Reviews of Riu Helena Park Hotel, Sunny Beach, Bulgaria

We have never been to Bulgaria...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs TJ Broome

Comments:

We have never been to Bulgaria before so were a little dubious. It was fantastic. From booking our holiday with thomson in Leyland to getting to the hotel there was nothing easier. The hotel is out of this world. The rooms were spotless and the beds enormous. Beautiful view from our balcony. The staff were ever so friendly and very very helpful. The food was spectacular. The maids cleaned and tidied our rooms everyday. It was the best holiday we have ever had and we are going back next year with my mum and mother-in-law. Credit where credit is due this hotel is definately 5 star and highly recommended.

this was our first visit to...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs V Payne

Comments:

this was our first visit to bulgaria and i must say we were very impressed, we went with a open mind after reading some of the reviews and hearing in newspapers about food poisoning. on arriving at the hotel we had coffee and sandwiches waiting for us if we wanted but at 3 o clock in the morning we just wanted our bed. The hotel was wonderful they couldnt do enough for you it was spotless clean and staff were very polite. The restaurant was very clean and food was very good(no tummy upsets). The resort was very busy and yes there were jelly fish on the beach but only a few just had to watch were you were walking. All in all a execellent holiday well done thomson for recommending this resort.

My family and I have just...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr M Homden

Comments:

My family and I have just returned (yesterday) from two weeks at the Helena Park Hotel. We were not sure what too expect as the reviews are varied, but all I can say is that I was very pleasantly surprised. I have to say that I am the kind of person that will find fault and complain, but with this hotel I was delighted!! The rooms are lovely, clean and spacious. The food, contrary to what other reviews may say, is excellent. You have to accept that you are in a different country and therefore it may not always be what you fancy. However, the menu is vary varied, with no two days be exactly the same. Anyone who chooses to complain has not had poor holiday food. The hotel food is really very good!! A nice touch we found which seemed to be missed on some people was that at the start of each evening setting (1800 hours and 2000 hours) the restaurant staff lined up to greet you.

The pool is a bit cold, but nice once you are in.

The entire complex is beautifully kept and very clean.

I would say the one single best point about this hotel is the staff. They were absolutely brilliant!! From the moment you arrive and are greeted with a glass of champagne, you are treated really very well. They are not all pushy with regard to tips, but they are so nice you do feel inclined to give one every time.

To mention a few staff that were particularly nice and helpful, they are Stella and Marin in the upstairs bar, Atanas and Maria in the restaurant (you are given a set table with you own waiter) and of course the Animation Team. The Animation Team consisted of Nina, Pavlin, Jon and Villy. They kept you entertained during the day if you wanted to be involved, but left you alone if you didn't want to. We all got to know them very well and were sad to leave them!

The only slight negative point about the hotel is the evening entertainment. The Animation Team did well with various functions during the evenings, but by about 2200 hours it was all over and then the guests tended to disappear.

With regard to Sunny Beach we were a bit disappointed. The end at which the hotel is situated is described as the 'posh end', which is a good description. The opposite end is not so good and a bit too 18-30 ish, but we tended to avoid it, so that was fine too.

I have also read poor reviews about the airport, but we were delayed longer checking in our cases in the UK. Bourgas Airport is a bit basic, but as long as you don't expect too much, then it is okay. However, if it happened to be raining when you wait at the terminal then you will get wet!!

All in all, the Helena Park Hotel is not expensive to stay at, but in my opinion is well worth the 5 stars. My family and I (2 children, aged 14 and 11 years) had a really great time and would go back again. Next time though we would like to get out and see more of Bulgaria!! Go there and enjoy!!

My family and I have just...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2008

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr M Homden

Comments:

My family and I have just returned (this morning) from two weeks at the Helena Park Hotel. We were not sure what too expect as the reviews are varied, but all I can say is that I was very pleasantly surprised. I have to say that I am the kind of person that will find fault and complain, but with this hotel I was delighted!! The rooms are lovely, clean and spacious. The food, contrary to what other reviews may say, is excellent. You have to accept that you are in a different country and therefore it may not always be what you fancy. However, the menu is vary varied, with no two days be exactly the same. Anyone who chooses to complain has not had poor holiday food. The hotel food is really very good!! A nice touch we found which seemed to be missed on some people, was that at the start of each evening sitting (1800 hours and 2000 hours) the restaurant staff lined up to greet you.

The pool is a bit cold, but nice once you are in.

The entire complex is beautifully kept and very clean.

