点评:The excitement I had for this trip could not have been further from the reality of the experience. My husband bought this as a Christmas gift for me, knowing I had been a devoted Downton Abbey fan for years, so I arrived genuinely excited and looking forward to the visit.
Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from the moment we stepped off the coach. We were immediately confronted by an extremely rude member of staff who aggressively told us our small backpack was not allowed. I explained that we had already checked with our tour guide, who had confirmed it was acceptable due to its size. Rather than listening, she shouted in my face, “He doesn’t work here, I do,” before abruptly informing us that we could only eat our food in the car park.
Sadly, things did not improve from there. We had intentionally left our packed lunch behind so we could enjoy something in the tearoom, only to find there was virtually nothing available — just one baguette and two sandwiches remaining. To make matters worse, the prices were incredibly high, costing £18 for two drinks and a baguette.
When we approached the entrance to Highclere and politely asked for a quick photo to be taken, we were told no because we were “holding up the queue,” despite every group ahead of us seemingly being given the same opportunity while we waited. It felt inconsistent and unfair.
Adding to the frustration, photography inside the house is strictly forbidden, supposedly for “insurance purposes.” This explanation felt rather hypocritical considering the property and its owner are frequently featured in magazines, books, and social media content.
Overall, the experience felt overpriced, poorly organised, and far from welcoming. The attitude of several staff members genuinely spoiled what should have been a memorable visit. My advice would be to save your money and instead visit one of the many better-maintained and far more welcoming National Trust properties.
翻译:我对这次旅行的期待与实际情况完全不符。我丈夫知道我是《唐顿庄园》的忠实粉丝,所以特意买了这个作为圣诞礼物送给我,因此我满怀期待地抵达了目的地。
然而,从我们下车的那一刻起,体验就令人失望了。一位态度极其恶劣的工作人员立刻拦住了我们,粗鲁地告诉我们,我们的小背包不允许带入。我解释说,我们已经和导游确认过了,导游确认背包尺寸符合规定。她根本不听,反而冲着我吼道:“他不在这里工作,我是!”然后又粗暴地告诉我们,只能在停车场用餐。
更糟糕的是,情况并没有好转。我们特意没有带午餐,想在茶室里吃点东西,结果却发现几乎什么都没有——只剩下一根法棍和两个三明治。更令人气愤的是,价格高得离谱,两杯饮料加一根法棍就要18英镑。
当我们走到海克利尔城堡入口,礼貌地请求拍照时,却被告知不行,理由是我们“耽误了后面的队伍”。然而,在我们等待期间,前面所有游客似乎都获得了拍照的机会。这种做法令人感到不公平,也让人觉得前后矛盾。
更令人沮丧的是,城堡内部严禁拍照,理由是“出于保险考虑”。考虑到这座城堡及其主人经常出现在杂志、书籍和社交媒体上,这种解释显得十分虚伪。
总而言之,这次体验感觉价格过高、组织混乱,而且远谈不上热情友好。几位工作人员的态度实在令人失望,毁掉了原本应该是一次难忘的旅行。我的建议是,省下这笔钱,去参观其他维护得更好、更令人宾至如归的国民信托旗下景点吧。