We feel our holiday to Sunny Beach is a bit of a mixed review, there were bits were really liked, stuff that was OK and some that perhaps would put us off going back again.
This was our 2nd trip, the last was 4 years ago and at a quieter time, being the 1st week of June. We are a couple in our mid 40%26#39;s.
Our 2 week holiday compared to places like Spain, Portugal, Greece etc was miles cheaper and that is the main reason we returned to Bulgaria- we could get a 4* Half Board hotel for 2 weeks for £600pp. Once out there we found the food %26amp; drink prices were very cheap ie 1 Lev a pint (just under 50p!)
The weather was fairly good, sun %26amp; cloud 30-34c daily although it was alittle too humid %26amp; cloudy for my liking. It caused some dramatic thunder storms and one day we had a very weird 45mins storm that had powerful winds %26amp; rain. It wrecked big umbrellas around the hotel pool area %26amp; lifted sunbeds into the pool but went as quickly as it arrived!There was quite a few night times when it rained heavily and the roads in SB flooded.Unless this weather was unusual for July, don%26#39;t expect wall to wall sunshine!
Our hotel Mena Palace (with Balkan holidays)had very nice large rooms with lovely comfortable beds, great bathrooms with a big walk in shower and very effective air-con you could control. The rooms were every bit 4*, however the rest of the hotel was not that great. The pool was very small considering the amount of rooms %26amp; had few sunbeds- the first 2 days we refused to save sunbeds but once we came down to breakfast at about 9-15am there was nothing left all day!! So much against our principles we ended up saving them before breakfast! But it became almost self-perpetuating, so that every day you had to go down even earlier! by our 2nd week you had to be down by 8-15am!I thought it was very poor for a 4* hotel.The hotel seemed full of German or Austrians and they were the main culprits of saving the beds(always thought that was just a joke, as we never experienced this elsewhere!)
The food was OK but a bit hit %26amp; miss. Forget this hotel if you are a veggie, vitually nothing avail.The salad bar was poor %26amp; it was only really buffet hot food not cold. Any fruit was dreadful- even rotten fruit out daily! We did enjoy the traditional pork dishes(yes nearly all pork %26amp; some chicken)like pork in cabbage or pork in wine. The meat was very tender and tasty. We met a couple of English girls in their early 20%26#39;s and they hated the food- said it reminded them of school dinners, so I think they were probably a reliable opinion of what younger people would think of the food!
There was more chipped cups %26amp; plates then I have ever seen anywhere!
We didn%26#39;t enjoy the breakfasts- horrible thin spicy sausages, no egg choice, nasty fatty bacon,no potatoes or other bits. Only liked the tomatoes %26amp; mushrooms. After 1 week we had had enough so we went to the place directly across the road from the streetside bar called something like Lilyia. They cooked superb englsh sausages (no fat!) and english bacon %26amp; HP brown sauce. I like trying all local stuff for meals but not for breakfast %26amp; it set us up nicely for the day!
The 2nd week we were there the hotel starting putting up signs EVERYWHERE about not taking any outside food or drink into any %26quot;territories%26quot; of the hotel and how they would fine and conviscate it! Our friends we met out there we even told off for buying a bottle of water and drinking it at the poolside!
I have to say that apart from 1 or 2 staff they were not that friendly, infact sometimes they could be almost quite rude.
Towards the end of the holiday we ate out at the Watermill steak restaurant and I would really recommend the friendly staff %26amp; good food with excellent seaside views watching the sun go down. It is quite near the Neptun beach Hotel with a waterwheel outside. We also enjoyed the food in the barbecue place next door to Daks Irish bar- tonnes of melt in your mouth spitroast pork. We tried the Mexican restaurant on Flower Street %26amp; thought it pricey and nothing to write home about. It was also very hot in the enclosed patio area or was that the Marguarita%26#39;s!!
YOU MUST visit DAKS Irish bar- fab live rock music with a brilliant lead guitarist.They played stuff like Led Zep, Deep Purple,Bon Jovi, Lynnrd Skinner %26amp; Eagles The drinks were ridiculously cheap there too and you could sit outside %26amp; watch the world go by.The staff were mostly nice, one especially so but one was very moody, quite stroppy! Infact we always tried to sit in the area she didn%26#39;t serve in that day!
Sorry folks of you that say all Bulgarians tend to be happy friendly %26amp; customer service focussed, we have to generally disagree! Some were lovely but often only if you made a real effort first. Some were just downright miserable %26amp; huffy %26amp; we found this seems often to be the Bugarian way. Sometimes it is perhaps because their English is more limited. We did make friends with some %26amp; those places won our business like Arena restaurant right next to Mena Palace as Toni 1 %26amp; Toni 2 were lovely! We thought that in the most part they are much friendlier in Cyprus, Greece, Spain %26amp; Portugal if you look just at European destinations. SORRY!
Finally we found the flight there %26amp; back with Balkan pretty grotty. Hubby didn%26#39;t even know on the way out they had served the pre-paid food %26amp; never got given his, so he got it 2 hours late after asking where it was. Then the hostess argued with him %26amp; wanted proof he had paid for his meal on the way back. Hated everything about the flight, dirty loos %26amp; miserable unhelpful staff. Plus point only 3 hrs 20mins!
Would we go back to Bulgaria? yes if we wanted a cheap holiday all round but once those Euro rates improve- no probably not, but never say never.....
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p.s I meant to type Lynnrd Skynnrd for all you fans out there!!!!!!!!
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My favourite band LS so no doubt I will be in Daks bar some nights.
I think your report is a well balanced one I%26#39;m only sorry you had issues with meals etc. One of the reason we go B%26amp;B. Mind you the Iberostar food is excellent.
Not all Bulgarians are friendly but there again neither are we Brits and some of the behaviour from us warrants nothing but contempt.Treat people with respect and you tend to get it back in return.
Glad though it wasn%26#39;t all bad and some enjoyment was gained.
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Sometimes I think the lack of a smile with bulgarian staff is basically the fact that they work extremely long hours, 7 days a week no days off .That has got to take its toll on you. Dont think I would last two weeks working like that and im sure I would be more than a little grumpy.
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