Entertainment at Butlin's Bognor Regis

This is the last of my Butlin's reviews from our midweek Easter break as part of the Butlins Ambassadors program for 2012/2013.  I've already posted about the excellent accommodation and the food we enjoyed using the Premium Dining Plan.  Now it's time to look at the entertainment and things to do at Butlin's Bognor Regis.

If I am completely honest, I thought that during our break at Butlin's we might leave the resort to go and visit some nearby tourist attractions. We even Googled a few places to have as contingencies in case the kids wanted to do something different.  I guess I still had the preconceived notion that Butlin's would be a little old fashioned for my family.  However, this did not happen and we did not need to leave at all.  There was so much to do on site that we didn't once feel at a loss for entertainment.  We were kept busy and entertained all day.  As most activities are included in the price of the holiday, we spent very little money during our stay and the kids never once complained of being bored!  I was a bit concerned about Freddy who is quite shy and not keen on loud noises, but he ended up being the biggest fan, often saying "I love Butlin's" when asked whether he was enjoying himself.

Billy's Fairground

New for 2013, is the revamped fairground featuring new rides and new landscaping.  The rides are all free to go on and the kids enjoyed the Helter Skelter, Carousel, Trabants, Paratroopers, Swings, Dodgems and Trampolines.  The side shows, games, arcade and food stands all added to the fun of the fair!  Freddy enjoyed his first candy floss.

The fair looked great and the Elvis soundtrack that was playing put us in the mood for some good, wholesome, old-fashioned fun. Many of the rides were suitable for accompanied children over 0.9m tall so Freddy got his first taste of some of the bigger rides and he loved it!  He also enjoyed the trampolines where he bounced happily and showed off his skills.  I'm not really a fan of rides anymore as I get too dizzy being spun around (damn my Labrynthitis!!) but I loved watching my girls, Freddy and Ian having such a good time together.  We made several visits to the fair as it was a big hit with everyone.

It brought back childhood memories and I remembered my dad driving me round on the Dodgems.  He used to be able to change direction in a split second to get us out of any bumping related situations!  Seeing Ian driving Kizzy around gave me a bit of deja vu!

The games stands such as Hook A Duck, throwing darts at balloons or the Wiggly Wire were £2 a go.  We didn't try any of the games ourselves but they seemed very popular and many kids were clutching prizes such as cuddly toys and novelty gifts.  We went to a side show in the World of Wonders which was quite bizarre but fun, touching on the interactive live actor entertainment used at theme parks.

Indoor Entertainment At Butlin's

So much has changed about the entertainment at Butlin's, since the days of Glamorous Granny and Nobbly Knee contests.  Catering to a more sophisticated audience, Butlin's has seen the launch of a whole host of great shows, tribute acts, celebrity performances, puppet shows and pantomimes to keep families entertained.  Dedicated children's shows have brought TV characters to life for the delight of little ones.  Showing on the stage at the Skyline Pavilion, we saw Fireman Sam, The Skyline Gang, Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder.  At the Centre Stage venue, we watched the new Sesame Street Show, Elmo Makes Music.  We also saw the panto Jack and the Beanstalk, X-Factor finalist Rylan (who we adored!) and Take That tribute act, Beautiful World.  The quality of the shows was all extremely good and very professional.  I introduced the girls to the joys of Coca-Cola Floats in the Centre Stage venue, another nostalgic memory from my childhood relived!

The Red Coats do a good job of keeping the crowds happy.  They hosted a series of party dances every evening, busting moves to Gangnam Style, Chocolatte and The Music Man.  We loved Red Coat Nathan who was an amazing dancer!  My kids aren't the sort of children to go up onto the dance floor, but we had a lot of fun singing along and having a boogie in our seats.  Kizzy and Freddy learned a few of the dances and performed them later back in the apartment.

I was very impressed with the security at the Centre Stage venue who kept the crowds organised and safe when we went to have our photo taken with Rylan after his performance.  There was quite a rush as fans dashed to the Meet & Greet area and I thought the Rylan Riots may ensue!  The staff kept control whilst maintaining a sense of humour, and the huge queue of X Factor fans moved quickly and orderly.

The arcades included lots of machines that took two pences so I was happy to let the kids loose with a pound's worth to feed into the slots.  It provided a whole lot of fun as they made their 2p coins last for as long as possible.  There are lots of other games there including ones to win prize tickets but thankfully my kids had no interest in them.  I can imagine that children could spend a lot of money trying to accumulate enough tickets to exchange for a prize.

