Legoland
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Discussion

bmwmike

Original Poster:

8,262 posts

131 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Time has come to check off the legoland and maybe a day trip into london boxes.

Problem is for a family of four hotels options seem to be a double bed and a sofa bed with presumably the kids sharing, or one sleeping on the floor? That seems to be the case upto around £500 a night too, which to my mind is bonkers, but i guess, what do i know.

Anyway, I've seen these apartments in Reading which seem like self catering units with a double bed and two single beds. Much better, and surprisingly cheap too at under £300 a night.

Has anyone used these for a family stay?

https://uk.hotels.com/ho646885/malthouse-court-rea...

Just want to make sure they are not some sort of dodgy work house organ harvesting slavery den or whatnot.

Thanks

ikarl

3,894 posts

222 months

Friday 8th October 2021
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try airbnb

Tom8

5,487 posts

177 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
No premier inns or similar around?

bmwmike

Original Poster:

8,262 posts

131 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Premier inn is a reasonable shout as at least they have family rooms with a double bed and 2x singles.

I can't believe the legoland resort family rooms are double bed and a pull out sofa - how is that a family room !? And its not exactly cheap either.

Specifically interested in those Reading apartments though if anyones stayed in them. I have had some awful experiences with accommodation in Reading hence being a bit sceptical.


x5tuu

12,680 posts

210 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
bit of an alarm bell that the TripAdvisor info on these is nil since 2018 ... https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186363...

Chris Type R

8,767 posts

272 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
A trip to Legoland needs some serious expectation management, in my experience.

louiebaby

10,846 posts

214 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
When we went to Legoland with the kids, we stayed here:

https://g.page/NovotelLondonHeathrowAirport?share

Somehow, we ended up with a corner room, which had two double, almost like a suite. We grabbed pizza from Dominos to save money, and took food into Legoland.

bmwmike

Original Poster:

8,262 posts

131 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Chris Type R said:
A trip to Legoland needs some serious expectation management, in my experience.
Care to explain please?

bmwmike

Original Poster:

8,262 posts

131 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
x5tuu said:
bit of an alarm bell that the TripAdvisor info on these is nil since 2018 ... https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g186363...
Good catch, will avoid. Thanks!

anonymous-user

77 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
bmwmike said:
Chris Type R said:
A trip to Legoland needs some serious expectation management, in my experience.
Care to explain please?
It’s very overpriced and not a huge amount there.

We used to go now and then but always got in with Tesco vouchers I think.

It’s fairly civilised though.

PurpleTurtle

8,611 posts

167 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
bmwmike said:
Premier inn is a reasonable shout as at least they have family rooms with a double bed and 2x singles.

I can't believe the legoland resort family rooms are double bed and a pull out sofa - how is that a family room !? And its not exactly cheap either.

Specifically interested in those Reading apartments though if anyones stayed in them. I have had some awful experiences with accommodation in Reading hence being a bit sceptical.
25yr Reading resident here.

I don't know this particular accommodation, but Chatham St is proper town centre, quite possibly a bit noisy, not really convenient for Legoland and not somewhere I would really be considering as family accom.

Can you not get something in Bracknell/Binfield/Wokingham just so you are that bit nearer to Legoland?

I don't see the advantage of being in central Reading, if you're in this neck of the woods specifically for Legoland.

My kid is 6 now and personally I'm dreading him wanting to go there - especially as he loves Lego and Ninjago!

I just hate queueing, and I'm told by friends and colleagues that if you go at popular times you have to do a lot of that, unless you want to pay for these 'queue jump' passes which I don't really want to do, a) for the expense and b) for the message it sends out to my kid that you get better things in life if you're richer!

(I don't wanna come over all Wolfie Smith, but it's something that irks me. When I was a kid at places like this we all queued and took our turn based on when we got there, not whether our dad was a PBCD or not. My kid's best mate's mum is a six figure earning lawyer - she's already mentioned that queue jump is on the cards if they should go, I'm kinda dreading the joint invite because that goes against all my principles. Soz for minor thread derail!)

ETA: Traffic in Reading is shocking, I see you are coming from Wales. Why not try the Crowne Plaza Reading East, at Winnersh Triangle?

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g116073...

This is just off J10 of the M4, you avoid all Reading traffic, and being primarily a business hotel, you can probably get a decent rate at the weekend. It's also right by the A329M to get you down to Legoland quickly and is adjacent to Winnersh Triangle train station, where you can get a train into London on the Waterloo line, if you are wanting to do the London Tourist thing too - coming from Wales I expect you are used to doing the Great Western into Paddington, whereas this is an alternative route. Slightly longer train ride but nothing too onerous. That's where I'd stay anyway.

