Reviews of Butlins Skegness, Lincolnshire, England

I am a mum of 3 children aged...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2006

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss K Mcilroy

Comments:

I am a mum of 3 children aged between 4 and 11, this was our first holiday with the rest of my family (12 people in total), and we can’t wait to go again in 2008.



The accommodation was lovely we stayed in silver self catering; the chalet was very clean and cosy and was equipped with everything that we needed (cooker, microwave, shower etc).



The staff at the booking in office were very pleasant and friendly and dealt with are requests quickly. On camp there is lots to do, the skyline is packed with all day entertainment for both adults and children, there are live shows, amusements, bowling, gift shops, puppet shows, bars, children’s rides, face painting, a selection of places to eat and plenty more.



The live shows which are performed in the reds club are fantastic we watched the milkshake show featuring pepper pig, Noddy, fifi the flower tot, rhubarb and custard and more, the kids loved it and it really made their holiday to see all their favourite characters on stage, as for the older children they were made up as they got to meet x factor contestant Rick Waller.



Around the camp there is also plenty to do there is a fair with free rides although some rides like go karting have a small charge, bobs yard were the kids can go on the rides for free watch bobs live show join in with games and activities and have a tea party with bob and friends, there is also a lovely beach very near to the camp.



We enjoyed are holiday so much that all 12 of us are going again next year. I would definitely recommend a butlins holiday to everyone. A fantastic holiday.

Just returned from a short break...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs L Bunn

Comments:

Just returned from a short break at Skegness and I can honestly say that we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.



We stayed in a silver self catering apartment and thought that it was very clean, modern and quite spacious for the four of us [two boys aged 7 and 1,my husband and myself].



It was also close to the facilities which we thought were fantastic, the Centre Stage and Reds were very good and I found that the redcoats really put a lot of effort into what they are doing and made it all the better an experience for us.



Lots for my seven year old to do, he loved the super slam wrestling on Sunday and he took me panning for gold three times!



We go to different places around the Skegness area and have done for quite a few years so we have driven past the Butlins resort a number of times and seen the skyline pavilion but never actually realised how big it is, there is loads to do, we enjoyed the skyline gang,hotshots,megatreats,cafes and bars etc...



The only few gripes that we had was the price of the food and drink which was really expensive and also there seems to be a bit of a language barrier with some of the staff, especially we found at the funfair, if you can call it that, because none of the staff there could or would crack a smile and looked constantly like they couldn't be bothered.



All in all lovely apartment, mostly great staff, and entertainment was brilliant and we will definitely be booking a longer holiday for next year.

Hi we have just come back from a...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs M RYDER

Comments:

Hi we have just come back from a week stay at Butlins (Mon-Mon). Thought we would book after the kids go back to school so that it wouldn't be as busy and cheaper!! It cost £300 for the week (2 adults, 2 children & a baby) in silver self catering. We where really looking forward to it and when we arrived we where greeted by Billy Bear & two Red coats smiling and waving at the front gate, the kids where sooo excited!!



Got to the checking in - oh my god!! the line was huge and so was the standard self catering but it did quickly go down as after checking your booking confirmation they just pass you a pack with a map to your room, keys and a resort book in it and away you go.



We where right at the back over looking the caravans for Fantasy Island so it was a long walk to the Skyline. When we entered the room my heart sank, it smelt, the fridge didn't work very well, there was dirty scum all round the sink and the cooker and burnt dirty food stuck under and around the cooker, mould in the shower and dirt on the bottom of the shower door which we had to scrub off so out came the anti-bacs and we had to clean everything!! The carpets where filthy and kept staining the kids socks and where full of cig burns and the sofas where filthy too! To be honest we couldn't cook in there the smell made our stomachs turn, we have gone self catering loads of times abroad and in the UK and never had anything this bad.



The kids loved Bob the Builders Yard (their 5 & 2) and the shows are very good, we really liked the Jetix show in the Skyline but like the Centre Stage & Reds you have to get there early otherwise it's hard to get a seat or when the children go off to join in, you are always up and checking on them because your too far away to see them. The funfair is a good way to pass an hour but the staff are not the most happiest of people though!!



