Check into Cbeebies hotel for a fun packed weekend

JOANNE DOUGLAS and her 22- month- old child visit Alton Towers’ new Cbeebies Land Hotel – designed for pre- schoolers and families

For parents with little ones CBeebies is the go- to TV channel – from waking up with the Teletubbies to going to bed after seeing Iggle Piggle and Co off to theirs.

Built to complement the CBeebies Land theme park, the CBeebies Land Hotel at Alton Towers is designed just for pre- school children and and their families.

My 22- month- old was amazed before the doors even opened – guests are greeted by a colourful helterskelter and the CBeebies plane. But from talking to fellow guests it hits the spot for older children too – one mum told me her eight- year- old was as interested as her fiveyearold.

The reception area is a brightly- coloured interactive street, you can make the flowers spin round; the fire engine ‘ nee- naws’ and there’s a f ew doors to knock at too.

The even h a s its own e n t r a n c e t u n n e l f o r c h i l d r e n t o crawl through and there’s a staircase up to the reception desk for children.

Each of its 76 rooms are themed and some rooms sleep shop up to seven. There standard rooms are CBeebies Bugbies themed, while the premium rooms have themes – are Swashbuckle, Something Special ( Mr Tumble), In The Night Garden, Postman Pat and Octonauts. We drifted off In The Night Garden, its walls tree- lined with the programme’s familiar set, and with interactive games on the walls. Each room has a separate sleeping area for the kids with bunkbeds and space for a cot. It means once they’re tucked up us parents can relax without having to tip- toe around our sleeping beauties. Rooms have everything you could need – a fridge, kettle, ironing board and iron, baby bath, children’s toilet seat, bottle warmer and nappy bin. Top tip: If you want to keep the cost down book into the CBeebies Bugbies rooms, they’re as colourful and interactive as the Premium character- themed rooms. There’s the Enchanted Forest for drinks and nightly entertainment a n d The Windmill for food. The Enchanted Forest is a leaf- lined woodland, complete with star- lit sky and a stage area for entertainment. It’s unusual to find a hotel in Britain with family entertainment at night like this – there’s a big screen with interactive games and CBeebies favourites like Bing make a guest appearance to the children’s delight.

It ends with stargazing and a bedtime story. For parents there’s a bar with beers, wine and cocktails.

Food is served in The Windmill, a brightly coloured restaurant with its own castle and library. Everyone who dines can start off with a trip to the salad bar – great for hungry little people who know it’s dinner time but can’t wait to tuck in – and it’s all healthy too.

The main menu has options such as pizzas, steak and pasta and it can be ordered in ‘ little guest’, ‘ grown- up’ or a ‘ family sharing’ portion. There’s also a baby station with a microwave, bottle warmer and baby food pouches.

Main courses include a Sunday roast, fish finger dog, grilled salmon and steak. Some of the meals have a ‘ 10’ on them which means the chef has cleverly hidden 10 lots of vegetables in the sauce that even the most fussy of children couldn’t spot.

My only grumble is there was only one vegetarian main option ( pasta with vegetables). Children can also design their own pizza using a set of stickers and a pizza picture that can be handed to the chef to create.

For those of you with a sweet tooth I’d recommend the chocolate roll hedgehog for dessert – the grown up portion would feed a hungry family of four!

Breakfast is self- service with everything from fruit and yoghurt to a full English. There are even smoothies ( kiwi, cucumber and spinach) and juice.

There’s plenty of entertainment throughout the day, with guest appearances from characters including Bing and Postman Pat.

In the Enchanted Forest there’s a programme of games and activities to dip in and out of and a family entertainment show in the early evening with a Swashbuckle Gameshow; Andy’s Prehistoric Quest and a Tots disco for the tiddlers.

For older children the dancing continues until 9pm before a stargazing show and the bedtime story. The next day head off to CBeebies Land in the main Alton Towers theme park, there’s everything from a trip round Greendale in Postman Pat’s van to a high- energy Octonauts ride for older children.