Hotel Svetitsata

The pools are large and clean, and my room was roomy, with a balcony looking out over them and the mountains. The staff were kind and helpful. It’s a lovely forest setting with a great view, only 3 kilometers from the old capital Veliko Tyrnovo and the beautiful village Arbanasi. My stay was perfect, highly recommend!

The food was my main concern. Still, since kids don’t eat much, maybe that won’t be a big issue for families. The two-level rooms are nice and kids should enjoy them, though they do get kind of hot. There are air conditioners, but it still felt warm. It’s a good place if you’re not bringing kids, and it has all those pools.

The rules around the pool felt like communist hotel rules. It closes at 19:00, and after that you can’t even sit nearby. You’re also told you can’t bring food or drinks into your room, the restaurant, or the pool area. Hotel towels aren’t allowed at the pool, so bring your own. Breakfast was cold and poor. Our room was clean, and reception staff were friendly. It had two levels, though the air conditioning worked fine downstairs and barely helped upstairs, where it was at least 10 celsius degrees warmer.

A good choice for families or anyone wanting to unwind. It’s very clean, and the rooms have a great panoramic view. The food has some downsides, but overall I’d give the place 5/5.