To be worried about Butlins?!

Try staying home and doing day trips to zoos, swim centre, cinema, farm park. But wait that too costs so much these days. I took five grand children to a farm park with Santa attractions in 2019. £270 for three hours. Oldest five youngest in pram.

I don't know how families do it to be honest

I didn't see a single disco when I went to Butlins. And the accommodation was perfectly safe and clean. Not the Ritz but fine.

To be fair though the good thing about Butlins is most of the activities are included, it's all on one site and you can get dining packages. Convenience, especially for someone like me who never owned a car. We're past the kids holiday stage now but DS always loved Butlins the most. Including anywhere abroad that we went and I've taken him all over the world!

I think paying for substandard accmd, customer service and food is bad.

Yes indeed. I am just challenging the person that said children would be bored going to a bed and breakfast and pottering around the beach. Mine love being in a new environment, whatever that is. It does not have to be structured entertainment and craft activities scheduled into their day.

@Comedycook

I'm sure small dc prefer to be in clean and safe accmd. Dc from very small can appreciate a lovely room.

Of course anything like that can be accessed outside these places!! You don't need to stay in butlins to get a pool or slides or anything!

The only thing you may have to compromise on is a disco.

Lots of resorts have soft play and zip wires and other stuff to do.

Honestly i am a rough eastender, and even I thought the other people at Butlins Bognor were rough. Shouty sweary men-with-their-tops off drunk parenting, it's not sneering, it's fact. The staff deserve a medal quite frankly, they are amazing.

we have had many happy family holidays. and it is possible to access many of those activities such as climbing, zip lining, soft play and ice creams without it having to be on site. They would like the swimming pool yes.

However, they would certainly not like being around swearing, shouty adults; maybe other kids are more used to it and don’t mind it so much.

@PsychometricResting

I don't want to be rude about people's holiday choices it's just unless these people are extremely wealthy I don't get the " accmd crap, food not what I would choose, pool ok, bed bugs, drunken swearing... Not what I would choose but the kids love it..."

I promise you there are so many places you can all love and enjoy!! And your children will love many different types it holidays without having to feel like you're sacrificing die your dc!

I've been to Butlins Bognor Regis. On a tots weekend, people queuing with 2 and 3 year olds ALL DAY LONG to see Mr Tumble. And shouting at their kids if they left the line. Yes it was full of parents having a go at their kids all the time and shouting at them for getting chocolate on their tops. Miserable thicko parents who never smiled. Not everyone was like that of course, just alot. Anyway we are going back this year but not to tots weekend, hoping the clientele will be a bit nicer...

Do kids like small b and b's? I can pretty much guarantee you they would have preferred a huge pool with water slides, a funfair, craft classes, pottery painting, high ropes, climbing, zip lining, an ice cream parlour on site, soft play on site, numerous playgrounds, concerts...

Please don’t believe everything on tripadvisor, a lot is just not true

Which is absolutely fine of course
But when my kids were little and we were on a limited budget they really enjoyed the pool with all the slides ,fun fair ,entertainment etc which was all included in the price
Just because its not your type of holiday doesn't make it a bad holiday.

Yes exactly. We have had plenty of good value breaks with the kids in small B&Bs or basic hotels without needing ’entertainment’ and pools. Kids had a ball. We did miss out on the bedbugs, swearing and dirty accommodation though…

We went before Xmas and we loved it! Yes, people can be very rude and frustrating, but just ignore others and make the best of the activities. The big pool was shut when we went, can’t say I enjoyed the swimming much as I couldn’t swim! But the kids loved the slides and the little pool was open for little ones. The accommodation varied from what I heard - we stayed in a new style silver apartment and it was lovely, but I heard some of the “room only” rooms were not so good. We had premium dining and the food was lovely. The other diners not so much! The yacht club was much nicer to sit in than the deck, and you could cut through to the deck for your food if you wanted more choice. It was a bit crazy near the start of the dining period but quietened down near the end. The funfair was great, lots of rides for little ones. The public looks were a bit hit and miss but I didn’t notice bad smells anywhere else.
I do think people love to complain! And people aren’t as quick to share good experiences. We had a lovely time there, I hope you do too xxx

The snobbery here is unbelievable. It’s an affordable holiday so a whole range of different people. We went to Bognor in the summer hols and had a great time. Loads to do for the kids and brilliant entertainment. The whole place is cheesy and tacky but you get what you put into it and we’d definitely go again. Also the staff were excellent and there was a lovely family atmosphere - everyone was really friendly and just there for a good time. Much prefer it to centre parcs which I found way over priced!

Went about 10 years ago to the Bognor one, was the worst experience of our lives! I couldn’t wait to leave for the reasons you have mentioned! Hopefully it’s improved over the last 10 years but I wouldn’t go back if you paid me!

My daughter loves Caravan holidays with her son.. but Butlins was the worse experience and she never used them again.
She loves Haven. I've been with them to Haven and l couldn't believe how lovely it is.. all very clean.. loads to do.. excellent pools. Staff are brilliant.
( Wales).

Minehead is great

Children like it because there are so many different things to do, such as circus, sports, fairground, shows, swimming. I don't think you pay extra for them like center parcs, but maybe you do for some. I can't remember

Hi,

Just jumping on to ask if you can buy tickets/ a pass for the shows at Butlins? My DS is obsessed with The Masked Singer, and we went to the live show when it was on tour (which he still talks about all the time) but this year the shows are at Butlins 🙈.

I really don't want to stay. It's quite a drive for us, so I'd prefer to either take the camper & toddle down, or go via train & stay somewhere nice nearby.

Because that's what it costs
And generally kids love it
I totally understand not everybody would enjoy this kind if holiday
But when m kids were littlle there was a fun fair ,pool with flume and slides ,entertainment day and night all free once on site

I've been to the Bognor one. I found it OK. Only thing was it could be noisy at night. The carpet could have been a bit newer/cleaner but not that bad. It's not middle class but i never came across anyone aggressive or unpleasant or swearing /shouting at their children or anyone. People were just getting on with enjoying their holiday.

DS went with school. Came home with nits and a stomach bug.

Have you ever heard the quote - paradise isn't a place, it's a feeling. I have always found if I go with the right attitude I can enjoy (nearly) all holidays. Good luck!