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Say goodbye to the boring hotel room

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Pirate Fully Themed room, Legoland Dubai Hotel

Say goodbye to the boring hotel room, said Ramesh Ganeson, Legoland Dubai Resort’s General Manager, and his welcome remark couldn’t have been more apt.

It is obvious to me and my family that Legoland Dubai Hotel is unlike any hotel we have ever been to.

The welcome mascot is a colourful Lego dragon called Ollie. There is an honesty box full of Lego pieces at the entrance, where kids have grudgingly emptied their pockets before leaving the hotel. The check-in desks are built perfectly at the height of kids, so if inclined to, kids can check in themselves and their parents. 

Kids are treated like VIPs here at the hotel and parents are the ones accompanying them, rather than the other way around. It’s a change in power dynamics that our six-year-old daughter appreciates.

We’ve finally discovered Dubai’s one true family-friendly hotel.

 

PARTY CENTRAL

The lobby is home to a large soft play area, busy with kids tumbling off of each other. The play area, right in front of the reception, is divided into Lego themes and there is something for every age group and interest: Kingdom, Pirate, Domains, Duplo for younger kids.

 

Kids are treated like VIPs here at the hotel and parents are the ones accompanying them, rather than the other way around

 

The castle-themed play area occupies the heart of the hotel’s lobby, and this is where there are organised group activities take place: hula hoop dance, bookmark making, paper crown making, scavenger hunt, bowling, assorted games and colouring competition. There are regular character appearances and interaction opportunities throughout the day.

There is also a freestyle Lego play area with over 1,000 assorted Lego bricks (sanitised every three hours) for kids who just want to get their hands on building some Lego models.

The aptly named Creative Workshop in one corner of the lobby uses Lego Education products to engage and expand young minds with a playful learning approach. Every hour is dedicated to different age groups and topics, so there is something for everyone, from three years of age to 16-plus. Often the parents, who are also Lego fans, join these workshops. Creative Workshop also has robotics programmes for two age groups: six plus and eight plus to keep kids busy and their imaginations fired up.

The entire play area is supervised by a team of expert child minders from 8am to 10pm and you can leave your child(ren) any time during this period and enjoy a moment of peace or a mug of coffee in Bricks Restaurant or an adult beverage in the nearby Skyline Lounge.

 

SUITE STAY

The rooms and suites in Legoland Dubai Hotel are divided into five different Lego themes: Lego Friends, Kingdom, Pirate, Adventure and Ninjago. The property’s themed, fully themed and accessible rooms can accommodate up to 5 people, while family suites can accommodate up to 8 people (maximum 4 adults per room). The connecting rooms and suites can accommodate a group of up to 26 people if needed.

The highlight of the room product, undoubtedly, is the treasure hunt. The kids in the room are provided a treasure map with hints and clues for the combination of the safe, and they must use their analytical and observational skills to find their treasure.

Each room or suite has a secluded children’s area with its own high-definition television with Lego channels, bunk beds, reading lights and treasure hunting. Our suite is Adventure themed. There are Lego bricks amply available for kids to play with, including Duplo sets ideal for younger kids with littler fingers. There are bathrobes for your kids and carpet slippers for their little feet, several kids’ accessories are available not limited to toothbrushes for the little ones.

The attention to detail is legendary. Even the doors in the rooms have two peepholes – one for adults and one for kids.

The carpeting throughout the property is very interesting in the rooms and suites as well as in the corridors on all floors: maps of the resorts are hidden in code on the carpets and my little daughter is the one in our family group to crack the code and bring it to our notice.

The lift is unique as well: it plays lively party music when you clap your hands, even the disco lights come to life.

 

BRICKS AND SKYLINE

Bricks Restaurant, the main food and beverage outlet within the property, always serves healthy and kid-friendly meals. There is a special focus on providing healthy but delicious foods that are not too greasy or salty. The shakes and beverages have reduced sugar content and attention is paid closely on providing a balance of food groups and colours.

Bricks has clearly marked out allergy information on a wall, a friendly reminder to keep the staff in the loop if your child or you have any allergies. Not only do kids have their own buffet at the right height, they have their own non-breakable cutlery and tables have tablecloths that parents and kids are often seen colouring in together. We observe that even the grownups end up eating healthier than they would at your standard five-star buffets.

Skyline Lounge is the place to go for a quiet drink as the lobby is always bustling with kids having the time of their lives. It also has an air hockey table and a few arcade games for those inclined to play. A small Duplo play area rounds off the offering at Skyline Lounge, a haven for the youngest kids who would still like to hang out with their parents.

There’s a big pool on site but with Legoland Waterpark only steps away from the hotel, we choose to spend our summer afternoon in Legoland Waterpark instead. Legoland Hotel perfectly complements co-located theme parks Legoland Dubai and Legoland Water Park, which target families with children aged 2 to 12.

They are both easily accessible from the hotel, so it is highly recommended that these parks be explored with the hotel as a home base for a few nights.    

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