The Centre Stage and Reds are filthy a bit like old working men’s clubs, the carpets are filthy and the chairs are all covered in beer stains and smell of old smoke as obviously you can't smoke in them any more but if you inhale enough you may still get a nicotine rush!! The chairs and tables are really close together so you always have someone trying to get passed. All the toilets are clean though but if you go to the ones near the cinema they always smell of stale urine, it's gross!!



The splash waterworld is great but the down side is that it's a bit tatty; a lot of rust stains everywhere and the changing rooms are not very big especially for families. They also smell of dirty nappies (unless you go first thing when they have just opened and this is because they don't change the nappy bins often enough) and you usually will find some dirty nappies on the changing room floors from some lovely people who can't be bothered to put them in the bins!!!!!



The new crazy golf is good but is £2.50 per person, trampolines £1.50 etc. Photos with Bob, Angelina ballerina, Fireman Sam, Billy Bear and all the other characters are quiet expensive at £5.99 for the first picture and then £2.99 each for all the others. The food is quiet expensive Burger King is about £1.50 more than usually for each meal, Finnigans is £1.95 for a fishcake and then £1.40 for the chips, £3.75 for a fish and then £1.40 for the chips, skyline cafe is £3.95 for a baguette, £2.75 for a chocolate éclair, Sun & Moon Pub is nice but the veg is either frozen or tinned, they are not fresh, you do get quite a lot on your plate though. Papa Johns is lovely and the take away for it is just as good, prices are around £14.95 for a 14inch pizza.



Really glad we didn't go dinner, bed & breakfast because every time we passed it was like feeding time at the zoo, everyone jam packed together, even lining up outside before the doors open, and they all must of had a loaf of bread each, piled up on their plates in a morning for their breakfast and the tables where full of dirty plates and we saw all this from the windows!! A lot of people said that the tables where sticky, full of dirty dishes and the food were basic and cold.



Would we go again NO!!!!!!, we usually go abroad twice a year for our holidays but with having a newborn baby, we thought we would go somewhere that would entertain the kids but we didn't have to travel far and Butlins has always had a good name but not anymore!! It is tatty, scruffy and overpriced!! And it definitely doesn't live up to it's the high quality name!!!! This is why they don't film the Red coats TV program at Skegness because they would be ashamed!! Maybe Minehead etc. would be nicer but why pay the prices when you can go abroad for the same amount!!

Butlins is a big complex and we...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Select

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Select

Submitted By:

Mrs S L

Comments:

Butlins is a big complex and we thought a perfect place for a holiday for our family. The good point was that the swimming pool was great...........bad points; too many queues, from the moment you arrive to the time you leave, you seem to spend half the time queuing. We were only seated once during the week for the evening shows - the other times all the seats had been taken around an hour before the shows commenced.



We heard many say that 'if' they came again they would have to pay more for the Gold chalets. All the chalets should be 'Gold' standard!!!!!!!!!!!! Ours was very basic, poorly cleaned and very outdated. I did not appreciate having to repeat myself many times because very few of the staff are English and did not fully understand what was being asked - they have no clue what British people want. This was probably the main talking point in the bar [foreign bar staff].



This will be our last time at Butlins if they continue this present format. What has happened to the great organisation? Are they listening to the customers? What fool thought it was a good idea to turn it into a slot machine paradise [lousy for parents], what has happened to all the 'free rides'?



Next year - we have already booked for Grand Canaria and for the same price as one week at Butlins half board we have two weeks at a 4 star fully comprehensive.

We started to go Butlins in the...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jun 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

bigbopper000

Comments:

We started to go Butlins in the year of 2001. Twice a year we used to go, it was always June and December for Christmas. It was very nicely priced as well, this was in a time where the british holiday was not fashionable. But as the years went by the price went up and up and up now the good old british holiday is back in fashion Butlins forgot about the regulars.



I was a silver prem club member and even at that, the price it was still to high £1748 is what they told me for a family of five half board for a week. The price to Disneyland Florida cost us £2000 for fourteen days in November. In 2001 when we first booked for Butlins it cost us £330 half board for five of us.



Butlins is a great family holiday but I think they should remember the people who kept them going while nobody else wanted to go. I for one don't think I will be going back in the very near future and at those prices they will soon find themselves in the same situation as 2001 where they will be begging us back.

I go to Butlins every year, with...

Overall Rating:

8/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss M McAssey

Comments:

I go to Butlins every year, with my husband and 3 children. We always go half board which does tend to be great value for money, plenty of choice and you can eat as much or as little as you like.



