Beach volleyball is a nice touch, but it’s currently offered only four times a week — having it daily would be a great improvement. What Could Be Better
The only real negative during our stay was the issue with smoking
Yes, the rooms are spotless and the food is great, but that is what you would expect from a Melia, but the quality of places always comes down to people
She was warm, welcoming, incredibly helpful and extremely efficient and she guided me to the right members of her team to get the sessions I needed and loved
While it is exceptional to find one person as good as Nina, I found two. The manager of the Spa, Maia Ivanova, also deserves special mention
It’s a beautiful hotel, lovely swimming pool, we were happy with the food. If you have teenagers not a good place, bar staff will serve alcohol to minors even though you have asked them not to
So after several reviews here diminishing the staff, I wanted to share my experience
Also, as expected, not enough sunbeds, not enough towels for beach
The pool and relaxation area provide a calm retreat, while the restaurant serves a wide variety of delicious dishes to suit different tastes
Lobby bar was not well stocked. Staff at the reception were friendly and supportive. Cleaning staff was not okay, because we need to ask them for towel change most of the time
With LEVEL bracelets you have access to everything in the hotel, including free Ice cream and a private pool and beds in the pool area which is very very nice. The food in the restaurant though is AWFUL
The hotel can acomodate a huge number of people, but there are not enough sunbeds, so you have to chase a place with a big chance to not finding one at 8 am in the morning
Aside from these the pool and beach are nice and big, and the actual hotel it's well maintained
Perfect beach hotel with nice view and rooftop pool
I love being on this beach, the staff are friendly, and I always feel safe and protected because they are always walking around, the only thing is that there are not enough mattresses provided
Hotel Arabella is the perfect place if you’re looking for a fun, energetic holiday! There’s always something going on — games by the pool, music, dancing, evening shows… the vibe is just amazing
Every thing was awesome.especially The staff, the restaurant, the sea, the rooms, the pool, especially the entertainment team.
The animation team truly brings the place to life. Special shoutout to Mila – she’s an absolute star! So friendly, full of energy, and great with both kids and adults. My kids still talk about her and the mini disco
VERY GOOD HOTEL, NICE AND CLEAN ROOMS, FRIENDLY AND WELOCOME STUFF. ALL INCLUSIVE IS PERFECT, A LOT OF GOOD AND FRESH FOOD, DRINKS. PERFECT PLACES FOR VACATION, 1 MIN TO THE BEACH. THANK YOU GRIFID ARABELLA TEAM
They even gave me a diploma for winning the table tennis contest and announced it at the microphone, it was a touching moment for me. The hotel is under renovation and is being rebranded as Hotel Regina
The rooms were a bit dated, but the view of the sea from the 14th floor was impressive. The rest of the hotel looked very good. The pool supposedly had mineral water, indeed I didn't feel excessive chlorine
It was good value for money. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The hotel have a new management from 2025 and besides old reviews that I read, now everything was great, the rooms, the pool and food.
I liked my stay in the hotel very much. The rooms and the food were okay but what made my holiday was the animators Reni and Melek, who were very nice and played very cool music by the pool
Food was great, everything you could desire, especially the cakes were my favorites
And honourable mention for the best beach they have here in Bulgaria, I really enjoyed my time there
The food was average, there was the variety of choices like for example for breakfast pancakes, sausages, bakery products, vegetables etc. No threats of poisoning as some others wrote here
There are several food stores nearby. there is a swimming pool and a small play area for children. The rooms are spacious, but the furniture is not very new. There are problems in the bathroom with the shower
Nice stay ! All staff members were very friendly and welcoming. +5⭐ for the awesome Vencislav !!!
