Sol Nessebar Mare

“Not for me”

I was really looking forward to my visit little did I know that it shut down end of September, We arrived late and was greeted by a security guard who was nice, on reception was victor a lovely young man very helpful, as it was late we received a brown paper bag either some food in, bread bun, butt… more

I was really looking forward to my visit little did I know that it shut down end of September, We arrived late and was greeted by a security guard who was nice, on reception was victor a lovely young man very helpful, as it was late we received a brown paper bag either some food in, bread bun, butter, apple, cake, croissant and bottle of water it was basic but enough, The room was on par with travel lodge, we were on 3rd floor overlooking waste land at the front of the hotel and had a very small balcony it was cramped with 2 people on it, not that we could sit out the weather was very cloudy and windy. Yea and coffee and water were available through water dispenser and hot drinks machine on each corridor, not very pleasant for the people in the room opposite as it was very noisy, The hotel was very clean and our cleaner was lovely, foyer area and public areas were really clean, Food was plentiful and the cakes were amazing along with the watermelon, all drinks were self served, To be honest I sick of the sight of food by the end of the week. We made use of the indoor pool which was lovely, We were booked in till 1st October but hotel closed on 30th September So staff were surprised we were still there however we were looked after there was 12people left till late , We were there as the staff party was starting it was lovely to see them all coming in dressed up and I think it is a lovely thing for the company to do for them to be honest I wanted to stay and dance the night away with them, Would I return? No that’s only because it’s not for me, if I had young children I would probably feel different the water slides looked amazing, Don’t go late September

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“Disappointed”

I had the privilege of spending a vacation at this hotel for the second time within the last five years, but this time with my wife and our little 8-month-old baby. I was extremely excited to arrive because years ago I had worked, not at this exact hotel, but at another hotel of the same type. As … more

I had the privilege of spending a vacation at this hotel for the second time within the last five years, but this time with my wife and our little 8-month-old baby. I was extremely excited to arrive because years ago I had worked, not at this exact hotel, but at another hotel of the same type. As someone who has worked in many hotel chains and currently works as a construction site manager for a large company in the capital, I would like to express my opinion about the hotel. I will address each head manager separately. I will provide constructive criticism, but how they choose to take it is their own responsibility. - Front Office Manager: From the very first day of our arrival, I noticed there was a serious issue with the window frames in the room. I asked for something to be done about it. The receptionist said she would send a technician. A few hours later, I had to ask another receptionist again for a solution to the problem. He responded by changing our room immediately. The issue with the second room was that we were placed above Neptune Hall, where a children’s disco and evening show program are held until 11:00 PM. That night, our baby could not fall asleep until 11:30 PM because of the noise. My constructive criticism is this: when guests have children, rooms should be selected very carefully. Even during the busiest season, such guests should never be accommodated in rooms with faulty windows, broken refrigerators, or near this hall, because there is no way of knowing when the weather might turn bad and the show will be moved indoors. - Housekeeping Manager: Since I stayed in three different rooms, I want to say that the cleaning standards are good, but there is one huge downside in the rooms. What is the most important thing during a vacation? Sleep. If the sleep quality is poor, then the vacation becomes poor as well. The hotel beds are beyond criticism. Over all the years I have visited this hotel, one thing has never changed — the mattresses and pillows. Nothing about them reflects a 5-star hotel standard. For both the hotel’s and guests’ convenience, the easiest solution would be double-sided memory foam mattresses. In this case, guests who dislike soft beds could sleep on the firmer side of the mattress, and vice versa. Pillows are also very important, but the mattress above all. - F&B Manager: For a bartender, it is important that cocktails are appreciated and admired by guests. I am not someone who drinks alcohol, but one thing was unclear to me. When I asked at 9:45 PM whether they could make me a coffee with fresh milk instead of powdered milk from the machine, the bartender Valentina gave me a very strict look and replied rather rudely that it was not possible. Now, I am a very understanding person and not demanding like many of the guests who come to the hotel during May, but her attitude was inappropriate — not only at that specific moment, but throughout the rest of the day. This so-called bartender either needs to change her approach or her profession. Regarding the cuisine: because I know what usually happens with food quality during peak season, I intentionally made my reservation at the beginning of the season, when there are fewer guests. In such a case, one would expect the food quality to be good. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Several times I encountered undercooked meat (both pork and chicken), fish that smelled spoiled, half-cooked pancakes, and many other issues. The food quality is far below expectations. I am not a chef, but honestly, the situation is quite poor for a five-star hotel. - Maintenance Manager: As someone involved in construction, managing two large projects, and being a builder at heart, I can say that the hotel technicians are not performing quality work. It is not normal at the beginning of the season to change three rooms and find extremely serious problems in all of them: leaking shower cabins, shower mixers fixed with pieces of wood, hanging ventilation covers, non-working refrigerators (in all three rooms), ceiling leaks, clogged sinks, and many more. Around the pools there were exposed reinforcing bars, bolts sticking out from walkways, broken tiles, and so on. Please understand: the issue is not appearance, but safety. Many children could get seriously injured, and after that you know what follows — scandals, lawsuits, and so on. - Animation Manager: For the Animation department to function properly, all other departments need to start working together with them. It is impossible for all managers to expect Animation alone to improve the hotel’s rating. As someone who has also worked in this field, I can say that this team works extremely hard and is one of the best not only in Bulgaria, but on a global level. The problem with Animation is that they do not receive support from the Maintenance department, which is actually the most important department for them. Without that support, they face unsolvable problems related to the stage, lighting, sound systems, activities, and more. What I noticed was that they were repairing the shooting range, stage, and other equipment by themselves. Overall, I have stayed at this hotel several times — both during low season and high season. What existed before has hardly changed at all. For a hotel to be truly good, it needs continuous improvement and development. At the moment, from my perspective, the only department truly doing its job properly is the Animation team.

