The Shark Hotel at Thorpe Park Review
The Shark Hotel at Thorpe Park is situated inside the resort itself and sits on the banks of an unexpectedly serene lake and is the perfect crash pad for thrill seekers who want two days of fun at the theme park.
A large model shark greets guests at reception and rooms are accessed via its mouth. Checking in took more time than it needed to in my opinion however we were given all the information that we needed about access to the park and wristbands that would give us fast track access to the rides between 9am and 11am the next morning.
The hotel itself is made from two floors of blue shipping containers that have been neatly stacked together and decorated in a nautical theme with decked walkways all the way around.
The rooms themselves are small but perfectly formed and are perfect for thrill seekers to crash and get some rest before the park re-opens the following morning. Each room is the same; designed to sleep four, with a double bed, bunk bed and a shower wet room.
The rooms are small but there is a space to store your suitcase and room under the bunk beds where you can put additional bags plus they provide you with tea, coffee and water.
The rooms are clean and comfortable and all are equipped with air conditioning and a plasma screen television which has digital TV. You can also purchase movies for an additional charge but the movie Jaws is free. There are no windows in the room with the exception of a porthole in the front door which you can cover with a picture which either says “dreaming” for do not disturb and “screaming” if you are out enjoying the park.
The wet room contains a toilet, sink and shower and is probably the best shower I have ever seen in a hotel with a large, powerful shower head set on the ceiling.
I have to say the beds were very comfortable with large fluffy pillows and good quality bedding. Each bed had its own light which is great for the kids who don’t like sleeping without a light on, but its dim enough not to disturb those sharing with you.
There are a couple of outdoor seating areas for smokers but no room service. Breakfast and evening meals are served at Fins Bar and Grill which is a short two minute walk from the Hotel into the resort.
The restaurant has a good range of meals to suit every taste and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food – not your usual theme park menu.
Breakfast is included in the price of the room and is buffet style with a choice of danish pastries, cereal, fruit and yoghurt or a full english breakfast.
We were really impressed with our stay at the Shark Hotel and getting into the park when it opened and having the fast track wristbands made all the difference as we completed all the big rollercoasters, Swarm, Saw, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno by 11am! (Sadly Stealth was closed).
A stay in the Shark Hotel includes entry into the theme park for 2 days, breakfast, free parking and unlimited fast track on all the rides, excluding Derren Brown’s Ghost Train, until 11am. They were giving out allocated times for the Ghost Train though which beat the queues and meant we could ride later in the day.
The cost of the rooms vary depending on Thorpe Park events and the time of year of your stay but prices start £52.50 per person (discount applies for Merlin Annual Pass holders). I would say these rooms are perfect for small families or a group of friends after a thrillseeking break!
Deborah Nicholas
That hotel looks amazing – all kids love a good theme dont they! The food looks good too – more often than not at these kind of places its all fast food but that looks freshly made – will have to take a look at the travel times as we are looking at new places to visit!
Laura
Wow, how quirky! My eldest would love staying here. I must say that that price seems extremely reasonable considering what’s included! I’m impressed!
Anosa
It’s been a while since I last went to Thorpe Park, the shark hotel does look amazing and love that the food is buffet style which is unusual for theme parks
Jen Walshaw
We love the shark hotel for what it is a fab place to lay your head. The beds are comfortable, but very compact and Maxi did bang his head a couple of times on the roof with the bunk beds. I have to say for me the quality of the food and service at the restaurant let it down on this visit. It was much better quality the first time we visited.
Louise
Great review post – this hotel looks like a brilliant place and a great treat after a day at the park. We are going to Thorpe Park in a few months so will check out this hotel for sure. x
Michelle Twin Mum
Gosh this is something really different. I’d never think I’d stay in a shipping container but it looks perfect for young thrill seekers. Great review, thanks. Mich x
Nikki Thomas
I was really impressed by the ‘pods’ as you said, clean, comfortable and had everything you needed. My daughter loved the lighting and the fact that you could play games on the TV. The only thing that would be nice would be a shop or even a vending machine if you wanted an drink or a snack once the park closed.
anna nuttall
How fun! This remind me of the hotel from Alton Tower and Disney world – very themed. xx
Becky wilkinson
I saw these on a vlog I was watching last week, they look far to small for my lot but great if you just need a bed for the night 🙂 x
JuggleMum, Nadine Hill
Great review! We went to Thorpe Park earlier in the year and I was keen to see what the hotel looked like inside! It’s very creative to make the rooms from shipping containers – all in all it looks like you had a comfortable stay!
Rachel
What fabulous fun, the next time I go to a theme park, I definitely want to do a stay over so I am not too tired out from the travelling x
Emma
How cool! That looks great, but I think not having a window would bother me a little!
Louise
This seems incredibly reasonable especially considering what is included. We are planning a theme park tour next summer and the shark hotel is definitely going on our list. The boys will love it!
Cass@frugalfamily
I’ve stayed here and I must admit that it was really small but my children are older than yours and were having one of those days where they hated each other so it probably made it feel smaller than it was if you know what i mean. It really is convenient though and the food was amazing x
Ickle Pickle
We have never been to Thorpe Park, this hotel looks amazing. The food looks pretty awesome too. Great review! Kaz x
Newcastle Family Life
My teen has been asking to visit Thorpe park, as it is so far away we would have to stay over and I this looks perfect. My teen would love the novelty of staying in one of these rooms xx