Nessebar Beach

Everything felt like it belonged in the 1970s, including the menu. The longest line was for the microwave because the food was lukewarm at best. The staff were rude and unhelpful, they made Basil Fawlty look good. The hotel is surrounded by derelict apartment blocks, hotels, and businesses. The kids' play areas and burned-out buildings were overgrown and fenced off. Our room was cleaned only once in the week, and only after we asked. The bed sat directly on the floor, about 10 inches high. We went in the second week of September and everything was closed. Apparently the season ends in August. The best part of the holiday was having a strong tailwind on the flight home.

The food in the hotel restaurant was good, and the beach is very close. The location also worked well for us, near both the airport and Sunny Beach centre. We had a lovely holiday overall, but I'm left with mixed feelings. The room we paid for was wrong, unfortunately. The restaurant felt too small for the number of guests, although I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few high chairs for children. The pool only opens at 10 a.m., which seems late, and the water was very cold. We were travelling with a small child, and I wouldn't recommend the hotel for that. The music and noise could be unbearable at times, including noise from the neighboring hotel, especially in the evenings and at night. If you can't or don't want to stay up past midnight, this isn't a good place to stay. Sunbed saving is supposedly prohibited, but some already had towels on them at 7 a.m. and staff didn't do anything. Arriving at 9 or later might mean no space. This was our third visit to Bulgaria, and sadly, we wouldn't return to this hotel.

I was so disappointed that I left a review on TripAdvisor when I got home. The rooms are large, and the bed linen is clean, but the bed was uncomfortable. The floors and carpets were disgusting, and I couldn't walk barefoot. They don't hoover. There are two separate buildings, so if it rains, you'll have to go outside to reach the restaurant. We were in building two. The receptionist barely spoke English. There was one nice woman, but I can't remember her name. We were robbed at the pool on the first day. The staff weren't helpful, just laughed and smirked and asked what we wanted them to do about it. The loungers were uncomfortable, no towels were provided, and they were far enough from the pool that you couldn't see your things. The sand under them was disgusting and wasn't cleaned. The food was always cold, with little choice, so we ate out most nights. Lotus is just around the corner and has amazing food. The location isn't awful, and the beach is at the back, but there's no security fence, so anyone can get in. There's no room safe, and the hotel says it won't take responsibility for items put in its safe. Watersports are nearby on the beach, and some restaurants and bars were still open. I'd never stay at this hotel again.

The animation team were the highlight of our successful holiday. Goodness and David did an amazing job and brought the place to life. I wish you both all the best, and hope to stay in touch now that we're back home. ❤️ The rooms were spacious, with clean bed linen, and the food was tasty with enough variety even for a picky eater. The hotel is rated 3.5 stars and sits very close to the beach. The bar staff had a poor attitude, as if the drinks were coming out of their own stash. At reception, I forgot my key in the restaurant and they immediately wanted to charge me 80 leva. They jumped to a penalty instead of trying to sort it out. When I insisted they check the security cameras, they found the key within 10 minutes. That says a lot about their approach to customer service. Because of the bar and reception staff, I wouldn't necessarily come back.