Dazznutts,
You are absolutely spot on

I got another e-mail today from my friend who went out last Friday and she says things are fantastic at the hotel, food is fab, place is clean, staff friendly and things have even improved in the week that she has been there. I'm off on Monday and I can't wait to go, will post when I've been there a few days to let you know what you are missing!!!

Well, First Choice basically don't want to know. I'm really concerned with the recent reports about people being assaulted & someone being tasered - not something I want to worry about during my holiday.

Eventually went down to local shop where we booked the holiday. They spoke with some person in CS who said she had never heard of a problem, told her just because she didn't know of one didn't mean there wasn't one so whe went and checked.

Basically, they have had a few letters on complaint re the towels in but are not aware, as yet, of any more serious problems. They have spoken to the on site reps & hoteliers and told them to sort it out and are monitoring the situation - basically what was said in the email. Other than that there is nothing they are prepared to do at this time.

If you want to change your holiday, you pay standard admin charges to change and they will not budge on that. If you want to cancel your holiday (even to re-book somewhere else via First Choice) you pay your standard cancellation charges, in our case 80%

What they said was that if you were charged for the towels etc at the end of the stay then to pay the money as opposed to causing a scene, get the reps to provide an incident report and then, once you get home, send in a complaint with the indicent report and they may refund your money, but will not offer any further compensation for stress etc and there is no guarantee that they will refund the money as they cannot prove that you did not take the towels.

So we are now faced with (1) go and hope for the best, knowing this is potentially something that will happen at the end of the holiday (which will put a downer on the holiday), and keep some money aside just in case (2) cancel and lose £1,200 and have 2 very disappointed kids or (3) upgrade to Victoria Palace Hotel without kids clubs, for an extra £600.

Great choice!

where is the report about someone being tasered? I've tried searching for it when it was mentioned before but couldn't find anything.

How much have people been charged for towels? Can't be more than £600 which you would have to pay to go to another hotel. It seems to me to be quite a lot of money for something that may or not happen and it would be cheaper to pay for the towels if you see what I mean. That's just lookig at it from purely logical point of view though. I can certainly understand your doubts if people are being zapped there.

Your right, it's only about 80 Lev but it's not that. I don't particularly want my 8yr old or my 13yr old seeing people being assaulted like that or being exposed to that either - we've got enough hassle going on right now and this is meant to be a "get away from it all break" but is now turning into a total nightmare!

The reports were here http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g635767-d584653-r16816351-Royal_Park_Hotel-Elenite_Burgas.html and Im sure it's on Holiday Watchdog as well.

Im not paying an extra £600 to go to another hotel, we don't have an extra £600 to pay full stop so it's not an option but you'd think given the reviews and concerns that FC would be a little more willing to accommodate people that had reservations about going, for legitimate reasons and move them to somewhere else or allow them to cancel and re-book somewhere else without losing all the money they've paid!

Thanks for the link Mandy. There is some good reviews on there too. and there's some good ones here - one very recent from someone else who almost cancelled . And although there's been some bad reports and letters, perhaps the many more people who have not complained had a great time. The poster above's friend is having a great time. Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to belittle your fears - just trying to be positive

Decided it's not worth the risk and spoiling our holiday worrying about what might happen so have spoken to First Choice and they came up with a Half Board hotel in Sunny Beach which looks fine - still some dodgey reviews about the food but you are always gonna get that but other than that seems OK so happier now.

Cost us £200 to change but for peace of mind and to allow us to put it all behind us and enjoy ourselves more then it's worth it.

Mandy
xx

Mandy - that sounds good. Where are they putting you?

Helps if I put that doesn't it!! It's the Hotel Yavor Palace, Half Board.

Mandy

When did you book as i have made a complaint as when i booked hotel it was a four star now holiday book says three star plus also flight times were changed without telling me, waiting for first choice again
to call again

Hi

Checked and we booked in September last year - we did get a letter about the flight times from Gatwick changing though, got that through about 2 -3 months ago.

Not heard about Royal Park being downgraded to a 3* though - just checked on FC site and it's now showing as a 3Sun Plus so maybe only downgraded 1/2 a sun (presuming that's what they will say!!)

M
x

Mandy J,
Hope you have a great holiday

The reviews for that hotel are really good - especially the recent one. I'm pleased you have it sorted. I checekd my map and you are right in the centre of the resort, so the location is excellent, so if the food isn't up to much there will be loads of places to eat out nearby (unlike at Elenite where you are a captive audience). If you cross over the main road to the market area, you will find lots of cheap places.

me and my family fly out on monday 23 june to this hotel have been getting a little nervous bout all the bad reports about this hotel but hey gonna chance it surelly cant be as bad as all make out lol. will post a report when we return in 2 weeks WISH US LUCK

Hi yidboy and welcome to HT!

Hope you have a great time and look forward to reading your review on your return.

luci

Hi yidboy

I am sure it will not be anywhere near as bad as some of the reports that have been mentioned.

Having stayed in the villas at Elenite I can say that the complex is very nice, lovely beach with a good range of activities and water sports and a hard working Animation team.

Plus the water park is good. I must mention that the water parks don't open a set season, by law the water temperature must be above a certain temperature.
When you read complaints about the parks not being open early in the season or closing down early at the end of the season this is the reason.

You may also want to take a look at some of the pictures that I took of the Elenite Resort, click HERE

Have a great time there
Graham

Hello Yidboy,
I'm going out on Monday too and am looking forward to it, we are gonna have a ball

Hi Ladymarmalade, just picked up the tickets from the travel agents and must admit after the early panicing of all the bad posts on here we are really looking forward to it now. Hope you have a brilliant time out there and the weather is great for you. Will look forward to reading your fantastic post on here when you get back.

P.S Don't forget to count your towels!!

Sonic08

thanks all am looking forward to holiday now working today but cant wait little lads 5 and he's bouncing of the walls driving his mum mad lol only 24 hours till we get picked up yip heeeeeeeeeee, may see u out there ladym

Sonic 08, i will tell you all!!! Will try to post when i'm there and will do a review when i get back.

Yidboy will probably run into you at welcome meeting, sensible Irish girl with 3 smallies in tow. Cant wait now!!!!!!!!