2022 will be the 15th anniversary of the launch of the LEGO modular building series. The theme was launched as 10182 Café Corner in 2007, and 15 more sets have since been added, including 10255 Assembly Plaza in 2017 and 10278 Police Station in 2021. Issue 17 is a set of 3066 works, including a hotel and art gallery—and a large number of callbacks to almost every building in the block. The LEGO Modular Buildings Collection 10297 Boutique Hotel will be on sale at LEGO Shop Online from January 1, 2022. The price is $199.99 | Can be $269.99 | UK £179.99. Let's explore the new corner of this neighborhood together!
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of the set for review. Providing products to TBB for review can neither guarantee coverage nor guarantee positive reviews.
The boutique hotel is housed in a large label sealed box with a standard "adult collector" theme. There is a "15th Anniversary" commemorative badge in the upper left corner and the hotel's five-star rating. There is the usual greeble fill bar on the bottom edge with the prescribed "18+" age range, number of sets, and number of parts. The hotel itself is presented from a somewhat unusual perspective. Since the building is wedge-shaped, the product lens turns the scene to show how it looks from the corner, rather than the more or less "frontal" view seen in other modular scenes.
The rest of the latter is a fairly standard fare. Along the right edge is an exploded view of the five building parts, the size of the scene (25 cm/10 inches x 33 cm/13 inches high), and a small shot of how the modular buildings are connected together. There are six "action shots" on the bottom edge, showing some of the internal and external details of the scene.
The main product shot is a bit weird because it shows that the hotel is located in other modular collections-an interesting choice because it definitely means you will get more than what the box actually contains. Lego did cover up their problems in this regard by including a small "10278 and 10270 not included" disclaimer in the lower left corner. Can you tell? You must really squint your eyes.
There are 20 numbered parts bags in the box, spanning 14 construction steps. There is also a loose 32×32 base plate and a final bag with instructions. You will notice that I didn't mention stickers. That's because there is not one. Yes, Lego chose to print all the required elements in this group. This is a very unexpected benefit-I don't remember when the last time this size suit did not include at least a small part of the stickers.
The instruction manual is perfectly bound and is 296 pages long. The first few pages introduced the history of the modular series and introduced several designers who participated in its creation. The boutique hotel was designed by Anderson Ward Grubb, who has his own insert lens in the lower right corner.
The building instructions are printed on a light gray background for easy eye protection. In the assembly, the dark brown bricks are difficult to distinguish in some respects, but the overall situation is very clear. There are also many interesting annotations, revealing many Easter eggs in the series and links to previous series.
However, some additional text only urges you to support people in the service industry. I hope this is a kind of well-intentioned humor, not a subtle, ironic warning that the staff of the boutique hotel is in a state of tension and is about to fall into sharp plastic fragments.
No stickers means there are a bunch of special printing elements in this group. The first is this message board. The flyers are related to the coffee in Café Corner in 2007 (or Diner in 2018), the Apple in Green Grocer in 2008, and the detective office in 2015. The 2×2 round tiles have a stylized "H" letter combination, which can add luster to the front door of the hotel.
The hotel’s guest book has six signatures-they look like real signatures and must be the designer’s Easter eggs. The retro rotary phone dial has appeared before, but the printed mirror is another new design.
Manual typewriters and bridge photos have also appeared, but the "El Cubo Fine Art" checkbox is a new product of the suit. The 6×2 black wedges are new parts in 2021, appearing in the very expensive 10294 Titanic, the more expensive 75313 AT-AT and the more easily available 76239 Batmobile Tumbler: Scarecrow Showdown
This small white print will be used as a TV screen. Its copyright date seems to be 2005, but I am pretty sure this is a new design. Maybe it has been lurking in the modular design pool for many years and finally put it into production.
There is also a printed tile in this group, but we will cover it in detail later. The remaining elements are a lot of interesting parts of useful colors. Most notably, there are various light-colored nougat elements, many of which appear in this color for the first time.
The boutique hotel is built on a standard 32×32 floor. The sidewalk layout is the same as seen in the other modules, with several 2×2 tiles with a center bolt to help pose the minifigure. The location of the 1×2 technical bricks along the edge allows this corner module to be easily connected to other modular buildings.
An early detail is this blue trash can. It has a white croissant-reminiscent of the Paris restaurant in 2014. The white croissant does appear in that scene, but as part of the exterior design of the building!
When the first floor comes together, you can see that the construction angle of the main external wall is very unusual. This is achieved by using 2×2 hinged bricks and 1×1 slabs to anchor the foundation beams.
There are intricate mosaics on the tiled floors of the hotel. I have always admired the way that Lego element designers ensure that various parts can be combined in unusual ways.
There is a landline, sign-in book and four golden room keys at the front desk of the hotel. The black vase on the left has a stylish design, echoing the color scheme of inlaid floor tiles. Please note that the key holder has a half-stud offset. The same offset exists on the other side of the wall...
