Alton Towers Hotel review: “the resort hotel that grows with your family”

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My verdict

Alton Towers Hotel feels like the resort hotel families graduate to when their children’s interests start stretching beyond CBeebies. It’s still family-friendly, but couples, groups of friends and multigenerational parties won’t feel out of place either.

We stayed with our six- and four-year-old boys, whose interests now include gaming, superheroes and football alongside Bluey and In The Night Garden. They loved the Moon Voyage Room, though not because they recognised Sir Algenon’s space-explorer theme. What they really cared about were the bunk beds, their own TV and a separate sleeping area. It also made the room feel far more spacious than the average family hotel room.

Alton Towers Hotel has its own car park close to the entrance

The hotel itself is theatrical and pleasantly old-fashioned rather than dated. The enormous hot-air balloon in the Atrium caught our boys’ attention straight away, helped by the fact they’d recently ridden in one on holiday. The finishes still look good, and everything was clean and well maintained.

The lobby is theatrical from the moment you walk in

The enormous hot-air balloon is the centrepiece of the Atrium

It’s not perfect, though. The air-conditioning unit in our room was wall-mounted and clunky. It cooled the room, but it also disturbed my sleep. Breakfast covered the basics rather than laying on a five-star all-inclusive buffet, and eating and drinking around the resort and park isn’t cheap. Even so, we’d happily stay again for the space, atmosphere and convenience.

At the £468 price (I checked a weekend in August), the package works out at £117 each for the room, breakfast, park ticket, golf and parking. It’s a lot to pay in one go, but the price makes more sense once you break down what’s included. Prices vary by date, so it’s worth checking term-time or off-peak stays if you can travel then. Our children loved the stay and it made for an easy family break, so it gets 5/5 from me.

How we tested

Mumsnet was invited to Alton Towers Resort for the park’s Minecraft Meet the Mobs event. We stayed for one night at Alton Towers Hotel as a family of four, with two young boys. 

We arrived at 2pm ahead of a 2.30pm waterpark slot. After a couple of hours in the water, we collected our luggage from the car, settled into the Moon Voyage Room and spent time in the Atrium before walking into the closed theme park for an 8pm reservation at the in-park Rollercoaster Restaurant.

Even the corridors continue the hotel’s explorer theme

The following morning we had breakfast at 9.45am in the hotel's main restaurant, the Secret Garden, checked out and drove to Express Parking, which was included as part of our press visit. It took around 20 minutes from finishing breakfast to reaching the park ticket office. We then spent the day hunting baby mobs alongside the usual family rides.

About Minecraft Meet the Mobs

Minecraft signs appeared as soon as we entered the park. The entrance plaza had Minecraft bunting, familiar characters and frogs transformed into their blockier in-game counterparts. Signs then directed visitors towards the Hub outside Hex, within the castle walls. It’s around a 15- to 20-minute walk from the main entrance.

Minecraft details appeared around the park from the entrance onwards

The Hub was buzzing with fans of all ages, although our boys were among the youngest. There was a merchandise shop, a separate merchandise stand, themed food and a large activation wall. One side provided character photo opportunities while the other had seating for interactive games running roughly every 20 minutes.

Activities ran throughout the day, alongside meet-and-greets with Minecraft characters

Activities included Zombie Freeze, Creeper Countdown, Baby Mob Footsteps, Pig Panic Toss and Bee Buzz Chase. We kept managing to miss them, a mildly impressive feat given how often they ran, but we did meet the Creeper, Iron Golem and Chicken Jockey. Our confident four-year-old was perfectly happy posing with all three.

The Baby Mob Trail worked best for our younger children. Each visitor received a card to stamp at six displays, spread between the area around Hex and Mutiny Bay. The stands were close enough together that we didn’t get lost and the trail took around 40 minutes, although smaller legs will need longer, particularly for the walk back to the Hub.

The Minecraft Hub was the base for activities, character meets and prize collection

Our boys stayed interested, helped by a display that squirted water and the small character puppets held by staff. 

