Riu Helios Hotel, Sunny Beach, Bulgaria
Hotel Information
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
Close to the beach and at the centre of the resort, the Riu Helios encompasses everything that is good about Sunny Beach. The interesting architecture of the hotel involves two connecting semi circles incorporated into an attractive park setting. The arched structure of the park building gives the impression of a wave which adds to the over all sense of tranquility and reminds you that you are always close to the sea and the beach. loading...
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Riu Helios Hotel Reviews
" Superb Holiday "
Submitted By: Colin Lee
Like most people in the UK, we can only afford to holiday abroad once a year. This hotel and package ticks all the boxes and more. I could wax lyrical about this hotel for hours, but suffice to say that if you want great value for money, with quality as a basic ingredient, book up and go there,you will not regret it.
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Portland Direct
" superb holiday "
Submitted By: wendygambier
I was not expecting too much from this holiday due to the price. Was pleasantly surprised to find the hotel was clean and friendly. The restaurant catered for all ages serving food that was hot and nicely cooked. Huge variety of dishes at every meal. The entertainment was fairly basic if you needed to be entertained. Perfect location-Excellant holiday.
Advice: busy -friendly and cheap
Activities: nazibar heritage site
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" surprisingly brilliant "
Submitted By: gary didsbury
Arrived at the hotel in the early hours as all flight times are rubbish,but was greeted by very helpful reception staff and directed to a lovely clean room. The hotel was outstanding,food was great and a superb entertainment team,the rooms are cleaned every day and the hotel is spotless.I do think that all the bars should remain open until midnight as the one bar that remains open gets very busy at 2300 hrs.
The location is also superb,very hard to spend any money and would definately recommend the waterpark at nearby nessibar,the reps sell tickets to another waterpark but apparently not as good.
Anyone booking a holiday will not be disappointed by going to this hotel.
The location is also superb,very hard to spend any money and would definately recommend the waterpark at nearby nessibar,the reps sell tickets to another waterpark but apparently not as good.
Anyone booking a holiday will not be disappointed by going to this hotel.
Advice: Excellent value for money
Activities: nessibar was a nice day out and only 10mins away
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" top holiday "
Submitted By: snobbig
Accommodation good, food good, hot and a wide variety, although "chips are a Bulgarian speciality" !!!. Animation team excellent, but the evening entertainment poor unless you make your own or join in when you can. Beat beach ever, sand, sand & more sand. Plenty of shops, bars & night life. Plenty of sun beds, watch for the German over night towel brigade, soon stop once towels found in pool
Definitly worth going there were 6 in our party from 17 to 47 and all had a brilliant time, will go back again hope this helps
Definitly worth going there were 6 in our party from 17 to 47 and all had a brilliant time, will go back again hope this helps
Advice: go and try and you will come back
Activities: hotel food good
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Enjoyed thoroughly. "
Submitted By: Kyshall
For the week commencing 13th July 2009, me and a bunch of friends and family went to Bulgaria for 1 week, until the 21st July. We were greeted upon arrival by friendly hotel staff, and the hotel was clean and tidy, and the staff well presented. We were quickly checked in considering there was over 11 passports to check and rooms to sort out! Within half an hour of arrival we were in our rooms unpacking.
The rooms had enough space for 2 people, we had a Balcony which was nice and also a television with over 100 channels to choose from. We had daily cleaning of our room, and fresh shower towels on a daily basis. The hotel staff were always helpful and friendly and did their best to help you, despite their lack of English fluency.
One set of people I'll remember from the Holiday will be the Animation Team. They went out of their way to provide daily activities for everyone on the holiday and tried to get evertyone involved with the activities. The main boss of the Animation team is a nice guy too, always said hello and checked if we needed anything and if we were alright. We even had a sing together! :P
The hotel is large, their are alot of guests staying there at once, which on the odd occastion makes it crowded, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
The hotel has 2 pools, one for a quick dip and one for activities and there are also many other things you can do near by. There are Watersports on the beach. You can have a go at Banana Boating for 10 levi. or The Big Mable (Best Watersport) for 15 levi. These excursions last about 10 minutes and there are more to choose from. If you go up to the other side of the beach you can rent Jet Skis for 60 levi/10 minutes. The price put me off this, but if you have the money, give it a go.
Overall for my first holiday it was really good and I would like to go back their in the future. The Hotel was one of the best around and I would rate this holiday 10/10.
The rooms had enough space for 2 people, we had a Balcony which was nice and also a television with over 100 channels to choose from. We had daily cleaning of our room, and fresh shower towels on a daily basis. The hotel staff were always helpful and friendly and did their best to help you, despite their lack of English fluency.