The frame here is a tribute to a great cubist. What image do you see here? Picasso style parrot? Naked Lego going down the stairs? Well, grab your hat, because the products of art galleries have become crazier from here.
In the niche of the gallery, there is a black statue wearing a top hat. The description tells us that it was designed by the same artist who sculpted a white bust in the set hall of the city hall in 2012.
There are also three characteristic artworks in the gallery. In the center is the shocking Piet Mondrian tribute. On the right is a clear cube, described in the description as "[Not] Cubism-it's just a professionally made cube."
If you look at the old Creator Expert logos, you might guess what they mean...
However, what you might not expect is that the printed tiles are actually super fuzzy Galidor deep cuts. The stylized artwork is obviously based on this McDonald’s Happy Meal with toys! I knew that my love for Galidor would come in handy one day, but I never thought it would be linked to modular building reviews.
In any case, at this point, most of the walls on the first floor have been built, as are the stairwells leading to the rooms on the second and third floors.
I have always been a fan of mosaics, and I am very happy to see that there are also some artworks in the hotel lobby. Explain linking it to a Parisian restaurant.
Viewed from the circle, the corner focal point of the hotel entrance matches the required wall and the direction of other modular buildings.
The last step on the first floor is to add a layer of tiles on the top edge. The standard of modular design, with several exposed studs will help to lock the higher level in place. The back alley is very empty, but this is also a very common design choice for this theme.
The content of the art gallery is mainly visible through large windows on both sides of the entrance. A fountain is built into the external stairwell and is equipped with an interesting tile backsplash. Most bulletin boards can be accessed from the stairwell, but the minifigure must really stretch to reach anything in the upper right corner.
The front door of the hotel uses some black plant elements to suggest wrought iron details. It works well. The quarter-round bricks above the doors and windows are dark gold, adding a touch of elegance to the scene.
The walls on the second floor are made of various lightweight nougat bricks. Seeing it in person is a bit harsh, because it is the same shadow used by most Caucasian movies with minifigures. This reminds me of the old way: Do Lego people live in their own meat house?
There are two hotel rooms on the second floor, each with its own decoration. One room has a writing desk with a typewriter with sand-green accents-this may be a call to the LEGO Ideas 21327 typewriter.
As the wall rises, there are some clever constructions in the curved windows above the entrance of the hotel. There are also several built-in wall cabinets for storing visitors’ clothes.
The completed second floor has a balcony area for the smaller of the two rooms, and some beautiful white pillars break the large pink wall.
Looking down from the top, you can see the stairwell and the platform. Each room has its own door. It's a bit cramped, but every room has a retro hotel feel.
Stack the second floor on the first floor, and you can see that the color selection can work well together. You will also notice that the art gallery still has an open roof-we will cover it next.
The stairs on the ground floor lead to a tavern. There is a bar, two independent tables and a decorative palm tree. The gallery is identified as "El Cubo – Fine Art", and the logo is hung at the entrance, using the same blue color scheme as the gallery.
The last job on the second floor is to add more metal products to the stairs. The instructions say this is another Easter egg-a reference to the wrought iron gate on Market Street in 2007.
The gate uses mini handcuffs and hoses to create a beautiful arch. The black crowbar constitutes the handrail required by OSHA.
The third floor is the penthouse suite. The color here changes again, and sand green is the main hue with a white tone.
There are many smaller pieces of furniture in the suite. There is a retro black-and-white TV showing piano recitals, and a deep bathtub with golden taps.
The bedroom furniture includes a black leather armchair and a side table with cupcake wrapper lampshades. The king-size bed has a large bar of chocolate instead of a few mints. I think the air conditioner works really well, because the unwrapped chocolate bar sitting on the quilt seems to be the secret to the melt disaster.
In addition to the bathtub, the bathroom also has a brick toilet and a golden paper holder. The master bedroom has a large built-in wardrobe with opening doors.
As the wall rises, you can see that there is more space for walking on this floor. I think if you pay the price of a loft suite overnight, you will expect it. Maybe the bottle of wine on the table opposite the bed is free. (But I doubt it.)
Exterior details include window sill plants and step-out balconies. The curved slope along the top of the wall also provides a nice shape for the top of the building.
Viewed from the top, you can enjoy the spacious play area. The stairs on the second floor end at the landing and the door leading to the room. All in all, it looks like a very good place to stay.
Add the third floor to the stack and you will get three very different color layers, but the repeated window alignment and focus really help unify the building.
The roof has a domed skylight. (That penthouse suite is getting more and more fashionable, isn't it?) The wrought iron railing on the edge is made of a ninja-themed snake. The air conditioning unit is actually a cleverly camouflaged 2×2 hinged panel that helps to hold the unusual geometry of the roof together.
The last point of the building is to complete the small tower on the front facade. It has some interesting SNOT structures, using clips to support sub-components.
In place, the roof looks good. There is no way to access it, but this is a very small problem. After all, another stairwell up from the third floor will severely cut into the suite.
The finished boutique hotel is an excellent corner building of the modular series. It is designed to be viewed from two main angles, both of which look great.
