KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Visitors to Buckingham Palace Gardens have taken to TripAdvisor with bad reviews about their visit, calling it a ‘money-making machine’.

Daily Mail reported that ticket sales for the chance to have a picnic at the palace had to be suspended when first released due to "overwhelming’” demand.

Tourists, however, have since warned other guests to stay away from the attraction after discovering large parts of the gardens were closed.

The palace website had promised visitors the chance to soak up the "beauty and calm of this walled oasis” on a self-guided tour where visitors would be able to enjoy a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to picnic on the lawn”.

This summer the 15.8 hectares gardens were opened for self-guided tours and picnics for the first time, after entry into the palace exhibitions was stopped last year.

The gardens include a 155.8 meters herbaceous border and plane trees planted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Tickets went on sale in April at £16.50 (RM96) for an adult or £42 (RM246) for a family with up to three children.

But guests were left unhappy with their experience, citing overbearing security guards, a ban on prosecco, overpriced food and "rip-off” gift shop as reasons not to go.

Many also criticised the size of the area in the gardens, which opened in July, that was available for the public to access.

Many were surprised that areas, including the rose garden and wildflower meadow, were off-limits without paying an extra £6.50 (RM38) per person for a guided tour, which needed to be booked in advance.

One guest wrote on TripAdvisor: "Beware of this complete rip-off! I paid £16.50 for access to the gardens only hoping to laze around, see beautiful flowers and trees.”

‘What I experienced was first a long queue to security check and then seeing a piece of a lawn surrounded by standing stewards watching your every step and ropes segregating rest of the garden.”

‘‘This small fragment of the park that you have access to is easily walkable around in 10 min and nothing is interesting to see there.”

"You can’t even sit on the lake’s bank to watch wildlife because of these ropes everywhere. I am very disappointed and feel robbed by royals.”

In spite of the complaints, the place still received a 4.5 star rating — out of 5 — on TripAdvisor with almost 30,000 reviews.