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2015: Alton Towers Enchanted Village

I noticed that as well, and the bathroom doesn't have the themed floor. I wish they had a carpet or some mats as well in there.
 
Well, that's more than a bit lacklustre. The small door on the right looks so out of place without the themed carpet as well.
 
See I thought the vinyl floor in the show lodge looked cheap and tacky (it was hard floor graphics not carpet) this looks much better.

The Crooked Spoon looks a bit.... Bland
 
I was expecting the Crooked Spoon to be a well themed on the inside as the Secret Garden or Flambo's, but actually its aesthetically its just the same as Woodcutter's.
 
siralgenon said:
I was expecting the Crooked Spoon to be a well themed on the inside as the Secret Garden or Flambo's, but actually its aesthetically its just the same as Woodcutter's.
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Looks about as well themed as Flambo's to me. Secret Garden is on a whole other level of course!
 
Oh come on, this is AT, did you really expect to see everything well themed in the finished product????

Crooked spoon looks like a canteen and reminds me a bit of pizza pasta, a sort of get them in and out as quickly as possible sort of place, as for the room, looks very basic, not very enchanted or magical in any way, kids bedroom bit looks ok I guess and the bathroom modern, but certainally not worth the cost of staying in one. I think noise will definitely be an issue in these unless the lodge next to you is empty.

As for the VIP more money than sense treehouses, umm, maybe they look amazing on the inside, but the outside appeal just isnt doing it for me. They need more spacing between them, more privacy, and I dunno, they just look like they are lacking something.
 
jon81uk said:
Happened across this site from the designers http://www.gilbert-ash.com/branching-out-at-alton-towers-enchanted-village#.VSzRb5Nz_ZY, I didn't realsie the Treehouses were just a standard design from Blue Forest http://www.blueforest.com/about-blue-forest/about-us/ !
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Looking at the Blue Forest website, I don't think that the treehouses are just a standard design. Blue Forest got the contract to design and build them. They were designed uniquely for Alton Towers. You can read a little more about them and see some photos here.

As for the photos in The Sentinel, I've got to admit that I am a tad disappointed. I like the exterior of the lodges and how all of the little clusters of them look. However they do look a little bland inside still. The Crooked Spoon also looks very bland; it's far from offensive but it could have been themed so much better. This view also looks pretty dire:

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I'll reserve full judgement until I've seen it in the flesh. I think it is a good addition but like everything Merlin UK there are aspects that could be so much better.

:)
 
I wasn't expecting much with the exterior areas so it looks fine mostly. All the tarmac should be covered imo. Having these colourful paths then a strip of plain old tarmac looks rather odd and kills the atmosphere. The little mushrooms dotted around are nice although they could have added more odd bits of theming.

I think this is where some kind of grand feature could have been useful. Maybe a very large 'enchanted tree' that becomes a vocal point, and maybe even has mushroom style seats, with the tree lighting up at night and becoming a part of the experience. Something like this could have sat near the main building, so you know that is the hub of the complex and the place to be.

The cluster of lodges look good on the whole, and when the greenery matures those areas could be very nice to stay in.

Crooked Spoon looks bland to say the least. Doesn't look like they've even tried any kind of theme in there.

The interior of the lodges looks fine to me. It's basic and simple, pretty much what we expected with this. The only thing I would like to have seen was mats in the room, so there's something soft for you to put your feet on and just to break up the plain wooden flooring print.

Overall it looks OK. The cluster of lodges are good, the interior of the lodges are good. The main building looks a bit too bland (to separate itself from the lodges), the area around the main building looks awful, that picture Rob posted above just shows how depressing that area outside the main building looks, and Crooked Spoon looks modern but ultimately generic.

It's a shame really. It's kind of a mixed bag, I was hoping this would be something I would look at and think 'that is quintessentially Alton Towers', but it just looks bland and like something I could go find elsewhere for a far cheaper price. Compared to the hotels this just doesn't excite me enough. I'll try hold from writing it off until it's fully open though and I get to have a look around in October.
 
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@James there was meant to be a large oak tree that was covered in fairy lights which was mentioned in the promotional material. But I havent seen or heard from in since.
 
I mean when you compare it to Thorpes efforts it's amazing really. But it just lacking that extra special thing. The lodges look good, interior is fine and the tree houses nice compared to other such examples in the country.

If this was a genuine budget option It would be perfectly acceptable. But for the price they are charging it's lacking the special standout element.
 
Dave said:
If this was a genuine budget option It would be perfectly acceptable. But for the price they are charging it's lacking the special standout element.
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I think in comparison to the other Alton Towers accommodation the price is about right, higher than Splash where the rooms are smaller (lodge rooms have slightly seperate bunkbed area) but lower than ATH where the theming is a bit better.
 
jon81uk said:
I think in comparison to the other Alton Towers accommodation the price is about right, higher than Splash where the rooms are smaller (lodge rooms have slightly seperate bunkbed area) but lower than ATH where the theming is a bit better.
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Well I think all of Towers accommodation is over priced but overall Splash has better theming.

As said it's not bad, and some reviews on here seem harsh, it's just as a whole a little bland. Lacking the extra sparkle that it could have had.

Maybe there is more to come or the pictures are not doing it justice. But currently I am neither offended but nor am I overwhelmed with the project either...
 
Also just checked again and the lodge prices have jumped up on some days, they are now more expensive than a Moon Voyager room! £215 for a random May Wednesday (1 night, two adults) when Moon Voyager was £203. But in June a lodge is £130, standard ATH £258 and Splash £103. Pricing seems to have got weird.

Generally no Alton Towers room is worth more than £160 bed and breakfast for two adults in my opinion.
 
I was cautiously optimistic when I saw the promotional material earlier this year, but this looks disappointingly bland. I think it'll probably look better when the greenery in the area matures, but compared to Center Parcs or the like, it's terribly exposed, and The Crooked Spoon really is disappointingly identikit. I'm glad Alton is continuing to expand the resort element, but as others have highlighted, I feel like this would be a budget option in any other park.
 
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