Hotel Zora

There's a bus stop and supermarket nearby, and both the beach and promenade are within walking distance. It's a small, pleasant hotel at the top of a hill with sea views. The staff are friendly, and the food and drinks are good and affordable. Breakfast offers 10 choices. The pool and loungers make for a quiet day away from the bustle of sunny beach. Rooms are clean and tidy, though basic.

If you want a quiet break, this place sits in a little forest and feels peaceful. There’s a pool and a terrace with a view. Sunny Beach is still close enough, about 2 km away, if you fancy joining the crowds.

The biggest problem was the towel issue at checkout. We were given two large towels and one small one, though a twin room was apparently meant to have two of each. We hadn’t complained because we didn’t need another, but as we left the maid accused us of taking one. The receptionist held on to our ID cards until we paid 12 lv. Our tour operator said several guests had the same experience and that it was common practice here. It felt like a scam. Other things made this a poor stay too: the outdoor pool was dirty, and the loungers had maggots on them. There was very little choice of food, and most of the products were poor quality, apart from the fruit. The room barely had any equipment, just beds, bedside tables, a table, a chair and two glasses. No kettle, fridge or forks. The hotel may suit some people location-wise, but it’s quite far from the sea. English was also a problem unless the conversation was very basic. These were the things that kept me from giving the hotel five stars.

The pool area was calm and pleasant, and it was nearly always empty. I liked the view from my room too. The room was about what I expected for what I paid. Breakfast, though, was pretty underwhelming.