To be worried about Butlins?!

[Burlee]

I’ve booked a few nights at Butlins in May - I used to go as a kid.

Last night I saw on their website that part of the pool in closed which was the main thing we were going for so I checked the trip advisor reviews to see if anyone mentioned it - OMG the reviews!! They were so bad they were actually funny! One person saying that the people who go there are tough as toast and it’s not unusual for parents to be calling their kids “little cunt” etc - kids running around absolutely feral, people queuing for 6pm entertainment from 2pm - everywhere smells of urine - half the rides don’t work - the accommodation is like a run down council flat - WTF have I done!

Anyone been recently and can tell me it’s not this bad?

My kids love it and yes there is some interesting fellow holiday makers 🤣. But it’s fine, we always had nice and clean accommodation and my children consider it a massive treat 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Butlins is for children let’s face it it’s the most child centric holiday park holiday you can get in the U.K. a lot of parents suck it up because the kids bloody love it.

Hens and stags also at c parks I agree a family member had theirs there. Only place I haven’t seen them is haven (in wales) and park resorts (up north) park dean (warmwell) tbh. But then again I’m not there all the time and we do tend to pick sites that you need a car for it tends to cut down on some issues.

I went last year for a friend’s birthday getaway thing, was bloody awful. Nothing to do with class of people there, just filthy rooms, too busy so couldn’t get anywhere without Qs, with drunken screaming matches and puking (I don’t mean the hen party, but parents of young kids, couldn’t believe it!). Would never take my kids there. Better places to go for less cost. Sorry!

I've never been.

Is it similar to Haven? But apartments instead of caravans?

We are on the east coast of Scotland so ive never actually known anyone who has been to Butlins. Tends to be Haven Seton Sands or Haggerston Castle.

I took my children a few years back as my eldest had seen a TV be and was obsessed. I wouldn't have had any peace for years until I gave in.

Just to say we are all autistic/ADHD to differing degrees.

I took heed from a friend and pool some cleaning stuff with us. I wasn't quite prepared for the pervasive smell of weed in the air, filthy bedding and - I kid you not - skid marks on a towel.

I'm not posh, council estate kid and only ask for 3 things; clean, decent bed and shower I don't have to run around it to get wet.

Anyway, I tried to bear with it, but was close to meltdown with sensory overload. My very kind brother offered to come and take over with the kids after 24 hours and I went home.

They were meant to be there another 3 nights, but eldest - who's dream it was to go - hated it and insisted on going home. And as a Butlin's bonus they all came home with D&V.

But I think nhat pissed me off more is we'd only gone for 4 nights, but had been to Greece just the year before for almost 3 weeks for quite a bit less money.

Never, ever, again.

Sorry about typos, shit phone!

I used to clean at Centre Parcs and honestly the amount of times we had take a villa or apartment "off-line" due to the condition it was left in (used condoms everywhere, shit in the bath, vomit all over the bed etc), was just jaw-dropping. It wasn't a occasional thing but most weeks. The place maybe considered more "upmarket" than Butlins but it some of those that go there are just feral.

I've never been to Butlins or a UK Centre Parcs.
Last year we went to a Haven site and there was a huge fight in the bar (between family members).
A good few years ago now we went to the Vauxhall Holiday Park in Gt Yarmouth. Same kind of thing, loads of swearing, pissed people everywhere. We were camping and asked our tent-neighbours nicely at about 1.30am to be a bit quieter. They told us to fuck off.
It's such a shame as these places are perfect for an easy and reasonably priced break with kids. But they do seem to attract some pretty awful people which puts me off.

@marquislafayette butlins actively have breaks that are set up for stag and hen weekends though.

CP on the other hand actively prevent stag and hen parties

I'm thinking of booking into Butlins myself now, just for the entertainment of watching all these drunken people behaving badly😃

Yes this! Some posters on here think that if you don't like Butlins it's be because you are a stuck up snob. In actual fact most of the time it's because you are paying through the nose for dirty and disgusting, run down accommodation!

I went to butlins mine head in May 2021 so was still in covid times and it was clean and so was the apartment. I just hated it for different reasons and it was so bloody noisy.

