Dinners and receptions

High aerial view over Hampton Court Palace and gardens looking north-east, autumn 2023. Looking down towards the Great Gatehouse, the Great Hall and beyond.

The space

Hampton Court Palace, with its magnificent halls, lavish galleries and lush gardens, has been a place of feasting and merrymaking for more than 500 years. Now you and your guests are invited to rub shoulders with some of England’s most famous (and infamous) kings and queens in the pleasure palace of King Henry VIII.

View our Brochure for Hampton Court Palace

The Great Hall

It is England's last and greatest medieval hall, the place where royal residents dined with courtiers, entertained dignitaries and celebrated until the early hours beneath the magnificent hammer-beam ceiling.

Now, you can hire this jaw-dropping venue for dinners, banquets and extra-special receptions.

270 guests for dinner
400 guests for drinks receptions

Two long tables in the Great Hall. Blue linen and tall tree centre pieces. Red uplighters on the ceiling.

The Cartoon Gallery

Originally used as a meeting room for the Privy Council, the Cartoon Gallery is one of the largest of the palace’s Georgian Rooms.

Overlooking the charming fountains and colonnades of Fountain Court, the Cartoon Gallery gets its name from the Raphael masterworks that line the walls.

200 guests for dinner
300 guests for drinks receptions

The King’s Eating Room

In this beautiful room, William III would mark important occasions by dining in the presence of notable members of the Royal Court.

Today, the grand yet cosy atmosphere makes it ideal for intimate dinners and receptions.

40 guests for dinner
60 guests for drinks receptions

Dinner set up for 40 guests for a wedding with white chairs and gold accessories

Great Watching Chamber set up for a drinks reception with seating and poseur tables. Uplighting to the ceiling and small stage for speeches

The Great Watching Chamber

The Great Watching Chamber acts as a more intimate counterpart to the adjoining Great Hall.

This intriguing room, where royal bodyguards once kept watch over the king and his guests, is available for both receptions and dinners.

100 guests for dinner
150 guests for drinks receptions

The Orangery and Privy Garden

The Orangery, which was originally designed as a private greenhouse for William III, makes an ideal venue for elegant drinks receptions.

You and your guests can spill out into the immaculate Privy Gardens before making your way through the State Apartments to one of the palace’s glorious dining rooms.

250 guests for drinks receptions

Landscape shot of long tables set up in the Privy Garden towards the palace. Lunch for 650 people in the Privy Garden. Long tables with green tablecloths and pink flowers, white wooden chairs, and White Parasols shelter all tables.

A general view of the Pond Garden with Little Banqueting House in the background.

The Little Banqueting House

The Little Banqueting House is every bit as charming as its name suggests. With a peaceful setting amid the palace gardens, this picturesque dining room’s spectacular Baroque interior offers a classic backdrop for any reception, lunch or dinner.

You may also consider treating guests to a private tour of the palace before they sit for dinner.

50 guests for lunch or dinner
80 guests for drinks receptions

The Garden Room

This bright, airy 1920s-style orangery opens out into a walled garden reserved exclusively for you and your guests. Available during the day, the Garden Room also makes an ideal base for groups wanting to explore the palace and have lunch in an extremely private and peaceful setting.