I would say the one single best point about this hotel is the staff. They were absolutely brilliant!! From the moment you arrive and are greeted with a glass of champagne, you are treated really very well. They are not all pushy with regard to tips, but they are so nice you do feel inclined to give one every time.

To mention a few staff that were particularly nice and helpful, they are Stella and Marin in the upstairs bar, Atanas and Maria in the restaurant (you are given a set table with your own waiter) and of course the Animation Team. The Animation Team consisted of Nina, Pavlin, Jon and Villy. They kept you entertained during the day if you wanted to be involved, but left you alone if you didn't want to. We all got to know them very well and were sad to leave them!

The only slight negative point about the hotel is the evening entertainment. The Animation Team did well with various functions during the evenings, but by about 2200 hours it was all over and then the guests tended to disappear.

With regard to Sunny Beach we were a bit disappointed. The end at which the hotel is situated is described as the 'posh end', which is a good description. The opposite end is not so good and a bit too 18-30 ish, but we tended to avoid it, so that was fine too.

I have also read poor reviews about the airport, but we were delayed longer checking in our cases in the UK. Bourgas Airport is a bit basic, but as long as you don't expect too much, then it is okay. However, if it happened to be raining when you wait at the terminal then you will get wet!!

All in all, the Helena Park Hotel is not expensive to stay at, but in my opinion is well worth the 5 stars. My family and I (2 children, aged 14 and 11 years) had a really great time and would go back again. Next time though we would like to get out and see more of Bulgaria!! Go there and enjoy!!

This was a 1st visit to Bulgaria...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr R Adams

Comments:

This was a 1st visit to Bulgaria for my 12 year old daughter and myself. We decided to try somewhere new due to the hotel looking so fantastic in the brochure and online.



On arrival in the early hours the airport was interesting with one toilet to queue for but we found our bags and coach quickly. The 50 minute journey was ok and we arrived at the hotel at 2am.



1st impressions were that this was indeed a luxurious hotel with marble and black leather everywhere. The room was large and well appointed. Nice marble bathroom and satellite TV (all German channels...the hotel and resort are all geared up for them-they are worshipped whereas the Bulgarians are less polite to the Brits outside the hotel, as in the hotel they smile for tips whilst standing joking at guests at evening meal) there also is a mini bar with soft drinks and alcohol not badly priced.



A big warning sign in the room is not to bring food and drink from outside the complex. There is a supermarket across the road that is dirt cheap with a good selection so as they watch from the front of the hotel (security at times) you hide what you buy best you can.



The hotel is expensive and the buffet dinner is great if you love all forms of salad. The main courses what there is of it is indescribable cut up meat in sauces/stir fried and dry looking fried chicken with grey/black week old batter....chips are ok though ! (people used to poor hotel buffets will be happy) We both came home with bad stomach and my daughter with food poisoning.



The Helena Sands sister hotel is next door and you walk thru it to get to the beach but the rep says they do not like you using their pool (even though its billed as shared facilities).



That pool is lovely where as our pool was crowded and small so we paid for sun-beds on the nice sandy beach (18 LEV a day) The sea was nice apart from dead jellyfish and seaweed.



The mini tornado on the beach was fun too as peoples processions got tossed 20 feet into the air. Unseasonal heat wave meant it was 45c in the day which for my daughter especially was crippling, thank goodness for excellent hotel air-con...did not feel safe at night walking into resort lined with cheap stalls but good bars and all suited to the 18-30 brigade.



Several power cuts in the hotel but bear in mind it is a poor country. Airport is so small on the way back its funny (they normally queue in car park to check in).



Altogether 1960`s Spain but at least we both lost weight. Hotel is good I cannot deny but will not be going again.

We really enjoyed our stay at...

Overall Rating:

9/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2007

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr I Beresford

Comments:

We really enjoyed our stay at the Helena Park the rooms are large and clean the beds enormous. The staff are friendly and helpful.



The food is passable with lots of choice but mainly caters for the large German clientele.



The only downsides were the children’s entertainment at night which lasted about half an hour where they had a good dance around then it finished to the effect that one minute the bar was full with families, then five minutes later it was completely empty, not very good business sense.



Somebody mentioned the beggars, they are no problem, they don’t run after you hanging on to your coat tails like in some countries just ignore them.



At the airport it is small and only has three carousels for the incoming flights, which means a long wait if a lot of flights are coming in all at once. When we arrived we had to wait an hour for our bags but on the upside the transfer to the hotel only took about half an hour.



Coming home standing outside isn't too bad as we got to check in no time at all

And sitting up stairs on the open terrace 24 degrees at midnight, is better than sitting downstairs inside.