Once we’d completed the card, we returned to the Hub and received a code for an exclusive digital reward. I won’t spoil what it is (if you really want a spoiler, it's listed on the official Alton Towers website) but it’s easy to redeem if you have a Microsoft account. Our eldest enjoyed using it in-game once I’d claimed it. Our boys were initially confused that all their stamp collecting had earned them another card rather than a toy.

Visitors collect stamps at six Baby Mob Trail displays

The themed snacks were fun, if cheeky on price. A small box of salted TNT popcorn cost £5. The £6.25 Baby Mob Mega Munch mixed popcorn with M&M’s, milk chocolate, bubblegum popping candy and hundreds and thousands. It was essentially colourful sugar, but one small box was plenty for four of us to share and walking around with the giant TNT packaging added to the novelty.

The £6.25 Mega Munch was plenty to share, while the Trading Post sold exclusive merchandise

Merchandise prices were more reasonable than expected. Small LEGO sets cost around £12, in line with normal LEGO pricing, although the same sets are available elsewhere. Exclusive Meet the Mobs products included plush toys, bags, hats, mugs and keyrings. Our boys chose one plush and one LEGO set each.

Beyond the Minecraft Hub, we made time for as many family rides as the boys’ heights allowed. Bluey: Here Come the Grannies, Hex, Congo River Rapids and the Runaway Mine Train were our highlights. Hex was a return visit after our rather memorable first encounter during the trip covered in our CBeebies Land Hotel review. The Mine Train earned the simplest verdict of the day: choo choo.

The gardens were a welcome breather from the rides and crowds

This was also the first time I’d properly wandered through the park’s gardens, which turned into a lovely little adventure of its own. I’d happily bring a picnic next time and find a spot there for lunch. A packed lunch would save a bit of money and give everyone a welcome break from the rides, queues and crowds.

I wouldn’t visit Alton Towers solely for Meet the Mobs (plus the event ends in August); there isn’t enough here to fill a whole day. Added to a normal day of rides, though, it works well. It also fills a useful gap for preteens who’ve outgrown CBeebies Land but aren’t ready for the biggest thrill rides. See the Minecraft Meet the Mobs event page for current details.

What are the rooms like at Alton Towers Hotel?

We stayed in a Moon Voyage Room, a themed family room sleeping four. It has a double bed for adults and bunk beds set behind a curved wall, creating a separate children’s zone without shutting them away. We could still hear our boys easily.

The adult side of our Moon Voyage Room felt spacious and comfortable

The room’s steampunk details continue across the walls, furniture and door

The boys went straight for their own area. Our boys loved having their own bunk beds, accessible night lights and a television they could operate themselves. They didn’t particularly recognise or relate to the Moon Voyage theme, but they thought the room was cool and slept well.

The boys loved having bunk beds and their own separate sleeping area.

Space is the room’s biggest strength. Four of us could unpack, get ready and move around without feeling cramped. The adult bed was comfortable and we heard no noise from elsewhere in the hotel.

The bathroom had everything we needed, including a bath with a shower over it. That matters when your children still prefer baths and you don’t fancy negotiating an unfamiliar shower at bedtime. The room was clean and the air conditioning kept the temperature comfortable.

The bathroom included a bath with a shower over it, useful with younger children

Unfortunately, the air-conditioning unit looked like an older model from an American motel and clunked during the night. It only disrupted my sleep slightly, but it was the main downside and the reason comfort scored 3/5.

What activities are on offer at Alton Towers Hotel?

Most of the evening action happens in the Atrium, with live entertainment and plenty of seating outside Dragon’s Bar. It was very quiet when we first sat down, leaving the live singers performing to an audience of around seven people. Slightly awkward, but they committed.

By 7pm the Atrium had filled up without becoming too noisy. Our Rollercoaster Restaurant reservation wasn’t until 8pm, so we ordered drinks, listened to the singers and played family games of Go Fish and Snap. It was relaxed, and the cards kept us occupied between the waterpark and dinner.

The boys were fascinated by the Atrium’s huge hot-air balloon

Live singers performed in the Atrium during the evening

We also wandered around the lake behind the hotel, where other guests were sitting in the sun with drinks and pizzas from Dragon’s Bar. There were plenty of ducks. A couple even wandered inside the hotel and, judging by the staff’s unfazed reaction, this happens fairly often. Our boys found it brilliant to watch.

