Butlins Minehead - anyone been?

[Muchtoomuchtodo]

We've got a sneaky couple of inset days before half term and I'm thinking of booking a couple of nights away.

Is Butlins fun for 8 and 11 year olds? What about for their parents?!

Any thoughts on accomodation? There are silver apartments, silver bungalows, gold apartments, seaside apartments, deluxe lodges and new style chalets available. The former are half the price of the latter.

Does it make much difference where you stay?

Perhaps everyone's too busy at Centre Parcs!

We always choose the silver bungalows - they are further back to the side, but they are only one storey high so you never end up with elephants above you (or conversely, worry about someone else thinking your children are elephants).

Butlins is only fun for the parents once you discover the pitchers of cocktails. Until that point, it is hell on earth. I wonder whether your children might be a little 'old' for the offerings, which tend to be more geared around younger children - they could be cynical of some of the child-friendly shows - but only you know your children. I'd have said that it was better for a slightly younger age range.

Forget the wifi, it's horrendous, make sure you have good data package on your gadgets.

We like Minehead because you can walk out of the front, across the road, and onto the beach. The town itself is about 10 mins walk (maybe 5 with active children!) but has a lot of charity shops etc - I can only really remember one huge arcade on the front.

Interested to hear too as not tried Butlins.

Haven sites are usually clean and modern.

I've been to all three Butlins and Minehead is the best. We've stayed in Gold and Silver apartments and Silver rooms- all very nice (Standard not so great, I hear). Where there is a big difference is between Premium dining (excellent, restaurant quality) and standard (school dinners). Entertainment may be pitched a little young for your two, but the pool is superb. Ditto high ropes, fencing, zip wire etc. Have a great time!

My 10 year old ds has just pitched in to say that the entertainment is great- don't miss the panto!

8 and 11 are a great age for Butlins not too old at all. We really enjoy going as a family but to us a holiday is no cooking, no loading up the car , all ready paid for activities on tap and most importantly seeing our dc having a good time. No cocktails are necessary.

Have you thought about the private caravans? They're right on the site but you book them privately.

About the same price as a Silver apartment but much bigger and some have nice decking etc. plus parking right next to them which is a bonus, much better than trekking from the car parks to your accommodation.

Have a look at Ukcaravans4hire.

Butlins is great, we've been to Minehead every year since 2005. My DSs have grown up with it as our holiday destination, they both love it, even though they're 15 and 11 now.

I went 2.5 years ago as a product tester for MN. Got upgraded to Blue Skies Apartments for free which were amazing, and we had a fantastic time.

Next Friday I am going back with Dsis, Dd and my two nieces and we have booked standard room accommodation. I'm guessing we won't have the same luxury we did when we were supposedly 'secret' shoppers.

In the interest of fairness though, I will come back and post another review on the MN page here as it should be interesting to see the difference.

8 and 11 are great ages for Butlin's Minehard. Book up the craft/other activities you want to do when you get there. Archery is fun. The shows are great, usually quite a few things for that age range in the evening. My kids love the pool, hiring the pedal bike things, buying Skyline Gang tat, craft stuff with the red coats. Keep an eye out when you book for extras like the Diversity Dance Academy.

Take and use copious amounts of sanitiser hand gel. You might want to take scooters for getting round the site.

We stay in the new chalets and are now spoiled for elsewhere on the site. We've also done silver and gold. I love the new chalets and find them worth the extra money.

Minehead, not Minehard.

Ive been lots of times ive stayed in silver chalet and silver bungalow and gold accommodation to be honest gold is worth it simply because its closer to the complex highlight but i have been told that deluxe lodge is great plus you get a appointed parking space the new seaside ones look fabulous too im booking in may and going for seaside this time as for entertainment its the best for children always something for them to do plus the pool is great for adults it depends what type of person you are i enjoy it plus Minehead has the beach accross the road its great value for what it is