Which Butlins Resort?

Doozergirl

:hello:

My 5 year old is desperate to go to Butlins, so we've agreed to take him. My clubcard vouchers are worth nearly £600 in Deals, so there's more than enough to pay for a 4 day break.

My question is as per the title really. We're in the Midlands so location isn't really an issue and I have to confess that I am a bit of a snob and am really expecting quite a modern, clean environment. I want to get best value for money too, so am also wondering which grade of accomodation will provide this and whether to go D,B&B or self catering.

Any recs?

Woby_Tide

Doozergirl wrote:

:hello:

I have to confess that I am a bit of a snob and am really expecting quite a modern, clean environment.

ummmmm........if by modern and clean you mean tatty prisoner of war style and the smell of smoke wherever you go then Bognor should be OK

(rumour has it that to be more in touch with guests this year the kids shows aren't Bob The Builder but the Marlboro Man)

bestyman

Hi,
If your really snobby Centre Parcs may be better for you .
Ive been to Butlins at Skegness many times and found it ok.
Breakfast and evening meal is quite good considering its butlins and not a restauraunt. Big Cafe with many different huts with different styles of food, eat all you can and IMO a tad better than say Tescos cafe. All depends how much you like cooking/ decent food/ saving money I suppose. We ( family of 4 ) are going end of March Fri night- Mon morning and cost for meal plan was £120. Obviously much cheaper to go self catering but do you wanna spend ya hols cooking?

We have stayed standard and silver . Both were more than adequate, reasonably clean and warm, A lot better than it was when I was a lad.

A friend stayed in gold and said it was very nice but you might have to do a bit more shopping at Mr Ts first as it isnt cheap.

Another friend of mine does gigs at Butlins and he says thet Skegness is the dumpiest and full of yorkshire beer bellied idiots ( I can say that cos Im one of em ) and other butlins have better visitors.

Butlins website https://www.butlins.co.uk has some late deals etc. We booked through holidays in the sun but after all the extras were added the £38 hol costs £220 , only a £30 saving from the website.

Top tip , If you like a booze and you go out smuggle ya own - saves a fortune.

Doozergirl

:eek: I'm not sure I can do this!

I stayed in the Battersea Park Travelodge and that was a little like Hell. Is anyone able to reassure me?

liuhut

I have been to all three (sad I know but the kids love it) and Minehead is the nicest - It was the hotest week of the year when we went so this might have something to do with it. The Standand Half Board accomodation was OK but the Self Catering Standard didn't look up to much. I have booked silver this time for Minehead

BJWJ

Hi,

Last October we stayed in the new Shoreline hotel which is on the Bognor resort. It was only a couple of months old then, but it was really modern and one of the best hotels I've stayed in. The rooms are excellent (Kids get their own bedroom area with TV/DVD) and the restaurant was really nice. Because it's on the resort you also get to use all the facilities but get to go back to your lovely hotel room at the end of the night.
I must admit, when Butlins was first mentioned I was a little snobbish about it too but the hotel is excellent and to be honest we had a great time...our son loved the entertainment that was there. We're planning to go back there for a short break this year. You can get all the details on the website but if you have any questions just ask.

Doozergirl

BJWJ wrote:

Hi,

Last October we stayed in the new Shoreline hotel which is on the Bognor resort. It was only a couple of months old then, but it was really modern and one of the best hotels I've stayed in. The rooms are excellent (Kids get their own bedroom area with TV/DVD) and the restaurant was really nice. Because it's on the resort you also get to use all the facilities but get to go back to your lovely hotel room at the end of the night.
I must admit, when Butlins was first mentioned I was a little snobbish about it too but the hotel is excellent and to be honest we had a great time...our son loved the entertainment that was there. We're planning to go back there for a short break this year. You can get all the details on the website but if you have any questions just ask.

Can I ask how much you paid? Were meals included or did you pay for them separately?

cheekymole

I wouldn't go near a Butlins ever again. It might be worth you staying near one and going just for the day.
We went to Skeggy, what a dump! Swimming pool was filthy (wouldn't let my dog swim in it) queues everywhere. People queued for an hour before the shows so if you didn't join them there was no room. All the good things you had to pay extra for.

Stay away is my advice

black-saturn

I went to Skegness about 4 years ago with a friend. My apartment (half board) wasn't what you would call clean. There was about 30 dead flies on all the windowsills, a rim around the bath and the smell of smoke everywhere. And it wasn't one of the cheap chalets either!! The "neighbours" were all playing loud music and shouting their heads off all night. I found the entertainment a little repetative as they seem to keep repeating the same shows several times a day. Other than that I thought the food was lovely and it was nice to have a break from the cooking and the kids thought it was a great holiday.

MrSmartprice

I took my daughter when she was small, what a dump. Even if you upgrade, the places are tatty and have a distinctive odour. It has to be down to the people that use them, and the low standards they are willing to accept. Most patrons seem to sport baseball caps and tattoos, and the men are even worse! It does seem that everyone smokes like chimneys, so the bars in the evening are intolerable. The presence of kids does not deter them. Huge amounts of alcohol mean that the Asboids are out of control by midnight, and the whole place can sound like a lunatic asylum. In fairness, I agree that the food was fine.

My advice: Leave them to the people they are intended for.

KathrynPenguin

MrSmartprice wrote:

My advice: Leave them to the people they are intended for.

Although I tend to agree with you there, we didn't find the smoking an issue as we didn't want to do the evening entertainment! The chalets were dumps but for us the main issue was the noise - everywhere was soo loud. The next year we went to Pontins and found the accomodation and facilites to be of a lower standard.

However our little boy loved both! We met loads of people who were not holiday camp types (or those who I think its intended for!). All of whom were there because they wanted a treat for their kids. Last year Mum went on 2 cruises, me and hubby went to Canada to see friends and we all went to Pontins to give a 3 year old a summer holiday - we hated it and he loved it.

This year it looks like back to Bognor -but in the Shoreline. We are taking him in March for a family weekend (42 rooms booked at a cost of £7,500 before discount!) and are hoping to find it is somewhere more our style. The Aunty organising the weekend has already been and said it was good and she isn't someone you would remotely imagine liking Butlins so hope its OK.