Puddle Ducks at Hilton Hotel Nottingham
Puddle Ducks teaches its under fours programme in a warm 1.3 metre pool at the Hilton in Nottingham city centre, Monday and Friday mornings only.
Who it suits
Parents in central Nottingham with a child under four who want a warm hotel pool near the tram and are happy to get in the water themselves.
Why it stands out
- Pool sits at 30 to 31 degrees and 1.3 metres deep, so an adult can stand throughout with a baby or toddler
- Only Monday and Friday mornings run here, four class bands back to back from Little Dippers at 10:15am to Floaties at 11:45am
- Maximum 8 child and adult pairs per teacher, two more than the 6 pairs allowed at Puddle Ducks' own Mercure Sherwood pool a few miles north
- No hotel car park, though Puddle Ducks families get 20 percent off at the Trinity Square multi storey two minutes away
- Only 1 spectator fits poolside per child, and only the 0 to 4 age range is taught here
Our verdict
Seventeen pounds a lesson buys a warm, shallow pool in a genuinely convenient city centre spot with early morning slots that fit before work. Parents rate the wider Puddle Ducks Nottinghamshire and North Leicestershire team 4.4 out of 5 from 34 reviews on Trustist, though that covers every pool the team runs, not the Hilton specifically. Do not book here once your child is about to turn four, since there is no next stage at this venue, and skip it if Monday and Friday mornings do not fit your week, because that is the only time this pool runs.
What it is
Puddle Ducks teaches its under fours programme in the small teaching pool inside the Hilton hotel on Milton Street, a five minute walk from Nottingham station and right in the middle of the city centre. Four class bands run back to back on Monday and Friday mornings, Little Dippers first at 10:15, then Kickers, Splashers and Floaties last at 11:45. A parent or carer gets in the pool for every lesson, so plan on bringing your own swimsuit too.
Who should book
This is built for people who already live or work in central Nottingham and would rather walk to a hotel pool than drive out to a leisure centre. The water runs at 30 to 31 degrees and is 1.3 metres deep, which is genuinely warm and comfortably shallow for an adult to stand in with a baby. Because it only runs two mornings a week, it suits a parent whose week is flexible enough to make a specific 45 minute slot, not someone who needs an evening or weekend option.
What stands out
Puddle Ducks caps each class at eight child and adult pairs per teacher here, two more than the six pairs allowed at their own Mercure Sherwood pool across town, so it is worth asking which ratio matters to you before choosing a venue. There is no hotel car park, though Puddle Ducks families get 20 percent off at the Trinity Square multi storey two minutes away. Poolside only fits one spectator per child, so a second grandparent who wants to watch will be waiting in reception. Only the 0 to 4 age range is taught at this pool, and nothing here continues once a child turns four.
The verdict
Seventeen pounds a lesson buys a warm, shallow pool in a genuinely convenient city centre spot, and the class times are early enough to fit before work. Parents rate the wider Puddle Ducks Nottinghamshire and North Leicestershire team 4.4 out of 5 from 34 reviews on Trustist, though that covers every pool the team runs, not the Hilton specifically. Do not book here if your child is about to turn four, since there is no next stage at this venue, and skip it if Monday and Friday mornings do not fit your week, because that is the only time this pool runs.
More Puddle Ducks venues
All Puddle Ducks venuesPuddle Ducks runs its full 0 to 10 pathway at Everlast Fitness in Hartcliffe, from parent and baby classes through eight levels of Swim Academy, in a warm 1.2 metre pool.
Puddle Ducks runs its 0 to 4 baby and pre-school classes on Saturday mornings only at the Everlast gym pool on Coldhams Lane.
Puddle Ducks has sole use of the Novotel Cambridge North pool on weekday mornings for its 0 to 4 baby and pre-school classes.