bulgaria

[northboy]

i fancy bulgaria this year for my hols,and would like a few tips on prices of food,drink,etc your experiences there. good hotels. thanks
going in september

[samuel23]

Hi there northboy
We went to Bulgaria 3 years ago. We stayed at a fab hotel called the Hotel Sol Palace near Sunny Beach (Nessebar).
The quality of the food in the hotel was OK but being quite adventurous travellers we went into town to eat quite often. Whlst the food was quite cheap sometimes the quality wasn't all that good. As for drinks - Bulgaria had yet to join the EU and there was a lot of imported stuff that was fairly expensive, but most local stuff was reasonably priced.. There were a few local problems, my g/f was spat at by a woman who obviously didn't like seeing her in her bikini, even though we were on the beach and she was just queuing up for an ice cream, there were several quite high pressure touts on the beach trying to get us to buy cigarettes, even though we don't smoke lol. The place was generally very clean and tidy in the tourist areas, but there wasn't much to do other than watersports, sunbathe or shop (which my g/f LOVED!). The security / police at the airport on the way home were very aggressive and several of us had to totally unpack our suitcases - for no apparent reason other than they were looking for cash payouts to stop the hassle. One person had to give up 400 cigs (don't know why) and another was 'fined' 50 lev - about �25 then - again for no apparent reason. This is just our experience and for more recent experiences I would suggest you try trip advisor. Link to the home page here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/
Good luck mate

[northboy]

thanks samuel,will bear your reply in mind,

[mrs_overall]

Hi there.
We stayed in an all inclusive hotel (the name escapes me) near Sunny Beach 3 or 4 years ago.
Our holiday was ruined by the large number of very rude & ignorant Russians in the resort. I am the most placid person on earth but I had to resort to violence twice. My son (then age 5) queued for an ice cream and as he was being served, a Russian woman knocked him to the ground to take his place. Meal times were a nightmare as the greedy Russians pushed & jostled & took everything....even though as soon as one dish was emptied the staff would replace it. One morning I took the last boiled egg and a Russian woman slapped my arm and took the egg from my plate! A serving ladle covered in beans makes a very handy weapon!
One morning we were heading for the pool when a bunch of Russians who looked like extras from a Mafia film manhandled us away from he area. It turned out they were having a wedding and decided they wanted the pool and surrounding area to themselves. The hotel staff did nothing.
I found the locals surly and sometimes downright hostile.

It's not a place I would care to visit again.

[Ice.Maiden]

It depends on where you fancy going in Bulgaria, northboy, but best to go now before everywhere gets too touristy, because they're catching up fast. Generally speaking, prices are about half of what you'd pay here, and all major cards are accepted. We found lots of Norwegians there, but unlike mrs _ o's bad experience, we found everyone to be friendly and polite.
The basic Bulgarian menu can be quite simple - very European, with lots of bread, cheese, fruit and veg - and they drink lots of fresh milk! We have friends in Sofia, but travelled around. You can take your pick of beach holidays, mountain villages or somewhere in between, so whether you enjoy soaking up the sun or seeing some culture, it's all there.

[angiebaby57]

We have lovely, easy going friends who went to Bulgaria (Sunny Beach) last summer....they HATED it! Apparently it was boring, dirty, food was horrible, a rip-off etc and all the guests at their hotel felt the same way. They did not have a single positive good thing to say about their trip!I dont recall the name of the hotel but just be v careful and research it well. xx

[northboy]

thanks to every body for there answers.
i think i will give it a miss..lol

[Lacmag2]

Thinking of going to Bulgaria? Don't bother. Check out the BBC website for details of what happened to teachers from Rostulla School in Northern Ireland accompanying pupils through Sofia airport last week. Some were assaulted (by the police) and one female teacher was strip-searched!