While many of us are trying to cut costs on our holidays this year by staying closer to home, it doesn’t mean we need to compromise on adventure and fun. The best themed hotel rooms can bring a sense of magic to a staycation in the UK, letting little ones drift away surrounded by their favourite characters, toys, or activities. From LEGO to the Gruffalo, pirates to princesses, hotels with themed rooms will spark imaginations, create endless play opportunities, and create memories they’ll cherish.
In many cases, the fun doesn’t stop at the room. Most of the hotels with themed rooms in the UK are set on or near the UK's best theme parks, zoos, or historic sites so little ones can spend the day living like a knight, then fall asleep in a mediaeval glamping tent. From Cbeebies Land to Warwick Castle, the UK's best themed hotel rooms await.
Best themed hotel rooms at a glance:
Best Bluey-themed hotel room: Cbeebies Land Hotel
Best Gruffalo-themed hotel room: Chessington Azteca & Safari Resort
Best pirate-themed hotel room: LEGOLAND Resort Hotel
Best princess-themed hotel room: Alton Towers Hotel
With so many characters and themes to choose from, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to booking a themed hotel room in the UK. Whether you're after a sleepover with Bluey and Bingo or want to sleep like a princess, there's a themed hotel room just for you.
The best themed hotel rooms 2024:
Best Bluey themed hotel room
Cbeebies LandWhile there's no end of themed hotel rooms to choose from at the Cbeebies Land Hotel, from an Octonauts-themed room to a Postman Pat Suite, and a Swashbuckle Room, we have to give special mention to the Bluey-themed room. Not only because we know parents love Bluey, but because it's the world's first Bluey-themed hotel room. Fans of the heeler pups can now drift off to sleep surrounded by Bluey and Bingo's room, complete with photos of the pups and fun bunkbeds in the children's area.
It sleeps a family of five, and the Cbeebies Hotel can provide everything a family would need, from bottle warmers and a mini-fridge to a bathroom step, toddler toilet seat and baby bath, making it easy to get away for a night with the kids.
Best Gruffalo themed hotel room
Chessington World of Adventures ResortThis has to be one of the best Chessington Hotel themed rooms, though there are plenty to choose from. Chessington World of Adventures Resort actually has two accommodation options; glamping or the Azteca & Safari Resort Hotels, but if we had to choose it would be this cute Gruffalo-themed hotel room.
After a day of animal encounters, rollercoaster rides, and Go Ape adventures, little ones can head into the deep, dark wood and their own Gruffalo bedroom, complete with a hidden Gruffalo gift. The room has a separate children's sleeping area so parents and kids can have their own space, and it sleeps up to five. You'll also get access to the Savannah Splash Pool and there's hotel entertainment if the kids need to burn off more energy before bed.
The Gruffalo isn't the only themed room here; little ones can also check if there's room on the broom for a kid like them in a Room on the Broom-themed room, or take a walk on the wild side in the tiger-themed room.
The best pirate themed hotel room
LEGOLAND ResortWell shiver me timbers, get set for an adventure on the high seas with the Premium Pirate Room at LEGOLAND Resort Hotel. One of the best LEGOLAND Hotel themed rooms, this Pirate Room was designed with mini-adventurers and LEGO fans in mind and combines the hallmarks of LEGO - fun, play and imagination - with the practicalities that make an overnight stay with kids so much easier. From a separate children's sleeping area to flat screen TVs, and tea/coffee-making facilities, it has everything kids and their grown-ups need.
The LEGOLAND Resort Hotel sits at the heart of the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort so it's perfect for resting little legs after a day exploring the theme park rides, LEGO experiences, and activities of the resort. A stay at the hotel includes tickets to LEGOLAND but the fun doesn't end when you leave the park - with access to the LEGO pirate-themed indoor water play area and swimming pool, and evening entertainment, it's a must for LEGO fans, young and old.
But don't worry, there's no risk of walking the plank here...
