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Splash Landings repaints

Scott said:
Like the idea of making the pizzas a more permanent option. However I dislike how the nice quiet end of Ma's in now unusable for drinking. Equally disappointed at the loss of the pool table :(

Can't quite make out Flambo's but it looks as though they have sets of hot plates grouped together (like Secret Garden uses for breakfast) rather than the long buffet thing. Not sure why they've made this change, seems entirely pointless?

Apparently the system worked well at Bricks Family Restaurant at LEGOLAND Hotel, so Flambo's has gained the same set up
 
Once again, the changes to this once wonderful looking hotel are nothing short of terrible! :(

Shoot me! Please, just shoot me and put me out of my misery.
 
Looks like more 'Merlinisation' to me.

First a generic Coffee Shack is shoehorned into the area at the bottom of the stairs and now this pizza place at the back of Flambo's.

It's hardly inspired is it, but I do like a pizza buffet.
 
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Looks like more 'Merlinisation' to me.

First a generic Coffee Shack is shoehorned into the area at the bottom of the stairs and now this pizza place at the back of Flambo's.

It's hardly inspired is it, but I do like a pizza buffet.

It's at the back of MaGarritas not Flambo's and its a menu not a buffet :)
 
Really don't understand why they feel the need to complete this terrible repaint but someone is very much determined to do a rubbish job of it so I suppose it was inevitable that it would reach flambos. As for the pizza place, seems there are about 10 tables in there, which will hardly make a dent on their capacity issues and will result in Margs getting stupidly crowded.

Hmmm
 
I wish they would stop trying to shoe-horn things in here and there. The hotel was never designed to have small pizza areas or coffee areas squeezed in.

In an ideal world they would build a third hotel with an entertainments venue of it's own and two restaurants. Alton Towers Hotel they would build an extension that includes new rooms, a new restaurant and a new big scale entertainment venue (for use during school holidays - a bit like what they've been doing in the conference centre this year). Then in Splash Landings the small stage would be ditched and it can become the hotel that is used for those who want a quiet drink (maybe with some background music playing).

They can only keep throwing things here and there for so long. My main concern is that both hotels are going to become under more stress with these new things being squeezed in spaces they shouldn't be in. It will become very chaotic during busier times of the year!
 
Every time they try and put something in that back bit of Margs it lasts a few months before returning to just being seating for the bar again. Clearly it does not work as an extra "restaurant". It was good when they had the pool table down there and just some seating, it was a nice little quiet area and it did work well.

:)
 
siralgenon said:
CoasterCrazyChris said:
Looks like more 'Merlinisation' to me.

First a generic Coffee Shack is shoehorned into the area at the bottom of the stairs and now this pizza place at the back of Flambo's.

It's hardly inspired is it, but I do like a pizza buffet.

It's at the back of MaGarritas not Flambo's and its a menu not a buffet :)

Well then that's even worse. The bar is crowded enough as it is and now it looks like if you want to order food you will have to sit in that cramped area at the back.
 
The hotel is just so poorly designed and now both hotels layouts seem as though they are not fit for purpose at many times of the year.

I'd have much preferred them to shell out on an extension to Ma's out into the smoking area for this pizza restaurant. The outside area is rarely that packed and could easily be made smaller to accommodate this pizza thing.

I just feel that a hotel that was already poorly laid out for busy times is being made more and more cramped. It's adding facilities without adding space - which rarely works well.
 
Everything in Splash needs to be about 50% bigger than it actually is to accommodate peak guest levels - the waterpark, restaurants, public areas and rooms.
 
Just got back from a festive break and I have mixed feelings towards the changes.

The Flambo's changes are not that drastic. Effectively you now have a L -shape from the kitchen similar to Pizza - Pasta (with a little bit more room to allow for a chef to do the carvery). We went at approx 9pm so it wasn't busy enough to see if the new layout makes it take longer or not.

The good news is that they have added items to the salad starters (some italian meats and other similar items). The bad news is that the Ice Cream station has been replaced with one of those Mr Whippy type ice cream things.

