A New Kind of Overnight Experience
Video game theming is coming to the hotel sector in a significant way. Merlin Entertainments and Mojang Studios announced plans for a Minecraft-themed hotel at Chessington World of Adventures, a resort located about 35 minutes by train from central London. The 69-room property will open alongside Minecraft World, a theme park dedicated to the best-selling video game, both scheduled for 2027.
The hotel will span four floors with 20 premium and 49 standard rooms, all designed around Minecraft's visual language: blocky landscapes, recognisable characters known as mobs, and the game's signature biomes. According to Merlin Entertainments, the design extends beyond guest rooms to public spaces, including lifts styled after Nether Portals and corridors that evoke mine tunnels.
Inside the Design
Minecraft's aesthetic translates into a physical space through deliberate material and colour choices. The check-in area will feature blocky representations of trees and animals from the game's Overworld setting. An on-site restaurant and bar, inspired by the game's woodland mansion structures, aim to immerse guests in environments they would encounter on screen.
"Every room, corridor and detail has been crafted with immense love for this game, the stories made within it and its community," said Daisy Mercedes, Creative Producer at Merlin Entertainments, in the announcement.
The creative challenge lay in translating a digital world built from cubes into a functional hospitality space. Filip Keatley Thoms, Creative Lead for Minecraft Parks and Experiences at Mojang Studios, noted that decisions ranged from block scale to how creatures and landscapes would appear in three dimensions.
The Broader Minecraft World Project
The hotel forms part of a larger investment. Merlin Entertainments and Mojang Studios committed £85 million to the Minecraft World development at Chessington. The theme park itself will include an Escape the Nether rollercoaster, block-building zones for younger visitors, themed dining, and retail spaces selling Minecraft merchandise.
Chessington World of Adventures sits in south-west London, accessible via a direct train from Waterloo station. The site already operates as a theme park and resort, making it a logical anchor for an expansion targeting families and gaming enthusiasts.
Who This Is For
Minecraft remains one of the most widely played video games globally, with a player base that spans age groups. The hotel and park aim to serve fans who want to step into the game's world physically, whether for a day visit or a longer stay. A waitlist is open for those interested in booking once reservations become available.
The project reflects a broader trend of entertainment franchises expanding into physical experiences. Theme parks tied to films and games have multiplied in recent years, and hotels have followed, offering immersive stays that extend the engagement beyond a few hours on-site.
Practical Considerations
No exact opening date has been confirmed beyond 2027. Merlin Entertainments has not yet released room rates, though the park itself encourages advance online booking for discounts that can reach 50 per cent off gate prices.
For visitors planning a trip, the location outside central London means the property will likely appeal to those combining a Minecraft experience with a broader UK itinerary, or to local families seeking a weekend break. The 35-minute train journey positions Chessington as accessible but not urban, a trade-off that works for a resort-style stay.
What It Means for Themed Hospitality
The Minecraft hotel represents a gamble on the durability of a gaming franchise in physical form. Unlike film or television intellectual property, video games often see players engaging over years or decades, which could translate into repeat visits. But the success of a hotel tied to a single game depends on whether the design feels fresh enough to draw guests back, or whether it risks feeling static compared to the constantly updated digital version.
For now, the project positions Chessington as a destination for gaming-themed tourism, a category that remains relatively underdeveloped in Europe compared to, say, Japan's embrace of character-driven hospitality. Whether other game franchises follow with their own hotels will likely depend on how this one performs when it opens.
