Butlins - Skegness. Am I crazy or will it be ok?!

[wrenster]

I would love a break so much but we really need to keep the kids entertained (we have triplets!) so I have been searching for very family friendly breaks.

Butlins seems to tick all of the boxes, but I would never have considered staying there before as it has always seems so chavy!

Our only option is a gold apartment, as we can't get into the hotel with 3 kids :-(. However before I book I thought I would seek some advice!

Has anyone actually been? What is it like??

Thanks

I normally head for the hills rather than the crowds when I want to entertain the kids tbh. They can run , scream and shout as much as they like and who cares? Less stressful to go camping or rent a cottage for a week than try and keeps tabs on them amongst the masses.

Been to Butlins Bognor.

Had similar reservations, however was a great break. Where else can you access so much inclusive kids entertainment?

For keeping the kids busy it was worth every penny.

We've been there, gold apartment.

No bones about it, it is Chavvy, you can play spot the tattoo. But it is ace fun.

Skeggy is a nostalgic crappy (in a good way) British seaside resort. The beach is good, and butlins has loads to do even if the weather is Shite, which it will be.

I had serious reservations, but ended up loving it, and we went back the following year.

Go with an open mind, and just embrace it for what it is. Chavvy, tacky seaside fun.

The beach is very good and there's other stuff round and about to do. When will you be going? If at Easter the place will be heaving with Christians attending Spring Harvest - defiantely not chavtastic then!

Never been to butlins but can recommend Haven as an alternative. Chavtastic too, but we always have a great time!

Hiya. I work for Butlins so I'll declare a bias up front

I have three children too, and they love Butlins. My hubby was initially very sniffy about going but having been to all three resorts with various mixtures of children / grandparents / friends etc it was interesting to overhear a conversation he was having promoting the benefits to his old (public) school friends last weekend! He pointed out that having a good beach to play on, funfair rides you can say 'yes - you can go again' without putting your hand in your pocket, and a range of shows to watch, makes for a fun, easy holiday for all of us. The kids say they see us smile more at Butlins than anywhere else.

Technical stuff: Spring Harvest (the Christian festival) is not run with other guests on resort - so if you can book a break it means they're not there. The Hotels are in Bognor Regis - The Ocean has some rooms big enough for a family of 5, and The Wave has some apartments that sleep 6. But Gold in Skegness is still probably my favourite type of accommodation. I always ask for a ground floor apartment so that the children can run out of the patio doors and play in the grassy courtyard bits.

Go with an open mind - there will be a whole range of types of folk there - just as there are when you shop in Tesco. Alex Polizzi (Channel 5's Hotel Inspector) gave us a lovely write up in The Telegraph when she brought her family to Butlins last year. And James Cracknell's family had a great time at Butlins while he's been in the desert recently!

Let us know how it goes, GEM x Www.butlins.com

Oh - and I'd def go for Premium Dining if I were you. My children try more new foods at Butlins than anywhere else - when it's a buffet the pressure isn't on to choose something you know you'll love first time! And then I just make sandwiches to eat for lunch - or go back to the apartment for a bowl of soup if it's chilly (Gold Apts have a decent little kitchen with a good sized fridge for sandwich elements, and a dishwasher). There's a new Italian restaurant called Ludo's which I've heard is good so may be worth looking at if you're not getting a dining plan - or for a treat lunch one day if you are. GEM x

You can spend all your holiday looking down your nose at everyone.such fun.

We were in the same position a few years ago si decided to give butlins a go. The kids absolutely love it - we are going in April for the 5th time and even the teenager is excited. Loads for kids to do in the daytime and great shows in the evening. We have a silver apartment which is perfect as we are hardly in it ! Although it's nothing like a holiday abroad we always have a great time.