Legoland Windsor - hotels, general visiting advice

yellow hen

Hoping to visit Legoland at easter and do a day in london to visit museums. Has anyone stayed in either the Holiday Inn Express Heathrow T5 or the Copthorne-slough-windsor hotel? Would you recommend?

Also if we stay 2 nights but have 3 full days there, can you chose which 2 days you access the park? We're thinking day 1 and day 3 with the middle day as our day in london.

Mrsmason

We stayed in the copthorn-slough-Windsor hotel a few years ago. It’s a nice enough hotel in slough with a swimming pool but not a great area for walking out and about. You’re better staying in Windsor. We stayed for 3 night there and then got the train from Windsor to Waterloo in London and stayed in the city for 2 nights which was great and I was happy to leave slough and get into the city

ted1

We went last paddy’s weekend and stayed in the resort. The Sunday was mental with Q’s, the Monday was great no q’s as it wasn’t a bank holiday in the UK. I’d strongly recommend going when the British kids are at school.

It’s only 15 minutes fro Windsor and about 25 fro Heathrow. So any hotel would be fine if you left early.

Uncle Pierre

We did two days there a couple of years ago, in the first week of July, before English school holidays started. Would also strongly recommend that you try avoid the English school holidays as well – it worked out perfectly for us, as we had no real queues for anything, including the most popular rides like the Ninjago one (which had just opened at the time).

Actually stayed in that Holiday Inn Heathrow T5 one, under the “partner hotels” booking thing. It’s a short enough drive if you’ve got the car with you (we’d travelled over on the ferry from Rosslare), but to be honest, that’s the best I can say about it. Rooms were fine but the service in the bar/restaurant was atrocious, food was only mediocre standard, and it’s not exactly in a place that allows an easy stroll to other options for eating at night either. Bottom line is that if going again, we’d choose one of the other partner hotels instead, so I guess that’s my advice to you too.

On your other question - yes, you can choose which two days you want to go to the park.

yellow hen

Thanks for the replies. We're going at easter and the holidays do overlap. Thinking now of going on the friday morning and hoping that most schools are still in that day at least. Are there shuttles from any of the recommended off site hotels? Not bringing a car and really dont want to have to taxi it.

average_runner

A few things for you to note about Legoland


We did it 3 years ago and qbot is a must, its an extra 40 sterling per person but it avoids the queue in Legoland. Otherwise you could be 40 mins plus a ride.



Probably better doing the museums the day you arrive, park the car at Winsdor Train station and get the train in. The national history museum is very good.



We actually stayed in Legoland itself for the 2 days. Kids loved it as they got early access to the rides before the park opened. If not staying in Legoland, you have to pay for the car park. 7 sterling.





So this year we are heading back again but our plan is a bit different.


We looked at external hotel prices and Legoland prices for one night, the difference wasn't too much so we will stay in Legoland on sat and do the Legoland activities on sat day and early Sunday morning with the early access. Again we will get the qbot and go 100 miles an hour at it.



On Sunday we are going to Harry Potter land, daughter is a massive fan.

yellow hen

The legoland hotel would be lovely but this holiday is a bit last minute and on top of an already scheduled summer holiday so there really is a strict budget. We primarily are going to london to visit the history museumbut our kids are young enough and I know london as a city will not entertain them and there'd be too much walking. So we've decided to base ourselves around heathrow and do 2 days in legoland and 1 day in the city. The cheapest way to do it so far is through the Holiday Inn Heathrow T5 (I totally hear you on the basic quality uncle pierre but kids will be tired and we'll survive the food for 2 nights). We won't have a car though so is that a huge problem (timely and costly) to get to windsor for London and also to Legoland?

Uncle Pierre

I’m sorry, but I honestly don’t know about taxis or shuttles or any other transport options, since we’d brought the car with us and so we didn’t have to look into those things. And we didn't head in to London ourselves. The Legoland visit was basically an extension to a trip where we first stayed with friends in Somerset for a few days.