All in all we can recommend the Hotel and Sunny Beach and despite losing my wallet on the last night of the holiday we said we could have spent another week there and are thinking of going back again next year.

This hotel has a marvellous...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr S Rushton

Comments:

This hotel has a marvellous location, right on the beach, at the stylish and quieter end of Sunny Beach, but within easy reach of everything you need, on and off the complex. This made it an ideal choice for us.



The staff are always friendly and they always gave service with a smile. The rooms are very clean airy and spacious and mine had a fantastic sea view, although I had arranged with earlier when I booked. The room is well equipped to make sure that you have a comfortable stay.



I never had a problem with the food, it was freshly prepared and there was always a great choice. Also the snacks during the day were reasonably priced however the outside bars are very good value for money.



I was not sure what to expect as I had never visited Bulgaria before, however I would book again.

Just got back from Helena park...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs J Y Batt

Comments:

Just got back from Helena park and l must say l was quite taken back by the hotel it was so clean, we had a suite for three of us and we was amazed at how big the rooms were and the size of the double bed it was so big.



l found the staff not just one but all of them was really friendly, Anna in the lobby bar worked her socks off and always smiling and Levina who looked after our table at night as soon as you sat down she was there always being helpful and Georgi too.



The grounds was swept every day, the pool was cleaned every day. Wherever you went it was clean and tidy. The food was lovely but some people said they had upset toms but l think this is to do with rich food and change of diet. Vicky the Thomson rep was helpful she informed us of a lot of things like don’t use the bus (which we did) and had no problems.



If l had to nit pick, some of the trips we when on was a waste of money like Nessebar and the riverboat trip but you must go to khans tent (what a night out) for £29 you get a 4 course meal a bottle of wine plus a Fanta and a bottle of water each, a group at the start, fire eater etc it was great, we didn’t like the strip by the sea it was all too much. 10 out of 10 it was great.

I spent a week at this hotel...

Overall Rating:

6/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Aug 2006

Tour Operator:

Luxair Tours

Submitted By:

Mrs A Hotchkiss

Comments:

I spent a week at this hotel with my daughter and was not impressed. Our flight was delayed so it was 9.00pm when we checked in. The reception staff did not explain to us that there were two seatings for dinner but told us to go directly to the restaurant without going to our room as it was so late and the restaurant closed at 9.30pm.



Unknown to us we had actually been placed on the first sitting 6.00-7.30pm so when we arrived at the restaurant at 9pm we were scolded by the extremely rude Maitre d'hotel who did not seem to realise (despite several attempts at an explanation) that we had just checked in. Needless to say this did not get us off to a good start. Many of the staff were rude. We had discussions with one of the barmen who was serving us cocktails without alcohol and then trying to tell us that we couldn't taste it because there was fresh lemon juice in them. I went to reception to complain about this particular case.



The hotel itself was beautiful but was badly let down by the rudeness of the staff. When I checked out I told the receptionist that I had traveled all around the world but had never faced such poor customer service. There were a few friendly staff members but they seemed to be the exception. It would seem that customer service was a phrase they had never heard before.

Having recently returned from...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Jul 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mrs H Cornwall

Comments:

Having recently returned from our holiday in Sunny Beach at the Riu Helena Park I felt that I had to leave a review for anyone considering holidaying here soon. This was our first time in Bulgaria and were wary about it as we had heard several different stories and read some reviews, however we found it to be one of the best holidays we have ever been on.



The hotel was first class! The maid service was every day and the hotel was immaculate and staff couldn't do enough for you. There was a varied choice of food each night such as chicken, veal, pork, pizza, pasta with different sauces, and several different choices of cold I had meats.



The only thing I noticed was although they had food for children I really didn't think it was suitable and maybe wouldn't have been happy if I had had children with me.



Although the Helena Park is at the far end of Sunny Beach away from the centre, it is a pleasant walk full of shops and restaurants which we really enjoyed each night.(Had to walk our dinner off).



The beaches are fantastic if you are a beach lover! Overall this was a really good holiday staying at one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in and would definitely recommend to anyone.

This was our first trip to...

Overall Rating:

4/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

May 2006

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr MJ M

Comments:

This was our first trip to Bulgaria so it was with some trepidation that we boarded the plane from Glasgow for our trip to Sunny Beach.



It was quite late in the evening when we arrived at Bourgas airport (more about that place later!) and the bus journey takes around 50 minutes (unless you were unfortunate enough to be on the Leeds-flight bus which got lost and took 4 hours to get there!) to the resort so it was straight up to the rooms (once we found them, the hotel is a bit of a maze) for a shower and a good night's sleep.



