Legoland Castle Hotel review
Take a trip into a world of wizards and knights at the new Legoland Castle Hotel (Windsor) with the family - review including photos, a video of the resort and price information
In a nutshell
The ultimate premium hotel for any Legoland Windsor fan, packed with Lego surprises at every turn and themed spectacularly throughout – but the added little touches of luxury do come at a cost.
Our review
Legoland Windsor opened its brand new on-site Castle Hotel at the beginning of July 2017, to bring a more luxurious experience to families wanting to completely immerse themselves in the theme park.
Sitting on the park’s lake, right next to the original Legoland Windsor Resort Hotel, the Legoland Castle Hotel certainly looks the part, with its incredible façade, knights on horseback to greet you, and even a sword in the stone for little guests to try their strength.
As with the whole of Legoland, it’s the detail that brings the experience to life.
Everywhere you turn there are stunning interactive Lego sculptures, incredible carpets printed to look like castle rugs, and expansive murals featuring scenes of knights, horses, castles and wizards.
The lifesize wizard that greets you on entrance is just a clue to the excitement to come, as the wizardry continues with a magical lift (I promise you, it is seriously amazing) up to either the wizard rooms on the first floor, or the knight-themed rooms on the second floor.
With 61 rooms in total – including 2 with disabled access – the hotel also has its own á la carte restaurant, which is exclusively for the use of Castle Hotel guests.
Our family, including 5-year-old Rafi and 2-year-old Zohra, stayed in a Knight’s room, which costs from £572 for a package including bed and breakfast, park tickets for 2 days, and added extras like early park entry and free refillable drinks bottles.
If you're going to Legoland Windsor for the day, here's a list of everything you need to know about the resort, including when to go, how to beat the queues and how to get money off your tickets in this article.
What’s the room like?
Amazing, in a word. So much attention to detail has gone into the rooms at the Legoland Castle Hotel that it’s almost Lego sensory overload.
Stepping into the room really does make you gasp in amazement (ok, I have to admit I’m a bit of a Lego fan along with the kids!) as there is so much to take in.
Our Knight’s room had not one, but two Lego dragons, as well as details like a Lego knight’s helmet and even a little Lego mouse and ancient book.
I was seriously impressed with how spacious it felt, despite the fact this is definitely not a minimalist masterpiece!
There are no plain white walls as every surface is covered with some sort of mural, picture or Lego sculpture – all of which added to our children’s overall response as ‘AWESOME!’.
Watch our video tour of a room at the Legoland Castle Hotel
Where do the kids sleep?
The great thing about the Legoland Castle Hotel is that every room has a separate sleeping area for the children.
In our room, this was immediately off to one side as you come through the door and featured castle-themed bunk beds, their own games console and Lego building pads on the table tops and walls so they could build their own Lego creations with the masses of bricks provided.
There’s also a little treasure hunt for the kids to do when they arrive, which leads them to a special Lego gift – a nice added touch.
How many children can sleep in the room?
3 children can sleep in the room. There are two proper bunk beds, then there is a pull out truckle bed underneath the bottom bunk, if you have a third child.
Cots can also be provided for babies.
Where do you sleep?
Adults sleep in a double bed in the main section of the room, which is also fully themed (I had a large red Lego dragon a few feet from my pillow!).
The bed was super comfortable, and I loved the backlit stained glass-style picture above our headboard.
The kids were so exhausted after their first day at the park that there was no problem with us watching TV with the lights on while they slept in their little area – it really does feel quite separate.
What facilities are there in the room?
- Nespresso machine and pods
- Kettle with tea/coffee and biscuits
- Fridge
- TV
- Phone
- Safe
- Iron and ironing board
Book a stay at the Legoland Castle Hotel with Legoland Holidays here.
What’s the bathroom like?
The bathroom is between the main adult sleeping area and the children’s sleeping area and was beautifully clean (as you would expect) and well-designed.
I liked that it had a full bath, as well as a shower over the bath, and loved the Lego-themed toiletries – very cute.
The toilet also has an ingenious double seat design, where there is a smaller toilet seat enclosed in the lid that can be lowered for children to use. Great idea.
What’s breakfast like?
