Last Updated on December 15, 2023

California’s Legoland Hotel

Looking for a hotel that is just for kids? Look no further than the LEGOLAND Hotel in California! This amazing hotel was built specifically with children in mind and offers tons of fun activities and attractions that will keep them entertained for hours.

The LEGOLAND Hotel in Carlsbad, California is also the world’s first LEGOLAND Hotel. As you walk beneath a massive Lego brick dragon (that breathes out smoke – wait for it!) as you approach the hotel, you can tell that this establishment will be unique.

In this blog post, we will take a closer look at what makes the LEGOLAND Hotel so special, and why it should be at the top of your list when planning a family vacation to California.

Check-In

Check-in is a breeze with self-check-in. They send you a text with a link that has a QR code. You take the QR code and scan it at the kiosk when you walked through the front doors, into the lobby. The kiosk then issues you the key cards for your room(s).

Early Park Access

Early access to LEGOLAND California is given to LEGOLAND Hotel guests. The amusement park, which also includes the LEGOLAND Water Park and the SEALIFE Aquarium, is just steps away from the hotel.

Themed Rooms

At some hotels, you can pay a little bit more to stay in specialty-themed rooms. Every room at the LEGOLAND Hotel is designed to a particular theme. This hotel has three levels, and each one is designed with a different theme or two in mind, including Pirate, Adventure, Kingdom, Lego Friends, and Ninjago.

One of the coolest things about the LEGOLAND Hotel is that each room is designed to look like a Lego adventure. This means that your kids will feel like they are sleeping in their very own Lego world. Since there are six of us, we had two rooms for our LEGOLAND Hotel adventure.

Adventure Theme

Pirate Theme

We LOVED the Pirate theme — it was so well done. Walking into the Pirate room, we were all mesmerized by the imaginary possibilities that were in front of us. The other room we had was the Adventure Room. The Adventure Room was decent but was missing the awning above the bed that would have completed the room. Walking in, you immediately felt like it was unfinished.

All rooms have a designated children’s sleeping area with bunk beds and a trundle bed to accommodate up to three kids, plus parents will sleep comfortably on their own queen-sized bed. Even though parents and their children have designated sleeping areas, there is no door between them.

We appreciated the extra touches, like a bucket of Lego bricks that guests can borrow during their stay, a Lego character ice bucket, a step stool for young children in the bathroom, and a treasure hunt to do around the hotel to find the combination for the “treasure chest” in the room. Unlock the chest to find a special Lego surprise inside for each child in the room.

The most popular room, we were told by hotel staff, is the Ninjago theme.

Hotel Attractions

Lego Building Galore

At the LEGOLAND Hotel, it feels like there are endless options to be creative. With Lego-building tables to big Lego pits full of thousands of Lego bricks, the pirate ship play area is a dream come true for every kid.

Nightly Entertainment

Nightly entertainment is located around the castle and pirate ship in the lobby. The staff does a great job of organizing the children and keeping them engaged in activities. The Lego building competition was especially a hit!

Brick Dance Party

Every night, just a short walk from the lobby, there is a dance party room for guests. This is a great way to let the kids burn off some energy before bedtime. We went to the dance party both nights and it really was the icing on the cake to have the kids fall asleep right when their heads hit their pillows. The party is hosted by a live DJ playing family-friendly music.

Disco Elevator Dance Party & Whoopy Cushion Floor

Even if your room is on the first floor, don’t forget to take a ride in the elevator! Once the doors close, disco music and colorful lights come on, which will definitely get your children movin’ and groovin’. Your kids will keep asking to ride the elevator just for a quick dance party.

The whoopee cushion carpeting on the main level outside of the elevator doors is sure to amuse youngsters… again, and again, and once more. As you probably guessed, it does make noise. It is always the simple things that bring the most laughter!

Swimming Pool

The hotel has a beautiful outdoor pool area in the central courtyard. Surprisingly, there were no waterslides or other intricate Lego details like we had anticipated. However, my children loved building creations out of the giant lego bricks in the shallow end of the pool, or simply jumping in for a big splash again and again.

The pool also has an important rule: any kid under 48″ tall MUST wear a life jacket to swim. At its deepest point, the pool is only five feet deep, but I can see how necessary this rule is with a pool completely full of little kids. However, parents must still keep an eye on their kids at all times. Lifejackets are not a replacement for supervision!

Arcade

It is a small arcade, but still enough to keep the kids occupied for some extra fun. Most of the games are ticket-dispensing (onto your pre-loaded game card), with an option to redeem your virtual tickets for prizes, selected from a vending machine.

Gift Shop

The gift shop has a variety of Lego merchandise, as well as Lego-themed t-shirts, hats, and souvenirs. The gift shop in the hotel was rather tiny; you will find a lot more selection within the theme park.

Hotel Dining

The LEGOLAND Hotel offers two great family-friendly dining options: the Minis Lounge and Bricks Family Restaurant. The Bricks Family Restaurant offers a wide range of dishes to choose from, including meats, salads, and pasta for supper, as well as eggs, fruit, cereals, pastries, and the other standard items you’d expect for a breakfast spread. Everyone in the family is certain to discover something that they like. The kids could not get enough of the buffet options. They felt like grown-ups, getting to select their own meal combinations.

Parking

As with any resort these days, you can expect to pay a premium for parking. Valet parking is available for $30/per day. Or, for $25 you can self-park your vehicle.

Overall, we had an incredible experience at Legoland Hotel and would definitely recommend it to families with young children. If you are looking for a place where your kids can be entertained and have a ton of fun, while also being close to all the Legoland California Resort attractions, this is the place for you!

 

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