Chatsworth House and gardens (see photos) were absolutely lovely, helped by the really sunny weather. Even though there were lots of visitors it never felt crowded as there are so many different areas to enjoy.
All the staff we encountered were really friendly and helpful and seemed to go out of their way to make sure you enjoyed your visit. One such member of staff was dressed in a traditional butler uniform and was on duty in one of the many dining rooms. He was more than happy to answer our questions about the table settings etc. and explained the reasons why they used to place the forks facing downwards (the diners fancy finery with elaborate sleeves would get snagged if the fork prongs faced upwards). We also learnt the story behind “dessert”- apparently it is so called because the diners would “desert” the table for it to be re laid and then return for the sweet course, “dessert”!
We could have easily spent more time there but we were en route to visit family in Manchester so didn’t want to hit the rush hour. As we had the packed lunch from our hotel offer we didn’t use the refreshment facilities but they certainly looked good. Please note I have rated it outstanding for value for money because of the offer we had. This was a Travelzoo deal which was for a night's stay at The Derbyshire Hotel (see separate review – it was brilliant) which included tickets to Chatsworth and a packed lunch! Thought it seemed too good to be true but it wasn't! Exceeded all our expectations.
We will definitely return, especially if we can get a similar deal.
