Butlins Skegness?

[MeNulie]

I am planning on booking Butlins for next week but I just wondered if anybody could give me any advice. Am I better to book the gold room or is the standard room sufficient. With regards to food etc what did you do?

Anybody?

We went last year and had a silver apartment but it was right at the far end of the complex. Not sure of the different between gold and standard but there are loads of facebook groups with plenty of info.
We went for food court dining and found it to be absolutely fine. Always something for everyone and plenty of choice. No issues with quality of the food or anything.
Heading back in October this year and decided to go with standard rooms which are closer to all the entertainment. The family member we went with had a standard room last year and it was absolutely fine. You won't spend too much time there anyway!

It depends if you want to be able to cook. Standard rooms have no cooking. Standard apartments do. Gold apartments have three bedrooms even if they say they only have two at Skegness. Gold apartments are the furthest from the main tent but nothing is that far apart.
I prefer premium dining. There's a choice of two venues. If you go in the quieter one you can still walk through and get your food at the busier one (deck) and bring your food back.

It's about ten years since I last went
We had a silver apartment it was very comfortable,
I cooked most of the time,There's a couple of big supermarkets in Skegness
We also left the site and had a few meals out.

It is only an extra 200 to go all inclusive? Should I choose this option with the standard room?

Also, can you enter the water park etc whenever you like or would I need to book?

We go every year. To either skegness but mostly minehead.

if you can afford it, upgrade. Not stayed in standard rooms at skegness since precovid but minehead are slums. And take bleach wipes.

we now always go half board catered.

What do you mean by all inclusive ? The alcohol package ? Or the dine around ? There is no all inclusive food. But yes I'd prioritise dining over the room. You will barely be in it.

This made me laugh. We went to the cheapest accommodation in Minehead and I said it was like a POW camp. Kids didn't notice though.

I went to hire bikes and couldn't remember the accommodation name so told the guy the slums. He laughed, told his colleague then GUESSED CORRECTLY!

This. At Butlins you barely see your room between shows and swimming. Id always prioritise food over the room. And adding extra activities.

It says it is food and drinks?

I think it is half-board food and then drinks.

They recently added the option of all inclusive drinks.
the swimming is free flow - no need to book. My kids loved the pool - lots of fun!

We go once a year. We book a silver room which I think is now a comfort room? It’s basic but fine to use as a base. 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. We always get premium dining as there’s more choice than food court. You get breakfast and dinner. Pool is great fun and no need to book. It’s a bit run down in places but it’s great for kids. There’s a beach as well. We love it!

We have been every year for the last 11 and always stay in a gold, which is more like standard anywhere else. The last time we went we thought it was definitely getting run down, but they have just spent a lot of money building new lodges so that's maybe why. You are hardly in your apartment though a there is so much to do so it's ok. Gold are furthest away but still only 10 mins walk to centre. The restaurants aren't great so we usually cook in apartments. They aren't the best equipped so usually make some meals before we go just to heat up.

We stayed in the silver apartments and the problem was it just wasn't clean. If we'd had a crawling baby we'd have been straight off home.

I know this is completely irrelevant, but if you’re ever staying at Minehead, think about going for a meal at the fabulous Foxes Hotel just up the Esplanade. It is staffed by students from the local SEND Residential College and they are all completing hospitality qualifications. It is fine dining and open to non residents. The food it fabulous. The hotel is also gorgeous.
I go to Butlins Skegness and we have the food court deal. My grandkids love it!

Premium dining all the way. And if you have a baby in a buggy pay to have a ground floor apartment

We went a few times when ds was little. We've done apartments and cooked and we've done basic room and got the premium dining package. Both were fine. The dining package was quite decent really!

It'll be inclusive soft drinks and hot drinks whilst you eat, not like AI abroad.

Be prepared to queue a lot! People start queuing for any decent shows very, very early!

Do check the package you're being offered as they have recently added an all Inc package - dining and the drinks package - for some breaks. It is breakfast and dinner though, not all Inc like abroad.

We were offered it for just under £500 for Monday to Friday for 2 adults and a toddler.

They have quite a few different packages now.

I would go as expensive as you can regarding accommodation. We had the Seaside Apartments and honestly it was just all a bit grubby so I dread to think what the cheaper offerings were like. We did the food package and that was decent, worth the money and the kids enjoyed themselves.

The last time we were there we weren't happy with the cleanliness and my MIL was chatting to the clearer who said that they get 45 mins to clean a 3 bedroom apartment including changing beds, which obviously is not possible. They cleaner encouraged us to complain so they can see they can't get away with that.

…recently back from Skeggy. Our Apartment was very clean, no complaints .. we were in Comfort Plus. All the communal areas were also clean.

We were on Premium off-peak. Food was nice.

Only problem was some of the clientele, who seem to have no idea how to behave in polite society.

I will not be taking my grandchildren here again, dirty used bedsheets left on the beds in our supposedly cleaned apartment on our arrival day, absolutely disgusting, and a very poor response from Butlin's following my complaint. Basically saying "Soz about that, we don't usually do that and promise not to next time you come if you let us know so we can make sure!!
Also if you are considering the Dinearound plan, check that the restaurants are providing the menu being advertised as Papa John's at Skegness was only buffet with long queues waiting for pizzas to come out, unimpressed with the failure to mention this at the time of booking. The response from Butlins basically saying it was my fault for not speaking to the manager....except, I did!!