BUTLIN’S breaks are a big hit with families because there is so much to keep the kids busy and entertained.
I have been coming for years with my kids and along the way have picked up some savvy tips on how to squeeze even more value from your break.
The Sun’s Caroline Iggulden tried out Butlin’s new all-inclusive holiday packages with her family[/caption]
One of the best ways is to opt for Butlin’s all-inclusive drinks packages and dining packages which you pay for ahead of your break.
Paying in advance for food and drink this way not only works out as good value, it also helps spread the cost of your break.
It also means you don’t have to worry about the kids asking ‘can I have another one’ or constantly reaching for your wallet…
I visited Butlin’s Bognor Regis resort for a 3 night-break at half term and opted for their all-inclusive drinks package, which during school holidays costs £30.95 a day per adult and £10.50 per child.
When you arrive you are given a wristband with a number on showing how many adults in your party, a clever idea which means it only needs one of you to fetch drinks for your group rather than all having to show your bands.
The package includes draught beers-including my husband’s favourite Guinness, wine, spirits and a decent list of cocktails.
But it also includes unlimited hot drinks from Costa concessions around the resort.
Kids packages include soft drinks and hot drinks.
The wristbands also make for a seamless experience on resort.
With coffees prices around £3.85, glasses of wine and pints at around £5.85 and cocktails at £7.75 a glass, it doesn’t take many drinks across the course of a day to break even on your outlay.
Caroline and her family spent a few days at their Bognor Regis resort for half term[/caption]
The Bognor resort also boasts the new Playexperience activity complex, featuring high-tech activities like VR games, glow-in-the-dark ping pong and escape rooms[/caption]
We also opted for a pre-paid dining package. There are various options on offer including buffet dining or a ‘’dine around’ option which allows you to eat at the resort’s stand-alone restaurants and pubs using vouchers.
We opted for buffet dining option which starts at £24.95 a day for an adult per day and £14.95 per child (aged between 6-14) and £6.80 for a child aged 2-5.
Buffet breakfast is always a highlight for the kids allowing them to load up for a busy day activities on everything from eggs and bacon to pancakes, cereals, fruit and yoghurts.
In the evenings, buffets open as early as 4.30pm – ideal if you have a little one like me – and it is also a quiet time time eat before the rush. Food is plentiful and fresh.
For families like mine, the best part of a Butlin’s holiday is that the price of your accommodation also includes all live shows and activities, with free flow access to the brilliant Splash! Swimming and waterslide complex, unlimited fairground rides, playgrounds and soft-play.
Accommodation for a three-night stay in the forthcoming Easter holidays would cost a family of two adults and two children sharing a room in the Shoreline hotel would typically cost £625.
Totting all of this up, if you opted for the all-inclusive drinks and a dining package on top it is possible to build a pre-paid, all-inclusive style holiday at Butlin’s for around £1,115.
Considering the average cost of an all-inclusive holiday in the Easter holidays to a popular resort like Spain or Turkey would likely set a family of four back between £2,000-£3,500, Butlin’s offers an affordable alternative for the school holidays with no airports or long journey.
Arguably, it’s even better value in terms of entertainment side at a Butlin’s compared to most foreign all-inclusives, as while they have the sunshine, swimming and eating, they’re unlikely to have comparable shows, activities, attractions or a fairground.
It also works out cheaper than a few days at home with the kids in the school holidays, with the price of train fares, cinema, bowling and a meal at a chain restaurant easily coming in at £200 for a family of four these days.
But best value of all comes with the newly launched all-inclusive bundles available across the Bognor Regis, Skegness and Minehead resorts, starting at £399 for a family of four on a four-night break.
The package is only available on Showtime breaks, which are in term time and aimed at families with children who are younger than school age.
That include accommodation, dining plan, all Inclusive drinks pages and access to all the normal facilities.
The all-inclusive package also includes drinks from the on-site Costa cafes[/caption]
This brings the cost of an all-inclusive holiday with food, drinks and entertainment in at just under £100 per person, making it pretty hard to beat.
The Bognor resort also boasts the brand new Playexperience activity complex, featuring a host of high-tech activities from VR games and experiences to glow-in-the-dark ping pong and golf, escape rooms, digi darts and a virtual batting cage.
Activities come at an extra cost paid for by digital ‘tokens’ purchased through the Butlins app.
Other paid-for activities on resort like pottery painting, football and T-Shirt making classes can also be paid for in tokens.
But you can make these activities cheaper by purchasing your tokens before your stay as they are cheaper than on resort. The earlier you buy, the cheaper they are and buying more also reduces the cost.
So it pays to think ahead of time about what you want to do on resort, work out how many tokens you need to buy and book ahead.
During our stay we also purchased early access VIP wristbands, which allow you to access the booking system for shows and activities three days ahead of the crowd.
The band also allows you access to show venues 15 minutes early, allowing you to bag a great seat.
On a three-night, school holiday break these cost £26 a person with under-twos free.
FIRST LOOK AT BUTLIN’S NEW GLADIATORS SHOW FOR 2025
By Caroline Iggulden
My three kids are huge fans of the BBC hit, successfully rebooted last year from the Nineties version.
So when we heard there was a chance to see the Glads in person, it was a no-brainer. And judging by the huge queues, we were not alone.
When the throbbing beats of We Will Rock You blasted out across the resort’s hangar-like Studio 36 venue, Henry, 11, Nicholas, seven, and Estella, four, were beside themselves.
Gladiator Nitro bounded on to the stage looking even more muscly than he does on the telly and the crowd went wild, while pantomime boos rang out for “baddie” Viper.
I won’t give too much away but the show is a blast and features lots of knock-about games that get the audience involved.
For many, it is all about the meet-and-greet at the end.
There is still an additional cost for a selection of premium activities like T-shirt making[/caption]
Whilst this is an additional cost, it ensures no one misses out on booking an activity they really want.
Butlin’s certainly offers great value, especially if you plan ahead.
