The LEGO Group successfully sucked me into the modular building fandom a long time ago and I’m always in line to get the latest version every year. This one is the 15th anniversary of modular buildings called #10297-1: Boutique Hotel. It was released in the US on 2 January 2022. It retails for $199.99 and contains 3,066 pieces. This works out to $0.065 per piece which isn’t too bad. To be fair, a lot of the pieces are smaller so maybe it’s not a huge win, but I can’t complain.
The box has the 18+ branding on the front and is black. The full set is shown with all of the minifigures. There’s a logo for the Boutique Hotel and then the mention of the 15th anniversary. The back shows a few details, the dimensions of the set, and how the set assembles together. It also shows it next to #10278-1: Police Station and #10270-1: Book Shop.
The set contains 20 parts bags… or at least that’s what I can count in the picture I took. They are all numbered. It also contains a 32x32 baseplate colored gray. The instruction book is wrapped.
The instructions have a few pages on the design and the designer as well as a picture of the designers who have contributed to the theme over the years. Also throughout the book are little tidbits about various pieces used, references to other modular buildings, and other fun facts.
The first bag starts with adding the basic layout to the base plate. This is usually lots of tiles and there are no exceptions here. The first bag comes with a female hotel worker.
The second bag builds up the first floor with tiling on the inside in a fun pattern. It also starts the stairs and then adds a dumpster outside with a white croissant in reference to #10243-1: Parisian Cafe. This bag contains a male minifigure who works at the hotel and you build a small luggage cart.
Bag three builds up more of the first floor with steps in the hotel and the check-in desk. The check-in desk has a fun telephone, some flowers, and then actual keys for the rooms. The back of the wall for the check in desk has some art work for the art gallery behind the hotel.
Bag four adds a couch in the lobby of the hotel and then builds up the art gallery. You put in a desk and then a few pieces of art to include a brick version of the Creator Expert logo. You also construct the stairs to the cafe above the art gallery. Bag 4 comes with a female minifigure who works at the art gallery.
I really appreciate the use of angles and how this set isn’t just the standard building with 90 degree angles.
Bags five and six wrap up the first floor. The biggest section of the build is the front façade of the hotel with doors, windows, some texture to the outside, some plants, and the curved arches. Inside, you finish up the stairwell to include a handrail. On the outside, you add a lamp post.
Bags seven and eight start on the second floor which is all hotel rooms. Bag seven builds the base with plates and then starts on walls. I like the peach color which you don’t see too often. Bag eight adds in windows, furniture, and stairs to the next floor. One of the rooms comes with a typewriter which is very similar to #21327-1: Typewriter.
The ninth bag wraps up the second floor. It also comes with a male minifigure with a suit case. The arches over the windows look good along with some of the columns. The one room has a balcony with some decorative fencing made of brick handcuffs.
Bag ten adds a small cafe above the art gallery called “El Cubo.” It has a few tables and then a bar with some glasses and bottles. This section also has a larger palm tree made up of some fun pieces and then an entrance similar to the Market Street modular building.
Bag eleven starts the third floor with the floor plates, some wall sections, and the start of a bathroom.
Bags 12 and 13 finish up the third floor. There’s a large bed, a chair, an old fashioned TV, and a wardrobe in the main bedroom. The bathroom has a sink, toilet, and tub. The windows all have some greenery and a few have flowers.
Bag 14 is the final bag and builds the roof along with the rounded point at the top. The large skylight is done with simple wind screens, but it looks good.
It also includes a small coffee cart and a coffee seller minifigure.
There was an error in my set with this bag. For the roof, I was supposed to get a light gray 1x2x2 plate corner. Instead, I was given a 1x2 light gray plate with slide. I replaced the part with a part from my collection, but it has been a while since I’ve seen an error in a set. Has anyone else had this issue?
Here are the minifigures. I’m glad that LEGO decided to get away from the traditional two dots and a smile to the faces with expressions. I think it’s a good mix here. A few have dual expressions.
Here is the final set from all the sides. I’m a big fan of this one. I like the building at different angles instead of the 90 degree angles. The colors are fun as well and there are a lot of great pieces. Well done design team!
The price continues to creep up on these sets with them being $200 now, but thankfully, the part count goes up. A lot of the parts are smaller though. I recommend waiting for opportunities to get double VIP points or a fun gift with purchase before diving in. You should be able to get this one for a few more years (hopefully) so there shouldn’t be a rush to get this one.
Happy building!
