I’m Family Editor here at GoodtoKnow and I visited LEGOLAND Woodland Village with my six-year-old and husband. It’s the newest addition to the Windsor theme park, nestled in a 10-acre site with 130 cosy lodges and 20 stylish camping barrels (these were so cute and understated) a one-night LEGOLAND stay for two adults and a kid could set you back £420 – so is it worth the money? Let’s take a look…
We can’t always throw money at the problem and, I get it, finding ways to keep kids engaged over school holidays (or just weekends let’s face it) can be a bit of a minefield. Whether you’re after cheaper things to do or an actual day out in Kent we know that parents are always on the lookout, so we visited LEGOLAND to check out their new Woodland Village.
With over 62 million guests annually we know that a LEGOLAND stay is probably up there on the list of ‘destinations to do’ for many parents, if only because it caters for the whole family. From DUPLO up to the Mythica ride for the grown-up LEGOLAND fan in the family, and all in between. With over 50 interactive rides, attractions, live shows, building workshops and driving schools, not to mention a staggering 80 million LEGO bricks, all set in 150 acres of beautiful parkland it’s easy to see why it’s a winner, but is it worth it?
Having already got a magical medieval realm to stay in at the Castle Hotel, and a breathtaking LEGO-themed Resort Hotel, this time it’s a quaint Woodland Village. Offering lodges rather than hotel rooms, this nature-themed site offers a new short-break experience; with oversized canopy trees, LEGO animals (monkeys and parrots included) and a brand-new theme restaurant, playgrounds and characters. Sounds great, right? But is a stay here worth the money? Now, let’s get into it…
Is LEGOLAND Woodland Village worth the money?
In short yes, I think it is and I share my breakdown below – what you get for your money is great. A LEGOLAND stay at the Woodland Village starts from £69pp but in peak June for a night’s stay for two adults and on a six-year-old child it was £420 (disclaimer: this was a Press Trip but I put my dates in to check the prices).
At first glance, I thought ‘woah that’s a bit pricey’. But then when I broke it down;
- You get an entire little lodge – with a mini terrace – not just a room (standard hotel room outside of the park you’re looking at £125 per night)
- You get two days entry to the park per person (£37 pp = £222)
- You get one day’s entrance to the Adventure Golf per person (£10 pp = £30)
- Breakfast in the Clubhouse restaurant (approx £6 pp elsewhere = £18)
That all comes to £395 (all based on approximations and prices at the time of looking) for something that’s a short five-minute walk from the park entrance and has free parking (which is usually £8 for the day), as well as an epic bunk-bed situation for the kids with light-up ceilings.
(Image credit: Future)
What’s the Woodland Village like for families?
It’s brilliant for families. We stayed at one of the standard woodland lodges, just a short walk from the Legoland theme park. Handy to know that it’s located at the back of car park C (sharing this because we went round in a circle and back out the park before finding it, it had been a long day). The design and layout of Legoland Woodland Village is interactive and brilliantly done. The Clubhouse is the main hub, and the accommodation is divided into animal-themed sections. You can choose a standard woodland-themed lodge, a premium two-storey lodge, or the more cosy yet affordable woodland barrels.
The woodland village has a variation of cute Lego-built woodland creatures, such as deer, moles, robins, and otters. It caters so well for families with younger kids – lots for the age range of 3 – 10 years old, I’d say. There are epic play parks and a LEGO station in the restaurant, as well as live entertainment like puppets and magic acts.
Check-in at Legoland Woodland Village was painless. Done in the main Clubhouse there’s lots to keep the little ones entertained (including a mini gift shop – they don’t miss a trick do they). Before check-in, we were sent clear instructions that advised us we could not check in until 16:00 and to book in for dinner and breakfast. We were also provided with a map of Legoland Woodland Village and a list of activities and entertainment for the evening.