Am sure the hotel will be fine so long as you know what to expect. And maybe your tired kids won’t have a meltdown if their food takes a long time to arrive, the way our exhausted but hungry four-year-old did on the first night we there (15 minutes for them to take an order after we got menus, and then 40 minutes more to bring out a couple of pizzas). You’ll have a great time in Legoland itself anyway. Enjoy it!

yellow hen

Uncle Pierre wrote: »

I’m sorry, but I honestly don’t know about taxis or shuttles or any other transport options, since we’d brought the car with us and so we didn’t have to look into those things. And we didn't head in to London ourselves. The Legoland visit was basically an extension to a trip where we first stayed with friends in Somerset for a few days.

Am sure the hotel will be fine so long as you know what to expect. And maybe your tired kids won’t have a meltdown if their food takes a long time to arrive, the way our exhausted but hungry four-year-old did on the first night we there (15 minutes for them to take an order after we got menus, and then 40 minutes more to bring out a couple of pizzas). You’ll have a great time in Legoland itself anyway. Enjoy it!

Oh no my kids would 100% have that same meltdown too.
Thinking now of booking the cheapest flights possible (Stansted) and just hiring a car for getting about.

Mrsmason

Free shuttle bus to Windsor that leaves LEGO land every half hour I think. Taxi from hotel was very cheap and easy too so we got taxi to Legoland and caught shuttle bus back to Windsor both days we went

GalwayGrrrrrl

yellow hen wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. We're going at easter and the holidays do overlap. Thinking now of going on the friday morning and hoping that most schools are still in that day at least. Are there shuttles from any of the recommended off site hotels? Not bringing a car and really dont want to have to taxi it.

The school holidays in England are the week before and the week after Easter Sunday.

jpfahy

A little known and currently FREE attraction in Central London is the newish 'Sky Garden'. The views are nearly as good as The Shard (£30) and better than the London Eye (£20). Has to be booked in advance though. On the day get a District & Circle Line Tube to Monument and it's around the corner. Don't bring baggage if you can avoid it as there's airport style security there. As regards Legoland, I haven't been for ten years but as with all these theme parks: get there early and pre-plan to get on the busy rides first.

kerry4sam

Thread moved to where it would be better suited.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

Infoseeker1975

Does anyone know where this thread was moved to as we are heading to Legoland in June so looking for tips.

Uncle Pierre

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118601439#Comment_118601439

It was moved to here. It was originally in the travel forum. There just hasn't been any new posts since it was moved.

Infoseeker1975

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118610180#Comment_118610180

Appreciate the response, thank you.

Uncle Pierre

No bother. I haven't really much more to add than I had here two years ago. June should be fine, if you're there midweek - as I said above, being there while the schools in England are still in session makes a massive difference.

And if you're looking at staying in one of the partner hotels, I'd still advise against that Holiday Inn Heathrow T5 one!

yellow hen

Found this thread and realised I started it almost 2 years ago and then covid came and London got parked. So we're planning it again for the start of July before the English kids get hols. The legoland resort is £800 for 2 nights including 1 days park tickets!! Everything I've read has said that this hotel is quite basic. Kids really want to stay but I'm struggling to spend €1000 on 2 nights! Any new recommendations for accessible hotels?

Uncle Pierre

If it was ourselves going now, I'd opt for the Copthorne Slough-Windsor, and to be honest, can't remember why we didn't go for it those few years ago.

Bear in mind that even if you're not staying in one of the Lego hotels themselves, you can still walk in around the lobby, bar/restaurant, and other common areas to have a good look around. One of them wasn't open when we there ourselves a few years ago, but we did that with the other one all right, no problem.

I'd struggle myself to justify spending probably £500 STG or more extra just to sleep there for two nights as well. I've always said myself that every hotel room is exactly the same when you're asleep! 😁

NellyNull

I've read reviews on lego land hotels and they don't sound great.

I booked tickets plus hotel which included dinner and breakfast for 1 night for £300. Holiday Inn Windsor. Booked via legoland. Thought that was good deal.

yellow hen

We haven't gone yet but midweek in early July, 2 nights in the Legoland hotel (the slightly cheaper one) was £800stg which is frankly ridiculous for a glorified travelodge with a bit of lego thrown in. We've booked the Travelodge in Windsor which apparently is basic but clean, good views and a £10 taxi ride from legoland. I like that we have more options for dinner staying in a town as well.

yellow hen

Has anyone used Sun savers to visit Legoland? Are the codes in the Irish sun do you know?