LEGOLAND Castle Hotel

If you've ever wanted to live inside a castle made of LEGOs, look no further than LEGOLAND Castle Hotel. This hotel opened in mid-2017 to much anticipation as the first LEGO Castle hotel in the United States. Like other LEGOLAND hotel properties, it is decorated inside and out to look like it has been made of LEGOs. Outside, the hotel is gray with stiff plastic flags, a fake drawbridge entrance, and medieval-style crests displayed on the walls. Inside, the theme continues without missing a beat, featuring solid colors, flags, checkered floors, and carpets that look like wood floors sporting chests of hidden treasure. Dotted throughout the hotel you'll find LEGO sculptures and interactive LEGO-themed play pits that encourage kids to build their best brick creations right on the spot. All public spaces and rooms are decked out from floor to ceiling with the medieval castle theme, which includes knights, dragons, princesses, and wizards. Kids and families will likely have fun here, but the thin walls are a notable downside.

Certainly the biggest draw of LEGOLAND Castle Hotel is its location right at the LEGOLAND park entrance. However, it is also close to Carlsbad Flower Fields as well as Crossings Golf Course, and it's about a 12-minute drive to downtown Carlsbad's shops and restaurants. This seaside community came into the spotlight when LEGOLAND California opened in 1999, but it is still a fairly quiet place close to several beaches, golf courses, and lagoons. It’s about a 40-minute drive to downtown San Diego, and over 90 minutes to Los Angeles International Airport.

There are three different, fully themed room types at LEGOLAND Castle Hotel -- Knights and Dragons, Royal Princess, and Magic Wizard. Painted gray bricks and wood beams on the walls make it feel like you are living inside the castle. Thick wood floors with trapdoors and secret hideaways are depicted in the carpeting, bedding and accents feature different animal shields with designs to match your theme, and small LEGO animals, still in theme, rest on shelves. No space goes undecorated here. All rooms have separate rooms for parents and kids with a shared bathroom. 

Kids' rooms are decked out with bunk beds, flat-screen TVs, and LEGO play areas, while adults can indulge in the minibars, Keurig machines, and their own flat-screen TVs. The Knights and Dragons Room has a separate family sitting area with two couches. Bathrooms are less themed, but still have a few different color tiles in the shower/bath combos to make it look like LEGOS, and feature step stools at the vanity, tile floors, and towel racks. Beware: walls here are thin, and you're likely to hear fellow guests through the walls. 

LEGOLAND Castle Hotel's theme itself and its ultra-convenient location are two of its biggest draws. The immersive theme is a LEGO-lovers heaven with several play areas and floor-to-ceiling theming. Other big additional perks of staying here are the free parking and early admission access to the park (though park admission is not included). 

On-site food can be expensive, overall average, and consists of your typical American fare. The free breakfast buffet at the Dragon Den main restaurant receives good reviews, and features hot and cold items, from bacon and pancakes to fresh juice and coffee. Lunch and dinner are also available here, and additional options like burgers and salads can be ordered out at the pool area's bar and grill. The zero-entry pool is popular for those not at the park, and guests can spend the day in a colorful rented cabana or playing with the oversized LEGOs in the water. 

There's also a small, windowless gym with a few cardio machines and free weights, a laundry room, and valet parking. Other features include LEGO mini-figure trading, electric car charging stations, and a concierge service. A daily resort fee covers things like valet and self-parking, Wi-Fi, and lackluster nightly entertainment.