We’ve just got back from a four day break from Butlin’s Bognor Regis. It was our first time so we didn’t really know what to expect. Having read a few mixed reviews, we packed up the car and hoped for the best and thankfully we weren’t disappointed.

Butlin’s is so full on, our days were packed full so I didn’t have time to write a daily blog. I thought I’d write one big one and share our Butlin’s experience with you! If you’re anything like me, you get a bit OCD on the research front before booking a holiday or day out, so hopefully you’ll find my review helpful.

Accommodation

We stayed in a newly refurbished Seaside Apartment. We picked this accommodation rather than staying in the hotel as we liked the idea of having a living space. The apartment was bright, clean and well equipped. The rooms were small but a decent size.

Our room was big enough to fit the travel cot, but we evicted Flo into the living room after the first night as she kept waking up, expecting us to jump up and play. The travel cot mattress was pretty hard and not very comfortable so my hubby nicked the duvet off the spare bed to soften it up for her.

There was a kettle, toaster, microwave, tea, coffee, sugar and milk (mini one’s that you normally find in hotels), oven, fridge, TV in living room and master bedroom, towels (be warned that you have to pay extra for these if you stay in the hotel), hair dryer, iron board and iron, safe and maid service on a daily basis. You also get mini toiletries in the bathroom and loo roll.

There is also a balcony with table and chairs. This outside space would be lovely in warmer weather. You can also leave your pram under the stairs outside if you wish.

Food

We opted for a Premium Dining plan, this meant that our breakfast & dinner was covered every day. We were allocated The Coast, which is a buffet style restaurant. There are themed nights each week. During our stay there was an Italian, Indian and Chinese themed night.

The food was ok. The breakfast was decent, there’s a selection of cooked breakfast, porridge, omelette, pastries, cereals, toast, yoghurt, fruit, pancakes, drinks machines including tea, coffee, hot chocolate, juice and squash for the kids.

I didn’t realise this before we arrived but you also get two Ella’s Kitchen pouches per day included in the dining package. The dinner wasn’t the best. Some of the food was a bit tasteless but there was a good variety of food for both adults and kids. Bella pretty much ate pasta every night. It’s not the healthiest of food and my face felt puffy from all the salt, but it is what it is.

We didn’t realise that dinner stopped being served at 7pm, so on our second night we had to pay for dinner elsewhere (totally our fault as it does state the times on your welcome pack), we ended up at The Diner, an old fashioned American themed restaurant. We really enjoyed the food and the girls loved the Rock n Roll music playing in the background. Flo was getting her groove on whilst stuffing her face. They also make fantastic Long Island Iced Tea cocktails!

We couldn’t face the same old, buffet style food on our last night so we opted for Papa Johns and Bella thoroughly enjoyed the pizza, pasta and salad buffet. If we do go back to Butlins, we wouldn’t pay extra for the dining plan, as there are plenty of other dining options that we preferred better.

Activities

Butlin’s Bognor Regis is THE perfect place for kids! There is so much to keep them entertained! The kids fairground was a big hit with Bella! Rides include flying planes, teacups, ladybird ride and a car on a track. She went on the rides time and time again and always had a big smile on her face.

Thank god for the soft play! It was a godsend for Flo, it gave her the chance to crawl around and get out of the pram. It was well equipped with toys and we took Flo there every morning whilst Bella went on the rides. There is also a bigger soft play for older kids.

As well as the arcades, there are additional activities including face painting, temporary tattoos, build a bear, activities for older kids (5 upwards) including rock climbing, archery, football and lots more. There are also a couple of playgrounds.

Fairground

We spent a lot of time in the Fairground. Bella surprised us by going on the ‘crazy rides’ (her words), there was a good variety of rides suitable for both kids and big kids, trampolines, crazy mirrors, circus (additional extra) and a few traditional, fairground stalls.

The height requirement is 0.9m for kids to ride with an adult, so Bella could go on most rides. She wasn’t allowed on the dodgems, swings or go karts.

Entertainment

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The girls loved Tots disco and they both danced and joined in. The entertainment at Butlins is brilliant. As well as the smaller shows they had bigger acts including Diversity and Cinderella Rocks (this is included in your package). The girls kept going in the evenings and enjoyed the shows.

Bella’s Highlight

Bella’s highlight of the whole holiday was meeting the Teletubbies. She was so excited and on cloud 9 every time she met them and had her photo taken. The group photo is proudly displayed on her bedroom wall. Every time she sees it, she says “I met the Teletubbies. I’ve got a photo with all of the Teletubbies”.

She also met Mr Men & Little Miss, she wasn’t too keen on Mr Grumpy and she loved watching Billy & Bonnie on stage.

Splash World

Bella loved Splash World. On our second day, went around 3pm the supposedly quiet time, but it was very busy. It was well equipped for kids, there are different slides, fountains, waterfalls, wave machine and rapids. I felt they could of had a separate area just for babies.

Flo couldn’t really enjoy herself without being drenched by older kids running past and kicking water into her face. It was so busy with kids that she couldn’t really relax and play. She got cold and fed up pretty quickly.

On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday they have a dedicated toddler swim time between 8.30-9.30am. My hubby took Bella to the Thursday session and he said they pretty much had the pool to themselves.

My Verdict

I would highly recommend Butlin’s to families with kids of all ages, there really is something for everyone. I personally feel that with kids as young as Bella (3 in October) and Flo (10 Months), 3-4 days is more than long enough. They are still too small to fully enjoy the Butlin’s experience, so I think any longer the novelty would wear off.

Also anymore late nights would definitely take its toll. I would definitely book a Seaside Apartment again, they are well suited for families. There are a lot of negative reviews out there but go and see for yourself, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.