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2017: CBeebies Land Hotel

Asides from the potential relief of sprogs in the other hotels upon opening is there anything to like about this development?

I know its not our target market blah blah blah but the whole thing reeks of laziness and mediocrity even for Merlin standards.

Echoing a previous comment, tacking an extension onto the spa on the grounds of an existing hotel hardly constitutes a new hotel. I bet it wont even be properly self supporting facilities wise.
 
There was a competition to design a new hotel room for Alton towers, it ended on October 30th, guessing it will be in the extension.

I did enter just wondering if anyone else did and had anything been announced about the comp yet?
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
I bet it wont even be properly self supporting facilities wise
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There is a large restaurant area and some bar and entertainment space on the ground floor of the new extension. The main entrance will be down the side so I expect it to be reasonably self sufficient.


Also the room shape is more like the new lodges, with the bunk beds separated from the double bed which is better I assume for parents to get the kids off to bed early. That probably makes it a lot better than the tiny rooms at Splash. So yes I think these rooms probably are worth a premium price compared to the more basic Splash Landings rooms. BUT I don't think a Splash Landings room is worth more than £120 a nigh B&B so the new rooms no more than £240 and I really don't get why the prices for Saturday night stays are so high in general at AT. But I guess if people will pay it, they keep charging it.
 
jon81uk said:
There is a large restaurant area and some bar and entertainment space on the ground floor of the new extension. The main entrance will be down the side so I expect it to be reasonably self sufficient.


Also the room shape is more like the new lodges, with the bunk beds separated from the double bed which is better I assume for parents to get the kids off to bed early. That probably makes it a lot better than the tiny rooms at Splash. So yes I think these rooms probably are worth a premium price compared to the more basic Splash Landings rooms. BUT I don't think a Splash Landings room is worth more than £120 a nigh B&B so the new rooms no more than £240 and I really don't get why the prices for Saturday night stays are so high in general at AT. But I guess if people will pay it, they keep charging it.
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Having looked at more of the details of the development perhaps I was a little harsh.

It definitely will cater towards a market that has been overlooked for a long time at Alton Towers - very young children. It will no doubt do this well and be very popular.

Looking at the concept art however the rooms will be garish and totally charmless lacking any of the quality or craftsmanship (proper theming, hand paintings etc) of the first two hotel. It's a big shame that the days of offering universal family appeal like the original Alton Towers Hotel are over and everything's now segmented and targeted towards specific markets like babies, spa guests etc.

Sign of the times...
 
It's basically a vinyl CBeebies hotel on the inside with the style of ATH on the outside. It does not interest me in the slightest but I am not the target market so that does not really matter. I am sure that the kids will love it and that will be enough for parents to pay more than what it is really worth. I just hope it is built to a good enough standard to cope with children day in day out.

There is no ATH charm in the rooms and my biggest concern with the whole project is how it will end up deteriorating the ATH gardens (which will be more like a glorified courtyard). I don't put the blame for this with Merlin though as Alton Towers have been planning at ATH extension like this for a very long time.

:)
 
Good old merlin, charge a fortune for little effort.
When will the get the lightning bolt up there arses and actually spend enough on a development worthy of there price tags.
 
Problem is, its fine having these fancy hotels, but people ultimately stay there to visit the theme park, which, lets face it, is a shambles at the moment. They should be investing in the theme park first , getting that back up to scratch, then the hotels second.

Just one more thing which has always annoyed me with the hotels and that is the stupidly early check out time. It costs a fortune to stay in the hotel, but you have to be out of the room by 10am. I can stay in a Holiday Inn express, or travelodge down the room and not have to be out until midday.

Granted some people check out early to visit the theme park, but if you are staying for a spa weekend, or to use the waterpark, tree tops etc, then you shouldnt have to rush out of the room so early in the morning!
 
Building the new hotel themed around a massively successful franchise for the resort in these troubled times seems like a no brainer. I'm sure people will pay the prices as this will probably be a magical place in the eyes of a child.

I take issue with its garden ruining location and the need for more accommodation in the first place next to the park that AT has now become.
 
GaryH said:
Problem is, its fine having these fancy hotels, but people ultimately stay there to visit the theme park, which, lets face it, is a shambles at the moment. They should be investing in the theme park first , getting that back up to scratch, then the hotels second.

Just one more thing which has always annoyed me with the hotels and that is the stupidly early check out time. It costs a fortune to stay in the hotel, but you have to be out of the room by 10am. I can stay in a Holiday Inn express, or travelodge down the room and not have to be out until midday.

Granted some people check out early to visit the theme park, but if you are staying for a spa weekend, or to use the waterpark, tree tops etc, then you shouldnt have to rush out of the room so early in the morning!
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Also if you aren't rushing to the theme park then you may wish to have breakfast 9am to 10am, making it harder to check out before 10am.

Although we stayed on fireworks Sunday, finished breakfast at 945am Monday and then didn't leave the room until 10:30 and it was't an issue.

I do understand why they probably want early check out though, almost all guests are staying one night or maybe two maximum. That means pretty much every single bed needs to be changed every day. Whereas somewhere like Disney where people are on week long trips, each room probably only has the sheets changed once a week as there is less turnover of guests. Although DisneyWorld still has an 11am check out time.
 
jon81uk said:
I do understand why they probably want early check out though, almost all guests are staying one night or maybe two maximum. That means pretty much every single bed needs to be changed every day.
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No different to a Holiday Inn, or Travelodge, or any other hotel in the area where they have to change the beds daily. The only thing having a 10am and 3pm check out/in does give Towers is the ability to employ less cleaning staff so they have more time to service the rooms and reduce cleaning costs.
 
Not sure if these have been posted so delete them if they're not needed but here are some concepts of the rooms:

ZCR_BEM_161116CBeebieshotel_04.jpg

ZCR_BEM_161116CBeebieshotel_05.jpg

ZCR_BEM_161116CBeebieshotel_03.jpg

ZCR_BEM_161116CBeebieshotel.jpg

Something-Special-Room.jpg

Swashbuckle-Room.jpg

Bugs-Room-2.jpg


Vinyls everywhere as standard now but still, a nice room for children
 
The idea is okay, and the rooms look okay, but these feel no different to the themed rooms in the already existing hotels.
 
The room layout looks identical to the moon voyage rooms, with only an added door to separate the kids room.

I just hope the vinyls are a little less creepy than the moon voyage rooms. overall it was fine, but these just something about having this on the inside of the bathroom door that was just uncomfortable:
WP_20161106_008_zpsyxjaw5ej.jpg
 
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