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The Hotels: A Journey

After staying at the hotels last week, ATH is in desperate need of modernisation. Rooms aside, the general appearance of the hotel/restaurant/bar areas looks hugely dated and a lot of it looks like original features, creeping up to 30 years old.

If they want to sell ATH as the ‘premium’ option then they really need to invest because quite honestly Splash Landings has a more appealing aesthetic at this point.


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GaryH said:
Made me laugh on a recent visit how all the grown ups are told to go to bed at 11pm with both bars closing and the music being turned off.
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This! It’s madness how everything just instantly shutters and you are left with nothing to do. Granted it was halloween but the bar area was an absolute state as well - sweet wrappers, pizza boxes and empty glasses everywhere.

When you are paying £30+ for a £4 wholesale price bottle of wine, then you really expect to at least sit down in a clean environment.


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It's likely difficult to have ATH as an 'adult' hotel, moreso during peak times/when the hotels are at capacity. The majority of guests will be families.

I think they need some form of adult bar somewhere on resort. Maybe the seating area next to the coffee portal (does that still exist?) in ATH could be made into an 18+ only bar. Or after 11pm have Dragon Bar as 18+ only.
 
I said it back in the beforetimes, and I’ll say it again now: Build a “casino” hotel, and give it a vegas / Rat Pack theme.
I don’t gamble myself, but it’d be the perfect excuse to give us an adults only space. A nice chilled out, classy bar with smooth jazz and proper cocktails. Open 24/7. Just think how much money they could make!

I, for one, would gladly stay there. In full Hunter S Thompson cosplay, naturally.
 
I want an over 18 bar with the chill jazz background music that is open all night and into the early hours of the morning, just so I can get utterly rat arsed which would always set me good for a day on the park the following day...which could have mixed results I'll admit.

But yeah, would like to have poker nights there, might lose my money the more drunk I am...
 
Some sort of adults only difficult stumble upon “Explorers bar” in the opposite inner corner of the hotel to secret garden conservatory seems a good option.
 
Since the Licensing Act 2003 did away with the ridiculously outdated laws that dated back to the second world war, there's very few places that are now "adult only" other than strip clubs and casinos, so I very much doubt that a resort whose bread butter customer base is families would consider excluding under 18's from certain areas. Unless there's lines of cocaine and pole dancers, I can't think of why a business would want to implement something just so that a few thoosies can have a couple of pints and pack of Cheese and Onion without someone else's kids potentially being present?

That's not to say that they can't create spaces that wouldn't appeal to families with young children in the first place, and I certainly think that closing up shop wholesale at 11pm is insane (responsible parents wouldn't have youngsters in toe whilst they get bladdered anyway).
 
Matt.GC said:
Unless there's lines of cocaine and pole dancers, I can't think of why a business would want to implement something just so that a few thoosies can have a couple of pints and pack of Cheese and Onion without someone else's kids potentially being present?
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Nothing to do with 'thoosies' (still yuk), it is fairly common for adults not want to be around kids, especially at a place where they have been filled with suger all day. We know that visitors cannot be trusted to treat the place or others sensibly or respectfully, so having an area 'not aimed at' kids is not likely to stop it turning into an extended soft play.

Loads of bars and restraunts around my way have adult only areas, they are well used and even as a parent I love that they exist. Sometimes without the kid in tow I like not being around them, and sometimes as a parent I'm pleased to know the inevitable noise and commotion that my kid brings will not be ruining the day of someone who can't escape it if they choose.

It would also be advantageous to have somewhere to entertain (all adult) corporate functions away from holiday makers bar. It was really odd last time I was in dragons to be surrounded by name badge wearing networkers from some corporation. Not exactly conducive with magical escapism.

As is the case in so many areas, the size of the resort is not reflected in the offering. It's not like it doesn't attract a good amount of adults without kids. It should be entirely feasible to have an adult only and late bar.
 
I didn't see if Bar Spirit of St Louis had an age restriction, but something like that would work. Proper drinks, decent range of bar snacks, relaxing music and if any kids try and make a ruckus they'd be told to leave immediately, or preferably banned from entering.
 
While I don't think the resort is suited to having some sort of casino bar, or even a strictly 18+ bar, an adult oriented bar is fine. The atmosphere of a bar plays a lot into the behaviour of guests. Chilled music and dimmed lights would provide a calming atmosphere to the kid's entertainment elsewhere.

I also think it's incredibly important to remember that the hotels are open for a majority of the year. Topped off with varying school holiday periods these days, it's vital that the hotels attract and cater for a range of different markets. It's certainly not just enthusiasts - that's a bit of a simplistic view on the matter really. There's company away days, conferences, families with older kids and out of season events like Run Alton Towers to consider too. All types of customers that the resort needs to attract to keep that occupancy rate high.
 
Craig beat me to it.

I've proposed a little weatherpsoons type bar near the hotels. Not in them, a walk away. Simple premise. Shove some old photo's and ride designs in. And in true weatherpsoons style. Put the bogs near thirteen or something. Relaxed atmosphere. Good local brews and spirits. I know that won't happen. Too much risk for the brand. For us non spawn visitors, really nothing to keep me on site when not in the park. But I'm sure the they won't mind.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I said it back in the beforetimes, and I’ll say it again now: Build a “casino” hotel, and give it a vegas / Rat Pack theme.
I don’t gamble myself, but it’d be the perfect excuse to give us an adults only space. A nice chilled out, classy bar with smooth jazz and proper cocktails. Open 24/7. Just think how much money they could make!

I, for one, would gladly stay there. In full Hunter S Thompson cosplay, naturally.
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Cosplay I hear you say? I'll 'forget' the memo we were pretending and go full on Fear and Laothing. I mean it  will be adults only right?

I think an adults only section is something desperately needed. Nothing worse than dealing with horrendous downtime and lengthy queues to get back and have screaming, sugar overdosed children running around.
 
Is the bar being closed early a part of the problems they have with the alton locals? For extra context a geek convention I regularly go to looked at taking place at alty tees but decided not to as they were told every evening party would have to shut off at 11/12pm due to noise level restrictions they have in the park.
 
ArtyGrey said:
Is the bar being closed early a part of the problems they have with the alton locals? For extra context a geek convention I regularly go to looked at taking place at alty tees but decided not to as they were told every evening party would have to shut off at 11/12pm due to noise level restrictions they have in the park.
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Hotels are plenty far enough away from other residential areas so it’s not that. Alton Towers Hotel has a design issue that the most expensive rooms are above the atrium so they do need to close earlier due to noise towards other guests. But Splash Landing doesn’t have that problem so should be able to stay open later.
 
It’s really easy for Alton to achieve an adults only area on the evening. Once it hits 11pm close the doors to the dragon bar and ask guests to move into the bar area. Open the Emperor Suite doors which open into the Dragon Bar and allow guests to use both spaces. Play some relaxing chill out music and have it open until 1am. Simples.
 
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