It’s worth noting that luggage cannot be stored at Legoland Woodland Village. We received a text message at around 3pm letting us know that our lodge was ready, perfect timing as our 6-year-old was tired. When we arrived at the Clubhouse, chirping birds are a constant backdrop, keeping to the Woodland theme.
Book your visit to stay at The Woodland Village
(Image credit: Future)
The lodge we stayed at a Standard Woodland Lodge in Legoland Woodland Village as a family of three: two adults, and a six-year-old. The lodge comprises had a main room, with a double bed, desk, television and storage space. It felt like a hotel room with the Legoland design on the wall. A long curtain sectioned off the kid’s room, which had a bunk bed and Lego station and TV as well as interactive ceiling light decoration. Though be warned the curtains are not black out.
The bathroom was off the main room and had a shower rather than a bath, which might be a consideration for some families with young children. Note: the shower was out of this world good!
The terrace was a lovely addition, I sat out and watched my kid play before we went for dinner. And I even saw some families eating at their table.
(Image credit: Future)
Can you take food into the Woodland Village?
The lodges are not self-contained which might make it tricky and obviously LEGOLAND will encourage eating at the Clubhouse, but it is worth noting that you can bring food in and order food in – we saw people on their terrace with fish and chips.
LEGOLAND Woodland Village restaurant
The restaurant is in the Clubhouse and it’s where you will have breakfast too. Be sure to book this when you arrive, slots get booked up quickly.
The layout of the restaurant was large with a big, wraparound veranda – perfect for al fresco meals. It was also brilliantly decorated, with the woodland canopy overhead and had genuinely comfy chairs. The menu at the Woodland Village was based on more plant-based meals and had some great options, including charred cauliflower, blackened cod, linguine and some great-looking pizzas. The kids’ menu was just as good with under threes eating for free (three courses).
We arrived for our 1815 slot hungry thirsty and tired. It quickly became apparent that as great as the restaurant looked it was about to be the saddest part of our experience. We visited just shy of a month of opening and teething issues were still very apparent with visibly grumbling customers. The staff were as helpful as they could be – but it was not well run.
Price-wise, you’re looking at £20 for a burger and chips, so it’s not a cheap place, we waited an hour for drinks and I ended up going to the bar myself to get them. I hold high hopes that this restaurant will be up and running similar to other hotels in no time, and the staff were open to feedback and refunds were given where complaints were made.
Breakfast was bookable from 0730 and had an array of pastries, cereals, and juices and you could order hot menus too such as pancakes and full English – though be warned only the Black filter coffee comes with the cost. If you want a latte or cappuccino this is charged for at the bar.
Overall verdict of LEGOLAND Woodland Village
We really enjoyed our stay here – I think LEGOLAND Woodland Village is worth visiting, even if you’ve seen negative reviews online about the restaurant, the lodges themselves are worth the visit. The whole site gives strong Center Parc vibes, but with so much more attention to detail with interactive LEGO all around the area. The Woodland Village was, so clean, fun and full of amazing details – and far less overstimulating than the Castle Hotel. It’s fun and engaging, but (thankfully) free of the loud and overstimulating elements of some of the other LEGO themes. Overall, the room was a pretty good size – with a fair amount of room between the bed and the wardrobes (plenty of room for a travel cot). It was also lovely to be able to sit out on the porch once evening came.
Main warnings would be;
– Take blackout blinds if it’s summer, while the curtains hanging are blackout they let in so much light around the edges.
– Be aware that the lodges are directly under the Heathrow flight path, but I think planes stop around 10pm.
– Avoid the restaurant (or at least go and take a look to see what it’s like in terms of happy customers).
Book your visit to stay at The Woodland Village
What my kid said:
Ted, 6 years old: “My favourite bit was the LEGO at the restaurant and climbing on the playground. And, I loved watching the LEGO movie in my own bunk bed.”
Keeping kids entertained can be a job in itself sometimes, we have you covered with our 35 crafts to do with your kids and if the weather is a bit grim, try Indoor activities for kids and for the easy life, give our Easy craft projects a whirl.
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