AIBU to have expected better from Butlins (and to say no to having a 'do over' break)

[Goldeh]

We took the DC on a break to Butlins. I went in with the expectation that it was going to be good fun, not a five star resort by any stretch of the imagination but nice enough. We booked a premium meal plan as part of our package.

We liked the entertainment, staff were good, and there were lots of activities to do. All positives.

But the 'premium' dining was abysmal to the point that one of the DC was just having crackers and we were buying their food elsewhere. Meanwhile the resort itself was so dirty that I'm surprised we didn't need travel jabs in order to go.

I'm not precious, I don't mind things looking lived in or wear and tear, I also understand that cleaning staff are only human and are doing their best, but I'm talking whole bin bags split open and strewn about and not cleaned up for days. This was coupled with people openly smoking weed in several areas of the resort to the point that our accommodation stank of it and reports to security did nothing to resolve it.

We spoke to guest services while there and followed-up with an email when we got home. I wasn't expecting a full refund or anything like that, I just wanted the problems with resort cleanliness to be acknowledged and perhaps a partial refund of the so-called premium meal plan to reflect the dining issues we told them about. The plan itself was just over £1000 and while I expected mass-catering style food, what we got did not reflect what was advertised and was not of premium quality.

Butlins have come back and offered us a free meal plan upgrade on a future break (i.e., book again with a meal plan and they'll upgrade that meal plan). We said in our feedback that the resort cleanliness and weed smell alone was enough to put us off coming back, never mind the food issues. We turned it down and they've basically said that's tough and it's all they're willing to offer.

DH is now suggesting we take them up on it I've said I'd rather shit in my hands and clap and it would probably still be a cleaner experience than that break was

AIBU to stick to my guns and say no? And AIBU to push this further with them about a partial refund of the meal plan?

@Goldeh

Do you have pictures of the food and receipts for the food you bought as others have asked?

I went with DD a couple of years ago and we had a great time. Accommodation was basic but clean enough and the park was exactly what you’d expect. I did however learn that the meal plan was not something I’d want to do again. We were fine with the breakfast but the dinner was a bit crap food wise, way too busy and generally chaotic. We went a couple of times then gave up and either self catered or ate out elsewhere for the other meals.

The dining plan didn’t cost anywhere close to £1k though when we went.

You like what you like and it sounds like Butlins isn’t for you, so the gesture of goodwill they’re offering isn’t worth taking up.

Nope, we never returned to Butlins for the same reason. Cleanliness of our apartment was really poor! We went for Justin Fletcher and that was also a little disappointing to be honest.

We went out of the holidays and the resort itself was clean enough and there no real bad characters to speak of.

The bit that's really bugged me is that instead of just saying it's not ideal, sorry and here's a refund of whatever-percentage of the dining package, they've instead taken the approach of expecting us to pay them for a second holiday by way of an apology for the first one.

Yes. I guess they think you are either a loyal customer and therefore happy with a bit off future bookings or they have lost you anyway and won’t be fighting it after a few emails.

I agree they are going with adult holidays as a business model.

I would reply to them with what you have said here & photos clearly outlining what you want - £1000 back - use ChatGPT to write the email if needed & state asking to spend more money to get compensation is not what you are looking for -

push it hard & see what happens- not much to lose

How do you know if you've never been?

Find the CEO email. Screen shot the responses you've received and add them into the email, along with photo evidence.

Had to do similar for Park Dean. Tried telling me I hadn't reported the issues. Ended up with a 50% refund

We went to minehead a couple of years ago and had mice running around our accommodation!
We were then moved to a accommodation full of ants.
We were given £80 back! Absolute joke!
Will never go back.

Ingoldmells doesn’t have a single day it does not smell of weed. Butlins has been going down hill for a long time. Skeggy always being the worst of them.

Agree that money off or a free upgrade on a future booking is terrible. Like most people who complain want to line their pockets some more.

Haven't been to butlins skeggy for 7 years but loved it when the DC were young -always did them premium dining plan and would have honestly rated it as excellent. I was actually telling my friend the other week that I had the best mushroom stroganoff that I've ever had there .

Went to Minehead in April. Grim and unclean, never again!

I never understand why so many companies who offer totally unacceptable goods or services think that offering a discount (not even a free replacement) on future experiences of the same will cut the mustard.

They seem to be deliberately dismissive of the concept of 'fool me once... fool me twice'.

I get it if there were several one-off circumstances where multiple stars just did not align on this occasion, leaving them with an embarrassingly abnormally subpar experience; but when it's their standard routine offering, which they clearly have no intention to ameliorate, why on earth would anybody ever consider satisfactory compensation for a nightmare time to be another nightmare time?

I went as a kid. Grim.

I do but I haven't shared them here as some of the serving station ones have other guests and members of staff in them, DC are in a couple too. I shared the litter ones as they haven't got any other people in.

Yes. We won't go back.

I went in around 2016 to Bognor and was fairly pleased with it. Ella kitchen pouches as part of the meal deal was great for the baby and the food was decent. Rooms basic and fairly uncomfortable but sufficiently clean as was the resort. Sound like big time downhill

I’ve only been to Bognor a couple of times, and found it fine, but I’m in a fb group for it (I just don’t tend to leave the groups after I’ve been) and it sounds like they’re having issues at the moment - so maybe it’s throughout the brand?

We have only stayed in the hotels as heard some bad stories re the self catering accommodation and rooms, and had dine around and premium dining respectively. The premium dining was fine for us but it was a different resort of course.

PS could you send your DH on the “do-over” trip with your kids and get a break? If he’s so keen.

Wow what a strange coincidence.

I’m sorry you had such a bad time, as have so many on the thread .

I feel weirdly compelled to speak up in defence of Butlins as we’ve had 2 nice breaks there and have booked again next year. These are the factors that I think have worked in our favour:

Minehead

Booking term time when on sale, so expectations are relative to a cost of <100/night including food.

April, maybe seasonal staff are at peak enthusiasm and maintenance is up to date from winter.

Eating towards the start of the mealtime ‘windows’, as usually early to bed/rise.

An apartment with a kitchen, picky plate lunches. If everyone’s had a good dose of fresh fruit and veg at lunchtime it takes the pressure off dinner expectations.

We’re not going abroad so my point of comparison is a UK self catered budget holiday, and guess who gets lumped with organising the catering and activities!

And finally, we live in a low rent kind of town, so the people at Butlins are the same people we meet in the library, local park, nursery pick up queue. If we decided to be horrified by ‘rough sorts’ we’d never leave the house.

My daughter has just got back from Bognor with her two year old grandaughter. She said the apartment was spotless and the food just fine. 🤷‍♀️. You will never get gourmet dining at places like that.

I wasn't expecting gourmet, I know mass catering doesn't equate to fine dining. From the advertising though and the published menus, I was at least expecting it to be reasonably fresh, replenished as needed, and edible.

At the Skegness one a few years ago now when we went, one of the restaurants served me lettuce as part of my meal and there were bugs crawling all over it. At least wash it first before serving to customers!!

First and last time. I won't ever go back. Youngest DC loved it though. My older ones didn't want to go back.

I emailed them to say that I'm not accepting their offer and asked for them to issue a partial refund of the dining plan instead. They replied to say they are not willing to offer any alternative and it's essentially the dining plan upgrade on a future break or nothing.

I replied to say in that case I want it taking forward as a formal complaint, no response yet but I will update.

Who in their right mind goes to Butlins?