Louise’s Bulgarian Escape: From Sunny Beach to Stunning Views

I arrived at Humberside airport and was greeted warmly by Wayne from Balkan Holidays. I was introduced to the group, which consisted of a mix of home travel consultants and retail professionals. Check-in was smooth, and I was through security in just a few minutes.

Boarding the plane was well organised, and the flight was full. The Cabin Crew were assertive and helpful. We departed on time, and the flight arrived early at Bourgas airport. The transfer from the airport to the hotel took approximately 30 minutes, which went smoothly again.

We arrived at the Dreams Resort in Sunny Beach, situated in the quieter part of Sunny Beach. It is a 5-star hotel offering beautiful views of Sunny Beach Bay and Nessebar. The foyer was clean, grand and very welcoming.

We were invited to a buffet for late-arriving guests, which featured a range of both cold and warm options. We had a double room with a sea view - it was clean, contemporary and spacious. The bed was comfortable, which is a bonus!

We had an early start with a buffet breakfast offering a wide range of choices, fueling us for a busy day.

Our morning began with a tour of Dreams Resort and Secrets Sunny Beach Hotel, starting with an introduction to their room types, facilities, and services, followed by a walk-through of amenities like the gym, indoor and outdoor pools, and entertainment areas.

Next, we headed to St. Vlas to visit the 5-star Voya Hotel, a modern, high-end establishment that is truly impressive, featuring sea view rooms, an aqua park, and a kids' club. We then saw Hotel Lira, a traditional 3-star at the northern end of Sunny Beach – a little dated but very clean. Sunny Victory, closer to the centre but set back slightly, was also a clean 3-star apartment hotel with a lively pool area. The manager welcomed us with a glass of wine, which made the experience memorable!

In Obzor, we toured Alua Helios Bay (part of the Hyatt group), a 4-star hotel with a great pool area and atmosphere.

We wrapped up the day with dinner at Secrets, followed by drinks in Sunny Beach with Wayne and Daphne from HIC. Bars were lively – the first had shots from 50p – and we ended the night dancing at Viking Bar.

We began at Aqua Nevis – a huge, family-friendly complex with an aqua park, kids' club, and excellent buffet areas, although the location felt somewhat industrial. We visited the Zenith Hotel (formerly Helena Sands), one of my favourite hotels, a fresh and modern hotel with stunning sea views and excellent cuisine.

Evrika Beach was next – a beachfront hotel with free sunbeds and a hidden aqua park, perfect for both families and adults. I'm even recommending it to my parents! We walked along the promenade to Venus Hotel, a cosy 3-star with a lively pool surrounded by chalet-style rooms.

We then went to the Four Points by Sheraton (formerly the Globus), which had been beautifully refurbished and had a perfect location. We later visited Melia Sunny Beach, a large 4-star with spacious rooms, multiple pools, and a great buffet lunch. We looked at the Pomorie Sun, a basic but updated 3-star hotel that featured a fun pool area with a swim-up bar; however, the setup for all-inclusive guests could be inconvenient.

We then went to Bavaro, a modern, all-inclusive, 4-star hotel further south.

After 19,000 steps, we enjoyed cocktails by the pool before dinner at Secrets, hosted by Daphne from HIC. The buffet and drinks were better than Dreams next door. We ended the night watching the England match and enjoying more cocktails.

We had an early morning get-up again, as it was our last morning before going home. We checked out at 8:45 am and then had a buffet breakfast, which we took to the gorgeous Nessebar.

We stopped before Nessebar to visit Harmony Suites Grand Resort, which was gorgeous. It has been recently refurbished and is very modern. It had boujee-style rooms and catered more for adults. We then went to Nessebar and visited the Sol Marina Palace, which offered amazing views of the city. It is a 4-star resort hotel for adults, featuring a small pool and sunbathing area. The rooms are clean, and the food and bar area is contemporary.

The final and my favourite hotel was the Sol Nessebar Palace, which was out of this world. It is well-catered for families. It is situated in Nessebar, on its own private beach. It features an aqua park, a lazy river, and numerous pools. The rooms were modern and clean, and we viewed a sea-view room with gorgeous views. We had lunch there in the buffet restaurant. There was a wide selection of hot and cold food. I would highly recommend this hotel to families.

We then headed to the airport, where, again, the check-in process was smooth, and we were through security in just 10 minutes. There is a small departure lounge, and you can sit outside to get the last bit of sun. The flight home was on time.

WHO WOULD THIS TYPE OF TRIP BE SUITED TO?

This destination is suited to both adults and families. There is something for everyone, whether it's visiting Nessebar's old town or partying on Flower Street. There is a vast range of hotels, from 2-star affordable hotels to 5-star luxurious all-singing and dancing hotels. There are numerous facilities available, including kids' clubs, buffets, slides, and more. Walking through Sunny Beach just reminded me of walking through any other resort centre, whether it be in Marmaris or Majorca, with all the souvenir shops and bars.

FAVOURITE HOTEL VISITED?

My favourite hotel I visited was Sol Nessebar Palace, mainly due to its location in Nessebar and the facilities it offers for families. I will definitely be visiting this hotel in the future.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT VISITED?

We did not visit any restaurants; we always ate at a hotel buffet. The Secrets buffet was the best by far.

GENERAL COMMENTS AND TIPS:

I was very nervous about going on this trip, as it was my first one, and I didn't know what to expect. However, everyone was so lovely, and I had an amazing time!

I am now more confident selling Bulgaria, and I have already made a decent booking and advised the customer what to do and where to

go, etc. There is a certain stigma around Bulgaria, but it has been an eye-opener, and I am pleasantly surprised in a positive way.

AIRLINE COMMENTS:

European Air Charter operated this flight; they were attentive and efficient, and the cabin crew were lovely.

BEST EXPERIENCE FROM THE TRIP?

I had an amazing time on this trip! The highlight was meeting such lovely people. Wayne and Daphne are a credit to their companies; they made us all feel incredibly welcome, and they possess vast knowledge of their product, which I am grateful has been passed on to me. Visiting Nessebar was also one of my favourite experiences of the trip.