Have you ever wondered what a Butlins holiday is like? or maybe you have dismissed them as not for you without ever having been. Well I am fortunate enough to be a Butlins Mum Ambassador and have just recently got back from our 2nd trip in  a year, so am here to tell you all about it.

Last time we went to Minehead for a mid week break at Christmas so this time we headed to Bognor Regis for a 3 night weekend break in the warmer weather and to celebrate Rosie’s 2nd Birthday. We took with us my parents and also paid for my Nana to come in for the day on the Saturday as she lives close by. In fact she had the best day she has had in a while so proof that Butlins can be fun for all ages – Husband even got her on a bumper car hee hee!

We stayed at the Shoreline hotel and I can tell you that this hotel is amazing. Aimed at familes with children under five it has something for everyone. As soon as you enter the hotel you are hit by light and space, there are friendly staff ready to help you and refreshments which were much welcomed after a long journey. For the little ones an area with little tables and chairs, colouring and  a dvd playing….perfect whilst they wait for you to check in.

I must say the staff were faultless and went out of their way to ensure we had a happy stay every step of the way.  In fact they were even really helpful in supplying copious amounts of ice cubes for me to munch on (my pregnancy craving) and no matter when we returned to the hotel there seemed to be something going on for the children. There was lots of messy play, card and crown making etc. The girls loved it and after talking to the staff – they loved it too!

Here’s a little video review of our room and hotel:

 

 

We stayed in  Columbus Quarters and the rooms were absolutely gorgeous. The girls loved their special space with bunk beds and even though Rosie had only been in a big girls bed for 2 nights prior to this trip, with the bed guard there was no fuss.  The bathroom was clean and modern with handy little touches like an integrated children’s toilet seat and step. There was always plenty of hot water which was very powerful, perfect for this pregnant lady who needed a nice hot bath or shower at the end of the day.

We stayed on a half board basis which meant breakfast and dinner was included but you had to pay extra for drinks. There were various places you could choose to eat from the hotels, to a pizza place to pub meals or posh restaurants. Some you did need to book in advance but this was not usually a problem. All the food we had was very good and the system was well organised. The only thing to mention though is that drinks do add up quickly. We did think £2.50 for a cup of tea was a bit steep!

Having been before, Poppy aged almost 4 was keen to check out the entertainment. She loved seeing all the characters dressed up and watching the acts. The Skyline Gang were particular favourites as was the Beauty & the beast pantomime. Once again we thought the entertainment was of a very good standard. Husband and I also got to sample an evenings entertainment which was very enjoyable indeed.

There is so much to do you probably wont get to do and see everything you want to in such a short time. We didn’t get to do the massage at the spa unfortunatley. There just wasn’t time.

One thing we did find though was that the entertainment for little ones (under 5’s) went on quite late. Now we let our girls stay up until about 8-8.30pm when they usually go to bed between 6.30 and 7pm. However, they were absolutely shattered and dead on their feet trying to stay up to watch the shows. They were also increasingly grumpy. I really wanted to let them see Billy Bear go to bed but this didn’t start until 8.30-9.00pm by which point they would have melted down, I have no idea what time it finished. I am sure the girls (and I) would have loved it but I wonder why it had to be so late.

I  had so much video footage it was hard to keep it short and sweet but here is a little video of what we got up to in terms of entertainment:

 

 

I have also done a little slideshow of some of our photos:

 

We really enjoyed our trip. Here’s a quick summary of what we think about Butlins:
 If you are after a trip that is completely centred around your little ones then a Butlins break could be for you. It is a safe and friendly place where your little ones will be entertained from morning to night and you will be highly unlikely to hear the words “i’m bored”.  Our girls had a great time, have been talking about it ever since we arrived home 2 weeks ago and cant wait to go again.
All in all a great break and one I can recommend. Thank you Butlins!
Karen x
The price of this holiday for 4 adults and 2 children staying in 2 rooms (Columbus Quarters) on a half board basis plus the character lunch for all of us would have been £1493.00. There are however, accommodation and meal plans to suit all budgets.