There was a virtual reality simulator that Freddy wanted to go on with Ella.  They took their seats in the little pod and shut themselves inside as they went on a virtual rollercoaster through a volcanic mine!  I looked on hoping he was enjoying himself, but fearing he would be overwhelmed by the intense ride.  Thankfully the doors opened and Freddy came out grinning from ear to ear!

The Indoor Tots Rides and Soft Play area were the highlight of Freddy's holiday.  He adored being free to play whenever he wanted, for as long as he wanted. He was able to pop in for a quick play or a quick ride several times a day.  I was so proud at how much he came out of his shell and held his own with the other children.  We relaxed with a coffee while we watched him in the play area.

The Games Port at the Wave Hotel was another excellent indoor venue for playing interactive video games.  Particularly useful when the weather isn't great, which is a lot of the time in England!

Out and About

With the beach so close, it was really nice to take a wander to see the sea.  The tide was in and the waves were pretty fierce, but the children enjoyed throwing stones into the water and watching the waves crash onto the beach.  It was nice to breathe in the fresh sea air and blow away the cobwebs!

Throughout the resort, there are fun things such as water features, play areas, grassed areas, funky seating, wooden horses and interesting things to explore.  Freddy did a lot of climbing, sliding and crawling as he investigated the outdoor areas.  

There is crazy golf, a football pitch, climbing wall, zip wire, go-karts and sporting activities going on throughout the day. You can pay to take part in various activities and I was impressed what good value they were. My girls were happy to stay together with me and Ian and Freddy, so they didn't take advantage of the kids' club sessions that were going on.  But if you have the sort of child that likes doing their own thing with other kids the same age, there was lots for them to do, including silent discos and games tournaments.

We saw the baby animals in the Easter Spring Farmyard and took part in an Easter Egg Hunt Trail.  These were seasonal activities especially for the holidays.  Other Easter events such as arts sessions and Bonnie and Billy's Easter Bonnet parade also took place while we were there.

We went swimming in the indoor, sub-tropical Splash Waterworld and I was so impressed!  The water was pleasantly warm and we had fun in the children's area with Freddy and also loved the wave pool and the bubbles.  None of us were brave enough for the slides, Master Blaster or the Space Bowl flume though.  The pool and changing areas were kept clean and tidy and had ample lockers,  and the lifeguards were very visible while on duty.  We spent a very enjoyable couple of hours at the pool and the kids' water confidence increased measurably while they were having fun in the water.

The overriding feeling during our holiday was one of real family fun and togetherness.  There were lots of smiles and plenty of laughter.  The days flew by and there was never a dull moment.  We split our time between our amazing Reef Apartment and the free onsite activities and filled our days with traditional seaside family entertainment.  I enjoyed doing things with my children that I had done with my parents, and enjoying the simpler things of life.  It was a much needed break and we thoroughly enjoyed sharing quality family time together.

We all agreed that Butlin's have got it very right.  The range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets is spot on.  The self-service buffet was varied, impressive and provided an excellent way to feed the fussiest of families with a pre-paid plan that took all the stress away from eating out.  The entertainment is diverse and most activities are included in the price of the holiday.  It is good to be able to enjoy yourself without spending a lot of cash day to day.  It makes budgeting so much easier knowing that most things are free to enjoy.  The swimming pool is excellent and a lot of fun.  

                                         

Find out more about Butlin's short breaks and holidays at www.Butlins.com.  Like them on Facebook or follow on Twitter.

I'll leave you with a collage of happy smiles from our holiday.  

Thank you Butlins for giving us the opportunity to be Ambassadors this year and for sending us to The Wave Hotel at Bognor Regis with a Premium Dining Plan for the purpose of this series of rewiews.  Our thoughts and findings are all 100% genuine and we are now all self-proclaimed Butlin's fans.

Premium Dining For Vegetarians At Butlin's Bognor Regis

Part of our Ambassador's holiday at Butlin's Bognor Regis included testing out the Premium Dining Plan.  This is a flexible half board plan which provides breakfast and an evening meal throughout your stay.  As we are all vegetarians, this was something that I was particularly interested in trying out, to see how well it would cater for our family. 

