Ramada by Wyndham Sofia City Center

The late checkout situation was the final straw. Reception said at check-in that we could stay until 2:00 PM and that nobody would disturb us. Yet housekeeping opened the door at noon without knocking. At 1:40 PM, a bellboy came and aggressively told us to leave. When we reminded him about the agreed checkout time, he said rudely that “there is no such thing in the system” and sent us back to reception, even though reception had arranged it. The confrontation became needlessly tense and intimidating. We left to avoid more trouble, and afterward he casually said there was “no problem,” despite his behavior moments earlier. The staff were the worst part: rude, unprofessional, and seemingly unable to handle basic hotel operations or communicate. At the spa, the staff were also unwelcoming. We weren’t given towels, caps, or the required wristbands, and were told one wristband was “enough” for two people while others had towels, robes, and proper access. I can’t say whether that was discrimination or just a bad attitude, but it was unacceptable. The room itself was worn and neglected. The carpets were filthy and old, the ceilings looked unclean, there was mold, the sink drain was blocked, and dirty water came out when we tried the bathtub. Slippers and other basic items were missing too. This feels like an extremely old hotel that bought the Ramada name, with little to do with Ramada beyond that. Having visited more than 20 countries and stayed in dozens of hotels, this was the worst hotel experience of my life. Don’t stay here. An apartment, hostel, or anywhere else would be better. At least you’d spare yourself the stress and a ruined stay.

The hotel has a spa, sauna, indoor pool, restaurant, cocktail bar, and casino. The cocktail bar staff were very friendly, while the spa staff were serious and said very little. Morning reception staff were serious too, and in the evening they seemed bothered when we asked about the spa. We had a clean, adequately sized twin room on the 11th floor. The firm 110cm mattress was said to be very comfortable, and there were two soft pillows. It came with a flat-screen TV, coffee maker, fridge, and hairdryer. The bathroom was clean, with strong water pressure, though the bathtub was high and slippery. Basic products were supplied, but some towels had frayed edges. Daily cleaning was minimal: the duvet was straightened, the pillows left alone, and coffee and tea supplies weren’t replenished. Breakfast was included and had a full range of hot and cold, sweet and savory options, including local specialties. The juice was the one letdown, with an artificial, powdered taste. For getting around, the airport metro stop is close, tram stops are right on the corner, and the main bus and train station is a couple of blocks away. The center is about 1.5 km away.

The 25m pool and sauna area were the best parts of my stay. The hotel is large, quiet, and close to both the casino and train station. I was also relieved to find the room and shared spaces clean, since I’d read some reviews that made me worry about cleanliness. Breakfast had a wide choice, from sweet and savory food to different juices, hot options, and fresh smoothies. The place deserves more than some of its staff, which is why I gave it four stars. The wellness and pool staff need improvement. The pool guy was due to close at 22:00, but at 21:45 he sent me out with a very gentle “GO HOME”! I couldn’t believe it. I complained at the wellness reception, but his colleague backed him up, saying they had to clean and couldn’t wait for clients to waste time in the changing room. I raised it again at the main reception, where they sort of apologized. Maybe there was a language mix-up, but they really need training in manners and English.

We could barely manage one night here. The bathroom was dirty, the sink didn’t work, and the mattress was barely covered. There were two of us but only one small blanket. We could hear everything through the walls, even other guests flushing, and breakfast was cold. It calls itself a four-star hotel, but it felt more like a two-star place. Terrible.