The lake behind the hotel gave us somewhere quieter to explore

Guests were sitting outside with drinks and pizzas beside the lake

Unlike CBeebies Land Hotel, which is restricted to its overnight guests, anyone staying around the resort can visit Alton Towers Hotel. It makes the Atrium and Dragon’s Bar useful meeting points for couples, friends and extended families as well as parents with children.

What amenities are available for kids?

Alton Towers Hotel doesn’t have the relentless child-focused entertainment of CBeebies Land Hotel, but younger children aren’t an afterthought. The separate bunk-bed area, television, night lights and family bathroom make the Moon Voyage Room practical as well as themed. 

There’s also a games room, a coffee shop and an on-site shop selling gifts and grocery essentials, useful if you’ve forgotten something or fancy a browse without leaving the hotel.

The hotel also has a games room and a shop selling gifts and grocery essentials

The hotel connects internally to Splash Landings Hotel and Alton Towers Waterpark. We had a 2.30pm waterpark slot while waiting for our room, which wasn’t ready until 3.20pm. We left the luggage in the car, spent a couple of hours swimming and collected the bags afterwards. We didn’t have far to walk between the buildings and car park.

The waterpark was humid, busy and smaller than we expected. The changing facilities were perfectly fine, though, and getting both boys ready wasn’t difficult. At four and six, they were too young for the biggest slides and wouldn’t have coped happily with the queues. They did manage some medium-sized slides on our knees and loved the climbing frame, splash area and enormous tipping bucket.

A couple of hours was enough for their ages. They were happy to leave when we were ready, which is generally the dream ending to any activity involving wet children.

What’s the food and drink like at Alton Towers Hotel?

Breakfast is served in the Secret Garden Restaurant and guests need to reserve a slot. We’d booked 9.45am, just before the theme park attractions opened at 10am. Because Express Parking was included with our press arrangements, we could afford a slower morning. Paying guests hoping to reach the rides for opening will probably prefer an earlier slot and a busier restaurant.

The restaurant was quiet when we visited. My youngest and I had pancakes, while my eldest and husband chose cooked breakfasts. Choice was limited, but the basics were good quality. This isn’t a five-star resort and breakfast doesn’t pretend otherwise. It fed everyone before a long park day, which was all we needed.

Breakfast is served in the hotel’s Secret Garden Restaurant

The breakfast buffet covered the basics, including cooked food and juice

Our later breakfast slot meant the restaurant was fairly quiet

Dragon’s Bar serves drinks and more affordable food such as pizza... Though we did somehow spend £29 on a round of four drinks and two packets of crisps.

For dinner, we walked 10 to 15 minutes through the closed theme park to the Rollercoaster Restaurant. It was surreal seeing the rides empty after hours and the restaurant’s track system impressed all four of us. Evening tables can be reserved after the park closes, which was a relief with two children. During normal park hours, reservations aren’t available.

We ordered nachos to share, chicken for me, burgers for my husband and eldest, chicken nuggets for our youngest, four drinks including two alcoholic ones, two ice creams and a sticky toffee pudding. The bill came to more than £90. Portions were just big enough, partly because larger plates wouldn’t make it down the rails.

We had no complaints about the food. The nachos were my sort of nachos, a little soggy with plenty of salsa and cheese, while the sticky toffee pudding was delicious. Food wasn’t fast, but we never reached the point of asking where it had gone. We did have to request plates and cutlery because our station hadn’t been set up.

I’d recommend the Rollercoaster Restaurant as a one-off treat. You’re paying for the novelty as much as the meal, and families can eat more affordably at Dragon’s Bar or the Secret Garden Restaurant. View the Rollercoaster Restaurant menu.

The Rollercoaster Restaurant is around a 10- to 15-minute walk from the hotel

The Rollercoaster Restaurant can be booked for dinner after the theme park closes

Dinner came with the novelty of food tracks and an unusually quiet walk through the park

What is there to do nearby at Alton Towers Hotel?

