Yoo Bulgaria Apartments

I came to look at an apartment for sale after seeing an online ad. The complex is huge and seems well built from outside, with a lot of investment behind it, but there's almost no infrastructure. Getting there safely really calls for an SUV. The road looks like it dates from before 1989 and hasn't been maintained since. It's full of big bumps, and a low car could easily damage its oil sump. If the difficult access doesn't put you off, I think a sea-facing apartment could make for a good vacation.

Despite the obvious costly investment, the complex feels badly managed and maintained, with bureaucracy, mold and petty power struggles everywhere. We stayed a week and reported mold in our apartment to booking, but it seemed to affect the whole complex. It appears some owners don't pay for amenities, and little local authorities have sprung up. A woman I assume was the administrator kept a notepad at the beach to track who was who. Maintenance left piles of rat poison on the ground all over the place, with no warning signs, despite pets and small children being around. The sunbed assignments and scrambling for chairs were a nightmare. The administrator told us that as renters, rather than owners, we had no rights to anything. We had no parking space assigned either, so had to park on the street. The road is a disaster. If they'd put half as much effort into fixing it, it could be a proper highway. With a low-clearance car, you risk breaking the oil pan. Unfinished buildings next to the first six blocks and the prime location make the whole thing feel like a rushed job without proper legal permits. The entire beachfront is protected.

There are some useful points here: the parking is free, spacious, numbered for hotel guests, and there's always a spot. The area feels secure, it's close to the beach, and there are pools and a tennis court listed as a sports area. But I don't think this place deserves its four stars, especially at these prices when there are better hotels nearby. The water doesn't seem very clean, and there was what felt like a questionable amount of toilet paper in it. Our elevator card didn't work, even though the host said it would. The beds are small, so two people don't really fit comfortably in one. WiFi only handles one or two users at a time, and the rooms weren't as clean as claimed.

Right by both the beach and the forest, with fresh air and plenty to explore nearby. Great location, and I'd highly recommend it for families.