Imagine planning a fun family getaway, only to have it turn into a nightmare. That's exactly what happened to one family at a Butlin's resort in Bognor Regis. A mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, booked a four-night stay for herself, her two young children, her twin sister, and her sister's two children. But what was supposed to be a relaxing break quickly turned sour.
The family, having paid just under £1,100 for the trip (including food), were expecting a pleasant experience. After all, Butlin's is a well-known British brand. However, the reality was far from their expectations. The 41-year-old mother from Brighton was shocked by the condition of the accommodation. She found holes in the walls, peeling furniture, broken doors, stains on the carpet, and even stains on the divan.
"I've stayed in hotels in Mayfair with stains, where it's not acceptable," she said. "But in Butlin's, you might expect it. However, this was different. It looked like someone had stayed there on an adult weekend and had a fight and smashed up the room."
Their troubles began almost immediately upon arrival on Thursday, December 4th. After complaining about the state of their initial room, the family was moved to a new one at 9 PM, in the pouring rain. But the new room wasn't much better. They were immediately hit with a "horrific, vomit-like smell." The next morning, they discovered the source: a drip tray behind the fridge filled with rotting milk. To add insult to injury, the mother then found stains and mold marks on her son’s bed linen.
"My son has learning disabilities, so something being not clean is horrific for him," she explained.
But here's where it gets controversial... The family decided to leave a day early, on the Sunday of their stay. After complaining, they received a refund for half of their stay, but they believe they are owed the full amount. The mother stated, "I work really hard for my money; you don’t expect to pay a branded hotel more than £1,000 and have to leave early."
A Butlin’s spokesperson responded, "We’re sorry to hear about the accommodation issues this family experienced during their stay last month. This is not the high standard we expect for our guests, and as soon as our team was made aware of the issue, the family was moved to a different accommodation unit. As an apology, we provided a refund covering their accommodation, dining and any missed activities, which was accepted while the family was on resort.”
What do you think? Was Butlin's response adequate? Do you think the family is justified in demanding a full refund? Share your thoughts in the comments below! And this is the part most people miss... How much do you think the brand image is affected by this kind of experience?
