Hi - came back on Sunday and had a fab time. Weather on the whole was good - just a couple of overcast, though not cold days. Stayed at the Sever Yug Hotel where I stayed last year. I will do a short review on that just on any updates from last year.
We were delayed a couple of hours going from Gatwick. Everything was fine at Bourgas. Straight through passport control and not too much of a wait for our bags (though it seemed like a lifetime because we were fed up by then). There had been heavy rain the night before and the resort was more like venice when we woke up on the Monday morning. Despite just getting a few hours sleep, we were up for the welcome meeting but the Balkan Rep didn't turn up! I thought this was pretty bad because there are some do's and don'ts that people should be warned about (like money changing). I suspect it was just because the roads were still flooded but when we saw the rep that evening, he couldn't come up with any real explanation.
I did the Blue Mountains, Jeep Safari and Gypsy Market trips. I have kept the list of trips with the prices and days if anyone is interested.
Had breakfast in The Polyusi Restaurant just outside the hotel and that was nice. Meals everywhere we went were good - I don't think we had a bad one. I especially liked that Watermill or Wussermuhl and Tanya. We went to the Gypsy Camp, Village Yard and Dolfin and enjoyed the shows and food. Also Karaoke in the Marbella. By day just vegged out by the pool.
Prices had gone up since last year but it is still a bargain. T-Shirts seemed to be about 15lv each, but they were still 10lv at the Gypsy Market (though there was a lot of tat). A bottle of wine had gone up quite a lot - last year I don't think I paid over 10lv for one, but this year they seemed to be 16lv for the house wine and 20lv for a more expensive one, though saying that in the Gypsy camp it was only 9.9lv. But still OK because a bottle would keep me going for several hours
Coming home was fine - fast check in, straight through passport control and security. They have made some small improvements to the departures at the airport. There are now three small duty free shops (only saw one last year) and they have a had a bit of a makeover and the staff have had an attitude makeover too. There is no smoking in the bar and they have put a canopy and seating over the roof terrace, easing crwding in the departures lounge and you can have a smoke and watch the planes in the cool. MY OH said the toilet were not up to much though - I waited until I got on the plane!Plane left on time. Bags untampered with. So no problems there for us.
Any questions, please ask!
Couple of questions, What time did you arrive and leave? read on another site people were stood for hours in Bourgas airport.
Any impact from the 18-30 clubbers yet?
Toonman
We usually go to Turkey, so are used with cheap fake T-shirts and market 'tat' etc. I have gathered from various posts etc that it is better to go B&B and eat out, rather than HB as hotel food seems dodgy???
Any other info will be much appreciared. I've short listed the Meridian Hotel BUT I am still looking at prices etc
Thanks
Ray
You will find that Oct is the very end of the season and a lot of the places will be closing up for the winter. When in Oct ?
Never had an issue myself on tampered bags but there are a small few who have had things stolen. Problem with that is at which end were the items taken, departure or arrival?
Toonman
The hotelier advised her strongly against it, stating that most things are closed and the weather is not good at all.
My in-laws went to Spain instead and re-booked SB for July this year.
Ray P - I think toonman has answered your question about the tampered bags. As for food, I would only bother going B&B or room only. Eating out is cheap and I think I would get bored eating in the same place over and over for two weeks. Also, there are places where you can go like the Village Yard and the Gypsy camp where you can see a show with your meal, though it did seem to be OK to go there and just have a drink.
It should be understood that the tourist season in Bulgaria is from the middle of June (the official start by which time building work should have ceased) to the end of September.
At either end a lot of places are closed and if it's been a good season many businesses have made their money and had enough late September.
Peter
Thanks for the replies - very informative.
We have a week away in May, summer hols 2 wks in July and our 'late hols' are always the FIRST week in Oct. But this year it could be departing on Friday 29 Sept, as only flight from Newcastle to Bourgas is Friday, and the 6th Oct is to late.
I fully understand about October hols and some resorts running down, this is the case in Turkey but only during the last week.
However, I am surprised that if the 'season' only lasts until end of Sept in Bulgaria, why are all the Tour Ops offering hols right to the end of Oct??? We would never go away later than the first week Oct anyway and expect certain places to be much quieter than in high season ( not a bad thing, you can get sunbeds and seats etc etc), BUT if the place was to be DEAD we'd be very disappointed.
Can anyone expand on this.... will it (Sunny B) be a ghost town 1st week Oct??? If so, we'll forget it here and now, but I doubt we'd go for our main hols in the high season next year as it's too much of a risk for us (for main summer hols) as we've never been before, so wanted to try it out for ONE week, and we can't get time off before Oct (well 29/09 at earliest).
We wouldn't mind it being quiet, BUT need restaurants, cafes, shops and bars to be OPEN.
Any advice about this will be most welcome, as we are still very much at the "looking" stage at this time, but as we may be going with friends and I do all the looking and booking.... I don't want to take a risk if I can help it, AND theres loads of other places to try.
Thanks
Ray
On THIS page you'll find Balkan's let out clause re the non availability of facilities early and late in the season. The tour operators send out tourists in October just as they send them out in May. But, the season does not officially start until the middle of June when they have a major celebration with dignitaries present and firework displays.
Can't predict what you would find, but if it's less than very good weather the places you want to be open will probably be closed. That's the way it is.
Peter
Thanks for your advive, you clearly know this area well, and as I've said it would be new for us. So, think we will have to give it a miss, too risky for an Oct hol I fear. Shame as I do fancy trying Bulgaria, but from what you say an early hol in MAY (07) is also a bad risk.
Never mind, "plenty more beaches in the sea"
Cheers
Ray
Sunny Beach in October is definitely too late. My wife & I were there last year at the end of September & most things were closing or had closed by our 2nd week.
Having tried Crete, Rhodes,Sunny Beach , Malta, & The Costas in October we think either one of the Greek isles or one of the Costas would be better.
We are trying Portugal this October & going to Rhodes next October.
Hope you have a great holiday wherever you decide.
Bill & Rachel Haighton
I guess he spends the last days packing things together so October would not be the best choice.
We spent three weeks in SB in June, but we are going back for one week from Sept. 16th. I am very curious about the weather then, but actually I dont care. Just beeing there with friends will be a good time
We go in September, and weather-wise it's a matter of luck. It can be too darn hot, the Bulgarians call it a gypsy summer then. But alas, weather being what it is it could rain. Like you, we have good friends there so are not much bothered.
Peter
Got back from Sunny Beach last saturday,had a brill time stayed in the Trakia Gardens,cant complain about this hotel as it was clean and friendly as its a family run hotel.The day after we arrived we had avery heavy downpour of rain and everywhere was flooded as there drains are not very good..but it was funny walking through it.The rest of the 2 wks was fine.Went to Nesebarr which is a beautiful place and very cheap.the last few nights before we were coming home there was alot of mossie like a swarm had arrived didnt annoy me but my husband & kids got attack we used everything for them.Came home with D&G Jeans,Disel.Plus my oldest son got all g-unit stuff which were all cheap..Defo would go back next year
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