Posted August 18, 20187 yr comment_259489 Alton Towers’ latest accommodation project for next year. Pods have already been sighted arriving on site. Current plans: Logo: There’s also a competition to win a stay next year: https://www.altontowers.com/stars/
August 18, 20187 yr comment_259509 More accommodation then? Thats exactly what the park needs over better hours, F&B, Entertainments and support rides. Three accommodation expansions in five years is certainly not enough! They are not the biggest rooms in the world, but I’m sure they are better than nothing!
August 19, 20187 yr comment_259516 You only have to look at merlins results to see how successful their accommodation strategy is - it’s no wonder they want to continue to add to it.
October 18, 20186 yr comment_260940 How are they even stargazing pods when they have a wooden ceiling?
October 18, 20186 yr comment_260941 These just remind me of that Father Ted episode where they go to a small caravan park, except they didn’t charge £200 a night.
October 23, 20186 yr comment_261024 https://news.sky.com/story/premier-inn-unveils-no-frills-19-a-night-pod-style-rooms-11532575 Jesus they really went for the cheap option didn't they?
October 23, 20186 yr comment_261026 I love how this still look luxurious compared to the Stargazing Pods, and these Premier Inn ones are actually cheap to stay in!
October 23, 20186 yr comment_261027 Give me one of those Premier Inn pod things anyday. My garden shed is more luxurious compared to those Carglazing plods.
October 23, 20186 yr Author comment_261030 There's good reason people are against Alton Towers new pods. Looking at it purely in comparison to what Premier Inn are planning - Premier Inn: - Designed by PriestmanGoode - twin beds that can be pushed together to create a double - a bathroom with power shower - free wifi - a TV - power sockets - air conditioning From £19 a night Alton Towers: - Bare Pinewood "minimalistic theming" - fixed twin beds & small double taking up most floorspace - free wifi - power sockets - convection heater - Shared bathroom facilities a short walk away in "pod camp" - Breakfast bap (Currently free mini golf offer) From £88 a night off peak Purely on value for money, Premier Inn's luxury pods wipes the floor over Alton Towers pods.
October 24, 20186 yr comment_261037 On 10/23/2018 at 1:13 PM, Mark9 said: Can I jump on the slag off Alton Towers new pods bandwagon too? Hardly your standard Merlin bashing bandwagoning. These are turd of the highest order. It needs to fail miserably so not to be repeated anywhere in the empire.
October 24, 20186 yr comment_261039 On 10/23/2018 at 7:02 PM, Stuntman707 said: There's good reason people are against Alton Towers new pods. Looking at it purely in comparison to what Premier Inn are planning - Premier Inn: - Designed by PriestmanGoode - twin beds that can be pushed together to create a double - a bathroom with power shower - free wifi - a TV - power sockets - air conditioning From £19 a night Alton Towers: - Bare Pinewood "minimalistic theming" - fixed twin beds & small double taking up most floorspace - free wifi - power sockets - convection heater - Shared bathroom facilities a short walk away in "pod camp" - Breakfast bap (Currently free mini golf offer) From £88 a night off peak Purely on value for money, Premier Inn's luxury pods wipes the floor over Alton Towers pods. Towers pods are on site - Premier Inn's are opening in Cardiff City Center surrounded with competition, thats a fairly significant difference. Didnt people think the Thorpe Shark was a terrible idea and destined to fail?
October 24, 20186 yr Author comment_261040 Thorpe Shark isn’t the best, but looks way better now when compared to the the Pods. Premier Inn are showing us what is possible with their pod concept. All Merlin is doing is lowering standards but still over charging for what you get. Of course rival hotels are never going to be on site. Maybe they are reasonable depending on what you consider to be worth 4 times the price of a Premier Inn pod - On site location, poor competition, complacent owners etc.
October 24, 20186 yr comment_261041 You’ll always get better value for money at an off-site hotel, that’s pretty much the case for any sort of entertainment value - whilst I agree they are not the best rooms in the world - it’s a good alternative to the more expensive rooms available which I’m sure many will take advantage of.
October 24, 20186 yr comment_261042 1 hour ago, Marc said: Didnt people think the Thorpe Shark was a terrible idea and destined to fail? Compared to an actual brick built hotel which has had planning permission for years it remains pretty terrible really. It serves a purpose, it's cheap, it'll do, but it's hardly what they should be striving for. Comparisons with city center hotels aren't particularly relevant, but really, accomodation which is purely for leisure should be vastly superior (you should want to stay there) to budget functional rooms business types have to stay in for no pleasure whatsoever. While Thorpe Shark is a fairly poor, these pods are downright atrocious.
October 24, 20186 yr comment_261044 I think the problem Alton probably have is if the pods were of a too high spec they would potentially compete with the more expensive huts in EV - which they will want to avoid. I think people will want to stay in the pods, they aren’t not luxury sure but they will certainly do a young couple / family for a night, the same ones who would have usually spent their £70 on a hotel down the road not wanting to pay the higher hotel prices at the park.
October 24, 20186 yr comment_261045 If something's crap, it deserves all the criticism it gets surely?
October 25, 20186 yr comment_261046 7 hours ago, pluk said: Hardly your standard Merlin bashing bandwagoning. These are turd of the highest order. It needs to fail miserably so not to be repeated anywhere in the empire. Disagreed. They actually harm no one (apart from the people stupid enough to stay in them) and if there is a market for them, then that's what's being tapped into. They're literally on the same level as something like the Tipi village at Europa Park.
April 11, 20196 yr comment_264068 I just saw the stargazing pods for the first time and I couldn't help but laugh. How are they stargazing pods when the ceiling is completely solid with no glass? You're paying to stay in a utility shed with no toilet. Why do they keep wasting money on this pointless accommodation instead on spending it on the park?
April 11, 20196 yr comment_264069 I haven’t actually seen one in real life; are the doors clear? Do they overlook a piece of countryside on a hill where the sky is large at night? Or were the marketing execs at Alton even mode high than when they decided adding a dungeon to the park was a good idea?
April 12, 20196 yr comment_264071 2 hours ago, Nosferatu said: I just saw the stargazing pods for the first time and I couldn't help but laugh. How are they stargazing pods when the ceiling is completely solid with no glass? You're paying to stay in a utility shed with no toilet. Why do they keep wasting money on this pointless accommodation instead on spending it on the park? Because Varney is desperate to get to the 1000 rooms, that’s all the sheds are for a tick box for shareholders.
April 12, 20196 yr Author comment_264089 As much as I don't like the sheds, the advert is actually pretty good. Way better than what Thorpe have managed this year.
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