A great selection of continental breakfast items – including pancakes or waffles with syrup, sweet muffins, smoked salmon, cold meat, cheese, cereals, yoghurts, toast, pastries and fruit.
Hot breakfast to order includes full English and vegetarian cooked breakfasts, and options like eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine (which looked yummy).
The restaurant also has its own (unsupervised) Lego play area, so the kids can go off and entertain themselves while you tuck into brekkie!
What’s the food like in the evening?
The Legoland Castle Hotel has its own grill restaurant called the Tournament Tavern, which has to be booked in advance and is for the exclusive use of hotel guests.
It is definitely a cut above any of the other food options across the park or in the Legoland Resort Hotel next door – and the prices reflect that.
Starters (£4.50-£8.50) include Moules Marinière, Duck Liver & Orange Pâté, and Wild Mushrooms on brioche with a poached egg.
Mains include steaks (£10.95-£42.95), plus chicken, fish and veggie dishes (£11.50-£19.95), as well as the restaurant’s signature Black Rock experience, where you can grill your own meat on a volcanic hot rock at your table. For the really flush, there’s the 16oz Chateaubriand (£65).
Children’s meals are £9.50 and include a starter and main course, which ranges from sausage and mash and spag bol, to a 4oz rump steak, served with Lego brick shaped fries (the theme really does continue through the hotel!) and peas.
The food is delicious, high quality and very well cooked – but I would expect it to be for the price you are paying (especially as the adult meals don’t include sides, generally).
Overall, the dining experience is far more upmarket than anywhere else at Legoland Windsor, so it is certainly worth it for a treat and to get a real restaurant vibe.
And where else can you dine in a booth next to a roaring Lego fire, looked after by a huge, recumbent Lego dragon?
What’s the overall hotel experience like?
Excellent. Or, in the words of my five-year-old, ‘awesome’.
The staff are helpful, the rooms are spectacular, and the theming makes for a truly magical stay.
Ok, this is not a hotel you are going to book if you want a romantic weekend away with your other half, but for seeing the amazement, excitement and happiness on your children’s faces, it really is unsurpassed.
Anything else?
As a guest of the Legoland Castle Hotel, you also have access to the Resort Hotel next door, which boasts the super fun Pirate Splash Pool, regular entertainment and the Bricks family buffet restaurant and Skyline Bar and restaurant.
Any downsides?
My only minor downside was that I struggled to get the wifi, even when connected to the onsite wifi, but I found connectivity across the park not 100%.
However, maybe it’s a sign that having fun with the kids, rather than getting online, is the priority of a weekend at Legoland Windsor!
Is it worth it?
With packages starting from £572 this is certainly a budget-busting weekend.
However, when you consider that includes a family room with breakfast, plus park tickets for two days, early park entry and extras like refillable drinks for the kids and Lego gifts, I think the cost can be justified.
The prices don’t vary wildly at weekends or during school holidays either, so you shouldn’t be hit with a much higher price at any time of year.
Breaking it down for a family of four, the cost could be from £143 per person. Regular day tickets on the gate cost from £45 to £60 per person, depending when you go – although there are huge discounts available by booking in advance and online.
I think for a special treat, such as a birthday, it is worth it – as the hotel is guaranteed to bring a smile to your little one’s face.
For me, the Tournament Tavern restaurant will be a great idea for some families – but I personally prefer to save my extra special dinners for when I am without the kids and can truly relax and enjoy the experience.
Legoland Windsor money saving tips
MadeForMums verdict:
The Legoland Castle Hotel is probably one of the most thrilling places to stay for primary school age children, and is packed to the rafters with exciting and unexpected surprises for Lego fans to explore.
Every aspect has been meticulously executed to make sure that little guests (and their parents) have a totally magical stay, and it is noticeably the more luxurious sister of the Legoland Windsor Resort Hotel.
It might be expensive, but a weekend at the Legoland Castle Hotel is a truly unforgettable experience.
Find out more about Legoland accommodations options here.
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Authors
Magda Ibrahim is a freelance writer who has written for publications including The Times and Sunday Times, The Sun, Time Out, and the London Evening Standard, as well for MadeForMums.
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