Five years ago my family and I stayed at the then new LEGOLAND Hotel. It was a family focused establishment with great amenities, children’s entertainment, and the best dining at LEGOLAND. This week LEGOLAND opened a second hotel and bested themselves in every way.
The first hotel featured three different themes for its rooms. Adventurers, Pirates, and Castle. The Castle rooms proved so popular that LEGOLAND planned a whole hotel with that theme. Given the popularity of those rooms and the long tradition of LEGO Castle building sets, a castle hotel is a natural fit.
Each of the 250 rooms sleeps at least 5 (20 of the suites can sleep 7). Each room has a kids area and adults area on either side of the bathroom. The adult side is pretty standard with a king bed, tv, table, and chairs. The kids area has a bunk bed with a pull out trundle, TV, and 2 LEGO play stations. These rooms are amazing for a family. No sleeping bags on the floor or cots here.
The full bore Castle theming is what sets the new Castle Hotel visually apart from its older sibling. From the building facade right down to the bathroom decor, everything is LEGO Castle themed. Statues of knights and other medieval props are everywhere you look. LEGO torches line the hallways. My favorite bit of decor are the two way portraits. LEGO brick built paintings that show the king when viewed from one side and the queen from the other side.
Your stay starts as you cross a drawbridge into the Grand Hall (the lobby). A LEGO building pit surrounds a (LEGO brick built) statue of Merlin and beneath a spinning mobile of LEGO Castle accessories. Pressing a button sets the mobile spinning faster and gets a spiel from Merlin. Other way to occupy kids while the adults check in are a dungeon cell, a talking throne, a slide, and a joke telling door.
After check in, you should head to your room. You will find one of three themes in your room. Princess, Wizard, or Knights. In Hotel 1 a fully themed room was an upcharge. The standard rooms had some theming in the kids area but that was about it. These rooms have wall to ceiling decor and multiple LEGO model accents. The centerpiece of the room is the light up headboard over the adults bed. Each theme has a different headboard. Our Knights room featured a stained glass (plastic) depiction of a battle between knights (men and women) and a dragon and his minions.
After a long day in the park you’ll be ready for a nice meal. The Dragon’s Den restaurant and bar is the only full service eatery in the resort. The menu is upscale and pricy, featuring steak, seafood, pasta, and sandwiches. A full bar is attached. The dinner menu here is easily the fanciest and most upscale anywhere in LEGOLAND. While dinner is pricy, the breakfast buffet is included in the cost of your room.
While the Dragon’s Den menu is upscale and sophisticated, the theming is still on point. Because it’s LEGOLAND the restaurant is packed with models and play areas. A dragon guards her eggs in the fireplace. Cooks and servants haul massive piles of food across the floor. Cats, dogs, and mice hang about waiting for scraps. Some chickens lay eggs and some end up roasting over the fire. There’s a lot to see and do.
There is also a lot to see and do outside the hotel. The building is U shaped and the space inside the U is filled with entertainment. Two play areas, one for younger kids one for older that also serve as the stage for the three nightly live shows. For the youngest kids there is a bubble dance party.
Older kids will enjoy the interactive Knight School where they learn the skills necessary to become a knight. The costumed characters lead the kids through the play structure and teach them how to sword fight and move like a knight. A knighting ceremony tops off the game.
A comedy storytelling show caps off the nights entertainment. After the shows an outdoor movie screen plays LEGO movies and TV shows. Adults can enjoy some quiet time and a beverage while the kids play or watch movies.
Past the movie screen is the hotel pool. A knight lifeguard ensures safety while kids enjoy the water play features. A poolside grill (not open yet) will provide sandwiches, sandwiches, and drinks.
My family had a fun time spending the night at the new LEGOLAND Castle Hotel. Room downtime can be tricky but both of my kids kept themselves occupied building pumpkins and houses with the provided bricks. A quick walk took us out to the playground where they burned off some energy. Given LEGOLAND’s short operating hours, a hotel with activities for kids and a nice dining option is a great way to wind down a day.
The room layout with a separate kids area and beds makes so much sense for a theme park hotel it’s mind boggling that Disney doesn’t make this a standard. The activities and free breakfast make this hotel very appealing for a family. Being less than an hour from Disneyland or Knotts, or from Sea World or the San DIego Zoo, this would be a good base for an extended Southern California family vacation.
If LEGOLAND is in your upcoming travel plans the Castle Hotel might be a great option for you.
I previously shared a construction preview of LEGOLAND California’s upcoming submarine ride HERE