One set of people I'll remember from the Holiday will be the Animation Team. They went out of their way to provide daily activities for everyone on the holiday and tried to get evertyone involved with the activities. The main boss of the Animation team is a nice guy too, always said hello and checked if we needed anything and if we were alright. We even had a sing together! :P
The hotel is large, their are alot of guests staying there at once, which on the odd occastion makes it crowded, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
The hotel has 2 pools, one for a quick dip and one for activities and there are also many other things you can do near by. There are Watersports on the beach. You can have a go at Banana Boating for 10 levi. or The Big Mable (Best Watersport) for 15 levi. These excursions last about 10 minutes and there are more to choose from. If you go up to the other side of the beach you can rent Jet Skis for 60 levi/10 minutes. The price put me off this, but if you have the money, give it a go.
Overall for my first holiday it was really good and I would like to go back their in the future. The Hotel was one of the best around and I would rate this holiday 10/10.
Advice: Sunny Beach is good for going to the beach, Watersports and relaxing. Shopping is also good here.
Activities: I experienced a V.I.P. cruise on a Catamaran which was the best activity for me.
Good for: Beach City Breaks
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" First time in Bulgaria will be the last "
Submitted By: Phee
Hotel is lovely and could not be cleaner, staff all very nice and helpful. Meals all freshly made but we had the same meals for lunch and dinner every day, Pizza, chicken or Pork. Hotel entertainment 2 out of 10, every evening between 9.30 and 10.30 they gave us a bit of entertainment, terrible. Never been in bed as early during a holiday, you had to be up at 7.30am to get a bed at the pool. The All Inclusive was great the best I have had you could help yourself to drinks, all kinds by the pool bar all day,you could bring the afternoon tea food and drinks to the pool. The weather in Bulgaria is awful, never a day without clouds or rain, first holiday I have had to buy a brolly. Lots of thunderstorms. No entertainment in Sunny Beach at night. You shop during the day as its cloudy so you have nothing to do at night. Been wont be back.
Advice: Nothing to do
Activities: Mexican restaurant on Flower Street, did not sightsee, could not rely on weather
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" would'nt go again "
Submitted By: rebel red
My husband and I returned from this hotel on 19th June 09, as we had a night flight going out it was 2am in the morning before we got to the hotel the check in was very slow as there was only one receptionist on duty trying to check everyone in she told us to leave our luggage as the porter would bring it up but there was no porter to be seen so we took our own up to the room, I think there should have been at least a welcome soft drink for us to come to or a snack other RIU hotels we have been to have offered this to you. The hotel itself was ok, clean and most of the staff where friendly some looked very glum. Deonis the tour rep was very good and went out of his way to help you.Our room was clean and we had fresh bath towels every day but it was not cleaned everyday by the end of our two week stay the dust was building up. This is the only RIU hotel we have ever been to that as allowed large single sex group bookings on our second week about 20 young german males turned up and took over the 'quite' pool. The food was ok plenty of it much the same everynight but it was well presented and hot. There did not seem to be many trips for the British people to take and getting around by bus was near impossible, we booked a river trip it states to get back to nature this lasted about 20min then off to walk around a village the resturant we went to for lunch was not upto much the crocery the food was served on was chipped they gave us a bottle of water with lunch with a huge fly in it overall very disapointing trip. The animation team try hard but there was only five of them and I think they where on a very low budget and the dj has only one tape same music everynight. Security was almost non existant everyone can and did take a short cut through the grounds of the hotel no one stopped them. I do think this hotel is very much for german visitors as everything seeemed to be aimed at pleasing them. We where able to pay to keep our room on till 8pm on the departure day needles to say it was not cleaned and no fresh bath towels that day also we where in the room when new guests had been given the key to get, in a shock for them and us. You also have to pay to use the safe in your room which will house your money but not your camera etc, also you are told when you leave your room for safety reasons lock your balcony doors which we did but every time we came back to the room the cleaners had left it wide open try explaining that to a receptionist who does not speak English.
Would I go back again......would'nt be in a rush
Would I go back again......would'nt be in a rush
Advice: yes
Activities: none
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" Wouldnt go back-nothing exciting! "
Submitted By: LittleFlower09
I went to Hotel Helios for 2 weeks and returned on the 16th June, When i arrived in Sunny Beach i thought it looked beuatiful and so did the hotel, intill i actually went in. The reseption looked fine and bar, but i went up to my room, first of all they gave us the wrong room, and couldnt get into our room intill the NEXT DAY ! so we had a spear room, also when i had my breackfast there was a fly in my ceral! it was horrible. The pools are nice, could be a bit bigger, and the animation is so boring i was very dispopointed.It came to the evening and we decied to watch the entertainment, BAD DESISION! the entertainment is the same everynight, just differnt 3 minute acts of differnt countrys.RUBBISH!The only up side on the whole holiday was maybe getting on the plane to go back home and some of the towns near by, i wouldnt recomend it for children and maybe not couples to. Bad reviews are trrue becuase i expresenced it.
