9th July 2012
Butlins is tapping into a relatively neglected market, by launching a hotel which is aimed at tweens, but is there a reason why other providers have left this
niche market well alone?
Tweens are those young people at that awkward age when they are not quite teenagers yet, but think they are adults. It is a difficult group to cater for, but a new £25 million hotel in Bognor Regis is aiming to do just that with 215 bedrooms on offer, reports
Caterer and Hotelkeeper.
Features which have been particularly designed with tweens in mind include cabin beds with built-in TVs and interconnecting bedrooms. But are such rooms really a good idea in accommodation aimed at those of an age when their hormones are just about ready to take off?
It sounds like a tweeny paradise with Wii consoles, iPod docs and walls that turn into 3D features, but it sounds particularly difficult to manage.
If it achieves its aim then there are also likely to be huge numbers of prepubescent children all in one place, which may be great for them, but not necessarily the rest of the family.
On the other hand, tweens are a largely neglected age group in terms of holiday activities as they often treat children's clubs and games with disdain, but are too young to be involved in adult events. Mike Crowther, operations director at Butlins, said:
"British families are busier than ever, so we're always looking at new and innovative ways to help families spend quality time together. We also know that pleasing everyone on holiday can be a tricky task - but we're confident that we've cracked it with our state-of-the-art tween hotel."
Having activities designed to keep tweens occupied seems like a good idea, as well as offering them certain freedoms, but a whole hotel dedicated to their needs seems very single minded.
The question is whether families are prepared to centre their holidays entirely around their offspring at this awkward age and the chances are, there probably are some that will.
