Butlins Minehead

1 reader found this review helpful

Me, hubby, 2 kids and one very bored 15 year old nephew went for a week in October 2007 in self catering.
Everything about the holiday was awful; chalet was small, smelly cramped and had damp.
We went half board and the food was bearable, just kids weren’t too keen. All of the desserts tasted the same!
Nothing for my son (aged 11 years) and my nephew to do apart from the swimming pool and to waste their money on the fruit machines, very bored!
The best bit was my 5 year old daughter loved the evening entertainment!
Would have to be dragged screaming and kicking to go back again. Never again!

1 reader found this review helpful

We booked with Butlins because of their great reputation. The party was myself, my husband, our 4yr old son and 18mth old daughter. We booked gold self-catering apartment which cost us £1100 for 7 nights. We wanted deluxe but there was none available for the week we wanted to stay, but were promised that Gold were their top class accommodation and had been recently refurbished. This was our first family holiday since having the children so we were so excited.
On arrival we were greeted by a friendly red coat, who explained how we needed to book in and where we needed to park. Overall a very helpful chap. We parked the car and went to locate our apartment.
From the outside it looked a little shabby but we reserved judgement. But in hindsight we should have trusted our first impression. On entering the accommodation we noticed a terrible damp, musty smell. The cupboard behind the front door had been left open and the mess inside resembled a building site. There were hooks with nails and screws sticking out, plaster on the floor of the cupboard and cobwebs everywhere.
We next found the double bedroom and went to open the window to air the room, but the window wouldn't open and was painted shut. The bed was made but the sheet had stains on, luckily we brought our own. Next room was the kid’s twin room. The room was dark, damp and smelly. We had brought our own travel cot so went about putting it up. On moving the small bedside chest we noticed pink tablets on the floor and clumps of what we hope were human hair. I picked up the tablets and wrapped them in paper to take to customer services. If my toddler had found them she would have instinctively though they were sweets and put them in her mouth. I still shiver at the thought of what might have happened.
I was upset by now and very disappointed in the accommodation, but my husband persuaded me that it would be sorted. The bathroom was grubby and the tap leaked constantly. There were also no markers on the taps to tell which was hot or cold, not even an "H" or "C" on the tap itself. So my son managed to nearly scald himself within 5 minutes of entering the accommodation. The lounge/kitchen area also had a cupboard door left open. This was disgusting. Cobwebs, nails, plaster and gaps that you could see daylight through. The pictures we took look more like war torn Bosnia than a reputable holiday camp. The cooker had no hob guard so we had to use the rear rings only, as they stayed hot for ages after you turned them off, and we couldn't risk our daughter reaching out to touch them. The front room window catch was snapped off so we couldn't open that window either.
On reporting the problems to customer services they were very dismissive. They sent someone round to fix one of the windows and a manager came round to lock the two cupboards. The only comment made was that they should never have been left open, so we wouldn't have seen them. There was no apology about the tablets. They finally agreed to send a cleaner round to check the accommodation. I presume the cleaners only clean what they can see. If it means moving furniture or opening doors they just ignore it!
The following day we noticed a major security/safety problem with the key card entry system they use. Once inside the accommodation you CAN NOT lock the door. As soon as the handle is depressed the door is open again. A big no when you have two small children. All they had to do, as the handle was at toddler height, was to pull the handle down and they could get out on to the site. A simple bolt would have alleviated our concerns and made it more secure for small children. My husband had to resort to barricading the door with our buggy and the ironing board so the children couldn't get out. I cannot believe that nobody at Butlins Corporation thought this lock system through. We were told that it would be a fire hazard to put bolts on the door. Ok, health & safety accepted, why not just raise the handle height to adult level instead of toddler level. If they can't reach the handle they can't let themselves out.
Entertainment was repetitive and most of the rides were not suitable for our small children. Unless you have bags of coins for the immense selection of slot machines/grabbers/rides then there is not much to do in the Pavilion. The only saving grace was the pool. It was fantastic and the kids loved it. But you wouldn't pay £1100 for 7 days pool entry and shabby accommodation.
The majority of staff is eastern European who constantly look miserable and do not speak English, or have a very poor understanding of the language. The change in staffing since we visited 5years ago is unbelievable. Back then the staff were young, locals now they are 30 something eastern Europeans. Not very welcoming and it seems the only staff that have stayed English are the redcoats and managers, all the menial jobs have been outsourced cheaply to the Polish. I know they have to run a business, but come on Butlins, a few people that can speak our language and understand our culture wouldn't be that bad would it?
Sorry this was such a long review but we had an awful time. Butlins accommodation is unacceptable and child proof measures are non-existent. This year we decided to book a private caravan at Butlins Minehead. 200% better. The caravan was new, tidy, and clean and the security and child proofing was exceptional.
We have had a few adult weekends at Butlins and always stayed in Deluxe. We have always enjoyed these weekends.
Overall unless you can get Deluxe accommodation and can afford the hiked up prices for the privilege then go for a private caravan. If you are looking for a holiday for young children then steer clear of Butlins accommodation.
I really think that Butlins have concentrated on grabbing the 18-30 market and have let the family holiday slip to the wayside.
We are going back to Butlins this year, and you guessed, we have booked another caravan.