One of the lifts was out of order for the last 2 days of our visit. I wouldnt say that this hotel is **** more like ***. I would recommend as the budget hotel
in general, if the budget is not very large, the option is acceptable. There is an all inclusive option. I didn't like the food in the restaurant
The hotel itself is quite older, the renovation was realized some years ago, but despite that its clean
Golden Sands, Golden Sands, 9007 Golden-Sends, Varna, Bolgariya 🧭 Map
🌞 From seashore 8 min
Pool: Pool, Heated pool
The pool was good, but I didn’t like that smoking was allowed right by the water where my kids were swimming. One evening, I noticed a situation where my favorite always-smiling, cheerful bartenders looked very sad (Mr
Me and my brother have been coming to hotel Kristal since we were 10 years old with our grandparents. This year we turned 26 and we still chose to spend a splendid holiday with the exceptional staff at hotel Kristal
I am very pleased with morninggymnastik, and wateraeribics. Very lovely and super instructors, Bobi and Monica. Also the Food was good, and a lot too choose. Very fun with musiccompetion on evening, and shows on stage
We spent a few days there and everything was excellent – the rooms were clean and comfortable, the staff was always kind and helpful, and the animation team made our time even more enjoyable
Excellent services, really clean areas, delicious food, an abundace of fun activities. what more could you ask for? Hotel Kristal will always be our home away from home
Never disappoints and it really became our home away from home to me and my family. 10/10 would recommend every single time
Fantastic for the kids (sides, pools, animation / kids club, trampolines etc), great beach nearby. However service, cleanliness of the property, food/service was okay
Free access to the hotel's water park, outdoor pool with water slides (also has a shallow area for children), wellness center with hot tub, sauna, heated indoor pool
We would not return due to how crowded everything was - difficult to walk through Pool lounges, dinning areas, reception etc. Felt like sardines crammed into a small space most of the time
Very nice and clean hotel, about 300 m from the beach, good food (the best vegetable cream soup I've had so far!) and diverse
There is also a very nice outdoor playground and entertainers for children. Very good price-quality ratio!
The pool bar always has good food inclusing pizza, chips, waffles and more. The play room is huge at the aquapark hotel full with ps5 consoles, pool tables and ping pong tables. The beach is 5 minutes walk from the hotel
The photos you see on websites and booking are of the best rooms, but out of 5 rooms that my group had, all of them had either these issues, or bad sewer smell. I'll let the photos speak for themselves
Friendly and helpful staff, tasty food with a lot of variety, nice pools, cozy room with comfortable bed mattress. Nice view too!
One recommendation: all rooms should have shower and not bath
The towels were changed every day. Cleaning was carried out,but even we refused it. If you need additional shampunki , shower gels ,soap,the maid with no problems gave. The only negative in the room - no bed and safe
Lived on the 6th floor,room 629. Beautiful view from the balcony. The air conditioner is running. On TV, there are Russian channels. The room after repair,modern furniture,comfortable design
What they do for the hotel is amazing, I learned their dance in just 2 days, they do their job well and due to the argument given above I think they deserve 5 stars
Clean and modern rooms, we had a see view and a big balcony from which you could enjoy the view. Nice hotel staff and very delicious food. Really enjoyed the stay.
- coffee - acceptable to good depending on what you choose on the machine
- pool with lots of chairs and shade from umbrellas and huge trees - 2 lifeguards during the day
- pool bar - nice staff, very good ice cream, good cookies during serving hours
-staff pretty young and helpful, did their job very well
- reception looks very nice with a lot of seats inside and outside on the terrace
- saw there...
The hotel rooms are pretty big and clean. They clean the room every day and change the towels. They have animation for the kids and the animation girls are very funny and full of energy
-10 sunbeds on the beach - huge con if you come for the sand and the sea
- gym - very old , not sure anyone worked out there during my stay
- for those minding exercising or climbing stairs: around 50 stair climb from the beach to the hotel
All in all pleasant experience with good food, had a good time with my friends
- housekeeping doing a very good job with daily cleaning and changing towels
- despite all the comments below that scared me before going there food was delicious - a lot of options from a bunch of salads, veggies, meats, barbecue for lunch and dinner with different meats daily, pancakes in the morning
The comments bellow from fellow Romanians with "only 2 types of soup", and "food different than in Romania" - you are not at your mother's house, but in Bulgaria - different country with different food ;)
Also the comments with "reusing food from the breakfast in the lunch meals" - what do you guys expect them to do , throw it away? that's what every restaurant ever does
The hotel is located close to the beach. The menu is varied, it is advisable to add dairy products for breakfast. The room is clean.
Super friendly & helpful receptionist. Food wa a good value.
The food was good, the lifeguards cleaned the pool and the pool area every day and they were always helpful , the bartenders were polite and did their job with smile and the animation team did games for kids and night show for adults!
For a higher end hotel I did not find it very good, nearly all the staff where very rude, the food was ok we ate out most nights mainly catered for Germans, no entertainment was on the whole 2 weeks, the room was nice beds made everyday towels changed every day the cleaner stole my mama glasses and when she asked her she said she had not seen them then they appeared back on the bedside table, the poolside...