It can be very busy in the restaurants at meal times, with lots of unsupervised children helping themselves to drinks etc. I must point out that is very annoying as when you are carrying trays you do not always see the kids passing in front of you. At breakfast time kids helping themselves to cereal, which they spill, and it never gets cleaned up.



We did see a bit of the Milkshake live show but did have to stand which put us off. The swimming pools are fun but do need a general upgrade. It was very hard to get a changing room at the pool, need better changing facillities.



The accommodation was a silver room which was nice, last year we stayed in the standard, never ever again, that was awful, it was dirty, with a fine line of scum around the bathroom floor.



The shows in Reds are geared with pre-school aged children in mind, my 7 year old isn't interested in Billy bears disco anymore.



Butlins is a good place to go, especially if the weather is poor as it was for us.

We have been to Butlins in...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Oct 2006

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs S Jackson

Comments:

We have been to Butlins in Skegness for 2 years running, and it's great! We go for Halloween weekend. The Gold apartments are like luxury flats. Very new, clean, and have everything you need.



The apartments are cleaned every day. The staff are really friendly, and always busy.



The food is great, and lots of choice.



My 7 year old son, was spoilt for choice, with all the activites going on.



The main thing is that once you have paid to go, you hardly spend any more money when you are there, as so much is free.



Overall a great holiday, and lots of fun.

We stayed in a caravan, it was 5...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs LW Williams

Comments:

We stayed in a caravan, it was 5 star and was gorgeous. Everything you needed and spotless.



It was our first time in Skegness as we went to Minehead in May and thought Skegness was so much better. A lot more to do, more lively, we loved Fantasy Island and the markets.



The only thing was the queues to get to the clubs were awful. People were there at 4 to see Chico, he didnt come on till 10! My little girl loves Peppa Pig, so she loved the Milkshake show and we loved Titan the Robot, he was the best!



Defo goin back next year cant wait!

Me, my husband and my 6 yr old...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs DLK Wood

Comments:

Me, my husband and my 6 yr old daughter have just got back from a week at Butlins Skegness, we stayed in a caravan which was nice and very close to the tunnel you need to go through to get onto the butlins site.



The weather wasn't great until Friday but we had a great time. Because we were self catering we ate in the yacht club this was where the gold people ate. It was fantastic for the 3 of us for a buffet breakfast it cost us £20.85 all you can eat and dinner at night it was £25 for the 3 of us again buffet starters, mains courses and puddings load to choose from. The food was very nice. I thought good value for the money.



If you walked through the complex you were right on the beach, they have a gate and only let people onto the beach that are staying at butlins. The beach was very clean.



The only problem we had was because the place was busy, you had to queue to get into reds, this is where the red coats went at night and if you wanted to go and watch a show in the skyline you had to get there very early to get a seat.



Other than that we had a great time and are looking at going next year.

We have just come from the worst...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

butlins

Submitted By:

Mr R Glynn

Comments:

We have just come from the worst holiday we have ever had. In fact we moved to Haven Golden sands after just 1 night things are so bad at Butlins.



So why so bad? Here are just a few of many reasons.



Queues - Doesn't matter what you want to do on the park you have to queue for hours on end. Entertainment - I cant comment on the entertainment for the simple reason if you don't get in a queue from 4.30pm you just cant get a seat anywhere! The lift - If you do manage to stand in line from the middle of the afternoon to get a table for the evening entertainment you then find the main room is upstairs and the lift is only big enough for 1 pushchair at a time.



Accommodation - The apartment was clean (we had a silver) however the beds are basically just camp beds with a wafer thin mattress!



The Food - Don't bother. We saw what everyone else was having and avoided it!



As I said earlier we went to Golden Sands after our first night and had a fantastic time. My advice is simple if you want to do nothing but drink all day every day and not move out of your chair then Butlins is the place for you, however if you want a good family holiday the look elsewhere.

We have just returned from a...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs H Brandford

Comments:

We have just returned from a camping holiday at Butlins (we took our own caravan) with our 3 children aged 15,11 and 4.



Firstly I would like to say that the touring park itself is pretty good with no overcrowding, reasonably clean toilet and shower facilities and a very pleasant and helpful site warden.



Butlins itself is a great site but could become a bit boring if you are stuck on site for the whole week, but if you have the means to, or are willing to get the bus, thee is plenty to do in Skegness itself and at Fantasy Island where there is a market every day.



