Butlins

[Idiotintraining]

Has anyone ever been

We are currently in Skegness one and leaving tomorrow 😢

Anyone else been?

AiBu for thinking its amazing for kids and not to holiday anywhere else

Is there enough to do if it’s raining?

can anyone give room tips? What are they like with allergies?

I’d always recommend the west lake chalets at minehead if possible, they’re a step above everything else! I also like the deluxe chalets and they’re close to the skyline

almost everything is indoors! So weather is never a problem! Allergies are really well catered for in every food venue I’ve ever eaten in

We went self catering,they have a full itinerary of activities,plus a pool with slides,and funfair etc they also have pantomime,s and shows at night,there is pleanty to do ,we went into Skegness a few times too.

We're at Butlins Skegness this weekend. I've never been to Butlins before so looking for tips on where to eat without a dining plan.

I took DD after she'd been there on a school residential and came home talking about it non stop!
We did a weekend in the very cheapest rooms in Minehead and the basic meal plan and had a great time. There's lots to do for children and we even took in a show. DD loved the help yourself buffet food. It meant she was able to eat just what she likes which she doesn't usually get to do when eating out.
Everywhere was clean and tidy and the behaviour generally of other families and kids was lovely.

We went at Easter for a Monday-Friday and I was surprised. My kids had a blast and we’ve booked for the same week next year. We paid £600 for 4 of us inc premium dining which I thought was decent for school holidays.

For kids it's amazing, but as an adult you see the grot. The chalets are in desperate need of a refurb and the food hall is dirty, as are the changing rooms at the pool! I also hate how there are so many arcades! The extra activities are well priced though (archery, high ropes etc) especially when you compare them to center parcs prices

@RishiRich I live in Skegness, if you're wanting to eat out in Skegness rather than Butlins there's The Steamboat on the seafront attached to the premier inn which is a typical brewers fayre type, RAFF 55 also on the seafront is an all you can eat buffet, cheap and cheerful! If you're wanting a nicer meal The Vine is lovely and The Elysium does a fab Sunday Carvery.

I havent been in over a decade but I took DD a couple of times when she was young because I could never afford to take her abroad. Look its not an outstanding holiday destination, however it provides good entertainment for kids, DD enjoyed herself and we have some lovely memories there. Also I would rather do Butlins than Centre Parcs.

We go to Bognor, stay in the Wave hotel and get the 'dine around' plan. It's not cheap. You can make it cheaper by going s/c and a chalet but they look pretty grim tbh. The food court dining plan looks dreadful too.

Im going to Minehead in October. For a 4 and a 2 year old it is perfect. It’s not a relaxing beach holiday but I’m saving those for when the kids are older as it won’t be very relaxing for me at the moment.

Ive booked the premium dining plan as with small kids I don’t have time to wait around for food!

We love Butlins!! We've only ever done the Skegness one but I've told my kids we can go every year until they tell me they don't want to anymore, they are 12 and 9 and no sign of them wanting to stop yet!!

I don't know why people don't think it's cheap? It really is for what you get! For comparison this year we have paid less that £450 for 7 days in May half term in their most expensive accommodation. That's without a dining plan because we prefer the freedom of eating when we like but their restaurants aren't overpriced.

We've had to pay double that price for 4 days in centre parcs (Oct half term) and 3.5k for a weeks all inclusive abroad in the summer hols so i don't understand those that say they can get a better holiday abroad for the same price....trust me you can't, I've looked!

Agree with other posts it's great for young children. Especially if you can go outside of school holidays.

I also recommend the adult weekenders. Went to a 90s one and saw East 17, Cleopatra, Bwitched, Whitfield, Chesney Hawkes, live comedy. You get loads of big groups, everyone in all kinds of crazy fancy dress and very friendly atmosphere with few aggressive drunks. Off to 00s in June!

I came on here half expecting this to be a negative thread, so thank you, OP for actually saying nice things about Butlin's! I've been going to Butlin's since 1993 - my husband has been going since the 1970s and we both love it! Have to say, Skegness isn't my favourite camp - we actually prefer Bognor and then Minehead - that said, Butlin's can do little wrong in my eyes (other than the price being pretty steep these days).