The Deck restaurant is close to the Wave Hotel and is a self-service buffet.  The atmosphere is very relaxed and perfect for family dining.  There is ample seating in different arrangements to suit families of all sizes.  Hosts show you to your table after you are greeted at the door.

The evening buffet counter includes a carvery alongside an array of international and traditional dishes.  There are daily fish and veggie options.  Two live stations prepare fresh food to order while you wait.  One is a grill for burgers and kebabs and one is for pasta.  A children's buffet counter features kids' favourites and is low enough for them to help themselves.  There is also a salad bar, soup and bread rolls.  A hot dessert counter with two pudding choices, an ice cream machine and a selection of cold desserts and fruit caters for sweet toothed guests!  There are two self-serve drink stations serving both hot and cold drinks.

The choices on offer changed everyday and I was delighted to see a fair few vegetarian options being rotated, so we didn't end end eating the same everyday.  A spicy chickpea burger, spinach and ricotta canneloni, cheese tortellini, macaroni cheese, vegetable kebab, vegetable curry and mushroom stroganoff were among the options we had. We also had a pick of the carvery vegetables, noodles, rice and potato options.  The Pasta station made delicious dishes to order which we really enjoyed.  The desserts included cheesecakes, gateaux, crumbles, hot sponge puddings, cheese and biscuits and jellies.  We enjoyed sampling the different dishes and the children liked being able to serve themselves.  Being buffet style meant we never had to wait for food which helped prevent Freddy getting restless between courses.  Also, if there was something the children didn't enjoy, they could go and get something different (or help themselves to seconds if they did like it!)

The breakfast set up was similar.  Hot and cold drinks are available from dispensing machines.  There are hot cooked English breakfast items served buffet style and I was delighted to see the inclusion of vegetarian sausages.  Continental breakfast foods such as Danish pastries and croissants along with cereals, fruit, yogurts and toast add some lighter options.  There are also boiled eggs, porridge, pancakes and kippers on offer.  The live stations make up toasted sandwiches and omelettes.  I loved the cheese and onion omelette for my breakfast along with a veggie sausage and some beans.

For a restaurant catering to so many guests, I felt The Deck had got it very right!  Huge choice, efficient service, continually stocked up pots of food and plenty of plates made the experience very positive.  The vegetarian options were varied and very good.  I did not feel cheated in any way, knowing that our plan cost the same as those who could eat the meaty dishes too.

My only criticism would be the labeling of the dishes, as it was sometimes difficult to work out what something was.  With things like soups, breaded burgers and curries it can be hard to tell exactly what's in them.  Even more important if you are a vegetarian or have an allergy.  The staff were happy to answer questions, but labels would have made it much easier. 

The cold drinks were OK but the juice drinks tasted a bit artificial and very sweet and the kids were not keen on them.  We stuck to the chilled water.  It would have been nice to see a real fruit juice on offer.  However, drinks could be purchased from the bar at an extra cost.

The Premium Dining Plan allows guests to swap a dinner for vouchers to spend at one of the other restaurants on site such as Turners, Papa Johns or the Beachcomber Inn.  We did intend to take advantage of this, but we all really liked the flexibility, the choices and the atmosphere of The Deck and decided to eat there everyday.  Freddy can be difficult when eating out but loved The Deck.  Although he didn't eat much (as he doesn't have a big appetite) he enjoyed what he had and liked trying different things, so it suited us perfectly.  We loved not having to think about food or where to eat, and having the pre-purchased plan mad
kes it very simple to feed the family.  I'd definitely recommend this option.  It was such a treat not to have to worry about cooking or clearing up!

The cost our plan was £21 per adult and £10.50 per child per day for half board dining.

We were given a four night break with a Premium Dining Plan as part of the Butlin's Ambassador Program 2012/13.

The Wave Hotel at Butlin's Bognor Regis

We had the pleasure of staying in the newest hotel at Butlin's Bognor Regis, The Wave.  We stayed in a Reef Apartment, which had three bedrooms, a lounge and a kitchen, combining the luxury of a hotel with the freedom and convenience of a self-catering apartment.  With daily housekeeping included, it really did tick all the boxes of what we were looking for in holiday accommodation.

The hotel itself is clean and well designed.  It is clearly signposted with its own entrance from the road.  On arrival we were informed that the car park was full but were told to park outside the main doors in order to book in and unload our luggage.  We were then directed to an overflow car park where we were to be picked up by a driver and driven back to the hotel doors.  However, we spotted a space in another car park from our hotel room and went there instead.  Problem solved!

