Bloody Harrods! Help find another grotto!

[BeyoncesCat]

So we didnt get the harrods grotto despite logging on at 9:03 when we received our email and spending 20 on hold listening to bloody hark the herald angel!

We're in London but can drive so any other grottos that are just as magical?

Should say baby is 1 and friends son is 7.

Thanks

Beyonce same here am and I was really upset didnt get in last year just thought it was a given this year, and I went into get the stupid card esp earlier this year.

Hey ho, please write to complain.

As for others, I am watching this thread too...

Names that keep cropping up are Chessington one, I think its a garden center?

Check out NT properties and Westfields also have a good rep.

Selfridges do one

Westfield (Shepherds Bush or Stratford) do good grottos too - last year it was a 5D film with the kids in then meeting Santa which my boys loved.

The Crystal Grotto at Painshill Park?
In Cobham, off the A£

A3 even

selfisdges dont do theirs anymore.

Painshill has been mentioned on my thread, I have also heard it come up many times

Will defiantly complain! I signed up too and now I get email for things I can't afford

I've heard of chessington too will have a look do we have to pre book?

So gutted I really thought I was being organised too!

Chessington Garden Centre is good - we have been there for the last 3 years. It was more commercial last year (range of photo souvenirs available, etc. but not a hard sell). I would definitely pre-book - via their website, booking is open now. They have a circus on-site too.

Painshill sound great but members get priority booking mid-October before booking is open to the general public so I am not sure how available slots are.

just had a look it sounds and looks wonderful, is it a realy posh garden center?

is it worth travelling an hour to get there?

I wouldn't say so. Chessington also has an aquatics shop with lots of fish, etc. which the DC love visiting. The restaurant does good cakes as well!

Sorry - that was in reference to your 'is it posh' question.

I would say if you are travelling that distance, if you opt to combine it with visiting something else in the area (maybe a Zoo day at Chessington World of Adventures? which is literally next door) would make the most of it.

Bodiam Castle in Kent is lovely. Total different vibe though. It's a National Trust property and very tasteful and low key. You take your own pictures, Santa is kindly and, all children are given a book.

Knitted I'm travelling an hour to chessington zoo. Their restaurant makes fresh pizzas and they have massive carp so you really can make the most of it

We went to one on board Cutty Sark at Greenwich, when the boys were younger. FC was in a cabin off the officers' mess - he was a wonderful FC, and the boys loved it. And we only had to wait about 10 minutes, if memory serves.

If your baby is only one it's more for your benefit, cute photo with Santa etc. I would just take them to a simple one in a garden centre and Christmas Fayre. They won't really appreciate it anyway.

Last year we went to Ham House which had a treasure hunt around the grounds, it was nice, but not sure it would be worth an hours travel.

The year before we went to Osterley Park House. FC was in the stables, lovely traditional toy gift plus a foam animal mask. It was a really nice day out and there was a market in the house as well. The only reason we swapped venues last year is that DH works shifts and FC wasn't at Osterley the weekend before Christmas.

Ruxley Manor and Polhill just off J6 M25 are both really good, Ruxley better for the older one as they get to make special reindeer food to sprinkle on the grass to guide the reindeers in on Xmas eve. Polhill does a story with Santa

It might be J4 actually, we don't have to go on the motorway to get there!

Anyone recommend anywhere around Kent? The girls are 4 & 6.

Pigley - Dobbies garden centre in Ashford is reasonable, you have to pre-book online (it was around £5 per child last year IIRC), the gifts are quite nice, or there's the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch light railway Santa Steam Special, which is more expensive (£17 each for children and adults!), but is brilliantly run and my 3 loved it

I went to Painshill once after recommendations on here and it was dire. A lot of walking around in the dark to get to a big tent crammed full of people without anywhere left to sit, selling a few drinks and soft biscuits (No, we don't have any of those left), for barely two minutes with Santa. We were walked very quickly out of the grotto (as in the nice bit) and the presents were age-inappropriate mega-cheap tat.

Legoland hotel Christmas experience, however, where you stay in the hotel and have a day in the park and meet Santa was great. Huge present

Leeds castle does a fantastic Santa

poosey thanks for painshill heads up.