And im never going back to Bulgeria.
And im never going back to Bulgeria.
Advice: Not good for familys, got some clubs around .
Activities: The towns and markets there.
Good for: City Breaks
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" WOW!!! "
Submitted By: jamesbob1
I stayed at helios in august 2008, and found the experience really worthwhile.
I am 18 years of age and the night life was incredible, plenty of clubs and bars to go to, lots of nice girls and lots of great offers of drinks. The drinks are dirt cheap aswell so yoiu can get hammered for nearly nothing.
The hotel itself was brill, staff were amazing..watch out for tony though..hes a character haha. The food was average i didn't mind that tho i was more interested in the BOOZE.
So as an evaluation i would say..A great way to spend your holiday if your aged between 18-30, cheap and fun..and not so good if your aged 30+ with a family, unless you go on the outskirts of bulgaria were its nice and quiet area.
One downfall of the holiday is that you must beware of crime..i knew of a couple that got mugged 3 times, over a week, whilst staying there..and the police were useless..but dont let that put you off...ITS GREAT !! :):)
I am 18 years of age and the night life was incredible, plenty of clubs and bars to go to, lots of nice girls and lots of great offers of drinks. The drinks are dirt cheap aswell so yoiu can get hammered for nearly nothing.
The hotel itself was brill, staff were amazing..watch out for tony though..hes a character haha. The food was average i didn't mind that tho i was more interested in the BOOZE.
So as an evaluation i would say..A great way to spend your holiday if your aged between 18-30, cheap and fun..and not so good if your aged 30+ with a family, unless you go on the outskirts of bulgaria were its nice and quiet area.
One downfall of the holiday is that you must beware of crime..i knew of a couple that got mugged 3 times, over a week, whilst staying there..and the police were useless..but dont let that put you off...ITS GREAT !! :):)
Advice: yes
Activities: all
Good for: Beach
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- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Never Again! "
Submitted By: Jonny471
I was very disapointed with my stay at this hotel for a number of reasons. It came to the point when i had to have a meeting with the hotel manager because i were so upset with the amount of money i had paid was way to much for the hoilday we were recieving.
the issues we had included
Anybody walking into the hotel grounds and helping themselves to drinks and food
Not enough sun lounges so people were reserving them with towels which in the hotel book said the lifeguards would take them of when indeed they didnt.
The evening entertainment was very poor everynight it was either men dressed as women or just very childish.
The hotel gates at the hotel didnt get locked at night time and in the hotel guide mentioned that night time you would need your key guard to get back in when mentioned in the meeting i got an excuse that it isnt in force until next year. This is ok until one night we whitnesed people running around steeling parasoles and could easily got into the hotel.
There was also an annoying thing we whitnesed every day which in health and safety terms is very bad. Besides the pool is a portable radio system for arobics with the cable running a fair distance across the poolside. This could be very dangerous if the radio system fel in as the people would get electicuted!
While out hoilday our rep was absolutely rubish as she was very unhelpful and sold us an excursion which cost a lot more than what we saw every where else. When we went on was very dissapointed if you see it advertised id very reccomened you dont go there and it called "Cairns Tent".
the issues we had included
Anybody walking into the hotel grounds and helping themselves to drinks and food
Not enough sun lounges so people were reserving them with towels which in the hotel book said the lifeguards would take them of when indeed they didnt.
The evening entertainment was very poor everynight it was either men dressed as women or just very childish.
The hotel gates at the hotel didnt get locked at night time and in the hotel guide mentioned that night time you would need your key guard to get back in when mentioned in the meeting i got an excuse that it isnt in force until next year. This is ok until one night we whitnesed people running around steeling parasoles and could easily got into the hotel.
There was also an annoying thing we whitnesed every day which in health and safety terms is very bad. Besides the pool is a portable radio system for arobics with the cable running a fair distance across the poolside. This could be very dangerous if the radio system fel in as the people would get electicuted!
While out hoilday our rep was absolutely rubish as she was very unhelpful and sold us an excursion which cost a lot more than what we saw every where else. When we went on was very dissapointed if you see it advertised id very reccomened you dont go there and it called "Cairns Tent".
Advice: If you are going as a family dont go if you are going as an 18-30 it will be very good!
Activities:
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" The hotel itself was quite good, nice... "
Submitted By: Mr G Gibson
The hotel itself was quite good, nice and clean, but quiet. the staff were friendly and the food was good. However I have been to Riu hotels in the carribean and this does not come anywhere near them. Little things like the fact that the beach is not private and you have to pay 7 levs for an umbrella and 7 levs for a sun bed. doesn't sound much but its about 8 quid a day, times that by 7 and its a fair chunk.
