A riverside London hotel has unveiled a new dinosaur family suite created in partnership with the Natural History Museum, giving young dino fans the chance to fall asleep beneath the watchful gaze of a giant T-Rex.
The Natural History Museum Dinosaur Family Suite at Park Plaza Riverbank opens on October 8, with rates starting from £650 a night. The hotel describes the stay as an immersive adventure aimed squarely at young dinosaur enthusiasts and their families.
Junior palaeontologists wanted
Children are welcomed as “junior palaeontologists” from the moment they arrive. Each young guest is handed an explorer hat, a lanyard and a dinosaur-themed goodie bag before setting off on a hotel-wide treasure hunt to track down prehistoric creatures hidden around the building.
The adventure is built around a story: families must follow the clues to uncover the lost study of Sir Richard Owen, the Victorian biologist who founded the Natural History Museum and who coined the very word “dinosaur” back in 1842. His museum in South Kensington remains one of the capital’s biggest family draws, and the Tube station that serves it is in line for a step-free upgrade.
Once the final clue is cracked, the prize is revealed: a themed suite overlooking the Thames, with sweeping views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
Behind the hidden bookshelf
The suite’s biggest surprise sits behind a concealed bookshelf door. Push it open and a secret second bedroom appears — what one early reviewer described as a “dinosaur lair-meets-children’s wonderland”.
This is where the real magic lies. The children’s room has dinosaur-covered walls, carpets printed with prehistoric claw prints and a giant T-Rex skeleton towering above the bunk beds. Dinosaur books, games and themed audio stories are all provided — no detail, it seems, has been left unconsidered.
Key facts
- Where: Park Plaza Riverbank, Albert Embankment, London
- Opens: 8 October
- Prices: from £650 per night
- Theme: Natural History Museum Dinosaur Family Suite
- Best for: families with dinosaur-mad children
- Don’t miss: the hidden bookshelf door, the T-Rex above the bunks and the chocolate fossil dig
Chocolate fossils and dino bathrobes
The prehistoric theme follows guests into the bathroom, where egg-shaped bath bombs fizz open to reveal miniature dinosaur toys. Children can also excavate their own chocolate fossils and pad around the suite in dinosaur-themed bathrobes.
The package includes access to the hotel’s swimming pool and a dinosaur trail that runs throughout the property. Young explorers who complete the hunt are presented with certificates officially naming them “Junior Palaeontologists”.
When hunger strikes, families can dine at the hotel’s Chico Latino restaurant. Suite guests also receive access to the River View Lounge, which looks out across London landmarks including the London Eye and Tate Britain.
Reviewers who have tried the experience say the hotel has leaned fully into the theme. One described pushing open the concealed bookshelf door to find the children’s wonderland beyond, noting that every corner of the suite has been designed to feel like a working palaeontologist’s adventure — from the fossil-hunting activities to the trail of prehistoric creatures hidden around the building.
A roaring trade in family staycations
Hotel tie-ins with major museums are becoming a fixture of London’s family staycation scene, and the Natural History Museum is an obvious partner. The South Kensington institution is one of the capital’s most-visited free attractions, drawing millions of visitors a year — a great many of them dinosaur-obsessed children. Pairing a night in a themed suite with a day among the galleries makes for an easy half-term or weekend break.
And while the suite itself is undeniably a splurge, the museum’s free entry helps balance the books for families watching the pennies — as does our roundup of brilliant London days out for under a tenner.
The hotel’s location adds to the appeal: Jubilee Gardens, Victoria Tower Gardens and St James’s Park are all within walking distance, putting some of central London’s best green space right on the doorstep.
The Natural History Museum Dinosaur Family Suite is available from October 8, with prices starting from £650 per night. Bookings can be made through the Park Plaza Riverbank website.
