Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges (Cancelled)

[Ellie]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

There's a lot of empty land sitting at Alton Towers, so they certainly have the space to add car parks and turn some more fields into overflow car parks.

Aren't all the empty land slots and all the fields over flow car parks already? Or covered in trees?

What is interesting though is the thought of transport. When these lodges are built, their parking will be some of the furthest away on park... And in time, that paved car park in the corner (can't remember the letter) as well as the fields will become used far more. I wonder what Towers will do in terms of getting people to the entrance as, after all, the monorail only stretches so far!

Probably nothing, not anytime soon anyways! Yes it is a bit of a hindrance to walk alllllllll the way from far away car parks to the monorail station but you're going to be walking around the park all day anyways and look at how many people walk to the park entrance already! I don't see this being a problem any time soon!

If they did however make woodland walk a more viable way of getting into the park, I think that would be awesome! All they need is one staff member at the 'entrance' to check tickets and whatnot where there usually is in the mornings, but just have that person there all day. The opening/closing time of woodland walk is quite ridiculous at the moment in my opinion, because you can't continuously go to and from the hotels via the woodland walk at all really, the freedom of being able to do so would give the park that little touch that says 'resort'. On a resort you don't really want restrictions do you? You pretty much just want to be able to wonder around and go wherever whenever!

Just repave the woodland walk, add a fence, add some lights and add some themeing, add an 'entrance' and get rid of that ridiculous barbed wire that gives you the prison feel. >.<

 

[DiogoJ42]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I can actually see these being more expensive than the hotels. In the hotels, all you get for your money is a small room with a basic bathroom.
If these cabins are indeed going to have seperate bedrooms, living room, kitchen and bathroom, there is no way they will be cheaper than a hotel room. Guests will still have access to all the usual hotel fascilities, so it would be like having a premium suite, a private house to yourself. Hardly "budget" accommodation.

The only way they will be a cheap option is if they go down the Tipidorf route: Bunk beds in a shed with no plumbing, and nothing but a lamp requiring electricity.

 

[TheMan]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

People keep posting beautiful pictures of all this accommodation on the mainland!

The parks seem different class, particularly their top level parks. That forest at Europa, is that actually a place to stay??! Their hotels look immense enough.

I've not visited any of them, but it seems they're a world away in terms of quality - are they ludicrously expensive too??

 

[Ellie]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

People keep posting beautiful pictures of all this accommodation on the mainland!

The parks seem different class, particularly their top level parks. That forest at Europa, is that actually a place to stay??! Their hotels look immense enough.

I've not visited any of them, but it seems they're a world away in terms of quality - are they ludicrously expensive too??

No, you can't actually stay in the enchanted forest at Europa, but the new lodges could be themed like that. You could easily fit a couple rooms or something in one, they would be beautiful to stay in and I personally wouldn't Mind paying that little bit extra

 

[siralgenon]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

When it says 'individually themed' does it mean, they wall all have a different theme, or, they will all be themed but the same. If each one carries a different theme it's going to look very odd and out of place.

 

[James]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

All lodges will have one theme (although much like the hotels there could be a possibility of a few being themed around a particular resort brand/ride/attraction) which will be a fairyland theme.

 

[Ellie]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

All lodges will have one theme (although much like the hotels there could be a possibility of a few being themed around a particular resort brand/ride/attraction) which will be a fairyland theme.

How do you know it will be fairyland theme? :S

 

[GaryH]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

I'm actually quite surprised with this development.

Firstly, both ATH and Splash dont run at full capacity, only on the odd weekend in the summer holidays. Pricing is a big issue (i.e. too expensive), average hotel rooms another (no aircon), and complaints of rooms needing refurbishment in terms of bathrooms, bed's, windows not opening etc etc.

Secondly, the waterpark, its too small, needs investment to enlarge it and add things which will keep people entertained for more than just 2 hours during their stay.

Thirdly, Alton are obviously trying to cut costs, hence the lack of themeing and lighting at this years Scarefest.

