We arrived at the Royal Park Hotel at about 5am local time and were very impressed with what we saw. This place is without doubt the jewel in the crown of the Black Sea resorts in this area. Then the fun started.

We had booked a room with a sea view and also asked to be co-located next to my elderly mum who came with us. Mum was put on one side of the hotel and we were put on the other. Our room with a 'sea view' was a ground floor effort around the side of the hotel (no sea view) next to the laundry store opposite the cleaners office which was 24/7 and the hotel access road which was very busy with motor and pedestrian traffic day and night. We were also above the kitchens and they started work at 5am every morning and you could hear every word, laugh, shout and door bang, so we were usually first up. I went to our rep who consulted the reception manageress, who I might add is rude and surly to the point of contempt and basically can't be bothered ie tough luck mate. We were told that no other rooms would be available for five days. We waited five days and guess what..no other rooms available. The First Choice rep didn't bother beyond that point either. I was polite and courteous during the whole of the above. Perhaps I should have been more assertive in my manner. So, if you get room 120 look out.

On a brighter note, the food was very good with plenty of choice and everything was kept to a high standard of cleanliness and the floor staff were great. Book early to get a table at the BBQ restaurant-it's fantastic with live entertainment each night. Hristina (yes,with an H) is the maitre'd. She is a superb host who greets every guest like an old friend.

The hotel itself is beautiful with marble everywhere but more indoor seating in the bar area would be a good idea.

The bar staff work hard and a few lev in their tip jar will usually see you get served quickly if it is busy. The beer is great..if you like alcohol free beer that is. Myself and many others would go to the shop downstairs and buy cans from there which are cheap. Really, I kid you not, the beer is alcohol free (like Kaliber). The wine is water flavoured stuff with sugar and additives and has some alcohol in it, again, you can buy some superb Bulgarian wines downstairs very cheaply. The spirits are ok and large in measure so watch out!.

The pool area is very busy, so get up early to reserve the sun loungers of your choice. The pool is lovely although the water is a bit cold on entry!

The reps would be more suited to a Club 18/30 in Ibiza. Their itinerary would start at 10am till 10pm with music and announcements blaring from huge speakers by the poolside stage and I mean blaring. This would clash horribly with the music also blaring from the DJ's hut by the smaller pool to the left. If you've been in a loud hi-fi shop you know what I mean. Many people complained about this but were ignored, in fact I saw one lady tearing a strip off one of the reps and finally it dropped by a few decibels but later that day it was back to full pitch so if you want P&Q during the day, stay on the beach or take ear plugs!

The evenings in the foyer bar were very pleasant and most nights a piano player would provide gentle background music but you couldn't hear it because the above. I can't understand why the reps who were entertaining people within ten metres of the outside stage had to make themselves heard as far as the next hotel which was nearly half a mile away.

Do check out the portrait artists on site, they are fantastic. Go to Nessebar-its lovely, ask for Tanya the taxi driver usually outside the hotel gates, she will take care of you and will also pick you up for the return journey. She speaks very good English and a return trip to Nessebar will cost about 60 Lev (

Travelled with my fiancee and my 2 sons aged 14 and 10.
I can't fault the hotel, staff were friendly and polite. The cleaning staff seemed to be working 24 hrs a day.

The restaurants were clean and well staffed, can't say I minded collecting our own cutlery, it may be fully inclusive but we never expected to be waited on hand and foot.

Food was available all day from lots of different areas, never tried the chicken kebabs but heard they were very good, jacket potatoes were fantastic just a shame they ran out so quickly.

Once the 14 yr old found friends we never saw him. Both boys are already bugging us to go back next year.

We stayed at the Royal park 08/07/05-23/07/05, I can honestly say that this is the best holiday that my family has ever been on. We were all sad to leave, my sons were crying! Along with many other children on the coach back to the airport. This is the first time that I have ever experienced that!

The hotel is very clean, they never stop working.

First Choice staff work very hard.

Without a shadow of a doubt we will travel to this hotel again.

Travelled to The Royal Park Hotel, Elenite on 2/7/05. Had no problems at Bourgas Airport and check-in at Hotel was very quick.

Room was huge and hotel overall was spotlessly clean. Staff worked very hard and First Choice reps were superb particularly the Entertainers.

Food was plentiful and dining room was very pleasant. Could have done without the 'entertainment' while eating dinner. Very loud and out of tune.

Breakfast was the same every morning and dessert was always cake and cream. Could do with some variation but what was there was always very tasty.

Only gripe would be lack of public toilets around pool and in reception. Although toilets were always being cleaned they were always really whiffy but this seems to be the case all over Bulgaria.

Toilets in Sunny Beach and Nessebur have to be paid for even if you are eating in a restaurant. Keep plenty of coins (50 stinkies per time) if going to other resorts.

Highly recommend the visit to Khan's Tent. Fantastic night out with great food and entertainment from Bulgarian performers. Well worth the money. All in all a great family holiday but particularly if your kids are under 10.

My 13 year old was quite difficult to entertain and spent a lot of time indoors at the arcade. Forget all the bad reports from last year this hotel has really improved standards on all levels.

