Why just visit a theme park when you can stay in one? Photo / Legoland
Why just visit a theme park when you can stay in one? Photo / Legoland
Yes, hotels with their own theme parks do exist and they are so much fun - here are seven of the best, writes Michelle Tchea
Hotels have everything these days: Olympic-sized pools, personalized butlers, heli-pads and even their own private beaches - there’s always something to keep you amused when on vacation (no pun intended!). No matter how old you are, theme parks always seem to be a good idea when travelling - particularly if you have kids in tow. There’s something nostalgic about putting on your Mickey ears or taking a selfie with Goofy - even if we have reached the ripe-old age of 40.
Spending just one night in a theme park never seems to be enough and with adventure parks offering multi-day passes nowadays, it definitely makes sense to stay in a hotel located near a theme park or better yet - staying in a hotel with their own very theme park -- yes! They really do exist. There are many hotel grades attached to theme parks with both camping grounds and villas available for theme park enthusiasts to enjoy, but one of the most elegant and intimate hotels with their own private theme park has to be the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. On a recent trip with my family, we enjoyed all the services of a 5-star luxury hotel at Hotel Nimb - having reflexology massages by day and at night, we started our evening in the hotel’s French-inspired brasserie before finishing the rest of the night on rollercoaster rides and plunging more than 100-metres on the “mega drop” - a wonderful trip that beats just jumping from one art gallery to another.
So rather than just floating in an infinity pool, spending your time at the gym or walking up and down stairs to your buffet brekkie - go on a rollercoaster ride, throw yourself down a slippery slide or maybe just spin around aimlessly in a flying saucer this holiday period - here are the best hotels with their own theme parks.
Located in the capital city of Denmark, Copenhagen - is where you will find the country’s oldest amusement park: Tivoli Gardens. Founded in 1843, this is the very place where famous fairytale writer Hans Christian Anderson was inspired for many of his books and rumour has it that Mr Disney himself was inspired to build his own theme parks after spending time in Copenhagen. The best time to visit Tivoli Gardens is definitely during the Christmas period with the entire park even more lit up with tens of thousands of twinkle lights glittering into the night. Around the garden, there are almost 900 Christmas trees and 18,000 hyacinths - that’s a lot of Christmas cheer and both locals and tourists spend the evenings on thrilling rides before venturing into the hotel for a warm mug of mulled wine! Guests of Nimb Hotel have balconies overlooking the theme park but if you ask me, it is so much nicer looking at the hotel from inside the Gardens with the property designed with a Moorish marble stucco facade that looks even better when it snows during the winter - rare but it can happen! The best part about the hotel is the Rooftop Terrace, the urban sanctuary with Turkish-inspired hamman and wellness centre. The hotel is also a hotspot for dining: expect lots of Michelin-starred pop-up dinners throughout the year.
Since 1923, Swedish locals have been flocking to Liseberg Gardens for thrilling roller coaster rides, live music events and afternoon strolls around some of Scandinavia’s most beautiful gardens on the West Coast. Located in the city centre of Gothenburg, a sixth- running world’s most sustainable city in the world, there are a lot of social sustainability and climate neutral activities found throughout the park like using recycled circular energy to power some of the 42-odd rides. There are three accommodations available: a BnB, camping grounds and The Grand Curioso Hotel which has more than 450 rooms and multiple dining options to please the whole family.
Liseberg’s theme park in Sweden has been running for over 100 years. Photo / Liseberg
Legoland Resort Germany
www.legoland.de/en/short-breaks/accommodation/
If you grew up playing with lego, you would have surely visited Legoland somewhere in one of the 11 locations. The one in Germany may stand out as one of the best because it is located in Bavaria and just 1.5hours from Munich (yes, that city that hosts Oktoberfest) - making it a perfect detour or destination in itself for people who love playing with the iconic tiny red bricks. Legoland Deutschland is home to the world’s largest lego building, a replica of Munich’s Allianz Arena which weighs over 1.5 tons and in the park you will find thrilling rides like Maximus - The Guardian’s Flight and Fire & Ice - dropping Lego fans down more than 13 metres from the air.
