The last time I took the family to Butlins was September 1999. There was me, the other half, and three kids, aged 8, 4 and 10 months .To be honest, I wasn't expecting much; it was just a British holiday camp. Which usually meant crap weather, and lots of cheesy holiday ‘fun’. But having a baby on board, I didn't really want to travel abroad. But judging by the fact that there are only three resorts to choose from these days, things had obviously changed since 1936 when Butlins was first unleashed on us. So we decided to give it a go.
The resort was well signposted from miles away -you couldn’t get lost if you tried. Because even if you never spotted any of the signposts, you wouldn't miss the great 'Millennium Dome' -like blot on the landscape. It is called The Skyline Pavilion.
As you approach the main entrance gates with growing apprehension, you are greeted by two smiling redcoats who direct you to your spot, and from that point onwards, you are pretty much left to your own devices. (A word of warning though, if you want to hang any of your clothes up during your stay, take your own hangers .I had to beg the local ‘staff ’ for a couple of bent up wire ones. Trust me, it isn’t worth the suitcase space... And if you are a self-catering holidaymaker, don’t leave home without essentials such as saucepan, baking tray and frying pan. They do provide these items, but I think if you tried to use them, they would disintegrate on contact with heat!).
The accommodation, although small, was very clean and quite modern, in a remedial kind of way. No nets at the windows though, so there isn’t alot of privacy to be had, unless you keep the curtains drawn.
Once we ventured out into the world of Butlins, I was nothing short of impressed. Mainly because the kids did not moan or complain once while they were there.
The Skyline Pavilion is the heart of the resort, with entertainment through the day, from 11am until 11pm. This consisted of puppet shows, magicians, special appearances by various kids’ TV stars (it was The Power Rangers when we were there), trapeze artists and loads more besides. Star of the Skyline, however, was Noddy and all his friends, and with shows all day, this was truly a magical place to be. There is also Burger King, Harry Ramsden’s chip shop, a cocktail bar (which I can’t for the life of me remember the name of), as well as amusement arcades, karaoke bar, and souvenir shop. So even when the weather is lousy, there is no excuse to stay in.
There is an outdoor pool for when the weather is fine. And for when it’s not, there is the indoor pool. This is loads of fun-there are flumes, wave machines and some very adventurous rides that I wasn’t brave enough to go on! It is suitable for the whole family, and the lifeguards there are among the most vigilant I have ever seen.
The evenings are when the resort really comes to life though. Entertainment takes place in two venues which are next door to each other, consists of ‘disco’, live tribute bands (courtesy of the redcoats) and ‘game-shows’. In Centre Stage, there are nightly shows, featuring stars of stage and TV, and all at no extra cost. And the entertainment is first class. Drink prices are the same as in your local, and are served until midnight.
For the rowdier of us, there is ‘Jumpin Jaks’ -only adults are allowed in here, so it is a great escape. Got kids? Butlins run a creche all day, which has to pre-booked, and a babysitting service in the evening. The charge for this was £5 an hour, and their ‘babysitters’ are mature women who have fantastic references.
This holiday was the best I have ever had, certainly in England. They make everything easy for you, from start to finish, and if you are graced with three young kids like me, this is heaven on earth! The redcoats deserve a medal, for their talents, for the way they have a smile on their face ALL the time, and for making sure we all had a great holiday. I’m going back next year...and I can’t wait!