I’ve been once and just wouldn’t go again. I do like Haven though

Because the first time we went was good. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but the children enjoyed it. The next time, less good. Third time, borderline acceptable, but the children seemed happy enough. Then we went last month and it was horrendous. Left after 48 hours because of a multitude of issues and I’ve since contacted Butlins to ask for some money back because it was that awful. I’ve also cancelled a future break, losing my £190 deposit, because quite frankly I’d rather pay that to not go.

All those saying it’s not cheap - I paid £440 for Monday to Friday, admittedly in term time, but that was for a gold apartment and premium dining. Tell me where else you’d find accommodation, food and entertainment for five days for four people for that price

I'd say give it a go OP. We've gone every year for the last ten years, during term time, for a super cheap holiday. It's DS's equal favourite place in all the world (along with Lapland) and he's been to numerous European countries where we've had villa, private pool, etc.

We go to Skegness and have stayed in just about every kind of accommodation. The price reflects the standard. But even the very cheapest was clean and served its purpose.

We were there in December and most pools were closed. The toddler pool was open and all the slides. Your DD at 4 will probably be happy enough in the toddler pool which has 3 small slides and fountain things.

The new Sky Park is great. New circus also great.

My son is so happy there, that's why we keep going back. For price reference, we paid around £170 for four nights and that included food. With young children, it's entirely possible to not spend anything else whilst there. I seem to spend more each year as DS gets older as we do archery, play pool, spend far too much time in the arcades, bowling, etc.

I honestly never would have predicted that Butlins would play such a big part in DS's childhood. 😄

Cancel it and book something you won’t be dreading.

Omg that's just what you want to be doing on a break away.

Jesus
Everybody should steer clear!

The Bognor one is fine. It’s a cheap holiday and you can’t expect the skiing set there. The spa is quite good.

I don’t think I’d risk it at Skegness though! Sorry! Can you cancel?

I think studies have shown 94% of those going to Butlins have at least one ‘live, laugh, love’ sign in their household

that says it all imo

We spent 4 nights at Bognor in early Dec, the kids loved it and we were moderately impressed - though we’d upgraded the dining and accommodation. But by far the most popular hit was the swimming pool which was clean with plenty of big changing rooms, so if that’s not the case I’d be tempted to re-think.

Which area of the country? We’ve been to Longleat 10+ times at least and never seen any obvious Hen Do’s at all there. Im sure we’ve seen adult groups but they must have been behaving perfectly well as they’ve never been obvious in amongst the family groups. All the times we’ve been there, always had perfectly clean accommodation and cant fault the lodges. If we’ve had something like a fault with the tv, its been fixed straight away.

Yes, I agree, I find it hard to believe that CP would willing take a lodge out of action and what cancel the guests when they are always fully booked. We have been visiting on and off to Longleat for 16 years for an easy holiday with my Mum and never seen this level of debauchery - it's hardly rock and roll destination! My DS who is 16 preferred Spain this year as there was more going st night as he wanted to chat with girls on holidays. In that sense CP is very much aimed at young children or children but not older teens for a social life.

You wouldn’t think it would be a first pick for hen and stag groups I agree! Perhaps football brings out the worst in people.

I haven’t been alot - the first time I went was in the pandemic when there were a lot of restrictions- and they were only selling 35% capacity. I loved that and I also liked the pool sessions. But my eldest doesn’t really like CP so we don’t go any more - she likes Bluestone though.

I remember at work they got around the hen ban by booking three lodges four women in each. But they were there for the outdoor activities, spa and quiet evenings in.

I took mine to the Bignor Regis one a few years ago. I was pleasantly surprised. We didn't go in school holidays, though as mine are both autistic so we don't do anything in the school holidays. But it was absolutely fine. The accomodation was decent - like a travel lodge. Everywhere clean and tidy. Kids had a ball. I even went in the spa which was great and the entertainment was really good too. Hope it goes ok!

I’ve never been to one of these places in my life and I don’t intend to. It just sounds a load of shit to me. Lots of people seem to enjoy it more though.