Butlins, Minehead Review

Overall Rating

Easy check in... Entertainment and the swimming pool complex

Swimming pool changing rooms fairground ride restrictions, clubs packed out, so you can`t get a seat!!

We have just got back from Butlins Minehead, I was in a party of 8 so we had to have 2 chalets, luckily they did put us next door to each other. The accommodation was of a good standard (silver plus) and quite spacious with heaters in all of the rooms and a nice bath with a power shower. The beds were a little hard. The downside was passers by would walk right close to your chalet and look in the window. The swimming pool was great, with plenty of lifeguards who did their job well, but the black hole flume was closed all week, not sure why also it is only open from 10 to 5pm each day, so with a check in time of 4pm you don't get a chance to go in the pool on the first day you arrive. The changing rooms were pretty bad, half the lockers didn't work and there were no cubicles if you liked your privacy a little unclean too and crowded. The funfair was pretty good, but they had height restrictions on the waltzer, and even the pirate boat. I could understand there been height restrictions on the skyliner and the the cage but it meant my 10 yr old son, could not even go on with a parent on any of the older rides Although I understand the safety aspect I think if a parent is going on with them it should be ok...so if you are under 1.4m you cant go on ANY of the bigger rides. The go-karts were great and quite reasonabaly priced. Now on to the Skyline Pavilion great place, very noisy though but kept us dry. My kids went on the bungee trampoline which was £5.00 which was an ok price also the climbing wall which was also £5.00 the instructor was very nice. Mine were too old to appreciate Bob the Builder, the skyline Gang and Barney the dinosaur but great for younger kids, they had a fab circus show on too. There was a good range of shops in the Boardwalk with anything from sweets to souvenirs to groceries which were not too pricey, nice to look round. Cashpoint machines were on the site though there was a small charge to get money out, lots of amusement arcades, which mine loved. The ten pin bowling was great but quite expensive. They had paintballing and laser quest we found those on the last day! So not sure what that was like. The high ropes was outdoors but it was quite wet when we went and I think it was about £10 per person. They had 2 outdoor adventure playgrounds one for the older kids and one for the younger kids. Both were pretty good and FREE! There was also a free indoor soft kids area which my younger ones enjoyed, an outdoor jumping pillow, which was not free and kids trampolines which mine enjoyed!! The Food: lots of choices of eateries we ate at Burger King once (about £25 for 8 people) and The Pizza Hut where it was about £50 for 8 people not including starters but drinks and the ice cream factory, which me and the kids loved if you don't fancy these there is a Tesco and Macdonald in nearby Minehead plus other eating places. The rollover hotdogs were nice as a snack!! The clubs: GREAT but very hard to get a seat unless you are prepared to queue for ages and this was the beginning of September but the entertainment was great which lots of good cabaret acts. Shortage of bar staff meant long waits for drinks as well as standing up. They need to either put in more seating or another clubroom as it was the same in both of the venues. The Redcoats were really good and lively overall we had a good holiday but you do need a lot of spending money if you want a peaceful and relaxing holiday then don't go to Butlins as I am more knackered than I was before I went!!