Drayton Manor Hotel

The outdoor play area was a bit short on things for toddlers, though it looked nice for primary school kids. There’s also mini golf and a small games arcade, but we didn’t try either. We had a lovely two-night stay while visiting Thomas Land. We didn’t get a Thomas room, but the Thomas decorations in the shared areas delighted my toddler. We even saw the Fat Controller at breakfast on Saturday, and he was brilliant at engaging with the children. The restaurant was fine. The food wasn’t exceptional, but they took my child’s allergies seriously, which really matters.

I’m a cheerful, lively person, and I’m writing this to prepare visitors and maybe give management some useful feedback, not to mock the place. I’ve also sent these comments in writing. I’m using the Drayton Manor Hotel feedback form because Drayton Manor itself doesn’t seem to let the truth be told. Sorry to anyone who came here looking only for a hotel review. The rides were a problem too, since too many were closed. Wandering between unavailable rides was unpleasant. The queues were painfully long. Keeping the children calm was difficult, and it was awful watching their excitement turn into disappointment each time they couldn’t get on what they wanted. A 3-4 minute ride meant a 20-minute wait, then another queue, and another. It was devastatingly long for all of us. The toilets were awful. For somewhere like this, management should remember that children might visit the park too. None of the washrooms had child-sized facilities. They were smelly, dirty, and poorly restocked, and clearly weren’t designed with children or the number of visitors in mind. I’m not expecting five-star Dubai-style luxury, but people deserve better than a badly organised festival campsite. Drayton Manor isn’t expensive so much as overpriced. Whether or not someone can afford the shiny extras, the games, food, presents, and everything else don’t feel worth even half the money.

We went to Drayton Manor Theme Park, including Thomas Land and the Drayton Manor Zoo, and all three were brilliant. There’s something there for everyone, and they made the trip special. The hotel staff were also welcoming, polite, and ready to go out of their way to help from the moment we arrived. Our presidential suite was spacious and comfortable, though some of the fixtures and fittings felt worn and could use a little TLC. We had a wonderful stay overall and would definitely return.

Thomas Land was good. We went on a Friday around 11, when it was quiet, and managed all the rides in about two or three hours, repeating a couple of them. The hotel stay was a different story. After driving 120 miles for my son’s third birthday, I was disappointed by a damp, mouldy smell in the room. I asked for another one, but got no apology, and the replacement smelled the same. I thought that might just be how the rooms smelled, but their maintenance and cleanliness made us uncomfortable, so we left without staying. We paid £200 for one night and never used it. I wouldn’t recommend the hotel.