Inspired by seaside nostalgia

I’m sure much has changed since then but one aspect I had hoped had stayed the same – the will to make holidaymakers happy.

I took my wife and two children – aged five and 15 months old – to the popular family holiday resort last weekend for a three-night stay.

One of the best things about the resort is even when the weather is not favourable there is still plenty to do, with many of the facilities indoors.

Not that I was expecting this to be an issue with the recent spell of hot and dry weather we have been experiencing. But typically the unpredictable British weather made an appearance as we experienced a freak thunder storm on the Friday night and windy conditions for parts of the weekend.

The only real impact it had on our weekend was we weren’t able to spend any quality time on the beach – much to the disappointment of my eldest son. But he soon got over that thanks to the resort’s impressive range of facilities, including a Jurassic Park video game, which made the dinosaur fanatic in the family very happy.

We stayed in a ground floor seaside apartment, which we found very comfortable and spacious. Inspired by the nostalgia of the British seaside and its pleasure gardens, the interior is bright and spacious with open-plan lounges featuring L-shaped sofas, and kitchen and dining space. I must not forget to mention the extra quirky touches that feature round the apartments, such as ice cream cushions and a chance to pin a tail on a picture of a donkey in the kitchen.

Set over 200 acres, Butlins in Skegness is a huge resort with over 1,000 residencies.

There are a range of options for dining, from self-catering through to full dining arrangements.

We ate in The Deck and The Yacht Club, which both provided an extensive buffet menu for both breakfast and dinner, with new dishes every day to choose from.

There were lots of choice for the kids too, and it was lovely that they could choose their own food.

Both of the restaurants in the main complex – the Skyline Pavilion – were a very short distance from our accommodation.

The swimming pool and the beach were also very close to our apartment, which was very handy for a family which never seems to be able to travel light.

Every single member of staff was friendly and helpful, and seemed genuinely interested in making our stay as enjoyable as possible.

Entertainment is where Butlins comes into its own. It is everywhere at Butlins.

During our short stay, we didn’t manage to experience everything, but there was plenty to keep children and teens of all ages amused.

Keeping my party entertained was always going to be difficult due to age ranges and differing needs, but with their wealth of experience, Butlins got this right.

Most of the entertainment available is included in the cost of your stay, so once there, you don’t need to pay extra for these.

The fair is open all day, with plenty of rides included in the cost of your stay.

The only activity we ended up paying for was the ten-pin bowling.

The entertainment stage in the resort’s Skyline Pavilion enabled guests to catch a show featuring its very own Skyline Gang as well as some of children’s favourite characters including the Teletubbies and Mr. Men.

The Splash Waterworld, which only opened in Skegness in 2013, is a fantastic facility. There are thrilling flumes and rides, and quieter paddling areas that cater for everyone’s needs.

With Skegness being renown as one of the top seaside holiday destinations in the UK we were keen to explore the seaside town.

With its funfair and many amusements it is certainly a place that is geared up for families.

With it being a particularly windy and overcast day on Saturday, we decided to head indoors and visit Skegness Aquarium.

With sharks, octopus and fearsome fish aplenty, the attraction provided good value for money.

So did our stay make this family of holidaymakers happy?

According to my five-year-old son, “It was really good, there was lots to do and I had a lot of fun.”

If you’re looking for a holiday to suit children of all ages I would definitely recommend Butlins in Skegness.