Which Butlins Resort?

ScrumpyJackRussell

I have been to Butlins at Minehead twice, both times for Arena Breaks in october - McFly and Busted.

My thoughts on Butlins....

I went as a single parent, and it sucked - everyone is there in their family cliques - for three days I just got stared at because I was having a drink in the bar on my own. Everything inside the Skyline costs loads of money - a bungee trampoline was £4 and the queue took an hour for a ten minute go. the climbing wall was £8. To rent a bike was £7 for half an hour. There are arcade machines everywhere you go designed to tempt the kids. The swimming pool is free, but again huge queues, and huge queues inside for the flumes. Having said that the pool was clean, and although overcrowded very nice.

The fairground was good, not much queuing although that could have had more to do with the weather than anything, it was baltic! The entertainment was crap, unless you went there are about 5pm you didn't stand a hope in hell of getting a seat - most of them were reserved for people's twenty other family members who were arriving three hours later. There are joke/toy shops in the bars, so there is no escape from Butlins continually trying to get your kids to nag you to spend more money.

The accommodation has an all pervading smell of damp, are cold and the mattresses are sort of laminated - it would pay to take a blanket or something to put over it unless you want to wake up stuck to it. When you park up you could have to walk miles to your accommodation with all your luggage as only Gold accommodation visitors are allowed cars to the door, the rest of the plebs have to park in an absolutely huge car park (make sure you remember were else you will take hours to find you car upon leaving) You generally arrive in the dark so if it is your first time can be quite disorientating, there are lots of trolleys but on a busy incoming/outgoing day these can be like gold dust so suitcases on wheels are good.

Every night there was a fight going on outside our chalet, usually between inebriated couples which had to be stopped by security, lots of swearing and screeching - you can hear perfectly through the rattly old Butlins windows!

The restaurant is a real eye opener, lots of sullen families all sitting there in silence chowing down and going up for seconds or even thirds! having said that I found the food of an okay standard for such a big operation, and with plenty of choice. If you leave it too late in the dining hours though the food is a bit dried up and the choice not so good.

My son enjoys it, that is why I continue to endure Butlins, but if you are a bit fussy I would not go as you will not enjoy it. It is not a cheap holiday by any means, as once inside there is quite a lot to pay for. I managed to escape from Minehead Butlins last year for a walk down the sea front, but that was just like a home from home, lots of amusement arcades and crappy souvenir shops!

All in all I would say with Butlins, you get what you pay for - it is a cheap enough holiday, but with all the extras I had to spend money on I would have had a week away somewhere warm, that was more geared towards a pleasant holiday for me, as well as for my son.

black-saturn

Thats a very good description of Butlin's. Just like how it was when I went.

Doozergirl

Well, I got my quote. £336 for four nights in May, room only. I could stay in a London Hilton for not much more than that and I'd get breakfast! :wall:

MrSmartprice

Having read the whole thread, I stick by what I said in the first place. Butlins is poor quality accommodation and Sunreader entertainment for those who want it. If that's your idea of a holiday, then go for it. If you prefer something even slightly upmarket or sophisticated you will be disappointed. The comments about noise sum it all up. Drunken louts screeching and brawling, but then they probably behave like that at home too.

One poster summed it up. They spent a fortune on booze, takeaways and slot machines. If that's what they want, fine. They are the people it's intended for. Each to their own. But if you want to book, you need to know what you are letting yourselves in for.

ScrumpyJackRussell

Doozergirl wrote:

Well, I got my quote. £336 for four nights in May, room only. I could stay in a London Hilton for not much more than that and I'd get breakfast! :wall:

ahem, listen mate I tried to be objective, as there are obviously pros and cons of butlins, but take my advice, especially as you mentioned you like the finer aspects of holiday accommodation - DON'T DO IT...... the £336 can be doubled by the time you spend doing stuff inside Butlins and there are so many better holidays to be had for that sort of money. If you are a bit skint have you thought about camping? Good laugh and the kids love it. (and sleeping on an airbed is probably more comfy than a butlins laminated mattrress with a woman outside your chalet shouting "f**k off you b*****d" to her other half all night!

I enjoy doing the music festivals with my son every year, we normally do Glastonbury (although not on this year boo hoo) and Beautiful Days in Exeter, he likes it, I like it - what more can you ask for!? :j

simes

Don't pay £336 in May..
I like Butlins, but its not worth that price. I have had sub £100 breaks in May.

If you like the finer things then you are only going to pick fault and will not enjoy it.
As a self confessed snob, you would enjoy Centre Parks more.

Your 5 yr old would love Butlins though.
If you must go ( for your child's sake of course), then choose half board ( silver accomadation or higher) and pay the supplement to dine in the yacht club. You will find half board is sometimes cheaper than self catering.

Doozergirl

ScrumpyJackRussell wrote:

ahem, listen mate I tried to be objective, as there are obviously pros and cons of butlins, but take my advice, especially as you mentioned you like the finer aspects of holiday accommodation - DON'T DO IT

Okay, okay! You went to such an effort in your post and it's much appreciated. I won't do it.

I was certainly thinking that there would be some sacrifice on my part, but there's got to be something else that we can all enjoy doing on a budget of £600 worth of Tesco Deals vouchers.

Otherwise it's the Outlaw's apartment in Portugal and the vouchers go towards the next MFI kitchen.

black-saturn

Even a Haven site would be a better bet than Butlin's. I've been on both type of holidays and Haven seems to be the better of the two types. Pick a site which is not too big and doesnt have nightclub entertainment going on until late. Also pick a caravan which is a longer walk from the entertainment then you wont hear all te drunkards coming home late at night. With Haven you can state which you want when you book.

ScrumpyJackRussell

Doozergirl wrote:

Okay, okay! You went to such an effort in your post and it's much appreciated. I won't do it.

I was certainly thinking that there would be some sacrifice on my part, but there's got to be something else that we can all enjoy doing on a budget of £600 worth of Tesco Deals vouchers.

Otherwise it's the Outlaw's apartment in Portugal and the vouchers go towards the next MFI kitchen.

whoops LOL don't think I'll get a job in Butlin's PR department somehow.....! It was also probably easier for me because I was on my own, if I had gone with my then bf, who was exceedingly fussy I would have probably had him sulking the whole weekend too to contend with!!

Woby_Tide

Doozergirl wrote:

Okay, okay! You went to such an effort in your post and it's much appreciated. I won't do it.

I was certainly thinking that there would be some sacrifice on my part, but there's got to be something else that we can all enjoy doing on a budget of £600 worth of Tesco Deals vouchers.

the Haven sites are valid with Tesco vouchers(accroding to Clubcard website), as are a few of the hotel chains if you can one you like