Minecraft is no longer just a game you can play – soon, it’ll be somewhere you can actually stay.
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A new Minecraft World Hotel is set to open near London in 2027, giving fans the chance to sleep inside the world of the best-selling video game of all time.
The 69-room hotel will form part of Chessington World of Adventures’ new Minecraft-themed area, complete with a Nether-inspired roller coaster, immersive dining and plenty of pixelated details.
The announcement comes just as the trend for gaming-themed travel is at its peak.
Gaming-themed travel is becoming more than just a trip to a theme park or a visit to a gaming convention. Now more than ever, the hospitality industry is increasingly turning familiar game worlds into places travellers can actually stay, sleep and explore.
In Japan, MIMARU operates Pokémon-themed rooms across 10 hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, with interiors packed with Pokémon characters and details including themed bathrooms and kitchens.
This month, the concept went a step further, as a Poké Ball-shaped hotel has opened in Hokkaido as part of a Pokémon Sleep collaboration. The three-metre-wide pod sits beside a lake and is designed to recreate the experience of sleeping inside a real Poké Ball.
Closer to home, Spain's Magic World Resort in Oropesa del Mar has a dedicated Magic Games Hotel, with gaming-themed rooms, consoles, VR and AR areas, tournaments and a video game museum.
Now, the UK is getting involved. Located within Chessington World of Adventures’ new Minecraft World-themed area, the new hotel with 69 themed rooms – 20 upscale rooms and 49 standard options – will open its doors on an as-yet-unannounced date next year.
The hotel will also feature an immersive restaurant and potion bar, and interactive elements, and iconic creatures, colours and biomes – or regions – from the game will come to life, offering guests a chance to experience living inside the magical world.
Cube-like trees and animals will bring the Overworld to life in the reception area, while lifts inspired by Nether portals and corridors that look like mine shafts will draw guests in.
The rooms themselves will house the blocks, objects, creatures, textures, and colours characteristic of Minecraft in the real world.
Fans of Minecraft will also be able to head next door to the theme park to try out Escape the Nether, the world's first Minecraft roller coaster, which will boast both indoor and outdoor sections.
The ride will be located in Minecraft World, which will further bring the game to life, offering family attractions, dining areas and themed shops, as well as immersive Minecraft experiences.
“We’ve thought about every detail, from the scale of the blocks to how to bring the creatures and biomes to life in the real world,” said Filip Keatly Thoms, Creative Director of Minecraft Parks and Experiences at Mojang Studios, which is behind the project.
“Our goal is to create an authentic Minecraft experience and allow visitors to experience the game in a completely new way.”