Butlins’ has invested £12m into revamping its first-ever holiday camp in a famous UK seaside town.
Maple Walk Village in Butlins’ Skegness branch has seen 128 luxury lodges opened as part of the refurbishment work, which is aimed at those looking for some peace and quiet, all while still being close to the action.
The Skegness camp became the company’s first opening back in 1936 and saw its heyday during the 1960s before cheap foreign holidays saw a large number of British tourists turn their backs on the chain.
But now Butlins is hoping to bring the good times back to the Lincolnshire village, with the new section which opened in May.
Each of the three-bedroom lodges include a main bedroom with a king-sized bed and en-suite shower room, along with two twin rooms.
There is also a kitchen diner area with cooking facilities, a lounge, private decking with outdoor furniture and parking space for two cars.
The lodges are available to guests on family breaks and are just a short walk to the heart of the resort.
As many as 50 permanent jobs have been created as a result of the new village, which is the latest in a series of developments at Skegness in the past 12 months, including the £2.5m Skypark playground.
Prices of the premium lodges vary depending on which time visitors book, with a three-night stay for four people in a premium lodge in the middle of August starting at £588 for two bedrooms and £734 for three bedrooms. A standard room at the resort at the same time starts at £339.
Butlin’s Skegness resort director, Jeremy Fletcher, said: “The feedback from our guests has been so strong. I think what they appreciate is the quality and cleanliness of the accommodation. When you walk over there it feels really tranquil. It feels like a home from home really.”
Visitors have previously expressed concerns about the older accommodation buildings being in need of refurbishment, something that Mr Fletcher assures is “ongoing”.
He added: “We’ve done the internals of more than 400 units in the last year so we are getting through it. We have up to 8,000 guests at any one time at our resort so there is always lots to do.
“It’s ensuring that we look after our existing stock but we also build out what our guests are telling us they want which is a different type of accommodation and some higher quality.”