "The grounds were beautiful and well kept."
• "There's toilets with baby changing facilities."

Cons:

• "Although there is no way for wheelchairs to get upstairs, since it is a very old castle, so their access is limited."
• "The gardens in front of the castle were nice but not suitable for dad on his scooter to have a look around as there were steps."
• "It definitely wasn't wheelchair friendly."
• "Not recommended for anyone unsteady on their feet or in a wheelchair."
• "Could be improved with a changing places toilet located somewhere."
• "The castle owns a Giant Tortoise that was living in awful conditions."
• "Some of the animals were in very small enclosures."

Value for Money

Pros:

• "Ticket price also includes return within 7 days so going again tomorrow to see the falconry display - a holiday event."
• "It's a great place to visit and not overly costly either."
• "Great day out, if you live local you should upgrade to the season ticket. Great value for money!"
• "Free parking. You get discounts for being an English heritage member and other memberships as well."
• "Entrance fee is for a reasonable price and u can revisit for free within 7 days."
• "Very reasonably priced, unlike many of the Homes and Gardens in this country."
• "We attended an event here and was expecting to spend a fortune on food and drink... however was pleasantly surprised at the prices of drinks."

Cons:

• "Also expensive for what you get!"
• "Entrance was pricey. One OAP, one adult and one child £35.85."
• "We paid 45£ for 5 (3adults, 1 child, 1 disabled senior), just to visit the castle grounds, not the building itself. I think that's grossly overpriced."
• "£10.50 to park in a field at an £80 per head concert."
• "Had to prepay £5 for the carpark, yet no one checked when we arrived, so felt robbed."
• "Purchased tickets for the food festival, parking was an additional £5. Disappointed with the lack of atmosphere, bizarre layout and number of traders."
• "We spent a decent couple of hours there with the kids... it's quite expensive for what it is."

Staff and Guides

Pros:

• "All the staff were extremely friendly and helpful."
• "Ali the tour guide was excellent, she included the two children in the group at all points."
• "Really helpful and friendly staff. Our castle tour guide was excellent, telling us lots of interesting historical facts."
• "The tour guides were extremely friendly and clearly enjoyed what they were doing."
• "Staff are all extremely friendly and helpful."
• "The staff over there are so friendly and courteous."
• "Every member of staff was welcoming."

Cons:

• "A very rude witch looking lady approached us and very very rudely told us the castle was shut and we are trespassing and need to leave straight away."
• "For the next 5 minutes were the most humiliating and awful experience ever due to this ageist foul woman!"
• "The only downside is the lack of toilets."
• "Only black mark were the disgusting unlit portaloos."
• "The park and petting zoo was shut early as the lady needed to visit the vets!"
• "The cream tea was awful."
• "Unfortunately, the interior of the castle is very basic and there is not much to see."

Facilities and Grounds

Pros:

• "The barn was open and used as a good hall with plenty of choice."
• "The food is excellent too."
• "The cafe was very nice. Lovely coffee and cake."
• "Enjoyed tea and bun at the café."
• "The grounds are beautiful and the house is pretty inside."
• "The area surrounding the castle was very well kept and we enjoyed walking to the animal and playground areas."
• "The grounds are beautiful and it is lovely to have a walk there."

Cons:

• "The secret garden looks a bit run down which is a shame."
• "The cafe wasn't open, just a kiosk doing drinks and crisps."
• "Leaving was a nightmare. Traffic marshalls no idea what they were doing."
• "Went around the grounds, some nice areas but the footpaths were little more than mud and stone."
• "The only downside was by the time we finished the second guided tour the cafe had already closed leaving everyone a little stranded."
• "Some parts were fenced off due to works taking place."
• "The main disappointment was the cafe... the food options for lunch were too basic."