We loved this hotel, especially as we were concerned before we arrived having read other reviews.

Yes, it isn't 3* by comparison to UK hotels but we weren't expecting it to be. The rooms were clean and the maid service was excellent. Rooms cleaned every day. Fresh towels etc.

Food was excellent although one criticism was the lack of bacon at breakfast (I do like a full English). We did get it three times over a two week holiday.

There are plenty of sun loungers and parasols around the pool. They never seemed to be all full. I think a lot of people went down to the beach where a lounger and a brolly were 6 levs each. Pool attendants are very helpful, getting you an umbrella or a table when you want one and act as life guards although I never saw them tell anyone off for doing anything (eg bombing) which was sometimes a problem.

Hotel is full of Bulgarians, Germans etc but the Brits found each other through a shared love of football! There were always half a dozen or more English families there.

Entertainment by the pool during the day is good - from 10.30am to 12.30pm and again from 3.30pm to 5.30pm - darts, table tennis, chess, pool games etc. At night, it isn't so good. Most is rep led - games with adults, sketch shows, dance competitions etc using holidaymakers. Elvis was a "professional" act and although we didn't watch him, he had good reviews.

Toilets by the pool weren't very good at all so we went to reception to use them. Public toilets in Albena and elsewhere in Bulgaria are very clean and cost 0.50 lev to use.

Water park at Golden Sands is excellent - 25 lev per person to get in and then the rep organised a taxi for us which cost 40 lev return ( we didn't pay until the taxi driver brought us back to the hotel ).

Hotel is not for the elderly or those with kids as there are lots of steps. Three floors in hotel plus steps down to the pool and also up to the restaurant or down to the main resort areas. There is a courtesy bus to the resort centre but it was always full. A mini train also does the run down to the centre and costs 2 lev single or 4 lev for a round trip where you stay on and do a circuit.

One final point - we didn't realise the clinics and first aid in resort are all private ones. You have to pay for treatment and then claim back on insurance if you can. My son hurt himself and got a big blood blister which needed treatment - cost 70 lev for what was essentially a visit to a doctor, opening the blister by using a needle to remove blood( sorry for graphic details ) and plaster. We can't claim back as it is less than our excess.

We have just got back from this hotel and what a disappointment it was, it is unclean, unsafe, and the staff are very rude.
The kids club wasn't available due to there not being enough kids even though we saw loads.
I fell down the steps leading away from the swimming pool and seriously hurt my ankles, and no one would help. The pool is very very unsafe as the tiles are very slippy and there are no signs of warning. Also the lifeguard was drunk every day, and at one point he got in the pool and nearly drowned himself. When we tried to get help after my fall the rep just said put some cream on it it will be fine.(I had broken them)They did move us from the 4th floor to the 2nd floor but the manageress wasn't happy about this, and we were given no help moving.
The rooms were ridiculas, the fly screen was falling off the mattresses were rock hard, the sheets were never changed, the bathroom floor was disgusting. our cupboard door fell off in my husbands hand. and the door frame fell off.
The food was horrid and there wasn't much variety at all. We paid for all inclusive and ended up paying even more so we could eat food that was edible.
You have to hire a remote to use the air con in the rooms, You have to pay for drinks after 11pm.
They closed the hotel the day we left and for the last 4 days of our holiday they were closing down around us and made us feel as though we shouldn't have been there.
This hotel should be knocked down!

The Hotel was clean enough and the cleaning staff were polite but I'm afraid the good news ends there. The Hotel is very dated as others point out and the pool area could be described as dangerous due to there being no matting to stop people slipping. A lifeguard was available at all times and most appeared to be keeping an eye on the pool. In the restaurant there doesn't appear to be much of an idea as to how to cook food properly or how to keep it hot. Many people have commented on this and I'm afraid if any say the food is OK then they are possibly Ringers (Balkan Holidays staff). We complained several times but the Rep just didn't want to know. We showed uncooked chicken to the head chef but he shrugged his shoulders and walked away. The burners on the outside buffet (outside the restaurant) were hardly ever lit (unless you commented on them - which would result in a sudden lighting of them). The Rep's only input to this was to produce a food thermometer - she couldn't understand we were mainly complaining about uncooked food and not the temperature it was served at - even though she appeared to speak very good English, she wasn't programmed to listen. We have complained to Balkan Holidays since our return but they just issue letters with stock answers to questions. By the way, entertainment was almost non-existent and the Animation team were poor. I t was our first visit to the Balkans and will probably be our last.

The food is awful, flies surround it and are just picked off by the staff, it's cold and shouldn't be fed to an animal.

The hotel is very dated, the mattresses on the bed are dirty as is the rest of the room. We had an infestation of beetles, which occupied the beds, floor, balcony and anywhere else they could find. The swimming pool is dangerous with the water starting at least a foot below the edge of the pool. We moved to another hotel at a cost of

Hotel very clean cleaners there all the time.

Food was terrible same thing day after day and was never hot. Hotel was close to all amenities.

Staff were brilliant and entertainment was poor the animation team did a very good job with the children but not much in the way of entertainment for adults.

I was all inclusive, ate a total of one and a half meals there. Food was terrible, waste of money ate out rest of holiday.

Cleaners there everyday not worth what they got paid, some days only got clean towels room not cleaned, dead flies on floor for 4 days, balcony dirty on arrival still dirty on departure. Bed had no proper mattress just a spring base with rust stains showing through, sheet not changed just turned over after a week. There was 2 glasses in the room with little bags over them they were filthy on arrival never changed all holiday. Shower tray all cracked and marked, pipe kept coming out, window in bathroom onto the walkway clear glass, so anybody walking by could see in while you showered.

Hotel staff not very helpful unless you were German, if you complained they just shrugged there shoulders and they lied. In the bar Germans got served straightaway beer in proper glasses, English go to bar barman leaves bar pretending to clean tables making you wait then serve you your beer in a plastic cup. Germans even got their beer in glasses around the swimming pool witch to me is DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED FOR ANY NATIONALITY.

Entertainment first night animation team mimed and danced to 4 songs, rest of holiday all I ever saw them do was sit around smoking, drinking, eating and playing pool so the kids could not get on the pool table.

There were people in this hotel who were meant to stay elsewhere but were told 2 weeks before departure they were being upgraded, this was not an upgrade it was an insult as the hotel they should have been staying in was fantastic(the Magnolia).

THE PANORAMA is about 40 years old and showing it
the Balkan rep is useless and a liar people asked to be moved to other hotels or early flights home told no rooms in other hotels, and no seats on flights

ANY BODY GOING TO BULGARIA PLEASE DO NOT STAY IN THE PANORAMA IN ALBENA

Should have stayed at the Magnolia but were informed 4 days prior to departure that we had been "upgraded" to the Panorama.

Arrived in the early hours and was pleasantly surprised with the room, it was very clean and there was a plate of butties and some fruit provided.

The food was very boring and ate out most of the second week,if you are going with young children don't let them eat off the kiddies section as it is left uncovered and full of flies.

The entertainment is geared up for small children with no evening entertainment for adults.

The staff in the Hotel were okay, but we did not have much contact with them, the cleaners were excellent and our rooms were cleaned everyday.

The Hotel was very clean. Cleaners were around 24 hours a day. Rooms were cleaned every day.

Staff very friendly and polite.

Entertainment a bit dicey but funny because of this. Animation team provided entertainment around the pool in the day and at night in the restaurant area.

Mainly German and Bulgarian holidaymakers.

When we first arrived surrounded by trees and thought 'Oh no we are in the middle of nowhere'. After walking down the steps to resort (138 steps) found that beach was not very far at all.