Have you ever dreamt of sleeping inside a LEGO house?? Well, your dreams have just come true! Endless summer fun awaits....at the NEW LEGOLAND® Beach Retreat. Summer is just a few months away so if you are making your summer plans, be sure to schedule in some time at the new Beach Retreat. Your family will love you for it! The new village-style vacation resort opened on April 7th and my family and I had the pleasure of checking it out before it opened to the public. My kids were SO excited - I had made the mistake of telling them a couple of weeks in advance that we would be going, and not a day went by that they didn't say something about the upcoming trip. Excitement and expectations were at an all time high!! Can you believe it was even better than we imagined it would be?!
Set on the beautiful Lake Dexter, the Beach Retreat is a short 90 minute drive from Bradenton. It is conveniently located just one-half mile from the LEGOLAND® park. When you arrive at the resort and see the huge lifeguard you want your vacation to start right away! And it does, thanks to their drive-through check-in system. Seriously, why has nobody thought of this before?!? Since it was just me bringing the kids (additional adult help was arriving later that night), I was really not looking forward to the whole check-in process - getting everyone out of their car seats, standing in a long line to check in - you know the drill! I was pleasantly surprised that everything was taken care of at the front gate from my car! The check in process was quick and convenient and we were on our way in no time! Park your car in the parking lot just around the corner (parking is included in your resort fee) and put the keys away because you are not going to need it anymore. The resort is compact and cozy and all amenities (villas, restaurant, pool and shop) are all within walking distance of each other. The resort features 83 larger-than-life bungalows (totaling 166 separate rooms) in bright colors of yellow, blue and red. The bungalows are grouped into 13 horseshoe-shaped coves, all of which are named after popular LEGO Minifigures. Each cove has their own centralized playground featuring balance beams, climbing nets and more. The playground is in full view from each room in the cove so you can let the kids go play while you unpack! All bungalows also have a shaded patio with a table and chairs - it's the perfect place to unwind, put up your feet and enjoy the view. I spent quite a bit of time here with some friends and a bottle of wine after the kids had gone to bed - it was so quiet and relaxing!
I loved the rooms with their bright colors and beach motif. Each room can sleep up to five people and include a main bedroom as well as a separate children's sleeping area with a bunk bed, trundle bed and privacy curtain, plus some LEGO treasures to play with - perfect for the kids!
If your family is anything like mine, one of the most important parts of the hotel is their pool area, and LEGOLAND® Beach Retreat certainly did not disappoint. The pool is the largest in the entire LEGOLAND® Resort and features a zero-entry pool, brightly colored beach chairs, lifeguards and complimentary life jackets. You will feel like you are right on the beach with all of the sand - perfect for a game of sand volleyball or building sandcastles.
The pool is a happening place with lots of activities including live music, dance parties, contests and games. You can even join in on the "Master Builder" competition at the end of the night using the LEGO® soft bricks floating in the pool. And don't miss out on the lighting of the Lighthouse, which towers more than 45 feet over the resort , when the sun goes down.
The pool area also features another fun play structure - the largest at the resort!
Located conveniently right next to the pool are your dining options - Sandy's Castle Restaurant and Bricks Beach Bar. Sandy's Castle Restaurant offers a buffet of delicious food that both kids and adults will love. A breakfast buffet is included for everyone with each night of your stay, and lunch and dinner buffets are available without reservations.
At Bricks Beach Bar you will find a menu of made-to-order food, drinks and creative cocktails (Fish in a Bag anyone?) that is served both poolside and indoors.
A giant sandcastle-themed LEGO building area featuring thousands of LEGO bricks is available for play in the restaurant lobby. This is a great way to keep the kids happy and distracted while getting everyone's food.
Of course you can't leave without some souvenirs so be sure to visit Palm Tree Traders, a large retail shop stocked with LEGO building sets, Minifigures, apparel, toys, snacks and more.
Guests of LEGOLAND Beach Retreat enjoy exclusive "Bonus Brick Time", which is early access to the theme park. Complimentary transportation is provided to and from the theme park entrance, or enjoy complimentary parking at the main parking lot for guests who chose to drive. Nightly rates start at just $135 (plus tax and resort fee) and vary by season, date and availability. Packages including room rate and theme park tickets are available and Annual Pass holders receive a 10% discount year round. To book a stay, visit www.LEGOLAND.com/florida or call 1-877-350-5346 daily from 9AM to 5PM.
We had such a fun time on our trip to LEGOLAND® Beach Retreat and will be making summer plans to return for sure!
* I was provided complimentary accommodations for the purpose of this review. All opinions stated are my own.