Best princess themed hotel room
Alton TowersOne for little princesses and fans of pink. This princess-themed hotel room is an unashamedly and gloriously pink palace, complete with a carriage-themed bed and dressing table fit for a princess. Sleeping up to four people, it's ideal for families and is an easy base for enjoying the rides and activities of Alton Towers and Cbeebies Land.
A short break at Alton Towers includes a Full English breakfast buffet, evening entertainment, nine holes of Extraordinary Golf, and free car parking, and there are five restaurants spread across the site and its various hotels. Tickets for the Alton Towers Waterpark can be bought separately and it's sure to tire the kids out ready for a night's sleep that even Sleeping Beauty would envy.
Best themed camping experience
Warwick CastleThis might not technically be a room, but we don't know many kids who would turn down a night in a tent, let alone a medieval glamping tent where they can prepare themselves for battle (though hopefully not a bedtime battle). With space for four, the tents range from the Standard which have a double bed and two singles, to a King's Tent which boasts a four-poster bed and two singles. The King's Tent even has an outdoor canopy with a table and thrones.
As well as taking advantage of all of the activities of Warwick Castle during the day with one-day entry tickets, in the evening you can enjoy themed entertainment and dinner in The Knight's Village restaurant, a medieval banqueting hall.
If you prefer your knightly experience to be more castle and less camping, Warwick Castle also offers the Caesar's Tower Suites which are tucked away in the castle's 14th-century tower, as well as a range of other accommodation options.
Best Thomas & Friends themed hotel room
Drayton Manor HotelIf you're visiting Drayton Manor Resort with little Thomas fans, then book into the Thomas & Friends Room at Drayton Manor Hotel. The hotel is just a five-minute walk from the park so it's easy to enjoy the rollercoasters and zoo before returning to the hotel to unwind. After all that activity, little ones are likely to sleep well in their Thomas & Friends bunk bed.
There are two onsite restaurants, the Brasserie and the Garden Room Buffet, serving family-friendly dishes. The Garden Room Buffet is also next to the children's playground, making it even easier to relax. Stay and Play packages include accommodation, park tickets for all the family and a character breakfast.
Best chocolate themed hotel room
Alton Towers HotelOne for kids and their grown ups, this chocolate-themed hotel room is a fun-filled chocolate box of delights inspired by the iconic chocolate factory in Bournville. There's no need to bring your own midnight feast, just find the supply of Cadbury's chocolate that's hidden in the room or crack the code for the safe containing even more sweet treats.
The chocolate room sleeps up to six and is divided into two areas with room for a sofa so you can relax after overindulging on chocolate. There's a bunk bed for the kids in a separate area so the whole family can have their own space.
As with the other Alton Towers themed hotel rooms on our list, this is a perfect space to drop after a busy day in the park. There's evening entertainment and a selection of restaurants across the site, as well as complimentary breakfast and free parking.
Best western themed hotel room
Gulliver's HotelLittle cowboys and cowgirls will love playing sheriff in their own Western-themed hotel room, complete with bunk beds, secret hideaway den, and Wild West decor. With space for four children and two adults, there's plenty of room for the whole family, and the facilities have families in mind, from the tea and coffee making facilities to the TV and DVD.
The hotel is ideally located for visiting Gulliver's World Resort, Warrington, so after a day of exploring the rides, rollercoasters, and playgrounds of the resort, it's not far for little legs to get back and sleep in their own western-themed room.
While you're in the area, there are plenty of options for family days out in the North West so it's easy to find ways of keeping the kids occupied.
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Rebecca Lancaster is a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby, drawing on ten years of parenting her two children to help others navigating their own parenting journey. As a freelance writer, she spent ten years working with leading lifestyle brands, from travel companies to food and drink start-ups, and writing everything from hotel reviews to guides to the best British cheeses. She’s particularly interested in travel and introducing her children to the excitement of visiting new places, trying different foods (less successfully) and experiencing different cultures.