Checking in was easy although the foyer was very busy and the queue for the lifts were huge with everyone arriving at the same time.  We picked up our key cards and our Premium Dining card and made our way to the room.

The lifts were great!  Each one was decorated with a different underwater theme and played music.  We found our hotel room and from the moment we opened the door we were absolutely delighted.  The spacious hallway had a space for shoes, coats, luggage and would easily fit a pushchair (or two!)  The rooms all came off this large area.

We loved the attention to detail that has gone into designing the rooms.  A blue and yellow colour theme ran throughout the apartment, giving it a sunny feel.  The underwater mural in the living area was a lot of fun and the yellow starfish cushion was a huge hit with the kids. The corner sofa was a great spot to watch the wall mounted TV.  The kitchen area came complete with a microwave, a dishwasher, cooker and fridge.  It was equipped with cutlery, crockery and cookware, so would be perfect for self-catering.  There are also table and chairs. A fish shaped chalk board added some fun and the kids enjoyed scribbling up messages. The main bedroom has a king size bed, a light up unit above the bed, built in cupboard space, a vanity unit, a flat screen TV and its own en-suite bathroom.  The en-suite bathroom was lovely with a massive walk-in shower with a light-up, colour changing shower head.

There was a bunk room with fabulous built-in TVs and DVD players at the end of the beds.  The kids thought this was amazing.

The twin room had its own vanity unit and hairdryer and storage space.  A family bathroom was equipped with a big bath and overhead shower.  Through the patio doors in the lounge, we could access a wrap around balcony with outdoor furniture.

The housekeeping kept us in fluffy, white towels and ran our washing-up through the dishwasher.  The beds were made each day and we were left a towel at the end of the bed which had been shaped as an animal such as a crab and a dog.  It was a lovely touch!

I couldn't have been more impressed with our accommodation.  It was perfect for us!  None of us could fault it.  Even down to the complimentary toiletries, dishwasher tablets and the tea and coffee sachets in the kitchen, everything was thoughtfully considered.

Also in the hotel is the Soho bar area and a fantastic games room, the Games Port.  The Games Port is a spacious, light and airy area with all kinds of video games for the kids to enjoy.  With 3DS, Mac, Wii, PS3 and Batak, the children (and their dad!) were in their element playing the latest interactive games.

At reception you can hire Kindles, iPods and borrow DVDs and DS games.  There is also free Wi-Fi throughout the building.

This is a great hotel for families.  It was great to have all the amenities of a hotel but still have a kitchen and living areas.  We spent some time in the apartment relaxing before going out in the evening.  This was really good for Freddy who gets over tired, allowing him to chill out.  The kitchen meant we could make him warm milk for his supper or knock up a snack if necessary and make ourselves cups of coffee without having to leave the room.

Our rooms were clean, well maintained, well equipped, very spacious and extremely well designed.

Here is my guided tour video of our accommodation (filmed on day 2 so not as pristine as it had been on our arrival!!)

We were given a 4 night midweek stay at Butlin's Bognor Regis as part of the Butlin's Ambassador Program 2012/2013.

I'm A Butlin's Ambassador!

I am so pleased to be picked as one of the forty Butlin's Ambassadors for 2012/13!  As someone who has many happy childhood memories of staying at Butlin's Holiday Camps as a little girl, this role is filled with nostalgic thoughts as well as excitement at experiencing Butlin's 21st century style!

Butlins in the 70s

Today I phoned up to book my family holiday at Bognor Regis staying in the brand new Wave Hotel in one of their incredible appartments.  With room for up to 4 adults and 2 children they provide accommodation for larger families and extended families.  They also include a kitchen area and a lounge to relax in.  Perfect if you want the freedom of self-catering with the luxury of a hotel stay!  We have opted to add on the premium dining package which gives us breakfast and dinner every day in their new Restaurant.  With a range of different meals on offer every day as well as some food cooked to order (they have a pancake station at breakfast!) they cater for all tastes.  I'll be really interested to see how well they cater for a family of vegetarians!

There are loads of add ons such as Character Lunches, Spa Days, Leisure Passes and Adrenaline Passes so you can plan your visit in advance with lots of fun extras.

We are looking forward to reviewing Butlin's during the Easter holidays in 2013!  If you want to check out  Butlin's holidays for your family, take a look at the website at www.butlins.com