The rooms were very nice, clean, comfortable and spacious, although we had "Superior" ones, the regulars are quite a bit smaller so try and get an upgrade if you can.



Our holiday was via Thomsons so the next morning there was the usual meet 'n' greet will their rep - this to be honest was a complete waste of time, the girl (nice as she was) new absolutely nothing about the resort, the hotel or anything else of much use and was only interested in trying to flog some very expensive excursions.



After this we ventured out into the sunshine for a first look at the resort and were pleasantly surprised.



The Helena Park is one half of the Helena Resort (the other being the Helena Sands) which is situated about 2.5 from the centre of Sunny Beach. The Helena Park is directly behind the Helena Sands so none of the rooms really have what could be called a sea view although it is only about 150 meters from the hotel to the lovely (sunny!) beach across a section of private promenade (you'll see why I've mentioned this later).



Thomsons have the hotel listed as a Platinum resort so we were expecting high standard throughout and in the most we were not disappointed. The rooms were spotlessly clean and the staff were all pleasant and courteous. There was a lack of evening entertainment in the hotel but guests can use the facilities over at the Sands and they did have some, although to be honest it looked pretty dire. During the day the cheery staff laid on numerous activities which were particularly good for the large number of special needs and handicapped who were staying at the hotel and everyone seemed to have a great time. The hotel and indeed the whole resort is laid out in such a fashion as to be wheelchair friendly so if this is a deciding factor in your choice of holiday destination then you may find that this hotel suits your needs perfectly.



The swimming pool at the Park benefits from the resort having it's own filtration plant so the water is not full of chlorine, although it is unfortunately shaded by trees so can be a bit chilly, although the Sands pool and the sea are only a few meters away so it's not really a problem.



One area where the Park fell down badly was the food. We were there on a half board basis and if there had been any decent restaurants within walking distance I doubt we would have eaten at the hotel at all. The breakfast menu was varied but the food was fairly low quality but far better than the dinner one. Personally I am not a great fan of pizza or pasta and chips but I found myself almost forced into eating this for most of the week as the rest of the food had what can only describe as the "Rolf Harris Factor", i.e. "can you tell what it is yet?" My impression was that he had a load of meat and a load of signs saying Beef, Pork etc and they simply stuck these randomly together. Grey-looking pork was presented as "Sirloin Steak" and Chicken Thighs (at least I HOPE it was chicken) in a watery gravy was labeled as "Chicken Nuggets".



The rest of the main courses throughout the week were no better and dinner wasn't really something that any of us looked forward too with any great relish. To be fair the starters were quite nice if you like salad and the sweets were passable, however two members of our party came home with mild food poisoning so all in this aspect of the hotel gets a resounding thumbs DOWN - well below the standard expected of even a two star never mind a four. Interestingly on the literature in the rooms the Helena Park is listed as a FIVE star so it looks as if it has had one taken from it and certainly the food could account for that.



The resort of Sunny Beach consists of one long promenade with a few small streets running off it and is, as someone else commented here, just one big car boot sale. Once you leave the private Helena section of the resort the walkway is flanked by row upon row of small shop units all selling counterfeit goods - watches, clothes, perfumes, CDs and DVDs. None of this looks to be especially cheap, certainly no cheaper than I've seen it at our local markets and car boot sales. There are no "proper" shops in the resort at all with exception of some small supermarkets. The only shops that weren't selling fake gear were those selling knives, police-type batons and stun guns - not exactly something that made me feel safe.



The season was only just beginning whilst we were there and by midweek it was beginning to be quite busy. There are vendors on the seafront renting out golf carts and small mopeds (both banned from the private, guarded, Helena section of the promenade) with the result that you have to share the walkway with these. We witnessed many drunk-looking teenagers careering about on these carts weaving in and out of the crowds at high speed so you really need to be have your wits about you at all time. Another thing to watch out for are the money changers who approach you in the street offering you an exchange rate that seems to good to be true - it is. All you'll get is a handful of worthless counterfeit money wrapped up in one genuine small denomination note, which is exactly what happened to one holidaymaker I spoke to. There are also quite few persistent begging gypsies to contend with.



There appear to be quite few things to keep the kids amused such as pitch n putt,rides and an archery stand - although I'm not sure how sensible firing arrows towards a target set 10 feet from sunbathing tourists is! There is also one of those bungee sling things but you're braver than me if you go up one of those, especially out there.



The beach itself was lovely with a gentle run-off into the sea making it ideal for kids although more adventurous swimmers should be aware that there is no division between the swimming are and that used by the jet skis with the result that they can come quite close at high speed.