We had a really great holiday here with my family - son, daughter-in-law and two grandsons.
The chalets were clean, comfortable, and well maintained. The two boys used to run along and knock on our door every morning eager to start a fun-filled day.
Half board was fantastic with so much choice and you could eat as much as you liked.
In the Skyline there was always something happening, shows, rides and a really good soft play area where you can keep an eye on your children and take a 'breather' yourself. In Splash World there were fantastic shoots and a wave machine which as a nanny I thoroughly enjoyed going round with my grandchildren.
Outside there were some great rides which were very well supervised.
The evening entertainment was really good with a choice of venues and so much effort made by the resident teams.
All in all a fun filled holiday enjoyed by all and recommended to all!

As most people think when reading the reviews, oh no what have I done. This is our second trip to Butlins Minehead first time we stayed in gold accommodation and second time around we stayed silver plus.
As far as the accommodation is concerned we much preferred silver plus. On arrival both times we were pleasantly surprised clean comfortable and roomy. I must admit I am one of these people when I go on holiday that clean everything before I use it i.e. bathroom, kitchen, tables, after my cleaning session I was happier although the accommodation still had a slight whiff. As I said silver plus was better although cheaper we had a shower and bath this time as only a shower in gold, the actual size of the apartment was bigger and single storey.
Our kids are one and three, lots for the three year old but nothing really for the one year old.
But she had fun anyway; the red coats really do put lots of effort and time into their shows.
Tesco’s is close by so if you are staying self catering it’s a good idea to takes a few trips saves on eating out all the time. The Sun and Moon was a good place to go so would recommend going there.
The biggest thing that let Butlins down for me was the toilets all round the resort extremely smelly and very off putting.

Butlins Minehead is a fantastic holiday for all the family.
Be prepared to have serious fun with the children at great value. From the moment you get going after breakfast through to late in the evening Butlins is nonstop.
Half Board gives you a great breakfast with lots to choose with a healthy option or the full works. Dinner equally as good with multiple choices for dinner and dessert. Drink and eat as much as you can.
Day time activities include splash world with shoots and wave machine, shows, Character parties, Kids clubs, Meet and greets, Adventure playgrounds, Soft play and much more.
Evening entertainment gives you four choices the 3000 seat centre stage with shows from Milkshake and many others.
Reds for bands like scooter boys, Skyline for the Skyline gang, or Karaoke in the Irish bar, or even a drink and play area in the pub!
Cinema, outdoor and indoor rides. Burger King, Pizza hut. And it goes on and on.
We went to a swimming pool with shoots and paid £20 for the family for a two hour slot.
Butlins swimming everyday for as long as you want free. Well Recommended.