Fourthly, the roads are in a dire state of repair, potholes everywhere, the whole road layout in AT should be re-tarmaced. Have you tried driving through the coach park to Express parking lately?


I'm confused because at the moment I think Alton should concentrate on improving what they have and build on that. Make the hotels more affordable and more people will stay over. Building these log cabins, while interesting, will again put the prospect of a family stay over at the resort way out of budget, because these cabins aint gonna be cheap.

Which then begs the second question....by adding these cabins, are they going to "devalue" the importance of the hotels. Splash is already seen to be the "lower standard and cheaper" hotel when compared to ATH. Maybe Alton will have the lodges at the £££ level, then ATH at ££ and Splash at £.......

If people were queueing up to get into the hotels, and everything in and around them and the park was up to scratch then fair enough, but i'm just a bit puzzled by the decision to build these at the moment.....

 

[Dave]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

In responce to GaryH

-Weekends and holidays the hotels nearlyalways run at capacity and the rest of the time the hotels run at least 50% (which is good for a hotel). Even in closed season the weekends are doing well. The price at AT for rooms relates to expected capacity so the expensive dates are when they know they will achieve target and the cheap dates are lower capacity.

-I agree the water-park is now too small to cope and they should expand but its only in the last 2 years that the water-park has managed this (before it made a loss).

-The hotels make huge profit so their budgets are not being cut, you can see the difference in effort between the hotels and the park for SF theming and this is related to how much money each is making.

-The main road was re-surfaced last year but some parts do need some work.

I imagine the cabins will be set up so that on low peak days they can be shut of consuming very little energy so they are not a drain on the resort unless they are occupied.

 

[James]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

How do you know it will be fairyland theme? :S

The theme was confirmed in the staff magazine.

 

[Josh]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

How do you know it will be fairyland theme? :S

The theme was confirmed in the staff magazine.

Was it? I didn't even see that.... :-\

I'm quite looking forward to 2014 now, with resort expansion and a new themed area in the park, it looks to be a good year if done right

 

[James]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

The application documents are now available online!

Here's a few visuals and plans taken from the application documents:

 

[Jonathan]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

If they turn out to look like the plans, then I'll be impressed. The restaurant (document 27) will seat 150, with another 60 in a covered external area. If this goes to plan...Anyone fancy stopping in these at 2014 Opening?

 

[James]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

From TowersStreet News:

Planning documents online for 2014 lodges

The newly added documents to the Staffordshire Moorlands Council Planning Portal have revealed many new details about the proposed development.

The proposed development, being named as the Alton Towers Resort Village in the documents will feature 150 accommodation units. There are a number of different styles of unit that will be featured on the site ranging from 'double lodges' to 'holes'. Holes will sleep 4 people, whereas each lodge will sleep 5.

The site will include water play areas and water features.

The planning documents describe the village's theme as follows:

"Based on myths and legends and indeed the increasing popularity of children's adventure stories and fairy tales, the theme is one which has certain visual elements attached to it, conjuring up images of accommodation in a far off magical land that one might dream of staying in on a holiday."

Exciting times for Alton. I'm very impressed!

 

[siralgenon]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

They've disguised those shipping containers very well!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Am I the only one who dosnt like the style of these? Im sure they will grow on me.. eventually...

 

[BigAl]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

Hang on...

I'll say no more.

 

[T]

Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

These look fantastic! I'm certainly looking forward to seeing this development, well, develop!

Edit:
The Hole looks like this from The Hobbit!;

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Martin]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

They look so cool!

 

[James]

Re: Major New Accommodation in 2014 - Themed Lodges

The only negative that will cause problems is the lack of an additional bar/entertainments venue. The Alton Towers Hotel already suffers quite badly in the holidays with two hotels worth of guests watching the live singing. The additional guests could cause a hell of a lot of problems at night.

Ideally this is the point when Alton should be looking at different bars and entertainment venues to build on the resort.