The Helena Resort is located within walking distance (a long walk mind you) of St. Vlas, but I wouldn't recommend you try it. There is only pavement/sidewalk for a short part of the way and it is a busy and dangerous road (they drive like lunatics). I made the walk one early evening on my own whilst the rest of my party were getting ready for dinner and as I approached St Vlas a boy of about 18 crossed the road in front of me and out the corner of my eye I caught sight of another suddenly running across behind me so I stepped to the side just in time to see the Stanley (craft/boxcutter) knife in his fist. At this point I decided to return to the hotel - quickly!



We had one slightly cloudy day whilst were there so we made the journey to the neighbouring town of Nessebar. This cost 20 leva (about £7/$13) in a taxi. Before I talk about Nessebar I should warn you about the taxis or the one that we got at any rate. Ours was an old yellow (all the taxis are yellow) Ford Focus which at one point had been purple - at least the back half had......the front had been silver and the airbags had been removed and passenger side one replaced with what looked like a cutting from an old leather jacket. This car is stationed at the Helena Park so avoid it at all costs and try and pick one of the few newish taxis.



Anyway back to Nessebar. This is quaint looking little seaside town with some very interesting archaeological digs and a nice historic feel to it. This translates over to the shops as well for instead of selling counterfeit dvds here they sell counterfeit antiques! They are full of supposed WWII Nazi relics - mainly pocket watches, but if this is the case then most of the third Reich must have lost their watch somewhere in Nessebar judging by the quantities on sale! Once again there are few "proper" shops but it's well worth a trip. Not in a taxi though - the bus back (admittedly only to the bus station at Sunny Beach - 5km from the hotel) cost only 0.60 leva (about £0.22/$0.40) each!



Despite sounding negative about the resort I personally enjoyed my holiday and was actually considering a return until (come one, you knew this was coming lol) we had to try and get home. First off the Thomson rep told us the hotel did not have a courtesy room available for changing in (they did) and then tried to extract £15/$30 EACH from our party for the bus journey to the airport, despite this being part of our package and us having proof of this.



It was once we got to the airport that my mind was made up never to return to Bulgaria. On arriving at 19.30 hrs for our flight home at 22.15 we were confronted with the sight of several hundred people forced to stand around in the bus park with more and more coaches arriving by the minute as the Bulgarians refused to let more than a few people at a time into the terminal building. The airport is tiny and staffed by only a handful of dour looking Easter Europeans who insist on inspecting every minute detail of every traveler’s passport before stamping it in triplicate. The Thomson rep ensured us this was perfectly normal and our flight would be leaving on time, which was slightly disconcerting as at 22.00 hrs we were all still standing outside the terminal building (which is about the size of a minor UK mainline train station) in the pitch dark waiting to check in! It took nearly another hour before we were finally through customs/passport control and on the plane.



The whole thing was so badly organised you couldn't even get annoyed it was verging on comical, although I'd hate to see the place when it's the height of the season and really busy. The tour operators should really warn their clients to expect this delay at the airport, although given how clueless our rep was about everything else on the holiday (hi Michelle!) it's not really surprising.



Apparently there are plans to build a large new airport to handle the increasing flow of tourists into the country but this will be situated some 200 miles away from the resort of Sunny Beach.



All in all I have mixed feelings about the place. I enjoyed the holiday (apart from the food, the incident on the road to St Vlas and the fiasco at the airport) but the country is lacking many basic amenities (such as decent roads/shops etc) which we in the west take for granted. It reminded me a lot of the way the Spanish costas were 30 or 40 years ago. I'm sure given the amount of money that is being pumped into the area that in five or ten years time Sunny Beach and similar resorts will have captured most if not all of the traditional Spanish holidaymaker market but for the moment if you are looking for more than just cheap drink, fake designer gear and sunshine I would advise looking elsewhere.

This is a beautiful hotel only...

Overall Rating:

10/10

Board Basis:

Half Board

Date of Holiday:

Sep 2005

Tour Operator:

Thomson

Submitted By:

Mr M Malam

Comments:

This is a beautiful hotel only being slightly upstaged by the Helena Sands sister hotel which is located on the same complex and is open to guests from Helena Park anyway.



In our opinion the two hotels are probably the best and in the best position on Sunny Beach. The staff are very polite and efficient. The food selection at the buffet is very good. The hotel is situated at the North end of the resort, which is a quieter area, but 10 minutes walk and you are in the centre.



The hotel grounds are beautiful and maintained to a very high standard. We had a fantastic 7 night break here and would recommend it to anybody.