TIP - STAY IN A CARAVAN AT THE LAKESIDE CARAVAN PARK SITUATED WITHIN BUTLINS MINEHEAD
We decided to go to Butlins Minehead for a half term break. We were fed up of staying in poor, old and dirty accomodation offered by Butlins during our previous two visits. This time we booked one of the static caravans situated within the Lakeside Caravan Park which is a part of Butlins. You can search for these caravans by typing Butlins Caravans in google etc.
The caravan was a 100% improvement on the previous accomodation that Butlins had given us. The site is about a 10minute walk from the main Butlins building (skyline etc), but is adjacent to a beautiful lake and is in a very quiet location.
We decided to go for the meal package which you book at main reception. This enables you to have a breakfast and evening meal buffet within the sites Ocean restaurant. We found this very good value and were pleased with the food choice.
The only downer to the holiday was the stomach bug that we caught. You are given a letter of warning when you check into Butlins of the risk of catching a bug. Butlins claim to have cleaned the site after a previous large scale outbreak of the bug. I have since spoken to several people on the internet and done some research and it appears that people are catching a stomach bug from the site on a regular basis.
Paynie

We took a 4 night midweek break to Butlins in Minehead. In the party were my husband, myself, and two children aged 9 and 18 months.
Checking in was easy and all the staff were friendly and helpful and happy.
The resort was large, and our chalet was only a five minute walk from the car - once you know where you are going! It took a little longer with all our luggage which we had to take across ourselves, although there were plenty of trolleys available.
The accommodation was standard, the cheapest available. Our chalet was in a block three storeys high. You do have people walking right past your windows at all hours, and with the curtains open you can feel exposed. The walls are thin!
Once you accept this, then it's absolutely fine and you have perfectly adequate accommodation. You are provided with all basics in the kitchen, crockery, and cookware.
You are supplied with a tea towel, cloth and a complimentary bottle of washing up liquid, and some tea, coffee and sugar sachets for when you arrive.
However, you are not there for the accommodation but to make the most of the onsite facilities, which were fantastic!
We were impressed with the swimming pool, with slides and different sections.
There are fairground rides outside that are free. My nine year old was just a fraction too small to go on hardly any rides unless accompanied by an adult (you need to be 1.4m), and a couple of them she couldn't go on at all. There is a section of rides for smaller children but we didn't go to this. There is the skyline pavilion packed with shops, arcade games, and places to eat and drink. This is all indoor so in bad weather it is a bonus.
The evening entertainment is spectacular; we watched a pantomime put on by the redcoats which was a highlight for my daughter. There are three different venues in the evening for children's and family entertainment.
In Minehead there Exmoor adventures which cost extra. We paid £18 for our 9 year old to go on a horse ride, she went without us on the bus, and altogether she was gone for 2 hours. She thoroughly enjoyed this and it made her holiday.
Overall we were all very impressed with Butlins and would definitely go again. All our interactions with staff were positive; they were all friendly and efficient. They greet you as you walk around the resort. Even the staff in the fast food outlets were lovely and all were very good with children.

2 readers found this review helpful

After reading the reviews below, I can only assume the people who left anything greater than a 2 rating were obviously holidaying in a different location to my family!
We booked a 4 day break and it cost about £450 for 2 adults and 2 children in a deluxe lodge. It seemed pretty good value initially as we expected Butlins to be similar to how it had been many years ago. Sadly this was not the case!
In short, the place was packed full of mainly claw machines which I never saw pay out once! The days of handing in your key to get a snooker or table tennis table have gone. Only one snooker table remains and you have to pay to use it. The prices for using some of the facilities are listed below:
Activities:
Go Karts - £5.00 for about 8 laps
Trampolines - £2.50 for 5 mins
Crazy Golf - Didn't try it but you have to pay
Childrens electric cars - £2.50 for 5 - 10 mins
Bungee trampoline - £5.00 for 5 mins
Snooker/Pool - don't know, didn't use it but you have to pay
Bowling - don't know, didn't use it but you have to pay
Photographs (Your child and a Character etc)- £4.95 for the first one, £2.50 for subsequent ones (all in a cardboard frame).
Food:
Kebab - £3.95 and it was cold
Chips - £1.50 for small portion
Cod - £3.95
Drinks:
Childrens fruit shoot: £1.50 each
Pint of lager & double vodka and red bull: £9.00 ish

