Hostel Del Mar

The garden especially is beautiful, and the place itself is really lovely. But people should know it’s more of a homestay than a hotel. The owner usually isn’t there and can only be reached by phone. An older woman with a small child lives in the house and handles almost everything by herself, and she doesn’t speak English. Nearly all the guests I met said they’d had some kind of trouble with the owner, such as rooms or breakfast missing, or information that was unclear and unfriendly.

A wonderful place if you want some space between yourself and the city. Getting to Varna takes about 10-20 minutes by bus, including the walk to the bus stop. There are two good beaches nearby, along with a supermarket and the bus stop. It’s a hostel, so the beds squeak once or twice, which is to be expected. The owner will help with information and excursions as much as he can, if that’s an option.

We booked the whole place for four nights, but left after just one. Thankfully, Airbnb refunded us. The address on Airbnb was also misleading: the actual place was a ten-minute drive away from the listed address. Inside, it was filthy, even after they spent nearly seven hours cleaning. The rooms were disorganized, the furniture old and broken, and the beds noisy. Some sheets were dirty, moisture had caused paint to peel from the walls, room doors wouldn’t close or lock, and there were insects everywhere. I know I’ve said it was dirty already, but it really was that bad. The host seemed sketchy and wanted an extra €5 a day for our small dog. I can’t see how that’s justified when I wouldn’t let my dog stay in those conditions, never mind a person. I’d never recommend it unless a ditch counts as a decent place to sleep.

The room was tidy and clean, and the place had a really cozy feel. Our host welcomed us warmly, and we had an interesting conversation.