I get really annoyed when I head people making derogatory comments based on their experience of Butlin's from the 1980s or such, because the company has moved on a lot since then.

We're at the Minehead camp at the beginning of May and I can't wait!
Glad you had a nice time!

Perfect, thank you!

We used to love it when the kids were little, but haven't been for 10 odd years now.

We went yearly when the kids were younger, all loved it. Did a mix of hotel, higher spec chalets for accommodation and never did the meal plans as there are some great pubs and restaurants nearby (Bognor).
Kids have outgrown it now but have many great memories of butlins holidays x

I can think of nothing worse!
we went when dc were small and it was dirty, full of shouting parents and hyperactive children. After that we camped abroad each year which cost a whole lot less.

I went to Butlins Bognor Regis twice as a child aged three and four in the 1970s and have really clear memories of how exciting it all was. We went to same place about ten years ago when m kids were four and two, and I thought it was great.

I don't know why people don't think it's cheap? I don't think it's cheap - it was at the top end of the holidays we could afford at the time which would have been a cottage in the UK or camping or caravan type place and would certainly not have been Centre Parcs or abroad.

I had been concerned after I booked by threads on here saying it was dirty and noisy but it wasn't. I loved the retro British seaside holiday design they had going. The chalet or whatever they are called now was clean and serviceable. Having constant entertainment on hand was amazing as our kids needed a lot of entertaining - yes it can be in your face but you can choose what you see and when. It was a shame that that year the beach wasn't very nice, jellyfish and seaweed, but I do remember it being nice when I was a child.

I even went to the spa, I was the only one there, and again obviously it isn't the Sanctuary but it was lovely and relaxing and fun at the same time.

The adults only Big Weekends are great too

Tried to convince DH that we should go for DD (3) but he really doesn't want to try it. I think he's being a snob! I've never been bit willing to try

We've been a couple times to Skegness.

Both times the kids loved it!

They do talk about and keep asking when they can go again.

Cheapest way to do it is to book when you are at the resort for next time

Went to Bognor last year- very clean, really good- however bad UK weather and you find yourself stuck with the arcade a lot of the time (soft play etc all prebooking due to covid)- it’s a lot of money and generally I hate games of any kind- way too much money spent!

Absolutely adore Butlins.
I went on a cheap and cheerfull "girls holiday" in Skegness in the mid 2000's and it was very run down (but still fun). People that slag it off may be remembering how it used to be.
I went again in the 2010's with small children and I was amazed by how much had changed. Loads more options for eating, more activities, just generally tarted up. More expensive too :( but still well worth it.
We go almost every year. The kids love the free fairground rides, the playgrounds and the entertainment.
As PP have said, it can get very expensive. They certainly don't miss and oportunity to upsell!
Id recommend the meal package. Keep a close eye on the incidental expences. And make the most of the free option like the beach and the fairground.
Don't forget to make the most of the surrounding area as well.
The best holiday we ever had was at Butlins Minehead with a very grumpy DH who doesn't like resorts and "feels like he's in prison". I did all the cool Butlins things with the kids in the mornings and DH took us over to Exmoor to look at the neolithic tombs in the afternoons.
If you can remember "Holiday Showdown" it was like that, but in real life.

We go for the cheapest self catering chalets and do a supermarket stop on the way in (actually now we normally do click and collect so just stop, pick it up and go).

What I will say is we did Pontins a couple of years ago thinking it would be similar. Don't!
I'll recommend Pontins to anyone who likes listening to other people's music from 8am to 2am daily, happy to be woken up by the security guard looking for a reported DV incident and the chalet, despite apparently having been "cleaned for covid" was filthy. On the up side it does make you feel your parenting skills aren't as bad as you thought.

We didn't do too badly as it was very very cheap (hence why we booked it) so spent as much time as possible out. Stick with Butlins though!