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“Ok but not great either. Consider but think elsewhere”

Currently staying here and hotel is not bad but the food needs to improve. Not much option for vegetarians apart from pizza chips and bread. Some salad. Does not cater for Indians.

“Decent family stay, but definitely not 5 stars”

Stayed here for a week in early September on an all-inclusive Jet2 package. The hotel itself has a bit of a post-communist building feel, though facilities are decent for families and kids. We were on the 5th floor – lifts can get very busy at peak times (breakfast, dinner, evening shows), so expe… more

Stayed here for a week in early September on an all-inclusive Jet2 package. The hotel itself has a bit of a post-communist building feel, though facilities are decent for families and kids. We were on the 5th floor – lifts can get very busy at peak times (breakfast, dinner, evening shows), so expect some waiting. Rooms were clean and housekeeping did a good job daily. There’s a mini-fridge, but it’s empty – you pay extra (around 6 BGN for a beer). No in-room kettle either, instead there are communal Nescafé machines in the corridor with paper cups. Nice idea, but the coffee quality is very low. Buffet meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) are plentiful, but food feels a little dated, like something from the 80s/90s. Very little traditional Bulgarian cuisine. You can tell some food is reused in different dishes, but at least it cuts waste. Drinks are all self-service – soft drinks, beer taps, and basic wine dispensers. The weakest point for me was the alcohol. The “all-inclusive” spirits are very low-end Bulgarian brands. The rum substitute (“Captain Fred”) was honestly one of the worst things I’ve tasted. I’ve had better local drinks in Tunisia, Egypt, Spain, and Greece – this was a big let-down. On the positive side, pools were cleaned every morning, though the water sometimes looked a bit cloudy. Some areas show black mould stains and could use refurbishment. Waterslides were fun, though not always operating (seems linked to lifeguard cover or maintenance). The kids’ entertainment team was excellent – friendly, engaging, and kept children busy all day. Kids’ club is worth recommending. Overall: a solid family hotel, but very much 3 stars in quality, not the 5 stars advertised. We had a good time, but I wouldn’t return.

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