Chessington Hotels: Azteca – An Honest Family Review

If you’re planning a family break to Chessington World of Adventures, staying at one of the Chessington Hotels is a fantastic way to extend the magic. We recently stayed as a family of five and here’s our honest review – the highs, the little things to know before you go, and everything in between!

On arrival at the Chessington Resort, everything felt well-organised. There are designated car parking bays for certain themed rooms like the Oreo Room, Room on the Broom, and The Gruffalo Room. That said, there’s ample parking available for all hotel guests, with easy access to all the different hotel buildings.

The Azteca and Safari Hotels are connected and share one main reception area. The hotel foyer is incredibly interactive and ideal for keeping children entertained while you check in. There are classic arcade games like Pac-Man, a projector playing Julia Donaldson shows with soft cushions for the little ones to lounge on, and even a treasure trail to complete. The trail includes clues dotted around the ground floor and ends with a small prize from reception – a lovely touch for children!

If you’ve pre-filled your details online, there’s a handy self-check-in area with QR code scanners and automatic key printing. It was quick, easy, and perfect for families arriving with tired children.

As you walk through the hotel, you’ll notice several thoughtful design features, including a light tunnel and other eye-catching features designed to enhance the experience for children.

Chessington Hotels – Staying in a Monkey Temple Room

We stayed in a themed Monkey Temple Room which was perfect for our family of five. The room featured a separate sleeping area for the children with bunk beds and a pull-out trundle bed. Both the main bedroom and the children’s area had their own TVs, which made the evening more relaxing for everyone.

What really stood out was the in-room treasure trail. Clues hidden in the wallpaper and floor led to a number code the kids had to crack. They then used the code to open a small safe in the room – an exciting little adventure that kept them busy.

The room didn’t feel crowded, and the separation between adult and child areas made bedtime routines so much easier. Everything was clean, mostly well-maintained, and the theme was a big hit with the children. The beds were comfy providing and the air conditioning was a welcome relief during the hot weather!

While the bathroom was functional, there were a few areas – such as cracked ceiling paint and worn silicone that could benefit from some maintenance and updating.

Chessington Hotels – Azteca Restaurant and Atmosphere

The main hotel restaurant is easily accessed from the foyer, and there’s also the Temple Restaurant nearby. As we arrived quite late in the evening, we skipped dining in and instead ordered takeaway to the hotel foyer. We ate in our room, which the kids loved – it gave the night a fun “sleepover” vibe.

Walking through the hotel is a magical experience in itself, with features like:

• A wish fountain where you can toss in coins
• Several arcades along the way
• An outdoor patio with seating that overlooks the park’s animal area – we saw zebras, giraffes, and ostriches!

Our room was very quiet. Despite the hotel being full of families, we didn’t hear any noise from other guests, which was a big plus.

Staff were friendly, helpful, and made the stay even more enjoyable.

Breakfast at the Temple Restaurant

We didn’t book a breakfast slot in the main restaurant but found that The Temple Restaurant accepts walk-ins, so we went there in the morning. Both serve the same food, but the Zafari Bar and Grill requires reservations.

It’s a buffet-style breakfast with all the usual options – full English breakfast, cereals, fruit, pancakes, juices, tea, and coffee. It was busy (around 8:30am), and although some areas needed a bit of TLC (we spotted a few ripped chairs and it was hard for staff to keep up with tidying), the food was good and there was something for everyone.

Chessington Hotels – Savannah Splash Pool

The Savannah Splash Pool is only open to Resort Hotel guests. Guests staying in a themed room can use the facility free of charge, while those in a standard room incur an additional fee (£3 per person). To use the pool, you are required to book a time slot in advance. Unfortunately, we didn’t know this and couldn’t swim on the evening we arrived.

Reception advised that if the pool isn’t too busy, they’ll do a headcount and let extra guests in where possible. On check-out day, we learned that although you’re technically supposed to swim only until 12pm, they may offer flexibility if the pool is quiet. So it’s definitely worth asking if you want one last splash before heading home!

Early Park Access for Hotel Guests

One of the big perks of staying at the resort is early park access between 9 and 10am. Hotel guests use a dedicated entrance just outside the Azteca Hotel, and you’re given a special wristband that gets you in before the public.

This early start could have given us a great head start on rides and allowed us to enjoy parts of the park with shorter queues – but we were still making the most of our time at the hotel!

Leaving the Hotel

When it was time to check out, we left our bags at the hotel and collected them after a full day in the park. If you’ve parked in the hotel car park, don’t forget to pick up your free exit pass from reception before you leave – you’ll need it to get out of the barrier.

Chessington Hotels – Travel Mum Rating

Overall, the Chessington Resort Hotel is a brilliant choice for families. The themed rooms are creative and fun, and the treasure trails are a wonderful bonus that added a sense of adventure to the stay.

The decor, facilities, and location all make this hotel feel like an extension of the theme park itself. Rooms were clean, staff were friendly, and although there were a few minor things like needing to book the pool or wear-and-tear in the restaurant, none of it affected our experience negatively.

If you’re heading to Chessington World of Adventures, we’d absolutely recommend staying in one of the Chessington hotels – just make sure to book your pool slot ahead of time, make reservations for the restaurants (if you want to dine at a particular one) and don’t forget to pick up that car park pass before you leave!

Travel Mum Score: 4.5/5

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