Grand Hotel Pomorie

The mineral pools were a dream, and the staff were friendly and helpful. We had a huge room, a striking wellness area and a great breakfast selection. The hotel sits right on the Black Sea beach, with a wonderful front-row view. Parking is a little tricky, but the location is hard to beat.

The sea view from the balcony was beautiful, and the hotel is right across from the beach. Most rooms face the water too. But after nearly a week here, I can't see how this place earns five stars. We spent close to $3,000 and left feeling badly treated and thoroughly disappointed. The room had a comfortable bed, but the sheets had holes. The bathroom had mold above the sink, a loose broken tile and a cheap old showerhead. Both the tub and shower were clogged, and the floor was dangerously slippery, especially in the slippers provided. Towels were thin, frayed and worn. The carpet was stained, had holes and frayed edges, and one spot was still wet when we arrived. Wallpaper was peeling and discoloured, the chairs were torn, and the TV barely worked beyond its volume and channel buttons. The balcony was in poor shape despite the view. Spiders and webs were everywhere, including on the faded, creaky chairs. The floor was filthy and slippery, the metal railing was loose, and the mosquito screen door was torn. Insects got in and bit us several times over a few nights. Reception was rude from the start. We arrived a few hours early, knowing we couldn't check in yet, and hoped to leave the car in a parking space while we waited. We weren't told that free parking had ended, either on the hotel's website or in the reminder email sent a few days earlier. The explanation for the charge was that the hotel wasn't responsible for damage to vehicles. If you lose the parking receipt, the fee is 100 BGN. No one offered an alternative, just said they weren't responsible for other parking lots. And in response to the marketing manager's standard reply to similar complaints, the hotel's parking ramp means you can't drive straight into it. The old PMS system made even simple booking changes impossible at the front desk. Since only one of my family was initially booked for the restaurant, we had to eat separately. We couldn't prepay for all the dinners, and adding the buffet later would have cost three times as much. We did manage to have dinner together one evening. I had asked the hostess to add the charge to my room, then ordered a couple of drinks and planned to pay cash for those. When I asked to pay just for the drinks, the visibly frustrated server handed me a bill for the buffet and drinks and brushed off my attempt to explain. The dining room staff, including servers and cooks, seemed miserable and hard to approach. The dining space was poorly kept too. Big bumps in the carpet made people trip, and random pieces of tables were stacked beside the dining tables, making the room feel cluttered and unprofessional. At checkout, after spending around $3,000 at this supposed luxury hotel, all we got was a curt "thanks." The front desk acted as if we were a burden instead of paying guests. There was no excuse for treating my family and me with such disrespect. This was an utterly deplorable stay, and I will never come back. I don't think this place deserves any praise, let alone a star. Save your money and stay somewhere that treats guests with dignity.

There are plenty of spa options and indoor pools with salt water in winter. It's also right by the beach if you visit in summer, and a great place for mud baths.

We paid 700 euros for four nights, so this is not a cheap hotel. Booking.com advertised it as a good place, but it ruined our short break, and I'm now inclined to give up on Booking.com too. Don't waste your money. It's a disgrace near a beautiful beach. The place is dated and dirty, with broken things everywhere and staff who were rude and no help. The phones didn't work. Air conditioning was only in the bedrooms and barely worked. The shower was coming off the wall, door handles were falling off, carpets were ripped, and the pool looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months. Our room smelled of smoke, so we had to ask to move because someone had clearly smoked in it. Guests also have to pay to park, even though the car park belongs to the hotel. The shops inside open whenever they feel like it, nowhere near the times posted. They're trying to sell this as a five-star hotel. Anyone who gave it five stars must have been inebriated, or the rating was given 20 years ago and nobody has checked the place since. It's a dump that charges high rates.