Merlin Entertainments opens Legoland Windsor resort hotel

The 150-bed hotel opened to the public on 17 March and caters for families visiting the Windsor resort as well as business trips, events and conferences.

The venue has become the first Legoland hotel outside Denmark and features over 15m individual bricks in 1,600 Lego models, as well as 6,000 mini figures in the reception area wall. The opening is the latest development of the brand for Merlin Entertainments after opening a new resort in Florida while a new hotel is planned for California.

Growth strategy

Merlin Entertainments, formed in 1999, currently operates six hotels worldwide, three others are also in the UK - two at Alton Towers and one at Chessington. Adding value to the resort brands through other attractions and hotels forms a key part of the strategy for the Poole-based company.

"The development of the Legoland Parks, including adding hotels and second gate attractions to turn them into short break resorts, is a key part of Merlin’s dynamic growth strategy. By the end of this year there will be six Legoland Resorts operating around the globe as the latest opens in Malaysia.  The company is also looking at several other potential Legoland projects including in Japan and South Korea," a Merlin Enterainments spokesperson said.

Corporate

The bedrooms in the Windsor venue are all styled in a Pirate, Kingdom or Adventure theme, however the Lego Suite conference and team-building facility is also an important part of the hotel as the company, which also operates the Sea Life, Madame Tussauds, London Eye, and Warwick Castle attractions, aims to attract both leisure and business customers.

Alongside the heavily brand-themed family offering, the conference facility features a creator suite which hosts up to 320 delegates whilst three other rooms seat between 12 and 35 people.

The corporate offering also features dedicated conference and meetings staff, high speed Wi-Fi, a lounge bar and private dining opportunities.

Food and beverage is covered in the hotel by the Bricks Family Restaurant, which includes interactive elements and a performance and play area, and the Lego Skyline Bar which stays open late.  

The hotel, first announced in August 2010 , was built on a 2.7 acre site at the Windsor resort which opened in 1996.