For our weekend family break in Surrey we were looking for a hotel that was close to both Legoland Windsor and Thorpe Park and the Brooklands hotel ticked all the right boxes.
This is our family review of the Brooklands Hotel.
Opened in 2010 and built on the site of the world’s first purpose-built race track this luxurious, modern and contemporary four star hotel has 131 bedrooms and suites.
Even though the original race track had disappeared we caught our first glimpse of motor sports on our drive to the hotel, with the Mercedes-Benz World track directly opposite.
The closest we had come to a race track before was watching Formula One on the television, so we were really looking forward to our stay at the 4 star Brooklands hotel during our visit to Surrey.
The lobby was large, bright and airy and had a really sleek and modern feel to it, providing a great first impression to the hotel. On the floor of the lobby was the curved path of the Solomon Straight, which we later found out (from our visit to the Brooklands Musuem) was part of the old Brooklands race track that the hotel is now built on.
We had a lovely warm welcome from the reception staff and the check in process was very quick and efficient. Because of its unique setting and our race track view room this added an extra touch of excitement compared to most other hotels.
Our executive family room
We stayed in an executive family room which at 48 sq metres offered more than enough space for our stay. Our spacious family room was beautifully decorated with a red, grey and black colour scheme creating a stylish contemporary ambience.
The two extremely comfortable king size beds in our family room had the highest quality Egyptian cotton sheets for the perfect night’s sleep.
The four white waffle bathrobes and slippers left at the bottom of our beds were a lovely addition. The girls in particular loved relaxing in their robes after their shower before getting dressed for our evening meal.
A sign of a good hotel is when the girls start making themselves at home, which they did at the Brooklands hotel – and covered their beds with some of the favourite toys from home.
Waiting for us in our room were chocolates, chilled bottled water and a hand written note from the hotel which was a lovely welcoming gesture.
The large floor to ceiling windows offered panoramic views overlooking the Mercedes-Benz World track. The windows were really well soundproofed so we couldn’t hear any noise as we watched the cars speed around the race track.
The rooms were of a very high standard offering all of the comforts required for a great family stay including –
- 42” flat screen TV with plenty of kids channels to keep the girls entertained,
- Air conditioning,
- Complimentary high speed WiFi – a must with children and their iPads,
- A mini fridge with complimentary still and sparking water,
- Tea and coffee making facilities and a selection of magazines.
The smart en-suite bathroom had a lovely walk-in rainfall shower, bath and a heated bathroom mirror helping keep it free from steam. A plentiful supply of Pecksniff’s toiletries were provided along with lots of soft white fluffy towels.
A lounge area gave us as a family a greater sense of space to relax in comfortable surroundings with great views over the racetrack. The spacious well-lit desk was popular with the girls that they used for drawing and colouring.
A comfy ergonomic chair and plenty of power points provided the perfect environment if you needed to catch up on work.
Dining
After a busy day at Legoland Windsor we didn’t want to venture out again and chose to make it easy dining at 1907, the hotel’s AA rosette restaurant for our evening meal.
The dining room was spacious and comfortable with a 1920’s and 30’s inspired décor in keeping with its historic location. The restaurant at the hotel is named after the year the famous Brooklands race track was built and opened.
Dining in a AA rosette restaurant with young children can be daunting with a limited menu, but not at the 1907 restaurant, bar & grill.
It was really family friendly with a great children’s menu to choose from and the staff were so welcoming and friendly toward the girls.
The children’s menu offered a good range of dishes even for the fussiest of eaters and the girls selected the stone baked tomato and mozzarella pizza. When the two pizzas arrived we were taken aback just how generous the sizes of the children’s pizzas were and more importantly they tasted as good as they looked.
To start, we chose the garlic brushed king prawns and a selection of breads for the table.
Moving on to mains, I couldn’t resist the beer battered fish and chips and my husband chose the ribeye steak and hand cut chips, both of which were delicious.
To finish I chose S’more Brulee which was marshmallow, bourbon vanilla and chocolate chip cookie and my husband had a selection of Rossa Gelato & Sorbetto accompanied by a gingerbread biscuit. From the children’s menu the girls chose a duo of chocolate parfait.
The dinner experience was highly rated with very attentive, highly trained staff. We would highly recommend 1907 restaurant, bar & grill to dine in whether you are a local or staying at the hotel.
The trendy bar had quirky design touches like giant chrome propellers referencing Brooklands historic past as an aerodrome. It was a beautiful warm summer evening during our visit and after dinner it was so nice to relax on the outdoor terrace.
Breakfast the next morning was delightful. We were greeted upon arrival and a beautiful buffet selection awaited us which included a selection of cereals, fresh fruit, pastries, muffins, yogurts, cold meats and cheese and a hot breakfast counter.
Once more the level of service received during breakfast was exceptional and this high level of customer service is a credit to the hotel management because it really does make a difference during your stay.
Facilities
The spa looked amazing and in particular their 12-seater outdoor hot tub with panoramic views of the racetrack. ‘Does the hotel have a swimming pool’ is usually one of the first questions we get asked by the girls so when they heard about the hot tub they were so excited, but unfortunately it was only for adults.
On the way to the outdoor terrace of the spa you walk past the treatment rooms which looked so relaxing, and something I would definitely look at booking on a return visit without the children.
Whilst I was looking through the extensive list of spa treatments available my husband checked out the gym which had a great range of equipment available.
There were lots of beautiful communal spaces to relax in, with a stylish bar and a lounge area off the lobby with lots of comfortable seating areas.
Location
Located in Weybridge, Surrey the hotel was just 10 minutes from the M25. Car parking was complimentary with lots of spaces available.
Overall
The Brooklands Hotel is an excellent family friendly luxury hotel and is highly recommended.
We had such a wonderful stay and it was the perfect location for us to explore the great family attractions of Mercedes-Benz World and Brooklands Museum. Three of the UK’s best family theme parks, Legoland, Chessington and Thorpe Park are also just a short drive away.
Brooklands Museum & Mercedes-Benz World
As part of our package we also received a family ticket to the world-famous Brooklands museum which was a 5 minute walk from the hotel. It was such a lovely place to visit and is home to a retired BA concorde and a host of other classic planes.
It was like stepping back in time as we looked at the classic and race cars on display and the London Bus museum was made even more interesting for the girls as they had a minions treasure hunt to follow.
Right next to the hotel was the impressive three-storey Mercedes-Benz World, showcasing the history of Mercedes-Benz cars. There was also a range of on and off-road driving experiences for adults and younger children to take part in.
Brooklands Hotel
Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0SL
01932 335710
www.brooklandshotelsurrey.com