The sidewalk on the side of the hotel is not too cluttered, but there are still many details that can attract your attention. The small flags on the second floor add a festive atmosphere, as do the hedges on the first floor and the flowers on the windowsill on the third floor.
The weakest angle is the back wall. This is usually disguised by connecting it to other modules, but it does damage the attractiveness of independence. Especially the color looks bad, and the inside needs to "penetrate" to the outside.
The opposite is much better, and the minimalist alleys are offset by better terrace views and windows on the second and third floors. Of course, those windows overlook the trash can, but you can't take them all down.
Viewed from the "edge", the hotel’s wedge shape really stands out, providing something new to the evolving modular town.
In addition to the internal details discussed above, there are two small structures that can help the minifigures do some things. The waiter took a luggage cart, and the barista took a coffee cart. The color on the shopping cart is a direct callback to the awning in the corner of the first modular cafe...makes things loop perfectly.
After the building is completed, the minifigure can explore. Especially the owner of the art gallery warmly welcomes visitors.
Maybe accountants can solve the mystery of white croissants. Or he can give up and have a drink.
The globetrotter checked in with her huge green suitcase. The waiter is smiling-I'm still not sure if this is a good sign. There are only ceramic cups in the coffee cart-is this a way to reduce waste, or a way to charge passersby in this high-rent area?
In any case, at the end of the day, the boutique hotel is ready to welcome tourists. Three of them, to be precise. Bring a spare key just in case.
My personal collection of modules is somewhat limited, but I have enough time to try to put the hotel in context. I think it fits perfectly, although I think there are clear design choices to ensure that it complements the bookstore and police station suits that are still available. In particular, the terrace area is set back far enough to display the soap and soap billboards on the side of the police station. (Scroll up and look at the back of the box to see what I mean.)
Looking at the hotel from a corner angle, you can see that it blends well with almost any building. Even if you only seem to get the corner module (like me), you can still make a 4×4 "box set" and feel that it can be an effective part of any urban layout.
You can also make your own main street display linearly. This will be a painful dust.
The suit comes with seven minifigures. The hotel staff wear unique uniforms, but the rest of the costumes and faces have already appeared. However, these special combinations of parts seem to be new and can make seven "exclusive" minifigures.
The staff of the hotel is certainly outstanding. The new double-sided torso printing instantly became a retro classic.
The gallery owner may be the rarest face in this group. He is a newcomer in 2021 and has only appeared 3 times before. The head of the coffee truck operator is close behind, only four times before.
The green tourist may be the same as the character that appears in the bookstore module, but her hair is pulled up. The World Traveler carries a green wheeled suitcase and a sun umbrella, and the accountant carries a briefcase and a calculator printed on a 1×1 tile.
The boutique hotel is a good entrance to the modular collection and a 15-year tribute to the whole theme. The building is fascinating and full of creative skills. Some links to previous modules are quite fragile, but I appreciate the effort in trying. 3066 pieces are 200 US dollars, and each price is 6.5 cents. Although all seven minifigures are technically "exclusive", the two hotel staff make this combination feel special. The art historian in my heart really likes El Cubo Gallery, especially Galidor's Deep Gallery. (Oh, for me, this alone is worth the price.) This building works well as a stand-alone display, but it also blends perfectly with all other modular collection buildings. The only thing I want to give this set is the offensive pale nougat paint on the second floor, but maybe this will be a color choice that others will appreciate more. In any case, the set can be used as a parts kit, an interesting structure and a sturdy display piece. If any of these things appeal to you, please consider choosing it!
The LEGO Modular Buildings Collection 10297 Boutique Hotel will be on sale at LEGO Shop Online from January 1, 2022 at a price of US$199.99 | Can be $269.99 | UK £179.99. It is also available through third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.
The LEGO Group sent an early copy of the set to The Brothers Brick for review. Providing products to TBB for review can neither guarantee coverage nor guarantee positive reviews.
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How does it look next to a restaurant in Paris. IMO this is the most logical position!
I wish I knew! I don't own that modularity. :-\
Hey, I mainly have more "Euro" outfits, including Parisian restaurants. I think this outfit goes well with Parisians, "bookstore" townhouses and assembly squares. Still think that Parisians are the best people ever.
Thank you for your extensive comments, highlighting all the fine furniture and other details, which are as inspiring as ever. I'm sure I will do some characterization here and there to complete some empty floors in my own MOC module. The color of nougat is very reminiscent of the peach/salmon/pink plaster that you see in France, Portugal, Italy and other places. For architecture, it feels very "natural" (pun intended). I am glad that there is only a moulded croissant in the trash, instead of bottles and glasses, which will be emptied by a loud beeping recycling truck at 5 AM...
Nice summary. As someone who owns the top ten modular collections (I stopped there), there seems to be an element that connects this collection to the top 14. Can we find all the connections? I will start. The archway at the top of the stairs is very similar to the courtyard archway in the market street scene. Okay, there are 13 left. go!
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