LEGOLAND Castle Hotel review: medieval magic in the grounds of LEGOLAND Windsor Resort

Our verdict

If your kids love LEGO, you can pretty much guarantee they’ll have the time of their lives at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort theme park. Staying at the on-site Castle Hotel extends the experience in a way that’s both exciting and incredibly convenient. It’s not a restful stay, and you do need to go into the resort with the right expectations (it’s busy, it’s expensive, it’s full-on) but it's great for a family adventure.

The LEGO-themed rooms are full of thoughtful touches that kids adore from PlayStation consoles and bunk beds to gifts that need to be found via an in-room treasure hunt. 

The real draw, though, is of course the park itself. The hotel is a two-minute walk from the main entrance and guests get early access so you can hit the rides 30 minutes before everyone else. The combination of thrill rides and quieter LEGO-building corners meant both our three-year-old and six-year-old were totally engaged throughout.

It’s not a cheap stay, but rates offer excellent value with theme park tickets, early park access, breakfast and parking thrown in. We definitely experienced moments of sensory overload (both children and adults), but the memories made were more than worth it. Our two kids were shattered in the best way possible when we left and asked almost immediately when we could return. 

How we tested

We visited as a family of four – two adults and two kids aged three and six – for one night during the May half-term holiday. We drove to LEGOLAND Windsor Resort and stayed in the Castle Hotel, one of the themed hotels located inside the park grounds. We deliberately packed light and focused on making the most of the park’s family-friendly rides, using VIP queue-jump wristbands to help navigate the peak crowds.

What are the rooms like?

Themed, themed… and did I mention themed? Our room in the Castle Hotel had a LEGO-meets-knights vibe, with medieval murals and LEGO models throughout - a bit garish from an adult perspective but the kids absolutely loved it. It was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed for an overnight stay. Being able to head back for a lie-down after a full day at the park (and before dinner) was a real bonus. We liked the peaceful views of the lake from the room and the hotel is just a two-minute walk from the park's main entrance.

The rooms aren’t huge but they’re functional and well equipped for families of up to five with bunk beds, a PlayStation games console, a coffee machine and all the basics. There’s a real sense of excitement that carries through from the park, especially with the surprise LEGO gift hidden in the room safe which our eldest had to decode. It was a fun, interactive touch that added to the whole experience.

The Castle Hotel is also home to wizard-themed rooms decked out with magical murals depicting spells and potions.

What’s included in the price of an overnight stay?

The price of an overnight stay at the Castle Hotel includes:

• Accommodation in a LEGO-themed room 

• Breakfast 

• One-day theme park entry 

• Early access to the park 

• In-room treasure hunt

• LEGOLAND gift

• Free parking

• Access to the neighbouring LEGO pirate-themed water play area and pool

What activities/facilities are on offer?

The hotel isn’t bursting with facilities, but what it does have is cleverly geared toward young families. There’s a simple outdoor wooden play area that gives kids a chance to get some fresh air away from the sensory overload of the park. We found it to be an ideal spot for winding down before bed.

Everything is designed with kids in mind, from the LEGO theming to the restaurant setup. And of course, you’re steps away from the main event: LEGOLAND itself.

All guests at the Castle Hotel get access to the larger LEGOLAND Resort next door which is home to an indoor pool and a pirate-themed water play area.

What’s the food like?

We had lunch in the park – hotdogs at a stand, and nuggets and chips at Farmer Joe's Chicken Company. The food was exactly what you’d expect from a theme park: basic but satisfying and quick (especially if you avoid the lunch-hour rush). We’d definitely recommend packing snacks and staying hydrated – we were very glad we picked up a fan spray bottle from the gift shop.

Dinner at the hotel's restaurant - Tournament Tavern - was decent. We enjoyed pub-style dishes like burgers and steak which were slightly overpriced but well-prepared. The real standout was the service. Our server was friendly, efficient and clearly used to dealing with families. There’s a kids’ menu and a relaxed atmosphere, so we never felt like we had to apologise for noisy or fidgety kids.

What is there to do nearby?

LEGOLAND Windsor Resort is the main attraction, and it’s big enough to provide entertainment for your entire stay. We spent our visit exploring the park which offered a brilliant mix of age-appropriate rides and quieter areas to unwind.

The sensory room and LEGO village were particular highlights when things got overwhelming, and we enjoyed the LEGO stations dotted throughout the park, which gave us several opportunities to pause and reset. We loved the DUPLO playground for our youngest, and the Dinocoaster and Deep Sea Adventure were firm favourites with both. 

Without the VIP wristbands, we’d have found the queues very challenging with small kids. But with them, we moved efficiently and didn’t have to wait long for each ride. It really is the perfect starter theme park for under-12s, and while teens might feel they’re a bit old for it, LEGOLAND hits the spot for families with young children.

About the author

Zoe Kotsis is a Planning Manager at Mumsnet, where she crafts creative partnership strategies that align brands with Mumsnet’s engaged community of parents. She is also part of Mumsnet's team of expert parent testers, where she creates unbiased and honest product and travel reviews that aim to help parents make the right purchase decisions to suit their needs. When she's not brainstorming campaign ideas or writing reviews, Zoe enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, going to gigs, and watching true crime documentaries.