12 more get ups!!!!!!!!!!

we go on 7th June

Have a great time!

My family and I stopped at the Helios in September 2004 (All Inclusive), booked through Thompson.
On arrival we were met by a bellboy who arranged for all our luggage to be taken to our room whilst we booked in.
The rooms themselves were of a good size and were spotlessly clean, with a nice bathroom and ample balcony area. (Should you wish to leave the balcony door open for a little air, there is a second netted door that can be pulled across to keep out the mozzy's) If not there is also air conditioning.
Any towels you have used should be left on the bathroom floor and they will be changed by the maid who calls in every day to make the beds etc.

The hotel has a bar in the entrance area and one by the pool that serve most local beers / spirits that I can think of. They also have a good selection of branded drinks, but you will have to purchase these as they are not included in the all inclusive package.
Bar staff are very polite and really friendly.
There is also a bar in the club building next to the hotel where the entertainment staff put on a short show every night.

The entertainment is a little limited due to the fact that they are trying to cater for 4 or 5 different nationalities, but the staff try their best to provide entertainment for everybody and are very good with the children.
This entertainment finishes quite early, but the bar stays open till 12 and there are lots of cheap bars and clubs close by if you want to carry on into the night.
The entertainment staff also put on various activities throughout the day such as vollyball / French Boules / Air rifle shooting etc, and they try very hard to get everybody involved! These games can be good fun with a little international competitiveness going on!!!

The hotel restaurants are very good. On your first visit to the main restaurant you are allocated a table that is yours every evening for the duration of your stay. At breakfast and lunch time you can sit anywhere you like......
All food is cooked in front of you so you can see exactly what you are getting. There is plenty of variety with various meats/vegetables available every day cooked in various styles (Lunch and evening)
Breakfast consists of cereals / fruits etc to a full fry up.
All I can say is that if you cant find something you like here, then you must be a very fussy eater!
P.S......Beware of the waiters, they are extremely efficient....If you leave your plate for a minute, it wont be there when you get back!
There is also a Theme Restaurant with set menu's of local dishes etc but you need to book for this the day before.

Outside there are 2 swimming pools. The main one with the bar is quite busy with the sunbeds taken up quite early. The other pool is nearby however so its no great hardship to walk round to get a drink.

The beach is literally 50yd from the hotel and is very clean with lifeguard stations every few hundred yards. If you follow the walkway that runs alongside the beach its just a few minutes walk into the main area of Sunny Beach.

If you decide to take any of the trips organised by the Tour Reps, a visit to Khans Tent is recommended. You get a four course meal with a bottle of wine for every person and an evening of profesional entertainment (5 or 6 different acts from dancing to comedy). It really is worth the £25 charge.
A day trip to Nessebar is also worthwhile to see the old town and the local traders. If you go here avoid the taxi's, they will try to rip you off!! Catch the local bus on the main road. Its a 10 minute trip and will cost you the equivalent of about 15 pence.

We had a really good holiday here. On the whole it was clean, friendly and I couldn't really fault the hotel on anything but the limited entertainment in the evenings.

Hi there

Does any one have or know where i can find details of the Hotel Riu Palace,Sunny Beach.Can't seem to find any reviews anywhere.

Regards

Sharpy

Sorry,that should be the Hotel Riu Helios Palace

Thanks

Sharpy

I've added this hotel to our review site.

If anyone has stayed here please assist your fellow holidaymakers by writing your review: http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/bulgaria/sunny-beach/riu-helios-palace-hotel/

Thanks

Thanks for that Baldur

Although the translation took a bit of understanding, it seems that the Dutch were quite impressed.

Any more information would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Sharpy

Hi Sharpy,
We're off to this hotel a week on Monday for a fortnight. The reviews seem to be very few and far between. Although There are four on http://www.tripadvisor.com Have you booked to go or are you just doing some research on it. I've also found a couple of reviews on http://www.beachbulgaria.com although these aren't very recent.

hi Shirley

Thanks for that.We are actually looking for next year.There are so many hotels to pick from i'm in a state of confusion :?Can't decide on b&b,half board or all inclusive.I think the main thing is to pick a good hotel and take it from there.Have looked at the Riu hotels website and it looks really nice.Look forward to reading your review when you get back.

Hope you have a really wonderful holiday.

kind regards

Sharpy

i walked past it the other day it looks quite nice its an a quiet part of the resort

Hi Les,
When you say it's in a quiet part does that mean that there'll be quite a bit of walking to do to find any bars or restaurants? I've heard that it's really close to the beach is this right? By the way hope you're having a great holiday.

shirley

yes its about 5 to 10 mins walk from civilization its very close to the beach
there are bars and resteraunts everywhere

and i'm having a blast

Thanks Les,

Don't mind the 5 - 10 min walk. It'll be a chance to use up some of those calories after gorging on all that all inclusive food and drink. Can't wait - 10 days and counting!

hi Shirley

Have taken the plunge and booked the Helios for July next year.Got a good deal and a free child place with Portland Direct.

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease come back with a good report ,i'll be a nervous wreck till you get back but i didn't want to miss out by waiting , hope i've done the right thing

Have a great time

regards

Sharpy

We stayed in Helios Palace in June and we had a fab time.

The hotel is in the quieter area of Sunny Beach but it is still busy there. The hotel is about 5 steps from the beach and it has its own access gate from the hotel grounds to the beach.

Im at work at the mo so cant write too much but will when I get the chance write a report.

Any questions for me just ask...

Allison

hi allison

pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay at the Helios.Look forward to reading your review.How was the food.Did you try the a la carte restaurant?Were there many English people staying there?

I'll probably think of lots of questions but i'll wait to read your review first.

Many thanks.It's nice to hear from someone who has actually stayed there recently.

Regards

Sharpy

Hi again,
According to my brochure you actually have to pay for the a la carte restaurant as it's not included in the AI package. Is this true? And apart from the food and drink is anything else included e.g. any watersports from the beach, or the Gym and sauna? When we styed in a Riu hotel in the Dom Rep last year all these were free but if I'm reading the brochure correctly, it seems these are all extra. One last question, towels for the beach and pool are provided aren't they?

Sharpy,
I will let you know what we thought of the hotel as soon as we get back, although we're not really hard to please, you will get an honest opinion.

Shirley

Thanks Shirley

According to the Portland Direct website which is where i booked,you can use the a la carte once per week as part of the all inclusive.Who did you book with?I'm sure it must be the same for everyone.

Are you taking any children with you?We are taking our 8 year old grandaughter.Think there's a kids club and the pool looks really nice.
I'm sure you'll have a great time
Enjoy

Regards

Sharpy

Hi Sharpy,
Booked with Eclipse Direct (sister company of First Choice). Brochure states

"buffet restaurant with outdoor terrace, a la Carte restaurant (French/Mediterranean cuisine, with 20% discount for hotel guests)..."

Doesn't mention whether beach towels are provided though I did read on the Thomson brochure that they were. Like you I'm assuming that the hotel will operate the same policy whichever company you book with.

Shirley