Take a look at Bulgaria - Balkan Holidays are offering 2 weeks in a family villa in Elenite from Gatwick for £2664, with an excellent AI package

You could also try the Railitsa in Albena, Bulgaria again with Balkan Holidays from Gatwick, the advantage here is that you have unrestricted access to the new water park that has opened this year, more additions being done during off season. you can view the water park by going to http://www.albena.bg

Thanks for the suggestion of Bulgaria. I had not really thought of it. Strange really because I have been to their ski resorts many times. I have not been to the beach resorts, but am a little put off by the presss/tv shows that make it out as full of yobs. I know that sounds snobby, but this is a family holiday with young kids. I don't want a warmer version of Blackpool.
Tell me I have got the wrong end of the stick if I have.

Cheers
Steve

Hi, I have been to Albena 31 times in the past 20 years, I have yet to witness a fight, never seen a beer can or bottle on the roads. Albena is a more family orientated resort of just 47 hotels, There is a childrens summer camp there for the whole of the season for different nationalities and you see these walking about during evening, all outside music has to be switched off at 11.30, there is not the hype about Albena as there is about Sunny Beach Area. Each to their own choice. like I said look at Primasol Railitsa Superior. in the Balkan Holiday Brochure, there is a free coach to beach (15mins walk) where you have your umbrellas and chairs free, also a designated restaurant for your free lunch time eats, plus you would be just next door to new water park, 5 mins walk from the bus station, should you wish to venture into Varna or Dobrich. just fire away with any questions.

We went to Albena when our kids were much younger, I think it must have been about 14 years ago, hated it.
The hotel was pleasant enough however it had 90% German guests as did the whole resort which made it very German orientated. The staff in the hotel didn't like the few British guests and made it quite obvious, and were extremely surly, all the entertainment was geared towards the Germans, in fact on our first night there somebody on stage put on that song I think it is called Music Man (I can play) and when it came to the Dambusters ALL the Germans stood up and booed and hissed until it was taken off and that was the last of anything in English, I would imagine there will now have been the massive Russian influx to put up with now too.

Down in the main street when my wife wasn't with me for whatever reason (I had wondered off to look at shops or she had taken the kids to the toilet) etc I was always approached by pimps looking to see if I wished the services of a prostitute.

Albena is one of the very few holidays I couldn't wait to get home from, probably the worst holiday I ever had. I swore I would never go back to Bulgaria after that experience, yet many years later (8 perhaps) my wife and I returned to Bulgaria and went to Elenite Holiday Village.

At that time the resort was just starting on what looked to be a large expansion with many new hotels being added. We stayed in the Villas which when we were there were just starting to look a bit tired so if they have not been renovated I would imagine would need major work now.

The location was lovely set right on a stunning beach, our first villa had a huge tree right out side the balcony and we couldn't see a thing and it made the villa very dark, however after 4 days we were moved to an other villa that had sea views and was much nicer and indeed warmer.

There was an on site water park and some shops and if you wanted to go in to Sunny Beach or visit the old town of Nessebar there was a bus service from the gate, a tip here is don't even think of doing the British thing and queue, the Germans and Russians will barge you right out the way as soon as the bus arrives.

I have look at Elenite a few times since however the reviews have been consistently shocking although they are starting to improve slightly now but not enough for me to consider returning anytime soon.

What are the actual dates you could fly from and from which airports?

Thanks for all the replies guys. We have found a great deal in Turkey that ticks all the boxes and is on budget. Happy days, just 11 months to go :-)