We arrived at the Park Inn hotel at Heathrow in the early evening and were immediately impressed with the hotel’s staff.
At check in the children were included in the conversation as staff knew we were on the Legoland package. When we arrived in our room we were greeted with wine, water, chocolates and fruit, which the children immediately tucked into (leaving the wine for mum and dad!!). After that we headed off to use the pool and gym facilities, again an inviting warm welcome from staff where the children were given floats and a ball to play with.
Back in our room we settled down for the evening with two very excited children. The room was a very good size with two double beds. We breakfasted at 8 and were given a complimentary newspaper and faced with an impressive all you can eat breakfast. Yet again the children were made to feel special with balloon models being given to them (Chloe had a flower for a princess and Dylan a dog). We filled up on a huge fresh breakfast to set us up for the day. Dylan thought blueberry muffins for breakfast was pure heaven! We enjoyed a leisurely meal and felt at no time under pressure to hurry up.
After checking out we headed to Legoland for a 10 O Clock opening. It was a short drive of 11 miles away which took about 20 mins. Once inside Legoland we headed off towards the first ride which Chloe couldn’t wait to get on with her dad. Dylan was more reserved changing his mind and losing his confidence. However the next ride was aimed at a younger person and Dylan enjoyed the carousel. The rides available were great for both younger and older children. Both loved the driving school and the queues were not too long. There are helpful time indicators informing you how long the queue is expected to take from certain points. We soon found the diggers which excited Dylan as he could use a real JCB. From my viewpoint I thought it very interesting how many dads were queuing up for this ride and then elbowing their children out of the way when it actually came to operating the digger!!!
Food and drink prices in the park are similar to other attractions and there are plenty of picnic areas if you prefer. There are many snack and drink stations dotted around the park and so no queuing for refreshment breaks.
One of the highlights for both children was mini-land with its Lego town. Both children were inspired about what they would make when they were at home. They also both loved the show that takes place on the water and were captivated by the gymnastics and acrobatics. This was a great time for mum and dad to pause and drink a coffee too!
Play and Stay offers excellent value for money in our family’s opinion. If we had paid on the door at Legoland it would have cost our family ₤130 yet, through Play and Stay it costs ₤147 and that obviously included staying in a 4* hotel and breakfast for four. Furthermore the Legoland tickets are actually valid for two days. We could easily have spent two days in the park as we did not do all the attractions in one day. Therefore I have already started to recommend Play and Stay to family and friends as a great way to get fantastic value on theme parks.
Review by Emma Bradley (member of TheBabyWebsite) and Family
September 2009
For more information and to book your Play and Stay break, go to
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Our Day At Drayton Manor