Ma's definitely misses having the pool table and seats at the back. The snakes and ladders seat is now the final one before the pizza place there are few places to hide from the stage. The tables near the bar have been moved but not sure if this is permanent or not. Also there are now steel patio type tables and chairs outside of Ma's near the giant chair, again unsure if this is permanent or not.

As I said mixed feelings, be interested to see how it goes on when the season progresses (when there is a greater variety of customer than the predominantly family based one).
 
They should have left the waterpark strictly hotel guests only like how it was when it first opened. It is a joke in there during the busier times of the year.
 
A few of us eat at Flambos the other week after these changes had happened, I had only used it once with its old layout, but the new one does seem to work. There is more room around the counters, and it does spread people out, rather than the one big long line it used to have. Other than removing the ice cream I don't know if anyone else has been removed or altered. The only thing I would say is the BBQ area bit is still there where they cook all the meat, but it is now behind a glass window and is no where near where the food is served, which is a bit of a shame.

As for the pizza place, when we stayed it was all set out like that, but wasn't being used. It seems an odd choice, they need increased food outlets, but 10 tables really isn't going to make any difference, and that only means there are now 10 less tables for the bar. Also the juke box had gone when we were there (not sure if it is back now?).
 
To be honest it's a nice change it seems easier also the juke box is out for repair when I asked about it
 
The 'New' Flambo's Exotic Feast

After staying at the Resort Hotels the other night for New Years Eve I had the chance to eat in the revamped Flambo's for our evening meal. After always enjoying the restaurant in its previous state I was hoping it wouldn't change too much.

Alas I was wrong. The new buffet set up means there are less counters than before (resulting in a smaller choice of food) yet they take up more space. Instead of running along the left side of the restaurant they now stick out into the middle causing a gathering of people.

The permanent seating bays overlooking the Waterpark have now been removed and replaced by cheaper versions of the original furniture and the area that was once used for preparing Steaks and chicken has been cordoned off with a glass wall and looks to not be used anymore.

On the whole, the restaurant is a lot worse than it previously was.

The new dessert area:
x2o5sy.jpg

The new buffet counter:
24ynyxl.jpg

23sgdvc.jpg
 
So they've made Flambo's worse? I didn't think that was possible.

:)
 
It looks like they've stripped all the old theming out and replaced the nice themed counters with some cheap alternatives.

There isn't really much left to ruin in this hotel now really. It's like they are determined to make everything feel second rate.
 
siralgenon said:
The 'New' Flambo's Exotic Feast

After staying at the Resort Hotels the other night for New Years Eve I had the chance to eat in the revamped Flambo's for our evening meal. After always enjoying the restaurant in its previous state I was hoping it wouldn't change too much.

Alas I was wrong. The new buffet set up means there are less counters than before (resulting in a smaller choice of food) yet they take up more space. Instead of running along the left side of the restaurant they now stick out into the middle causing a gathering of people.

The permanent seating bays overlooking the Waterpark have now been removed and replaced by cheaper versions of the original furniture and the area that was once used for preparing Steaks and chicken has been cordoned off with a glass wall and looks to not be used anymore.

On the whole, the restaurant is a lot worse than it previously was.

The new dessert area:
x2o5sy.jpg

The new buffet counter:
24ynyxl.jpg

23sgdvc.jpg

Absolutely horrified by what I've just seen and read in that post.

The booth's by the windows though - why oh why? :/

The kitchens and food serving area just look atrocious. Whoever did this, then "off with their heads" I say. :(
 
Seriously making Flambo's worse than it already was is really an achievement. What has to be the worst theme park hotel restaurant i have visited was probably going to take some effort to reduce the "Je ne sais quoi" even further than it's current levels.... Effort seems to have been made.

.... I really don't know who has taken over resort side since David Steel left but they have not impressed me so far :(
 
If it ain't broke don't fix it. That's what they *should* be saying.

What needed fixing in Flambo's was the food quality and variety - not the layout. The themed row of buffet counters stretching along the kitchen worked perfectly fine and was functional for both staff and guests. There was absolutely no need for this change and it completely baffles me.
 
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