Bedruthan Steps Hotel - Is It Too Posh For Me??

[NoBrainer]

After a recent holiday abroad that proved less than relaxing, hubby and I decided to book a UK holiday that is aimed at families. Bedruthan Steps seemed to get good reviews so we've pushed the boat out and booked to go for a week with our 3 boys (using mumsnet discount obviously!). However when I mentioned to a friend today where I was going she looked slightly concerned and said that some of the mums at her daughter's school (private) had been there and thought it was quite overpriced. She also said that it's cocktail dresses for dinner and that her friend bought her kids all new clothes before she went!! Now I don't mind dressing up a bit for dinner but do I really need to wear a cocktail dress every night? My sons (6, 4 and 10 months) wouldn't be seen dead in a knitted cardigan or smart jumper (well maybe the baby but he's getting pretty opinionated!) so are we going to look like riff-raff? What I basically want to know is are there going to be "normal" people there? I'm quite happy to mix with people of all social backgrounds as long as they are friendly and I don't feel myself being judged. At the end of the day we've booked to have a relaxing holiday and for the kids to have fun, but now I'm a bit worried it'll be too posh!

I've not been there but would take the opinions of your friend with a pinch of salt. Gossip is often exaggerated.perhaps as it was the summer, the other women were wearing summer dresses and lots of families I know buy their children new wardrobes for their summer holidays even if its Butlins they are heading to (and there is no real pressing need) You could see if the hotel has a dress policy and check reviews or post a question on some site like Tripadvisor that is aimed at holidaymakers.

Most UK holidays do tend to feel overpriced and most hotels host a mix of people who like to dress up as well as total scruffs.

Hope you have fun

Haha! We went there for dinner last year and found the staff quite creepy.

We legged it before we ordered!!!!!

Good lord it is not cocktail dresses for dinner! There was an awful lot of Boden though, some of it being worn by me

IMO everyone was very normal. One family did have their sons in matching jackets for dinner, but they were definitely the exception rather than the rule - and it was weird because the Mum was wearing jeans!

You will have a great time, the facilities for kids are brilliant and the beach is lovely.

Nonsense!!!

We went last Easter and it was the bestest most lovely family holiday I have ever had!!

Agree that there was lots of Boden but my children only ever dressed in t-shirts, jeans, day dresses etc and the most dressy I was for dinner was a wrap dress (bearing in mind I'm the most overdressed person in a room normally .

My children are the same age as yours. We chose to feed the children tea at 5pm (fantastic set up. It's like a diner, all the food is ready so you just go up and choose, always some plain pasta, fruit etc available if children are fussy. I remember one night DS had chicken pie and veg while DD had Teriyaki Salmon and rice! There is a choice of puddings or you can ask for ice-cream and there is tea and coffee for parents.) We then dined in the restaurant when the children were asleep. I was surprised by the standard of food in the restaurant - wasn't expecting much but the food was excellent. We met some lovely people in the bar and on two different nights, chose to eat with them - there is no obligation to do this obviously.

We soon fell into a daily routine:
Buffet breakfast which the children loved (plastic cups, plates and bibs piled high if you need them). Then to meet their friends in the soft play room.
We put the children into kids club every morning which was amazing for DH and I, we had some lovely time together. We were then refreshed for the afternoon. I often sat on a sunlounger outside my room while DD slept (1yr) while DH took the older two to the pool. The beach is just down the hill and there is a great children's play area where everyone converged before tea.
At 6pm there is great children's entertainment and at this point, most of the parents bought a drink from the bar and chatted.
7pm we went back to our room and got the children to bed and then we went out around 8.

Our neighbours children were slightly older so they chose to do family dining at 7 and then went back to their room - they had come prepared with their own wine for the fridge!!

Sorry, that was rather long!! I promise that I do not work for Bedruthan Steps!! It was chuffing expensive but, for me, worth every penny and I am really hoping that we can go back this year.

Enjoy - I am very !!

Console yourself with the thought that properly posh people don't give two hoots about their appearance or what other people think about it- they would just wear whatever they were comfortable in!

We went 9 years ago so it may be a bit different now. It wasn't cocktail dresses for dinner but it wasn't jeans either.

Some of the other parent did parent a bit loudly and obviously knew the ropes as they came prepared with fancy dress costumes.

DCs where under 3 at the time so ate early and we left them asleep in the room while we had dinner. They didn't have alarms but we checked on them, my DCs are very good sleepers and I only missed dinner once during the week.

I don't remember how expensive it was but we had a good week. DCs are too old for it now but yours sound fine.

Have a great time

Thanks very much for all the replies - I feel much happier now! Boden I can cope with . CaptainNancy you are absolutely right about really posh people wearing what they are comfortable in and they are probably the least judgemental of all. One of my neighbours is very jolly hockey sticks - but she's lovely. Really looking forward to it now!

Good.
Go and have a good time.

An excellent hotel will make all their customers feel more than welcome.
And well brought up people judge others by their manners and behaviour not by their wallet.

On another thread (very minor claims to fame) one poster said she had shared the jacuzzi at Bedruthan Steps with Philip Glenister - if that isnt a reason to go I dont know what is!

My friend used to work there, and I wouldn't of said it was posh at all. Just normal.
Lovely area though. You'll have a great time.

it's fantastic.
the restaurant tries a bit too hard to be fancy imo, but it's not posh
we had a great holiday, would love to go back

Bedruthan is great IMO. It's not overly posh (there are a couple of Mummies saying, "Tarquin, Tallullah, darling come and eat your rice cakes"), but nobody has been sniffy or judgemental towards us (even when ds aged 2 tipped an entire bowl of coco pops on the floor by accident!) You do get a relaxing break though, it's a real treat and a proper holiday as opposed to cooking and cleaning in a different house if you go self catering!

We've been 3 times and are considering going again, so I'd love to know what's the code for the MN discount and how do I get to know of these things for the future please?

CeliaFate glad to hear that you enjoyed the hotel and it's not too posh! I rang the hotel and booked over the phone. I just asked if there was a discount for Mumsnet members and she said "yes we'll give you 10% off". Easy as that! Not sure how you'd apply the discount if booking on-line.