Fun for all the family (Butlins (Skegness))

Member Name: msvforb

Product:	Butlins (Skegness)
Date:	13/08/09 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great location, everything you want at the resort but lots of things to do outside too.

Disadvantages: Can be a bit pricey especially in school holidays.

When I was small my family and I would often spend our summer holidays at the seaside here in the UK, often this was at an independent hotel, B&B or caravan park but occasionally we went to Butlins and I have many happy memories of those times. Now, many years later I find myself taking my holidays here in the UK again and so I've been back to Butlins a few times lately.

Booking Your Stay:

You can book a Butlins break either via a travel agent, over the phone direct or on their website www.butlins.com. I tend to book online and have found the process really easy, there are also sometimes discounts available for booking online. A £70 deposit is payable on booking with the balance becoming payable about six to eight weeks before your break.

The one thing that really annoys me about booking with Butlins is that it's not possible to book self catering break for less than three people. Whilst I appreciate that the Butlins self catering accommodation has all been built with at least two bedrooms and therefore can sleep four people I don't think that you should be penalised as a couple by having to pay for four people just to get accommodation with cooking facilities or pay for food you're not going to eat and have to eat out all the time. Because of this all my recent stays have been in dinner, bed & breakfast accommodation and so that is what is reviewed further below.

Location:

One of the things that I really love about this particular camp is its location. The Skegness resort is in fact just outside Skegness in neighbouring Ingoldmells. It is just over 2 miles from Skegness town centre and about a mile from Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells. It is also just a short drive/bus ride away from some lovely quieter villages and towns both on the coast and further in land.

Getting There:

It is possible to book travel to the resort when booking your break but I've always arranged this separately at a later date. The camp is situated on the main road between Skegness and Ingoldmells and so is easily accessible by car, there is plenty of parking on site. Alternatively there are frequent train services to Skegness from Nottingham and Grantham and frequent bus services to Butlins itself from Skegness. There are also usually lot so taxis at the station or you can book one in advance with Red Cars the resort's preferred cab firm.

Accommodation:

Butlins accommodation is divided into three categories, standard, silver and gold, the price and quality of the accommodation increasing as you move up from standard - silver - gold. I've been to Butlins several times over the last few years and have stayed in all three and for me the phrase 'you get what you pay for' couldn't be more appropriate.

Standard accommodation is very basic, think a slightly updated version of the chalets in Hi-de-hi! For those staying in dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation the accommodation comprises a room with double or twin beds, a cabinet with a TV and a single built in cupboard/wardrobe. Tea and coffee making facilities are provided but stocks aren't replenished during your stay as there is no housekeeping service. Whilst the rooms always appear clean on arrival I have noticed there is usually a slight smell of damp in the standard rooms. Bathrooms are basic but clean and towels are not provided.

The only real plus point that this accommodation has is that it's currently located right in the centre of the park near both the main entrance and most of the entertainment and other facilities. Of course this means that it can get a lot more noisy than some of the other accommodation which can be a decent walk away from the centre.

Silver accommodation tends to be situated a little further away from the centre of the resort and is therefore in a quieter area. The rooms are generally a bit more comfortable and modern but otherwise very similar to standard accommodation however housekeeping do visit a few times during your stay. In my opinion it's definitely worth paying that little bit extra for silver accommodation.

Gold accommodation comes in the form of two or three bedroom apartments. These apartments have a separate lounge (with widescreen TV and DVD player) and a well equipped kitchen as well as a modern bath/shower room in which towels are provided. In my experience housekeeping visit on a daily basis.

This accommodation tends to be situated the furthest from the centre of the resort which is fine for those who are reasonably mobile on a sunny day but is not so great if you find walking difficult or when the weather isn't so great.

Butlins also offer static caravan holidays at this resort. I have never stayed in one of these caravans so cannot review these further but from the outside at least the caravans are much like those you would find on any modern caravan park. These caravans are situated across the main road from the rest of the site but there is a walkway underneath the road connecting the two.

Eating & Drinking:

If you book a break that includes dinner, bed and breakfast then on check in you receive a meal card which entitles you to entry to one of the three dining rooms on site. These dining rooms are very much like large canteens with various food service points service a wide variety of fairly basic rood. The food is generally good and there's no problem with going for second helpings so it's pretty much like being at an all you can eat buffet. Tea and coffee, water, fruit juice and squash are also available free of charge but if you want something else to drink (either a soft drink or alcoholic) you'll need to buy it from the bar in the dining room.

In my opinion the one downside to this is that you have to eat your meals at pretty set times. For example when staying in standard accommodation breakfast is 8 am - 10am and dinner 4pm - 6pm and so while I usually make it to breakfast I often find myself missing dinner and opting to pay for a meal elsewhere later in the evening. Of course this is my choice but it all adds to the cost of my holiday.

If you've chosen to go for a self catering break or if you want some refreshment outside the standard mealtimes for your dining room then there are plenty of places you can grab something to eat whether you fancy fish and chips, a burger, pizza or and sanwich you can find it in and around the main Skyline centre. There is also a pub which does standard pub meals from lunchtime through to about 10pm.

If you're in search of a drink then you have a choice of several bars (including a sports bar) around the site all of which tend to be open until either 11pm or midnight. There is also a nightclub which stays open into the small hours but is only for those over 18.

Food and drink prices whilst not being extortionate are not cheap and are generally more than you would expect to pay in many of the cafes, pubs and restaurants just outside the site.

Facilities and Enterainment:

Part of the appeal of Butlins resorts is the built in entertainment and other facilities. The site is a great place for kids with frequent shows being put on in the Skyline (the main entertainment area right at the heart of the resort) by the Skyline Gang and Butlins' famous Red Coats. In the evenings there are shows in the resort's two biggest bars the Centre Stage and Reds which are fun for all the family.

Splashworld is an indoor swimming pool complete with water slides which can be enjoyed by all guests for no extra charge and there is also a smaller outdoor pool which is open only when the weather is really nice. Also dependent on the weather is the resort's funfair which is open until early evening most days.

The site also has a rear entrance which takes you right onto the seafront. Whilst this area of the beach isn't private to Butlins holidaymakers it is a nice reasonably sheltered spot and a good place to spend a day.

In addition to the above there are lots of things to do which aren't included in the price. These include crazy golf, a cinema, ten bin bowling, pool, various amusement arcades and a spa which is exclusive to the Skegness resort.

In my opinion there's something here that everyone will enjoy

Cost & Value For Money

The price of a break depends very much on the time of year you want to go and the sort of accommodation/catering you're after. It can be expensive especially in school holidays but I've found that to say what else is included it's not actually that much more expensive than booking a caravan on a nearby caravan park. Good deals can be found if you book a long time in advance or close to the day you want to arrive.

Other Points:

Whilst Butlins is generally a family resort they do run periodic adults only weekends based on a particular theme. These weekends tend to attract large groups of people on hen or stag weekends etc. I recently went on a 90s weekend at the resort which was great fun but a bit mad!

Premier membership of Butlins is achieved by staying at one of the resorts a set number of times over a period of a couple of years. If you're a premier member discounts are available on many breaks but for me the big benefit is that you can check in two to three hours earlier than you would otherwise be able to.

Would I recommend Butlins? Well it depends on what sort of holiday you're after and how far you want your money to stretch but I keep going back year after year and so it must be a thumbs up from me.

Summary: Great for families wanting everything in the one resort.