The lifeguards cept the pool clean and the one with the tattoo’s help me and my daughter who got dizzy
The staff and management can't do enough to make your stay a perfect one and will go above and beyond what's expected. Martina and Georgi who part of the management will sort any problems you have straight away
The pool is very small and insufficient for the hotel’s capacity—I am referring to both the indoor and outdoor pools. the food was okay and varied, but there were queues every time. I also believe it is too small
Animation team is great!! We played darts and we laughed a lot! Everything is wonderful! Every service here is 10 out of 10. Thanks for a great family vacation!
The rooms are super clean and well equipped! All the entertainers put on exceptional shows! Simon the best!!!
My family and I chose this hotel to meet my parents, who flew in from California for their first visit to Bulgaria. The hotel is clean, well maintained, and has a welcoming atmosphere
This is my first time visiting Bulgaria, and we’re halfway through our two-week stay at Grifid Hotel Vistamar. So far, the experience has been comfortable and generally positive
We were warmly greeted by Johanna at reception, which set a nice tone for our stay. When booking, we were deciding between Vistamar and Encanto
The food was okay-sh, but not very good quality. The swimming pool was good
The artistic program were diverse
I was in this place for a couple of days and I had great experience. I had a lot of fun with the amazing animation team, which I admire truly. The girls were amazing!! We would love to see them again
See video
After we insisted at the reception they change our room, we got a smaller room, with partial see view, but no 🐜. The cleaning staff were miserable. They never even changed our towels or touch out the trash
The restaurant's food is incredibly tasty every day, but it would be desirable. The hotel is an old one and some equipment in the rooms and in other places that require it should already be changed
But the most fun in my experience here were the animators, who are very dedicated to their work, they will never leave you busy, you will always have something to learn from them
My daughter loved them and couldn’t wait to take a part in every entertainment, so starting with morning gymnastics and finishing on great Mini Disco
Food is good, on all the tastes. yhe the drinks were quality, not some low quality. Now let's talk about some aspects, the refill of the minibar was done only ones after I've complained several times
The rooms are really spacious and have everything you need. The hotel it is right on the beach, inside a pine forrest, part of a group of HVD hotels. So, it is safe to walk around into the park
The second year is the stay in this hotel, everything is super, quiet and calm, for young people not suitable, for family and people aged!!!!!
I've reserved directly on the HVD website, I recommend you to do the same at better rates compared to Booking. For our pleasant surprise we've been upgraded from family room to maisonette
Don't complain that the towels are not changed, they have to be placed on the floor to be changed, read the instructions in the bathroom
I appreciate that they are not wasting food only for opulence like they do in Turkey. Food is various, there are several options even for vegetarians or for those who prefer healthy food, but not exagerated
Nice please and relaxed evening around the pool with the lovely singing!
Update 2025
For the second year we have a great time here, the food is varied and delicious, the staff is very kind, the rooms are cleaned well and we dance to mixes of international music that you can't hear anywhere else, and the singer is from last year and we were very happy to see her!
The rooms were very clean, and when they clean it every day they really clean them, not just changing the towels. The food excellent, a lot of choices and the variety of drinks that u don't have time to try all of them
Rooms were clean enough, towels were changed daily on aour apartment even though I have seen complaints in reviews regarding this subject. As a plus, there were two bathrooms in the suite
We were accommodated at 4th floor, we could hear some music but not loud enough to be disturbing in any way. Downsides:
Parking is not included, price is 20 lv / day. The drinks could do with some improvement
One of the best places I've ever stayed. unfortunately we need it to shorten our vacation because of personal reasons, but all the experience was amazing
You can take a longer walk on the main road, no stairs but double the time. Also we have seen complaints about the music of neighbouring clubs
From reception to housekeeping, from restaurant service to the bar, and through the family-friendly activities and pool entertainment, every department contributed to a stay that was both comfortable and memorable
They took our plate when we wanted to finish it. The desserts were watery and tasteless. Clean bathrooms, clean, big pool. The performance of the traditional Bulgarian dance was joyful
It has a outdoor not very large swimming pool. And it has a relatively small indoor pool
The rooms were okay, I really enjoyed the comfortable bed. The bathroom was also nice, but there wasn't enough soap, and when we complained about the lack of soap, they simply took it out and replaced it with the shampoo
Most of them are frozen food, the variety is not satisfactory, they don't use seasonings (especially salt). I ate the same food every meal. The waiters were overworked and disorganized
I liked it! It is not luxury but it is above good. The food was good and plenty of it. It has a bar and it seemed nice and enjoyable for those who like to have a drink or two or more
