I booked Monako Hotel in Balchick through Alexander Tour Company Ltd. which is the official serving travel agency of the web-site http://www.bulgariansearesorts.com after I posed a query about the hotel.
I received a response with the following description and some pictures:
"Located in the town of Kavarna, right on the beach. Attractions include a modern architecture, a remarkable panoramic view of the sea, and a lounge bar.Each of the 15 double rooms, 9 suites and 11 maisonettes comes with a private bathroom and a spacious balcony. The suites have upholstered furniture, TV set, telephone, radio set, and minibar.Appliances rentals, safe deposit, laundry and wake-up call are available from the reception desk as extra services. A hot mineral-water pool, just 200 m from the hotel, is recommended for its curative effect on gastrointestinal conditions.The price includes breakfast, resort fee, hotel insurance, VAT." What could I ask more this sounded brilliant. I booked and payed as requested. One thing was not listed though ............... the place was deserted and we were to be the only occupants in this remote and deserted area. surrounded by a building site 360 degrees
We arrived on 2nd October to a deserted complex looked after by a watchman who upon our arrival phoned the owner who came after 10mins. The place has no lift anywhere its deserted on its own even from the main road. Not ideal at all, we were scared to stay there. We fled the place and when we complained with Alexander Tours their response was in the negative for the following reasons "You had never requested that you would like to be accommodated in a vivid place and there was no way for me to know your preferences or purpose of visit, as you had not pointed any of them beforehand. You never asked for our opinion or reccommendation and that is why I accommodated you in the hotel you had aksed for." I believe they should have pointed this information beforehand not after. I infact replied that "had you been a serious tour operator, they would have advised me that at this time of the year the place is deserted. Other hotels I tried booking in told me that they are closed at this time of year, but Alexander Tours never mentioned anything to me." I guess all they were interested in was their commission.
So please be careful and do not deal with Alexander Tours as they are not reliable and honest. Oh and stay clear of Monaka Hotel not an ideal place to stay in at all.
Hi Madar,
Sorry to hear this, but the HOTEL MONAKO is actually in KAVARNA, a little known resort as you were advised HERE.
Nowhere in the hotel description can I find any mention of a lift.
You were also made aware that October is essentially outside the tourist season HERE, in particular I said (in relation to someone else's question) -
It is unfortunate that a combination of out of season plus a little known resort resulted in your experience, but it really comes down to 'caveat emptor', especially when booking through a foreign travel company on the internet, which I presume is what you did.
Peter
Sorry to hear this, but the HOTEL MONAKO is actually in KAVARNA, a little known resort as you were advised HERE.
Nowhere in the hotel description can I find any mention of a lift.
You were also made aware that October is essentially outside the tourist season HERE, in particular I said (in relation to someone else's question) -
1. Best time to go. Despite what the brochures say, the season with respect of all hotel and resort facilities being open runs from the middle of June to the second or third week in September. Outside these dates some or maybe most of the stalls, bars, restaurants and other facilities are likely to be closed.
It is unfortunate that a combination of out of season plus a little known resort resulted in your experience, but it really comes down to 'caveat emptor', especially when booking through a foreign travel company on the internet, which I presume is what you did.
Peter
I am rather puzzled to know why you went ahead and booked this when you asked questions on the Bulgaria forum and were told it was a little known resort and you were going out of season when most if not all things would be closed.
However, as you were there looking to buy property to stay in rather than to rent you probably picked the ideal time to go! Now you know what a resort looks like for most of the year( let's face it, the summer season is short in Bulgaria). You must now be more clear about where you would like to invest in(or if Bulgaria is not for you) Look on it as a bit of research!
Re your complaint about the company- I really don't think there is any action you can take as the hotel was as described ( I'm taking that to be the case as you have not said otherwise- apart from no lifts which was not in their blurb anyway)
I'll think you'll just have to put it down to experience. All goes to show that asking on HT CAN help you avoid holiday nightmares.
However, as you were there looking to buy property to stay in rather than to rent you probably picked the ideal time to go! Now you know what a resort looks like for most of the year( let's face it, the summer season is short in Bulgaria). You must now be more clear about where you would like to invest in(or if Bulgaria is not for you) Look on it as a bit of research!
Re your complaint about the company- I really don't think there is any action you can take as the hotel was as described ( I'm taking that to be the case as you have not said otherwise- apart from no lifts which was not in their blurb anyway)
I'll think you'll just have to put it down to experience. All goes to show that asking on HT CAN help you avoid holiday nightmares.
Yes it all has to go down to experience but come on guys have you ever been booked in a deserted hotel. Irrelevant what it says on the brochure, I tried booking directly with other hotels before this one and they informed me that they close from October till March. At least they had the decency to inform me. I have been to many other countries and stayed in many hotels. Even though the place might be off season, the hotels were never deserted and empty. I also normally always book either directly with the hotel or with a local company where I would be visiting but never have I been booked in an empty hotel. And anyway this is not a normal hotel where you enter the reception and than led to your room, this was all rooms with outside doors like a block of apartments all with their seperate front door. I felt no security at all, that is why I fled the place.
Well I was honestly scared and we than stayed the first night in Balchick at the Irish Rover a lovely place even though off season and quite at least the owner was very hospitable and took care of us (this was 11.00pm). Come morning we sped the way to Varna and instead of viewing properties we spent a lovely holiday.
Well I was honestly scared and we than stayed the first night in Balchick at the Irish Rover a lovely place even though off season and quite at least the owner was very hospitable and took care of us (this was 11.00pm). Come morning we sped the way to Varna and instead of viewing properties we spent a lovely holiday.
Glad you enjoyed Varna! 
Yes I did enjoy varna and it was lovely I had downloaded somewhere from the internet a day in varna with the places and shops to visit and it helped me a lot. I felt I knew the place already. As much as I read about thieves gipsies etc NEVER did I feel threathened. We were in hotel Cherno More, I believe it was the best place you could be just in the centre and walking distance to the beach, attractions and shops. Yes Varna was great, eating at Happy was even greater genuinely good food at very reasonable prices. I just hope with the entry to the EU things will remain the same as Bulgaria is a lovely place. We spent our last two days in Sofia. pity it rained heavily through both days as I got to see nothing of Sofia so I guess I have to come again ...... which I will do for sure
so perhaps you'll buy there?
Yes but if I do it will be an apartment in a complex not in the middle of nowhere One has to understand that I come from Malta and it takes only a maximum of an hour to go from one end to the other of the island. Everything is surrounded with me so to buy an isolated house well its not what I thought it would be. BUT i want and would like to buy something as I prepared so much before arriving in Bulgaria that I did leave abit disappointed not having viewed or purchased anything just souveniers Yet again it was my choice as already explained due to the 'bad' exprience I had when I arrived.
One has to understand that I come from Malta and it takes only a maximum of an hour to go from one end to the other of the island. Everything is surrounded with me so to buy an isolated house well its not what I thought it would be. BUT i want and would like to buy something as I prepared so much before arriving in Bulgaria that I did leave abit disappointed not having viewed or purchased anything just souveniers Yet again it was my choice as already explained due to the 'bad' exprience I had when I arrived.
By the way just to answer your first question as to why I went ahead and booked is that by the time I queried and got replies it was already booked and paid for 
anyway its past and gone now. Anyone booking in the future should specify if they want a quite (deserted) or a noisy (operational) hotel to be on the safe side 
anyway its past and gone now. Anyone booking in the future should specify if they want a quite (deserted) or a noisy (operational) hotel to be on the safe side
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