There's also a Premier Inn Winnersh and Travelodge Winnersh, and Premier Inns in both Wokingham and Bracknell, all of these are much more handy for Legoland than central Reading, and all are within walking distance of stations on Waterloo line to get into London. All are a very short drive to Legoland (20 mins tops).

Wokingham is a nice market town with plenty bars/restaurants/pubs if you want evening entertainment/dining.


Edited by PurpleTurtle on Friday 8th October 13:41

Simon-k41v9

237 posts

80 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
you can stay at legoland and the rooms are split in 2, double room one side and bunks the otherside, bathroom in middle
last time we went the kids bit had a TV and PS2, was the Castle themed hotel.

if your gona go, stay over at the park as you get a good hour early doors the following day before the crowds pile in

Chris Type R

8,767 posts

272 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
El stovey said:
bmwmike said:
Chris Type R said:
A trip to Legoland needs some serious expectation management, in my experience.
Care to explain please?
It’s very overpriced and not a huge amount there.

We used to go now and then but always got in with Tesco vouchers I think.
All of the above. Your level of enjoyment will depend on time of year - it can become very busy with significant queuing times. Each and every opportunity is taken for monetisation.

The recent tripadvisor reviews are not as scathing now as when we visited - but worth perusing.

I think you need to ensure you're there early, and it helps to pack a picnic lunch. If there are rides you want to try maybe pre-plan your route for the day etc.

If you go in there forewarned, you might come away with having had a pleasant experience.

bmwmike

Original Poster:

8,262 posts

131 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Thanks all. Good info.

Reading central seemed like a good idea for combining a day trip into london (something i'm dreading as much as legoland tbh, for all the same reasons - noise, queues, hassle, etc). Disregarded that now as its too much to try and combine the two anyway.

Funny how everyone is all pretty much of the same mindset regarding legoland. Don't think i've heard a single positive comment from an adult, which shows they probably use the same marketing approach as macdonalds et al and target kids directly.

OK, decided, i'll look closer to legoland as its going to be an easier overall (or)deal.


DanL

6,582 posts

288 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Legoland - check hotels in Windsor or Slough, it’s a lot closer. Slough almost certainly has some budget options, and there’s a couple of cheaper ones in Windsor too (Travel Lodge and another, I forget which).

Bill

57,189 posts

278 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Just say no! Tell them it's crap and you'll buy them some actual Lego...

We went on an inset day and there were barely any queues, but just walking the queue line took longer than most of the rides. Life's too short IMO.

drdc1971

24 posts

195 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Agree re Slough. We had two nights in the Castle hotel in LEGOLAND with a small double for the adults and bunks for the kids. Spent the third night in the Marriott Residence / Moxy in Slough which was twice the size, much nicer and less than half the price. Parking was only a 2 minute walk from the hotel so no hassle.

Chris Type R

8,767 posts

272 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
It depends on location, children's ages etc but I thought Paultons Park was a much better place to go for a hotel+themepark stay - https://www.paultonsbreaks.com/

(it's not all Peppa Pig world)

ETA I've seen people do some incredible math to justify a trip to Denmark or Florida to avoid the one at Windsor.

bmwmike

Original Poster:

8,262 posts

131 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Been to the peppa pig world one when the kids were really young and they enjoyed it, in fairness.

Unfortunately Legoland is whats being asked for as a 10th birthday trip - other kid is 12. I suspect they may be a bit old for legoland anyway, but whatever, i can grin and bare it, and keep my comments to myself for a day or so if they enjoy it. If they don't enjoy it i'll bank it in the told-you-so back pocket. I don't even know why they want to go - well actually i do - all their friends have been - but they don't even play with the fecking lego thats here, buckets of the stuff, and i know we'll be coming back with more of the plastic crap.

Judging by the pic of the royal family-in-lego it might actually be a bit of fun ripping the piss out of some of the stuff, for about 5 minutes.

https://dynamic-media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/ph...

louiebaby

10,846 posts

214 months

Friday 8th October 2021
quotequote all
Treat it as a day out, take your own food and drink, and work out which rides you like best, ensuring you're there at the end to get 3 goes round without getting off, as the park is closing.

If you're looking at a weekend, drive and stay close on Friday night, smash it on the Saturday, go back and sleep, then go to Brooklands on Sunday before the drive home. It won't be that bad, and they're unlikely to want to go again.