On a negative note, the food onsite is pretty dire and really expensive! Apart from the Redcoats, nearly everyone we came across that works there is foreign and we had some trouble if we tried to divert from standard orders in some food places.



Also on a night it is virtually impossible to get a seat in most of the entertainment venues unless you arrive an hour early and queue.



The swimming pool is fantastic and the entertainment really good (when you get to see it ) But entertaining the kids all the time can be a bit of a problem if you have large age gap between them like we have as most thing are completely geared towards exclusively older or younger groups.

We just returned from the worst...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Board Basis:

All Inclusive

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Miss P Buffet

Comments:

We just returned from the worst holiday ever!!! My 4 children (12, 10, 8 and 2) had a rubbish time the worst time of their life!!! Everything there was too big for her and the others I had to go on everything with them which would of took 10 minutes if there wasn’t any queues they had 10 rides if that.



The food there was disgusting all fast food and the prices were like £50 for 6 drinks! Which wouldn’t be bad if they weren’t all small drinks of cola!!



We made so many complaints. The puppet show was amusing to my younger 2 children but my older two were bored out of there wits!



My husband did some night entertainment but came back an hour later as he said he would rather watch paint dry!



The best bit was the swimming pool as we all enjoyed it!

After booking a standard self...

Overall Rating:

2/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs Amanda Wheatley

Comments:

After booking a standard self catering apartment at Butlins Skegness we were all looking forward to our 4 night break.



I expected the apartment to be basic which it was but we didn't expect it to be dirty, the skirting boards, the plug holes in the sinks, the shower were all really disgusting, even the bin in the kitchen had mould in and we had to put it outside, the tiles in the kitchen were also really covered in grease.



Don't get me wrong the entertainment at Butlins is excellent although there aren't enough seats, but the accommodation is really poor, the pictures on the internet are not actually rooms that are lived in they must be show rooms.



Butlins you need to clean up your accommodation, surely you make enough money year in year out. WE WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE VISITING AGAIN!

The husband and I and 2 children...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2007

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mrs D Smith

Comments:

The husband and I and 2 children (aged 6 and 23 months) went to Skegness for a Friday to Monday break in a silver room (no lounge or kitchen). This was just about adequate for us but next time we will have an apartment. It was very clean.



The staff were extremely friendly in all parts of the holiday complex. We didnt see much of the Red Coats as we could never really get a seat near enough for them to pounce on us!! Is that a good thing you might say. The entertainment was excellent for the children while we were there the WWE wrestlers where there, Jetix, etc etc.



The food was excellent value, lots of choice for tea time meals, varied every evening and breakfast was lovely too. The staff in the food hall were very very good and couldn't do enough for you.



The swimming pool was excellent but this was the only down fall. The Master Blaster was only open 1 day while we were there. As this was the only ride our son could go on because of his height and swimming ability he was a bit disappointed. So I suggest you check the opening times of the rides in the pool. Apart from that the pool is excellent.



All together a fantastic holiday for all the family. I would definitely recommend it and go again ourselves.

Arriving to Butlins Skegness was...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Board Basis:

Self Catering

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2005

Tour Operator:

Booked Independently

Submitted By:

Mr J Evans

Comments:

Arriving to Butlins Skegness was fine no problems with checking in, the chalet was old fashioned looking terrible, we had been placed on the bottom floor with a bunch of people partying above us all the time all we could hear was bang bang from them all the time annoying.



The site its self is pretty fun has a lot to offer a cinema, arcades, entertainment, shows, rides, theatre.



But it stared to get worse I took my son on a ride then a man who was operated ride actually knocked my glasses off son's face did not say sorry at all other children to he was nasty with pulling them. As soon as this happened my wife and I put a compliant in about him it turns out other people did report him too.



Next day he went to go on the ride the man said you’re too big but my son other went on the ride the other day and he was fine to go on it then the staff were really just getting funny with us.

The club the arcade in there has not very nice people in there I remember the security guard did nothing when this one child was been bullied by another youth and she seen it happen ignored it.



The place it's self was ok Great Yarmouth I love much better from Hoseasons Holidays at Hemsby Beach as I’ll always return to that place, but I’ll never again go to a Butlins holiday park after there rude staff.



Overall the staff ruined the holiday they just don't really care for people.