Most guests are here for the resort, and staying at the hotel puts you close to:

• Alton Towers Theme Park

• Alton Towers Waterpark

• Extraordinary Golf

• Splash Landings Hotel and CBeebies Land Hotel

• The Rollercoaster Restaurant and other resort dining

Driving onto the estate can be confusing on a first visit because several accommodation areas share the resort roads. This was our second family stay, following the visit covered in our CBeebies Land Hotel review, so we already had a rough idea where to go.

Alton Towers Hotel has its own average-sized car park directly outside. Extra parking to the left also serves the Woodland Lodges and Stargazing Pods. We parked around 50 feet from the entrance, so unloading didn’t become an expedition.

Our one-night stay included breakfast, theme park tickets and accommodation parking

Short-break guests can leave their car in the free accommodation car park while visiting the theme park, avoiding the separate standard theme park parking charge. If you move the car into a paid car park, expect that area’s charge to apply.

We drove from Leeds in around two hours, including a service stop. You know you’re getting close when the roads become narrower, the greenery closes in and Alton Towers signs begin appearing surprisingly early, around an hour before the resort itself.

What are the staff and service like at Alton Towers Hotel?

Check-in was simple. Self-service stations sit on the right-hand side of the lobby, although I spoke to the staff member at the single desk to confirm that everything was in order with our press booking.

They were helpful, explained where to find everything and checked that we’d reserved breakfast. We had. Our room wasn’t available until 3.20pm, but the waterpark filled the wait and meant the delay didn’t inconvenience us.

The Minecraft event was easy to find, too. A sign outside the lobby pointed us towards it, so there was no faffing around trying to work out where to go.

Minecraft signage at the hotel pointed guests towards the Hub

Checkout itself was easy, although I managed one embarrassing moment. The room contained a large teddy bear and, because we were staying on a press visit, I rather stupidly assumed it was ours to keep. It wasn’t. The bear lives in the room.

After we’d left, though, I started wondering how often a bear that stays between guests is cleaned or replaced. Is it treated as routinely as the bed sheets? I don’t know, but once you’ve thought about it, it’s difficult to unthink.

Final verdict of Alton Towers Hotel

Alton Towers Hotel has broader appeal than the resort’s more child-focused accommodation. It still works properly for families, but its explorer theme, live music and calmer shared spaces also suit couples, groups of friends and multigenerational stays.

The Moon Voyage Room made family life easy. The boys had their own sleeping area and TV, we had enough floor space to move around and the bathroom included a bath. The clunky air-conditioning disturbed my sleep, but the room was otherwise comfortable, quiet and clean.

The hotel exterior is lit up in the evening

Food is the area where costs creep up. Breakfast is decent but basic, drinks and snacks carry resort pricing and dinner at the Rollercoaster Restaurant cost more than £90. The restaurant is worth trying once for the spectacle, not because it represents a bargain.

For children still completely absorbed in Bing, Bluey or Hey Duggee, CBeebies Land Hotel remains the more exciting choice. You can enjoy its full-on entertainment and still visit the main hotel. For families like ours, whose children are adding gaming, superheroes and football to the mix, Alton Towers Hotel feels like the better fit.

At £117 per person for the comparable package on an August weekend, it’s not cheap, but it includes more than a bed for the night. You’re paying for breakfast, park entry, parking, golf, convenience and a room the children will remember. Our kids loved it. That makes the final score 5/5, noisy air conditioner and all.

About the author 

Rebecca Roberts is a Leeds-based writer and editor at Mumsnet. She commissions, writes and edits the sort of no-nonsense content parents actually need. While typically focused on lifestyle and home, she’s a mum of two young children - making her well equipped to try out trips on behalf of Mumsnet. Plus, as a mum herself, she’s very familiar with the reality of travelling with small kids - including the logistics, the snacks, the “where’s the nearest loo?” and the question of whether something is genuinely worth the money. She looks at places through a practical parent lens: what makes the stay easier, what’s good for kids, what’s bearable for adults, and what you’ll wish you’d known before you booked.

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