Harmony Suites 10, 20 Saint Vlas

I come back to my apartment every year, and I’m always happy to stay there.

We stopped in for lunch and really enjoyed the food. It was lovely and quiet, and I wish we’d stayed here.

The calm setting and nearby sandy beach were the best parts for me. It’s away from the party areas, and the beach is about a 10 minute walk away. The apartment suite was nowhere near four-star standard, three stars at most. It was dirty and had a strong odor, like sweat or cumin. The cleaning was poor, and our towels weren’t changed every day. The air conditioning was powerful, but its controls were confusing and it often made the room much too hot or cold. When I raised the problems, the manager wasn’t helpful and refused to move us, even though the chain has more than 10 locations in Sunny Beach. There was just one bar, with high prices and a poor menu, and it accepted only cash in Bulgarian Leva. Reception and the bar also didn’t keep their stated hours, sometimes opening late or closing early.

The reception was meant to be open from 8:00-20:00, but it was closed around 19:00 every day of the week I was there. The pool bar was supposed to open at 8:00 and didn’t. It took cash only, which seemed odd when even the smallest nearby supermarkets accepted cards. The rooms didn’t feel like four-star accommodation. The furniture was old and smelled, and the fabric wallpaper had a sweaty odor. There were grease marks above the stove, limescale on the bathroom faucet, and a dirty mirror. Towels weren’t changed daily, and we had to go downstairs to ask for more soap because none had been replenished in the bathroom. I wouldn’t recommend staying here. To me, it’s more like a three-star place.