'I visited Butlin's biggest UK site for first time in 29 years and noticed one thing'

In summer 1996, as a four-year-old child, I visited Minehead's Butlin's resort with my family and some friends. We stayed in a chalet with an exhilarating cable car operating above.

While I was far too young to remember every aspect, my parents took many pictures and as a youngster it was clear I had a lovely time, with swimming, amusements and entertainment at the core of my enjoyment. Fast forward to 2025 and remarkably, history has repeated itself in more than one way. In May I spent the week in sunny Minehead with my in-laws, my husband and our very own four-year-old daughter.

I was excited to get stuck into everything Butlin's has to offer and was equally looking forward to seeing my little girl's face light up at every turn, one of life's little pleasures. After a 4.5 hour journey from Kent to the north Dorset coast, the approach to Minehead was beautiful with stunning scenery and a picturesque coastline to marvel.

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A site of modern, old, and £23m investment

But as we arrived on site, it appeared Butlin's is struggling with its appearance. As we drove in, old apartments with rusty railings greeted us, with a representative even acknowledging the "grotty part" of the site as we were directed to our accommodation in a more prestigious section of the venue.

We arrived at the West Lake lodge complex - the site's newest form of accommodation which opened in 2015. As we opened to the door to our apartment, my initial disappointment faded - it was modern, clean and spacious and came with a quaint terrace overlooking the lake where ducks and geese would frequent freely on the lawn.

It was a complete surprise to say the least, after a grubby looking entrance threatening to dampen my spirits. It's safe to say my daughter was ecstatic at the open space and the freedom to explore the moment our suitcases were set down with wide open paths perfect for scooter and bike riding.

These lodges were comfortable and I have nothing but good things to say about them - but other more basic options looked incredibly rundown, with prison-like rows of abandoned apartments sitting opposite us. Astonishingly, when exploring the site, I even came across the same style bungalow I stayed in all those many years ago, with the same pink and yellow patio tiles at the front. I can only hope the inside has been renovated despite an ailing exterior.

Is Butlin's Minehead completely rundown?

In short, the answer is no. It's not all bad news to anyone contemplating a holiday here. The site, in 2024, , with a spokesman for the holiday firm confirming to the that just over £20m has already been spent on improvements.

The areas where you can see the money has been invested is the Skypark, which is impressive and was a big draw for my four-year-old. The 2.3million splashed on this outside site has seen no stone left unturned, with interactive games, a seesaw for disabled children, and sunken in trampolines along with lights and a soft flooring throughout. It's even split across two sites so older children have more challenging equipment to explore, while the youngsters can enjoy sensory-based play at their leisure with colour-coded areas reflecting different emotions.

A new changing places toilet on resort has also opened along with a new conservatory area in the Beachcomber Inn restaurant.

The Studio 36 arena has also seen some of this money spent - and is now the main place for headline show acts. This is alongside the Centre Stage where we watched great shows such as the White pantomime and the show. Mister Maker, a Cbeebies children's presenter, also headlined a Butlin's party show at Studio 36 - with every show we watched being fantastic from start to finish, with hordes of kids entertained throughout. This is an area where Butlin's excels, and no other UK holiday parks will come close.

While Butlin's did confirm 400 accommodation units have been overhauled after a flooding incident in 2023, it did say there is a wider refurbishment plan ongoing on site.

Butlin's is still good value for money

We had paid for the half-board dining option which meant we could go to the Ocean Drive restaurant every day for breakfast and dinner and essentially fill our boots at the buffet. There was even an ice cream parlour inside which served as a great bribe for getting my daughter to eat her dinner.

While the food was fairly good, the setting itself was rundown and tired - with cheap and nasty canteen-style tables and chairs filling the venue. And to make matters worse, some of them were not clean. A quick wet wipe of one of the chairs revealed a dirty glaze, almost like they had not been cleaned for some time. The view outside the window was also more rundown apartments staring straight back at us.

As is clear by my experience, there are very good elements peppered with some disappointing aspects that need urgent attention. What struck me the most is much of the site looks like it has not been touched for decades, with a now mammoth and costly task to try and bring the entire complex up to the same standard. Minehead opened in 1962, over 60 years ago, but with competition in Britain from the likes of Center Parcs and Haven, there is much to be done to improve the overall feel of the holiday park.

The main tent, the focal point of all Butlin's sites at Minehead, Skegness and Bognor Regis, is one of the big areas that could do with a little glow-up in places. But despite this, the huge arcade, bowling, restaurants, and central area where spontaneous Red Coat shows are put on continue to draw in the crowds. My little girl was delighted by all of these fun, energetic and colourful aspects.

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So how much does it cost to stay here? The answer in short is it varies, but it's extremely budget friendly. If you're after a basic space - the standard rooms range from £24 per person in May and can sleep up to five guests over a four-day period. For anyone looking for a touch of luxury, Comfort Plus apartments demonstrate a slight jump in price with £58 for a four-night stay - with housekeeping and early check-in included.

West Lake chalets, seaside lodges and Bayside apartments all range upwards from £85 per person to £145 per person based on May 2026 prices at the time of checking.

Free activities at Butlin's

The swimming complex was good, and remains a huge plus of the Butlin's site as it is free to use as often as you like. It comes with indoor and outdoor pools to explore, along with flumes and exhilarating slides for thrill-seekers. Likewise the outdoor and indoor funfairs, which are free of charge and really do make your break brilliant value for money, saving parents a small fortune on the rides that often rack up a pretty sum after a couple of hours.

My verdict

In all, I cannot pretend that Butlin's wasn't an amazing place for my little girl. And many children looked to be in their element throughout. As an adult, and a parent, I also had a great week and enjoyed a change of scenery and some well needed family time.

It was extremely budget friendly, and we spent far less in a week here than we did on a short weekend in Center Parcs.

I would return to the same accommodation again, and would be open to exploring other sites in future. But when it comes to Minehead's overall appearance I would love to see the result of all the investment in years to come.