Building blocks in place for magical family adventures at LegoLand park

GETAWAY James Mitchinson and his young sons get creative and enjoy the superb rides and attractions the Windsor facility has to offer

Right, let’s just get one thing straight from the off about LegoLand: it isn’t cheap. A quick-fire Google search for a standard room for a weekend in the summer holidays returned a rate of, wait for it, £876.

Of course, that is peak rate for the busiest time of year and staying at the LegoLand Hotel but, even so, certainly beyond the pocket of most working families. So you will need to stalk the fluctuations in price and seize upon the right deal for you when it pops up.

It is, of course, the reviewer’s duty to get said the awkward truths that the PRs will never utter, and so with that out of the way, I can address what is quite simply a magical place that every child ought to experience at least once, preferably whilst they are young enough to be enchanted by it.

Aged two and five-years-old, my boys had the time of their lives, and it begins from the moment you walk in the door of the hotel.

Whilst the larger-than-life Legoassembled characters are impressive in themselves, it was actually the creative building stations that draw the children in, allowing

them to freestyle with the humble block upon which this company was founded whilst the particulars of check-in are completed.

Now, some will know this and others won’t, but placing these pits of bricks in the foyer draws on the very essence of Lego’s founding ethos, the name being coined from the shunting together of the Danish words ‘leg godt’, meaning play well. It is no fluke that the children are invited to play from the moment they are guests. That’s what Lego do.

Sticking with the hotel for a moment, the quest upon which the children must embark as they enter the accommodation is a brilliant touch. A secure safe sits locked in the centre of the room, the only way to release the bind is to solve the riddle from clues that are hidden in the walls and carpets around the room. And treasure awaits.

As you might expect from the inventors of the twicecrowned ‘Toy of the Century’ these guys are masters of the art of capturing our attention and captivating the imaginations of anyone imbued with a spirit of fun and adventure. But, I am pleased to report, this theme park hotel is as serious about looking after the grown ups as it is the children, and that is where some high-profile theme parks let themselves down. LegoLand doesn’t. The food served in the hotel’s restaurants is up to a good standard and is certainly something to look forward to after a long day of exploration and discovery around the park.

And what a park! From submarine voyages around Atlantis to the new addition – and quite spectacular – Haunted House Party; there is