Huge praise for all the entertainers, thanks to whom I could leave my eight-year-old daughter in their care without worrying about anything. The bar by the pool had excellent service, very nice and helpful people
Cleaning is thorough, the minibar is refilled daily. Some guests mention a lack of sunbeds in their reviews, but we never had a problem – there was always a free spot both by the pool and on the beach
From the range of activities everyone can choose something if they want to have some fun and get up from the sunbed :-) The animators radiate incredible energy and in my opinion they are the main treasure of Bolero
We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Bolero. You can also find clean rooms, nice pools and good food in other hotels, but here they add something extra – incredibly kind staff and well-prepared entertainment
Each has a strength they know how to use. Katy, who is like Shakira and Barbie in one, makes her Aquagym and Zumba not only active but also entertaining. The pleasantly crazy Cleo gets even the lazy ones moving
Niky, with his dancing and moderating, can win over the audience so much that even my husband always got up from his chair to join the hotel dance. Simo is a source of good mood, ease and humor
The food is for everyone’s taste, at dinner we could book a table every day at the Italian and Asian restaurant, where you can find different types of food compare tot the main restaurant and the advantage that I personally liked was that it wasn’t crowded as in the main restaurant
The beverages were ok, tastable. The room was very clean, they cleaned the room every day and change the sheets one time in our staying(5 days). Also, they would bring water and bath supplies every day to refill the room
I really liked it here, good food, lots of choices, the pool with a bar that I could see right from the window along with the sea. The staff was very friendly, I forgot something at the hotel and Mrs
We are having a very relaxing holiday with my family and it was a lot of fun Our kids had a lot of fun Ms. Melisa was very hospitable, she was as if she had hosted us in her own home, she was very interested in us.
The staff were welcoming, courteous, and always willing to assist us with anything we needed. Our room was immaculate, stylish, and extremely comfortable — a great place to relax after spending the day outdoors
I'd like to thank the manager of the hotel, Melisa and the whole staff for the hospitality who is always willing to assist us with all our needs and the atmosphere they create every day
The hotel is very clean, very close to the beach. The rooms are spacious but an aspect which needs improving is the cleaning. We asked to have the room cleaned but instead of doing it they simply changed the towels
The room needed vacuuming because there was sand everywhere. Another aspect was the hot water which was cold, although we were accommodated on the second floor. And another aspect-the breakfast was rich but cheap
Had a great rest!
The location is good, the beach is nearby!
The price-quality ratio was pleasing.
I recommend it to everyone who wants to have a peaceful rest on the seashore!
A great hotel with good food and comfortable rooms. We'll definitely come back here again. The bartender girl from Ukraine was very kind and pleasant, we didn’t even want to leave the bar. We’ll be back
There very very few options for vegetarian. And the parking was another aspect-few places for too many cars
The answer staff provides is that “the hotel is busy. ” The rooms on the first floor don’t have coverage at all, in the lobby area the signal is very weak, not possible to do work. Owners don’t respond to inquiries
Really beautiful hotel with good, very tasty food and very friendly staff :) special thanks to Galin, who was a big friend for our little son - always friendly and positive :) Only one dissapointing point was location of our room (4th floor and over the way) but all in all our stay was very nice and relaxing :) We are not notorious complainers, so we did not discuss it with the reception, but based...
Beach clean and always there were place where you can rest :) Definitelly we could recommend this hotel and stay :)
My family and I stayed here from July 29 to August 5, 2025. It is an excellent hotel in a quiet location with very friendly and professional staff and delicious cuisine
Room was spacious and clean, everyday very good room service and filling the minibar was great! Food excellent
Thanks for all the amazing efforts of the animation team, Deni is an amazing Karate coach and also great at leading with her colleague all the beach activities like Boccia and Sjoelbak along with Football and Darts
Not everything was perfect but overall was a nice holiday and probably we will comeback
We are coming here every year and this is our third year at this hotel and we absolutely love it! Our room was always spotless thanks to the hardworking housekeeping team — they are coming absolutely every day to clean the room and changing towels not only when you throw them on the floor
Morning games by the pool, fun activities for the kids, and amazing evening shows — they managed to keep everyone, young and old, entertained
They had this great balance of being fun and engaging, without ever being pushy. My child especially adored the mini-disco, and we found ourselves looking forward to the shows every night
Thanks to Bobi, Ginkgo, Dari and Marti for the amazing work!
The restaurant also deserves credit — plenty of tasty food with a good variety, and the staff were always attentive
What made our holiday truly unforgettable was the animation team. They were the heart of the hotel! Every single day they brought so much energy, smiles, and creativity
They truly deserve the highest praise – extremely helpful, friendly, professional, and fluent in foreign languages. A hotel fully deserving its category