Shoreline Hotel (Butlins (Bognor Regis))

Member Name: emmakate06

Product:	Butlins (Bognor Regis)
Date:	21/02/09 (576 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Luxurious, spacious rooms

Disadvantages: Shortage of baby changing facilities

My family and I visited Butlins Bognor Regis for February half term last year. I was a bit dubious about staying here however I have to say I was pleasantly suprised and enjoyed a fantastic midweek break. I had never stayed at a Butlins before as we normally venture abroad however due to having a young baby and a weeks holiday to take before April we thought wed give it a go!! I really didnt like the look of the chalets and apartments so was very pleased when I stumbled upon the Shoreline Hotel located at the Bognor Regis resort. We got an early booking discount when placing our booking and paid £385 for a Columbus Quarters room for 2 adults 1 child, 1 toddler and 1 infant on a bed and breakfast basis. I did check what the price was a week before we were due to go and it had been reduced to £345 but there were only a couple of rooms left so you wouldnt get best pick.

Arrival - After a 5 hour drive we were please to see the Butlins sign in the distance. We pulled up to the gate and were greeted by two very polite gentleman. They checked our booking and advised that we check in was at 2pm however as we were early (it was 10am) we were free to use the facilities throughout the resort until our room was available. We managed to obtain a parking space right by the hotel and off we went to explore the resort. At 1:30pm we went to the hotel to wait for check in time, we were glad we did this as by 2pm the queue was out of the door. The lobby area is very clean, not very large and not much seating which could probably be a problem during peak periods but it was fine whilst we were there. There is access to the restaurant and bar area from the lobby and there are easily accessible toilet facilities and a cash machine. There are two lifts which service the 4 floors and a large wide staircase for those not wishing to use the lifts. Check in was very fast and easy, we were given clear directions to our room and we were also asked if we had a preference as to which floor we were on. We requested the 4th floor which is the highest as you get the better of the sea views from up there. We were also provided with an entertainment brochure which explained all the events that were taking place throughout the week and also included a map and information on retail and food outlets, what they offered and where they were located.
The Room - On entering the room the first thing you cant fail to notice is the large floor to ceiling windows. We had a seaview which was fantastic. One of the windows opens as a door and there is a safety balcony to prevent any accidents. There was a mini heatwave whilst we were there so we had the door open most of the time we were in the room to let the nice sea breeze flow through the room. The room itself was huge. We had a columbus quarters room which you can also get with a patio if you are happy being on the ground floor. There was a seating area on laminate flooring with 2 leather armchairs and a coffee table. Then there is a carpeted area where we had a kingsize bed, 2 bedside cabinets, dressing table area, lcd tv, dvd player, hairdryer, tea and coffee making facitilies and plenty of storage.

Moving towards the door we then had a separate wardrobe area opposite the large bathroom. This consists of sink, toilet, bath, power shower and has plenty of room and dressing table space for all your toiletries. Plenty of towels and toilet rolls are provided and these are changed/topped up each day by the daily maid service.
Next was the kids bunk area. I feel that this is a great idea as the children felt as if they had there own little area and it allows the parents to relax in the evening also. There are two bunk beds with large pull out drawers underneath for clothing and they also get their own dvd player and tv. You can hire a playstation at the reception desk also for a charge, however we just took our own with us to save the bother of hiring and their were plenty of spare plug sockets to accomodate the extras we took with us such as the playstation, steriliser, bottle warmer etc.

The whole room is decorated with a modern theme, chocolates and creams. Bright coloured canvasses hung over the bed also complement this and their is lighting located in the headrest on the bed for when you want to turn the lights down.
Food - We ate in the hotel restaurant everyday for breakfast. There was an ample selection of pastries, fruit, cereals, hash borwns, sausages, bacon, eggs fried or scrambled, toast, mushrooms, and tomatoes. All were cooked to a high standard and tasted delicious. Definitely one the best breakfast buffets Ive eaten at. The restaurant is quite small so it was difficult sometimes for us when it was busy to manouvere our two prams around and also have room for highchairs. One thing that did puzzle me though was that the plates they use do not fit on the high chair tray so we ended up having to put most of our nieces meals in a bowl, which didnt matter really but id of thought they would have got plates to fit or offered smaller plates for children.

We also ate in the restaurant for our evening meals on two occasions. There is a good selection of food all at reasonable prices and the childrens menu is great too. You can have two courses for £3.50 or 3 courses for £3.99. My son loved the meatballs and pasta and my niece enjoyed the fish coujons which were both very well presented. They dont offer soup on the menu for children but they are willing to do this for you if you ask. The choices for starters for children were Strawberry and Melon, Garlic bread or a fruit cocktail. Luckily my son likes all of these so it was great. The banana pancakes also went down a treat for dessert.
The adults meals were just as nice. I had a gorgeous leek and potato soup on the first evening which must be popular as the second time we went the soup was Leek, so they must have run out of potatoes by then. Just as nice though all the same. They also offer several other starters though I cant remember what these were.

The main meals were very well presented and the Pasta Carbonara looked and tasted fantastic. My husband enjoyed the steak though it didnt come with any kind of sauce so did look a bit dry and empty on a plate on its own. Most of the meals are served with potato wedges rather than chips which were all the more tasty. Again the prices were reasonable and for 4 of us eating 2 courses including a drink each it cost us £36 which is fantastic value and highly recommended.
Overall - We had a fantastic stay here and will definitely be going again next year. The service is great, the staff are very polite, friendly and always willing to help. We would have loved to have stayed longer!!

This is my own review and has featured on another review website.

Summary: Fun family break.