Review : LEGO Modular 10297 Boutique Hotel

It has been the tradition for fifteen years now, at the beginning of each year its new Structure Lego. For those who are new to this name, the term refers to the modular buildings marketed by LEGO which when put together form a large street filled with more or less assorted constructions. The principle is always the same: An architectural approach that varies according to the inspiration of the designer, removable floors and a roof that allow access to the interior fittings, furniture adapted to the developed theme, a handful of minifigs to fill the places and above all a construction process that calls for many original techniques very popular with fans of this universe. The 2022 vintage is announced, so it is the benchmark 10297Boutique Hotel, a street corner of 3066 rooms which will be available from January 1, 2022 at the public price of € 199.99.

As the title of the product suggests, this involves assembling a hotel flanked by a boutique selling works of art. Exit the somewhat austere facades of the police station of the set 10278 Police Station (2021) or the industrial look building of the set 10264 Corner Garage (2019), the hotel in question here mixes a very XNUMXth century architecture with some accents Rococo which will undoubtedly go very well with the library of the set 10270 Bookshop (2020). It is colorful, the facades are detailed and the construction will certainly stand out among other buildings a little less "eccentric".

Regulars of this range of Modulars will have made the link between this new proposal and the construction of the much appreciated and sought-after set 10182 Coffee Corner marketed between 2007 and 2009: This new building also houses a hotel, it is also on a street corner and it incorporates some of the architectural details of its illustrious predecessor. The tribute is there, but the Modular 2022 benefits from a much higher level of finish, thanks in particular to new elements imagined and produced for 15 years, and a more colorful and less shy aesthetic. The instruction booklet details as promised the few references to other sets in the range over the pages, these are mostly nods that should please those who are loyal to the concept.

The recipe that made the success of Modulars does not change, the construction process intelligently alternates between walls, floors and various and varied furniture. You never get bored of laying only bricks or building only beds and wardrobes. For this time, we are building as usual from bottom to top, starting with the very spacious hotel lobby installed on a 32x32 base plate in Medium Stone Gray. The floor of the premises is covered with Tiles with a nice central motif that will train some fans in the art of tiling in the LEGO version, this will no longer be the case on the floors. We immediately notice the great effort on the staircase which takes customers to their rooms: it is wide, covered with Tiles and take advantage of a very successful guardrail.

A vase with a few flowers, a sofa and a reception with telephone and key board, everything is there even if the hall may seem a little empty to some. The small adjoining shop is installed from the first bags, it is filled with works of art that do not really leave space to move around. As much to specify it to remove the doubt, there are no stickers in this box, all the elements on which you see inscriptions or patterns are therefore pad printed.

The first floor houses two bedrooms of very different standards. The smaller one is content with basic furniture while the larger one enjoys a beautiful wardrobe and a desk with a micro version of the typewriter from the LEGO ideas set. 21319 Typewriter (2021). This room also has a panoramic view of the street thanks to the rounded facade which gives all its character to this hotel. No bathroom on this floor, you probably had to choose between the very cumbersome stairwell and a space dedicated to sanitary facilities. It is also one of the peculiarities of Modulars LEGO, their very detailed facades on one side and their more symbolic interior spaces on the other, despite the presence of many pieces of furniture sometimes piled up to the point of thirst. The floor of the rooms is not tiled, it will be necessary to be satisfied with visible tenons which will at least have the merit of being able to let the owner of the set choose how to position the minifigs provided.

The second floor is a penthouse : the whole floor is dedicated to a suite which this time integrates a bathroom in addition to the usual furniture and a television dating from the 50s. Still no tiled floor but a large bed, a beautiful bathtub and inevitable toilet bowl that designers never fail to add in these constructions. Two cupcakes from the Friends range are there to embody the bedside lamps, it is also for these types of details that fans love this range. The roof is flat, without frills, but it incorporates a glass roof made up of four movable elements and a dome which completes the character of this hotel. The roof rails are snakes already seen in the Ninjago range, they are not off topic here with a nice effect present on three of the four sides.

On the side of the building, the El Cubo boutique, specializing in ... Cubism, receives a ceiling which is also the floor of a festive terrace with a bar, a few tables and a rather successful large palm tree. There is little room left for customers to enjoy the view of the street, but it is the price to pay to be entitled to a whole series of furniture and accessories that make all the salt of this range.

The rear of the building is once again significantly less detailed than the other three faces, but this part of the building is not intended to be visible. All rooms have their windows and this wall will not penalize hotel guests. We can not blame the designer either for not having exploited a sufficient surface of the 32x32 base plate which receives the construction: the facade only leaves room for the sidewalk on two sides, the rear wall is flush with the plate. and there is only the back of the store which leaves a 15x5 space vacant on which a container hangs out.

The endowment in furniture and other accessories is as usual very varied and it involves many techniques often known to regulars but which will also be able to pleasantly surprise those who practice less the art of Structure. As usual, I have isolated these pieces of furniture for you so that everyone can get a better idea of ​​what is left after the walls, roof, doors, windows and stairs of the building are removed. The minifig endowment is very correct with seven minifigs including two hotel employees with very successful torsos.

The rest of the cast are more neutral, but it takes a few clients to fill the rooms with an old lady who can afford the second floor suite and an arguably tighter budget traveler who will be content with the small room. from the first floor. The businessman with his briefcase will occupy the other room on the same level. All these beautiful people will meet on the terrace to enjoy a cocktail served by the bellhop who also acts as barman. The Modulars can also tell a story, it's up to you depending on what you want to do with the construction when it's assembled and displayed.

As usual, the majority of interior fittings are no longer really visible or easily accessible once this Structure is installed on a shelf, but the pleasure comes above all from the assembly of the product which allows to discover some original techniques and to marvel as with a doll's house on the clever miniaturization of many everyday objects. Then, we will be content to integrate the hotel in the corner of a street made up of other references in the range and it is this set of constructions not always very well matched to each other that will have its effect.

Treat yourself to a Structure also implies not to spoil too much the various solutions imagined by the designers to obtain the result presented on the official visuals. Regulars in this universe know that some buildings are more or less successful but they all offer their dose of construction pleasure and it is the privilege of those who spend their money in these big boxes. to savor the assembly process.

This Modular 2022 does not demerit, it seems to me able to celebrate the 15 years of the range as it should with its polished aesthetic, its shimmering colors, its very correct finish and the discreet tribute to the set. 10182 Coffee Corner. Start a collection of Modulars is never easy, fans were quick to pick up the models still available for sale before turning to those withdrawn from the manufacturer's catalog and realizing that the aftermarket does not give a freebie.

If you like this one, don't hesitate to go for it without hesitation for too long, hoping for a hypothetical price drop. This range offers a real construction experience combined with a really interesting exhibition potential and you will then have plenty of time to expand your street with other references according to your tastes to create "your" personalized street. Take my word for it, I am the first to appreciate the assembly of these boxes, which I was able to do once again thanks to LEGO on the occasion of this "Quickly Tested", although I never really wanted to collect them.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at December 21, 2021 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.