There is a lot more that you have to pay for but I cannot remember it all.
Most of the staff are not local people and seem to have either: a limited knowledge about planned activities, or a lack of understanding of the english language when asked for information.
We saw about 5 red coats all together, although there is a photograph showing that they have 35 in total.
I took a walk up to the far end of the camp and I can only describe it as similar to a run-down inner city housing estate. I had the impression that if I had parked my car in the Silver accomodation area, I would likely return to find the wheels and stereo missing. The only thing differentiating this from a deprived inner city area was the lack of groups of youths standing on street corners (they probably come out during the night!).
On a positive note (yes there is one), the pool is free and its amazing. Loads of life guards who I can only assume get paid everytime they blow the whistle as they blew them that much. This can only be a good thing though as there was a definite safety conscious attitude to the pool area.
Sadly, this did not extend to the rest of the camp though. On our last night, I saw about 5 employees and 1 red coat trying to erect a HUGE steel umbrella thing over the top of the food kiosk in the skyline arena. They obviously didn't have any idea about Health and Safety as it was clearly too heavy to lift without the correct equipment, none of them had any protective gear on and they didn't bother to erect barriers around the area. Trust me, I am not exaggerating, this thing was big! Needless to say, we didn't wait around to see what happened after they nearly dropped it twice!.
To sum up: If you want a week of free, safe swimming for £450, book your holiday at Butlins Minehead.
Ohh, I nearly forgot... Our deluxe accomodation was supposed to include housekeeping. Well they came on the first day but missed the next one. We used the text service to request help and the only reply we received was one asking us if our request had been dealt with to our satisfaction. Obviously it hadn't so we asked again. The next day, the housekeeper arrived. Apparently, she had the previous day off! I can only surmise that maybe the French strike had caused a delay in traffic arriving through the channel tunnel which has led to a staff shortage.

1 reader found this review helpful

Three night family weekend break. I booked this holiday as the children wanted it instead of birthday parties (their birthdays are very close together). It was just me and my two young boys (5 & 7 yrs). The website claimed that a family weekend excluded single sex group bookings but, you've guessed it, we were surrounded by large groups of lads, drinking, swearing, waking me up at 1am, 2am and 3am. And this was on top of the health hazard they had the cheek to label as a silver graded self-catering chalet. When I complained, I was told they couldn't act unless I told them who the offending groups were. They fobbed me off with the excuse that a late pool tournament booking had been made. They should never have hijacked a family weekend and taken the booking in the first place. I feel I did not get the holiday that was advertised, and for which I booked and paid for in full well in advance. I explained that if I had been contacted beforehand with the information of it not being exclusively for families, I would not have chosen to come. Also this aside, a rip-off holiday, as a lot of the activities that a family would want to do together were not included in the price - bowling, snooker, crazy golf, go-karts etc. A lot of the fairground rides were closed to us due to height restrictions, and I was the only adult. The toddler fairground was closed for business. Not all was bad. The evening entertainment was great with only two drawbacks. The centre stage was surrounded by money spending opportunities such as slots, sweet shop & gift stall, and The Citrus Brothers (juggling/comedy double act) were ok but made an offensive gag about pikeys. We were there for two full days only, and by the second day we had to get off the compound and take a walk along the beach. A fantastic holiday for all you families that like laddish behaviour, filth, gambling and getting stinking drunk and rolling home at 2am. Needless to say, we left early. Letter of complaint has been submitted to Butlins, with suggestions.

1 reader found this review helpful

We went for a short break to Butlins Minehead and took our two small children.
From the advertising it is supposed to be a great family holiday, the only thing that was remotely average was the apartment we stayed in with regard to cleanliness.
We had requested that we were on the ground floor and near amenities, what we had was a top floor apartment the furthest away from the amenities that you could get.
Our twin boys were in still in a pushchair so to get up three lots of metal stairs with a pushchair just to get to our room was a nightmare.
The entertainment was nonexistent and what was open was unsuitable for the children. We hardly saw any reps and when we did they were usually drunk and rowdy. They advertised a child minding session in a nursery that was free for the first session, so due to the lack of facilities suitable for the children we decided to take them to the nursery, it turned out you had to prebook well in advance pay a lot of money and then if there was availability again your second session would be free.
The whole holiday was a disaster from start to finish and although it wasn't expensive to go because we collected tokens, by the time we departed we had spent a load of money just trying to keep the children entertained.
This holiday is definitely for youngsters who want to get drunk- not a family holiday by any means.