To ask if you'd recommend Butlins holidays if you've been?

[lorettalemon]

My friend and I have been thinking of having a few days away but are on a bit of a budget and would prefer not to go abroad this time.

I haven't been to a Butlins before but the self catering options, to save a bit of money, fun activities and the fact it's not terribly expensive looks really promising. I've heard some people make quite snobby remarks about it and suggesting it's awful.

I'd be very grateful if anyone who has been can tell me what it's really like - is it as clean and smart as it looks on the website? Is the food in the restaurants and cafes nice? What sort of people go - as in could it be a rowdy party place, or is it a nice environment?

Thank you in advance!

We were there this weekend as well! We only stayed in a basic silver apartment as we thought we'd be out seeing the bands most of the time (true!) but it, along with the ones around it, had been newly refurbished and was lovely!

I’m going to a butlins big weekend next year! Adults only, can’t wait.

Also the spa at Center parcs, although it had a lot more facilities and a nice pool, was no where near as relaxing as at Butlins. Butlins is much smaller, only 16 people I think. No queuing for anything and no bitchy chatter from the hundred+ people that were in the Center parcs spa.

I think the pool is the only thing that was better at Center Parcs and Butlins have a new pool this year anyway so maybe it’s on par, i haven’t been since last year so dont know.

Which one @Sammi38?

We went last summer with a 3 month old and a 3 years old. We stayed in the seaside apartments and found used unwrapped sanitary products in the 2 different drawers in our children's room. It took them 3 hours and 3 visits to the apartment to remove them. After our initial disgust and there promise to clean the apartment while we took a walk, we came back to find the items still there, we just had more loo roll and a liberal spray of air freshener so I assume this is all their cleaners do! On complaint we went out and came home again and they were still there. Just ridiculous. Thankfully they refunded us the cost of the accommodation but we will never be going back! We felt dirty the entire week!