Hyatt Studios pipeline reaches 4,000 rooms

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October 7, 2024

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The first property under the midscale extended stay brand is expected to open in 2025

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Huge new £15m indoor attraction opens at Butlin’s with 9 different game zones – including laser tag, escape rooms & VR

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1 hour ago

October 7, 2024

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Butlin's has opened its new new £15million PLAYXPERIENCE attraction at its Bognor Regis site

BUTLIN’S has opened a new multi-million-pound attraction at its holiday park in Bognor Regis next.

First announced last year, the £15million PLAYXPERIENCE is set across two floors, covering 50,000 square feet.

The huge new hub is set across two floors and features nine state-of-the-art gamesCredit: Butlin’s

Open today, the immersive hub features nine state-of-the-art experiences from Escape Rooms to digital arts and a huge gaming wall, with celebrities Jeff and Freddy Brazier given an exclusive sneak peek ahead of its opening.

In the Escape Rooms, four guests can spend 70 minutes hunting for clues and solving puzzles in a bid to escape.

There are four themed rooms to choose from, including the Sherlock Holmes-inspired 221B Baker Street.

Traditional pastimes like darts have been given a modern-day upgrade thanks to advancements in technology.

During the 60-minute Digi Darts activity, guests will throw digital darts at an AR dartboard.

Up to eight people can play against each other in one lane, all players will need to be aged 10 and over.

The PLAYXPERIENCE also has an AI-powered Batting Cage where holidaymakers can compete in sports like baseball, tennis, lacrosse, and cricket.

Each batting cage can hold up to 10 players, with players aged four and over given 60 minutes to try out the sports.

A TechPutt Zone features three different nine-hole courses, including a Music Course, a Vegas Course and a Neon Course.

Each course takes roughly 40 minutes to complete – depending on your putting skills.

There will also be a Laser Tag venue where players, armed with their phasers, will be given a mission to complete.

Laser Tag will last for 60 minutes, with only players aged eight and over allowed to take part.

The PLAYXPERIENCE also features a space called Neo Games, a huge interactive wall covered in video games as well as a VR-cade.

Other entertainment zones include Glow Pong and Shuffleboard Zone.

Meanwhile, in the evening, older guests can experience interactive bar games.

The PLAYXPERIENCE also has a cafe and a bar on site.

Holidaymakers will need to pay for the new games using Activity Tokens, which can be purchased digitally.

Activities can cost anything from one token per person to six tokens for a course.

A TechPutt Zone features three different nine-hole courses, including a Music Course, a Vegas Course and a Neon CourseCredit: Butlin’s

Other entertainment zones include Glow Pong and Shuffleboard ZoneCredit: Butlin’s

Butlin’s says it has introduced Activity Tokens to help give holidaymakers “flexibility” and “keep track of their budgets”.

Jon Hendry Pickup, CEO at Butlin’s said: “As the Home of Entertainment, we’re immensely proud to be the first UK holiday resort to open something as spectacular as PLAYXPERIENCE.

“There’s nothing else like it in the holiday market and we know families visiting Bognor Regis and friends coming down on a Big Weekender break will love the range of activities on offer.

“PLAYXPERIENCE was designed with something for everyone in mind – whether visiting with family, a partner or a group of friends on a Big Weekender. No matter what break you’re on, everyone loves a bit of friendly competition while having fun in the process!”

BIG WEEKENDER HEADLINERS 2025

Meanwhile, the Butlin’s Big Weekenders are already set to make a return next year.

Next year, Butlin’s will host 15 different Big Weekender themed breaks, featuring a choice of musical eras from the 80s, 90s and 00s.

Pop legends like Matt Goss and Busted‘s Charlie Simpson will be performing on set weekends in 2025.

Platinum-selling artist Matt Goss will be headlining an “Ultimate 80s” break, while Charlie Simpson will perform a DJ set straight from the 00s.

Other artists are also slated to perform throughout the year, including Peter Andre, Blue and Boyzlife.

NEW ADDITIONS AT BUTLIN’S

Meanwhile, there are lots of exciting upcoming additions at the holiday parks.

The new £12million Maple Walk lodges are opening at the Skegness holiday park, with 128 premium accommodation options a short walk from the main park.

My View: How Butlin’s has Changed Over the Years

TRAVEL writer Catherine Lofthouse has been visiting the Butlin’s parks for 40 years – here’s her verdict:

“When I was little, my family would head to Butlin’s every July for a week by the sea, and I even worked at the Minehead resort as a lifeguard in my teens.

“One thing that’s always set Butlin’s apart from its rivals are the photo opportunities that you have during your break, including Teletubbies and TV star Stephen Mulhern.

“There’s also lots of sports and activities to choose from, like football, archery, crafts and soft play.

“One of the things I miss from holidays gone by are the monorails that ran at Skegness and Minehead from the 1960s for forty years.

“I think Butlin’s lost its way a bit in the 2000s when it seemed to become a mecca for stag and hen dos, but in the last decade, there’s been a bit of a turnaround in terms of rebranding and investment.

“I would say that anyone who hasn’t been for a while or who has written Butlin’s off as not for them might be wise to give it another go.”

And the new indoor activity centre PLAYXPERIENCE is to open at Bognor Regis after summer.

The £15million attraction will have two floors of games and activities, including escape rooms and VR experiences.