My major point is a very serious one about the state of Bulgaria. The crime rate is awful and nobody advertises that fact. On the night we arrived myself and my friends went out and my friend got mugged on the beach. He was shaken and only had a bit of money taken so we put it down to misfortune. But it definitely wasn't as two days later I was walking back to the hotel down a main road, when about 200 yards from the hotel a guy came up to my punched me in the head and ripped my gold chain from my neck. I tried to fight back and ended up being beaten more.
The next day I got up early and told the rep who just didn't care at all about the incident and acted as if oh well its Bulgaria what do you expect. the police were absolutely useless and the police station was full of British people all reporting similar crimes. 2 people had wallets stolen in taxis and we heard reports from some of them that people were being run over by horses and carts down on the beach in the early evening.
Basically bulgaria is still way too soviet for my liking, there are mafia everywhere, you can buy knives and guns in the shops freely and the petit crime is rife. If you go, stay in the hotel its not worth the hassle.
My major point is a very serious one about the state of Bulgaria. The crime rate is awful and nobody advertises that fact. On the night we arrived myself and my friends went out and my friend got mugged on the beach. He was shaken and only had a bit of money taken so we put it down to misfortune. But it definitely wasn't as two days later I was walking back to the hotel down a main road, when about 200 yards from the hotel a guy came up to my punched me in the head and ripped my gold chain from my neck. I tried to fight back and ended up being beaten more.
The next day I got up early and told the rep who just didn't care at all about the incident and acted as if oh well its Bulgaria what do you expect. the police were absolutely useless and the police station was full of British people all reporting similar crimes. 2 people had wallets stolen in taxis and we heard reports from some of them that people were being run over by horses and carts down on the beach in the early evening.
Basically bulgaria is still way too soviet for my liking, there are mafia everywhere, you can buy knives and guns in the shops freely and the petit crime is rife. If you go, stay in the hotel its not worth the hassle.
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- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Portland Direct
" We had a great holiday there in hotel... "
Submitted By: Ms E & K Ellen En Kristof
We had a great holiday there in hotel helios!
The adult animation is always fun in the hotel, I hope the team is not going to miss us, but the probably will for a few days.
If the animation team reads this: we love you all, have a nice summer! Keep in touch!
Kristof and Ellen from Belgium!
I don't think you can find a better hotel in all bulgaria! Watch out for Tony! He made me cry the last evening, he is just to sweet.
The adult animation is always fun in the hotel, I hope the team is not going to miss us, but the probably will for a few days.
If the animation team reads this: we love you all, have a nice summer! Keep in touch!
Kristof and Ellen from Belgium!
I don't think you can find a better hotel in all bulgaria! Watch out for Tony! He made me cry the last evening, he is just to sweet.
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- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Jetair
" The hotel, staff and food was 1st... "
Submitted By: Mr B Taft
The hotel, staff and food was 1st class. The hotel was spotless, cannot find a fault with this hotel. Have actually booked up for the same hotel 2009. Would recommend it to anyone.
BUT NIGHT TIME FLIGHT NOT SO GOOD IE WITH KIDS............
BUT NIGHT TIME FLIGHT NOT SO GOOD IE WITH KIDS............
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomson
" This was my first trip to bulgaria we... "
Submitted By: Ms L R Strike
This was my first trip to bulgaria we went for 1 week, the hotel is fantastic arrived at 6.30am met by helpfull reception staff, our bags where taken to our room for us which was a blessing after been awake all night, the room was spacious down side was that it was twin beds which really could not be pushed together, the bathroom was great with a spacious walk in shower, the room was cleaned every day and the towels also changed every day, the view from the balcony was not great as it was at the back of the hotel, the 2 large swimming pools are great but abit cold, the food was first class was plenty to choose from was never disapointed until we tried the restaurant that serves a bulgarian meal we wished we had not bothered, their is plenty of things to do through the day my partner joined in the water polo and footy we also played bingo at the pool bar and won a bottle of wine but was abit embarasing in the evening when presented with a certificate for winning, the evening entertainment was good bar staff where very pleasant and some where very entertaining, treated myself to have my hair done at the on site hairdressers would not recommend unless you want to look like someone out of the sixties it cost me 35 lev for a wash and to have it curled alot of money when i had to go to my room to straighten it as it looked so bad, outside the hotel was brilliant especially if your a shopaholic great bargains to be had, plenty of bars to either relax or to dance the night away would recommend you take a cardigan or a light jacket as it does get cold at night, all the staff at the hotel did a fantastic job, would recommend bulgaria and will be going back again
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- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
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Hotels very clean and maintained, room was lovely..the showers are amazing!
Foods good but very repetative.. like most all inclusive.
Would definatly recommend, weather end of sept beginning of oct was great too..came back with a fab tan!
Good for: Beach