Living a short 35 minute train journey away from central London we like to go and explore as a family, however the price of the top attractions can be offputting. So I was intrigued to try out Keetoo, a new app available on Apple for iPhone, which offers a low-hassle way to see some of London’s top attractions. Not to mention saving you money in the process.
Using the app is easy, once downloaded you add credit, £35 for an adult and £20 for a child (5-15). Then you can select your two attractions. When you reach your destination you just show them the code at the door.
As we were reviewing the Keetoo app we were given the Chelsea Physic Gardens and Hampton Court Palace to visit on our day trip to London. We quickly downloaded the app and added credit on the train to London with ease. Selecting our two destinations for the day was also simple. Despite Keetoo being very new when we tested it out, we had no issues at either location, when showing the code, and entry was quick and easy.
First up we visited The Chelsea Physic Gardens which has a fascinating history. The oldest botanic garden in London it houses around 5,000 different medicinal, herbal, edible and useful plants. There was lots of information that the kids found interesting. They unsurprisingly liked the poisonous plants and were in awe at the fact there were plants that could cause so much damage. They also found all the information on how clothes and materials are made from plants surprising. However, I would recommend going on a day when there is family activity on if you want to spend more time there with kids in tow.
Hampton Court Palace, our second attraction of the day, is a real family friendly destination. They have managed to bring history to life in a perfectly modern, engaging way, with the use of the audio-visual guide. The boys listened to the kids version which puts history into more of a story and enjoyed following it through each room. In fact they enjoyed it so much that Finlay even asked to go back and listen to some more whilst playing in the magic garden.
With over 60 acres of enchanting gardens to lose yourself in and the famous maze the boys loved all the outdoor space. But their favourite was the impressive Magic Garden. Included in your entry ticket, the Magic Garden provides a new and unique way for your family to explore the palace’s past. Each area represents myths, legends, stories and even real objects that can be found at Hampton Court. We could have easily spent hours here!
There is also a lovely Tea Room which served very generous portions of delicious ice cream. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to do it all and so it’s somewhere we would like to go back to at some point.
Using Keetoo is an easy, affordable way to explore some of London’s best attractions. My only suggestion would be to think about which two attractions you are choosing. Don’t pick ones that are far apart from each other or you will spend a chunk of your day travelling, like we did. This is no fault of the app and more to do with the pairing we were given to test out.
The App is developing all the time and I hope to see suggestions of attractions that go well together. The app does already tell you information, like the typical visit length, which can also be used to help plan your day.
When purchasing your credit you get the choice of either a free starter, or dessert, at a range of restaurants including some of our favourites like The Rainforest Cafe. Unfortunately we didn’t manage to make use of this fantastic offer on our day in London, but we would make sure to use it next time we use the app.
The app offers suggestions of attractions to visit that I might not have thought of before and there are now lots of London attractions still on our ‘to visit list’.
Keetoo is available to download for iPhone and Android is coming soon.