There are many accommodation options like the Pirate Island Hotel and camping barrels but for the ultimate experience for families, book yourself into the Themed Cottages which include Forest Adventure Lodge. Early bird specials usually exist during the end of the year for the next season so jump online and book in advance to get the best deal.
Legoland Deutschland is home to the world’s largest Lego building. Photo / Legoland
Dollywood HeartSong Lodge and resort
www.dollywood.com/heartsong/
If you’re a fan of Dolly Parton, you will know that anything with her name on it comes with a tick of approval and usually rates very highly among Dolly fans. Dollywood Resort in Tennessee is one of those places that caters to travellers of all ages: kids can enjoy the amusement and water park while their parents can take in a Dinner and a Show - sounds like the perfect 9 to 5 day - right? Located in the exact same Smoky Mountains where Parton honed and perfected her talent, the spirit of the South is just so much more fun when staying as a guest of Dollywood. There are multiple lodging options - the newest addition Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, Dollywood’s Heart Song Resort, as well as the Exclusive cabins - all of which come with priority access to the parks.
Dollywood’s resort offers exclusive park access and a touch of Southern hospitality. Photo / Dollywood
The Hotel Hershey
www.thehotelhershey.com/
The Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania might be the only reason for travellers to visit the state - that is unless you are a huge fan of the historical Appalachian trail and an admirer of the Great Lakes regions of the United States. But let’s say you are in Pennsylvania for just chocolate and roller coaster rides - then Hershey park is where you should be. Throughout the year, different activities celebrating Christmas, Autumn (or fall as the Americans call it!) and even Spring festivities light up the historical theme park but Halloween probably is the best time to go with spooky rides seemingly even spookier than usual. If you have an uncontrollable desire to eat everything chocolate when at Hershey Park - Halloween might just be the best time to do it because it almost feels mandatory to eat candy during this period - right? The hotel is a little dated and feels like something out of an American history book but the resort actually puts you in a great position to go on some of America’s most prized hiking trails - a perfect calorie burner if you need it!
The Hotel Hershey lets you indulge in chocolate-themed spa treatments. Photo / Hersheypark
Could a list about theme parks be complete if the word Disneyland didn’t make the cut? I think not. With a dozen Disneyland theme parks around the world in cities like Paris, Hong Kong and China, the best Disneyland Resort Hotel has to be the original in California. There are multiple Disneyland Hotel options to suit any budget like the villas at Disneyland which are perfect for families of up to 12 and the budget-friendly Disneyland Hotel which opened in 1955 providing the easiest access to Disneyland via the Downtown Disney District which means much less commute times for parents with tiny (screaming) kids. The newest addition is the Disney’s Pixar Place hotel which opened earlier this year and is the best one for people who want to visit Disney California Adventure Park over the original theme park, Disneyland.
Switzerland has some of the most beautiful mountains in the world - found in the Swiss alps where adrenaline-seeking travellers can throw themselves off well-groomed mountains - leaving a trail of powder to those who can’t match their speed. However, if that isn’t enough for you, why not slip, slide and go headfirst down a slippery slide with a hundred screaming kids behind you revving you on. No matter what’s your poison, Switzerland seems to have it all and at little known Revier Hotel Santispark - you will find mega water slides for kids and also a wellness spa centre for adults (which is usually empty because parents love the kids waterpark too). The hotel is located a short drive from nearby St. Gallen known for the UNESCO Abbey and Library but if you want to take a short day trip to super cool city Zurich - it is just a short 1 hour drive away and here you will find relaxing 5-star spas on Lake Zurich like those at Alex Lake Resort, a library with over 33,000 books in a former Hurlimann (local beer company) brewery under the guise as a boutique hotel B2 and historical buildings like the newly revamped Ambassador Hotel which pays homage to the city’s silk trade industry and considered one of the city’s loveliest art-deco buildings.