Recommend taking a travel kettle as it was a godsend in the morning and last thing at night. Would not hesitate to return.

We travelled to this hotel from 11/07/05 and departed on the 25/07/05.

The hotel itself was amazing - I personally would class it as a 5* rather than a 4*. The rooms were basic but beautiful and the sea views were spectacular. If you are looking for luxury at a cheap price then I would definitely recommend this hotel.

The food was ok - not the best hotel food that I have tasted but was tolerable throughout our 2 week stay.

The entertainment however was a complete let-down unfortunately. When I and my partner booked the holiday we asked for a hotel with not many children - when we arrived it was clear that we had not got what we had requested.

The hotel is completed kids-focused. Both the daytime and evening entertainment was for children. In the evenings there was a mini disco which lasted an hour (every evening the same songs were played), then it was bingo for half an hour and then from around half 9 till half 10 there was what they called 'adult time' (what a load of rubbish). Even 'adult time' was revolved around the children and made silly.

Most of the hotel staff were polite but a couple of the bar and reception staff were particularly frosty to people.

There was not much choice in the way of drink - white wine (which tasted like rose water!), red wine (which tasted practically the same), beer and cola for the kids. I have been to other all-inclusive hotels with more choice than this.

One tip for anybody who is due to go to this hotel is also to get up extremely early to place your towels by the pool or on the beach. I know that this is wrong however it is the only way to ensure that you get a space - I had expected this as it happens wherever you go in the world however some of the people at the hotel must have been getting up at 5 in the morning to reserve sunbeds!

Overall a great FAMILY hotel - definitely not for couple or the elderly.

On first impression the Hotel looked lovely especially after what we came through in sunny beach; a crane in every direction you looked.

The reception area was very impressive and clean, the room was rather basic and small and I didn't like the idea that our 2 children aged 8 and 10 and a boy and girl having to share a sofa bed. The beds were made each day and the towels changed.

The food was very samey the salads and breakfasts were the same each day and the meat dishes tasted the same even though they had a different name but plenty and nice and hot. The trouble was finding a clean table with cutlery by which time your food had gone cold, and when we first arrived we could have coffee or tea with your meal and then for some strange reason they said you couldn't and had to go to another bar area to get some, so I don't feel they were geared up to the peak time of year.

The staff were very friendly and helpful and the whole area was very clean. The entertainment in the day was very good the kids loved it all the staff were excellent, but I felt in the evening you were torn between the animation lounge where you were boiled to death and could not get a seat and the poolside area where you could not get a glass of wine or a seat either.

My husband drank brandy and I drank wine and we could not get a drink together because the poolside bar did not serve wine and the Irish bar did not serve spirits and you were not allowed to take your glasses from one bar to the other.

There was not enough sunbeds round the pool in the day and not enough seating in the evening wherever you tried to sit.

The location was a bit far our for us.

Excellent holiday which the children described as the best ever. The hotel is beautiful and right on the beach. Food is hot, plentiful and there is always a good choice available.

The most annoying part was the amount of people complaining about the food who wouldnt even try it - they seemed to have arrived with their minds already made up.

You must have ten minutes on Big Mabel - shes brilliant.

Having read all the reports about the hotel we were worried before setting off, but if your in the same situation don't panic.

We woud have scored the hotel a 5 for cleanliness if it wasn't for the toliets in public areas which were smelly and lacking in toilet paper even though they were alomost constantly been cleaned. The room was spotless and maids very helpful.

The kids are 6 and 3 and we had no problems feeding them in the kids area or from the main "adult" selection. For ourselves there was a varied choice which was always well cooked.

The entertainment was excellent for the kids but a bit lacking beyond this. Beach and pool are both excellent.

If you want a change the bus service into Sunny Beach is regular and reliable and only takes 10 minutes. However be prepared to be crammed in like the preverbiale sardines if you are getting one of the earlier buses. The waterpark in Sunny Beach is excellent for all ages.

One word of warning - we heard of a couple of cameras which had been left on display being stolen from around the pool, so take care.

Very impressive hotel, well laid-out and although the pool area was very busy, it never felt claustrophobic as in some other hotels I have visited.

Right on the beach and the 'courtyard' area between the main entrance steps and the reception area was very tranquil.

You will not go more than 2 minutes or so without seeing a member of staff carrying out some kind of cleaning, the maids worked non-stop (although this seems to upset some people as they complain that the floor was slippy!)

Superb location, half-moon shaped bay with Royal Park Hotel at one end and Royal Bay Hotel at the other, with the holiday village in between.

Hotel staff always efficient and friendly (try chatting with them - they'll be happy to chat back, honest! oh, and by the way, a few levs tip here and there won't go amiss)

This place can't be beaten if you have kids, ok, maybe the variety of nightlife for adults isn't so great, but we felt that if the kids are taken care of, you enjoy yourself anyway chilling out!

Would definitely go again - went all-inclusive, plenty food and drinks, and no-one seemed to be abusing it.

What can I say, for the second year running found this resort fantastic. Will maybe have a year off next year but will definitely return ...

Things just got better from last year, and my only complaint would be the beer was very often flat, however this was down to inexperienced bar staff !!!

Great room, great weather. Marvellous !