Hotel Riu Helios Bay Reviews

Anyway, first impressions were that the pictures of this hotel do not do it any justice - it is really beautiful inside and out. This has to be the cleanest hotel we have ever been to. We arrived in the middle of the night to be greeted by very friendly hotel staff with a champagne cocktail, and snacks in the restaurant. We were given our FREE bottled water and headed off to the room for some sleep. The room was carpeted and the bathroom was lovely with a huge shower, but no bath which didn't bother us anyway.

The weather on our first day was slightly cloudy, but it soon improved throughout our stay. We attended the welcome meeting and met both Hotel Managers which we thought was really down to earth as they were so friendly. My partner and I soon got into the swing of being All Inclusive, trying all of the cocktails on offer. PLEASE - Try the Bulgarian Blue, but don't have too many like I did!

The food was amazing. Breakfast had choices of cereals, fruit, pancakes, salad, yoghurts and of course the good old English Fry Ups. I loved the Bulgarian Yoghurt.

There was a choice of the Snack Bar beside the pool or Lunch in the restaurant (which you needed to be dressed for). Both had choices of pizza, chips, salad, different meats, pasta, fruit and ice cream.

For dinner there were theme nights such as Spanish Night, Turkish Night etc. One night we even had Yorkshire Puddings and Beef with gravy which tasted really nice. With so much to choose from we just tried everything, I wouldn't be able to list it all, we needed bigger plates! There was also the Bulgarian Restaurant on Saturdays, Mondays and I think it was Wednesdays too, they do awesome goulash type dishes you have to try them. You do have to book for this though.

Gents must wear trousers for dinner or three quarter trousers. Also, you book your table and choose which sitting you have when you 1st arrive and keep the table forall of your stay, we switched sittings a couple of times but the staff were more then helpful about it. Not once did we have a bad meal or have complaint about the food.

Entertainment we found was more for the children, but we walked around the nearby shops and did our own thing anyway as we're not really showtime people. In the daytime there were beach games and darts, table tennis which seemed popular. We also tried out the Spa which was 10 levs for an hour for the Jacuzzi or Sauna/Steam Room. The gym was free, so was the indoor pool. We played a few pool gam

First of all it was absolutely fantastic and would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this hotel. We are going back in September, food was absolutely gorgeous you are allocated your table for the whole of your stay in the dining room so no hunting around for tables, food always hot and excellent choice. Our 10 year old is hard to please but she was well happy with the food.

The rooms are brilliant and carpeted and the biggest we have ever stayed in, only problem although not an actual problem was there were no baths in rooms just showers, but hey it's not that important. Went for massage on site it was brilliant and relaxing, sea lovely and warm, beach brilliant, town nce shps and lovey and relaxing. Fantastic handbag shop!!! Can't thank Tony and Ivan enough for the night time and day time entertainment, wonderful, brilliant entertainers.

ONCE AGAIN WONDERFUL, BRILLIANT, FANTASTIC, WOULD NOT HESITATE TO GO AGAIN, AS I SAID CAN'T WAIT FOR SEPTEMBER.

I think reading the below reviews gives you the wrong impression of Obzor, after reading these we went thinking there was only going to be about 2 shops - there isn't! There are plenty of shops and plenty of bargain souvenirs to get a hold of, there are bars, restaurants, even a chinese. The beach is always busy.

As for the hotel, as with all Riu hotels it was excellent. Absolutely spotless and beautiful. Pools are cold water but once you are in its great as it was in the mid 30's when we were there so the cold water was a welcome cool down. We never made the kids entertainment as by the time we had dinner at 6.30 then went upstairs to get changed it was usually about 8.30pm before we got down. No entertainment started till 9.30pm and it usually only lasted an hour. It was alright but nothing spectacular, though as usual our show off daughter was the star of the show as she gets up and dances to anything! Food was lovely, loads of salads and cooked meat every night, though if you like your steaks you wont get one here. I would suggest if you don't like trying aything new and only like British food then Bulgaria isn't for you.

Bulgaria is still very cheap with a bottle of beer and a bottle of coke being about 35 pence each. All in all obzor is a lovely wee place, would definitely go back. If your idea of a good holiday is something in between blackpool and benidorm you might not like this (saying that I like both these places) however after travelling the world we like to go to places that still have abit of their own culture instead of being the typical european holiday destination. Especially loved the beach bars, great for a wee cocktail, really feel like your on holiday.

Hotel was one of the best we have stayed in.Food was excellent the resort is up and coming so maybe a year or so down the road there will be more to do.Trips they do not have many,we hired a taxi into Varna with another couple where the driver gives you about 5 hours to have a wander and some lunch.Khans Tent is an excellent evening out highly recommend to go.The sea was very changeable from calm to rolling waves but always a lifeguard on hand,and the flags changed accordingly.

Overall highly recommend this holiday and this hotel

Not having been to Bulgaria it was with some hesitation that we booked this holiday after reading some reviews on this hotel with regards to illness that occured last year, However there was no problems at all this year and all in all it was a very good hotel as most Riu hotels are.

We have always travelled to Riu hotels all over the world and found them to be excellant. I would rate this hotel as very good not quite up to the standard of other hotels we have been to. There was nothing major wrong here just a few things that let it down some what I.E restaurant staff so miserable.. they just didnt want to be there. Some of the bar staff were the same but others we very good. The reception staff always said good morning or hello maybe they should give the others a few lessons !!!.

The rooms were very spacious probally the largest we have stayed in and the air con was very good just aswell as the temps when we were there was 40 plus.. The food generally was very good some nights wasnt much to my likeing but you would never go hungry and kids the ice cream was great.

The grounds well kept and the so called life guards were just glorified towel boys and picking up the glasses etc around the day by the pool. Towels can be changed by the pool 9 - 11am and 5-6pm if you need any more towels as they are quite small a few levs to the guy will work as he was extremly freindly.

The pool was always well kept and even the local frogs liked it.. but these we soon removed...

The drinks at the bar were some what limited in comparison to other Riu Hotels we have stayed at but genrally it was ok. The beer was good and cold so that was the main thing.

There is a Thematic restarent were the snack bar is during the day but we never ate there as other people had said it wasnt much diffrent to the main buffet restaurent. They have two sittings for dinner 6.30 pm and 8.30pm in the buffet and the closer you get to opening the better and hotter the food. Breakfast and lunch you can turn up any time.

The resort of Obzor is very quiet just a few shops and bars but these are very cheap. As for eating outside we didnt like the look of the restaurents so we didnt eat out at all...

The second week was intresting when one of our party of eight was ill which was totally unrelated to the hotel or the country but meant a 3hr return taxi trip for 5 days before a air ambulance took him home. Please please make sure you have adaquate travel insurance as i beleive the medical bill was around 40k with evertthing included.. The hospital to be fair was new and clean.. the care was okish... food in there was appaling always cold and unispired.. The staff were not that great apart from one doctor that spoke english the rest just wernt up to it i thought. However i have to mention SAGA insurance who were fantastic and nothing was to much trouble for them. They sorted everything out and could not be faulted unlike the Thomson rep who ok did ask if everthing was ok but not much more. I stayed two days at the hospital and one other of our party the full five days and he didnt even visit it was me that asked if a rep from sunny beach could go and take them out for a meal.. he took 3 days to arange this.. then the day arrived and the air ambulance turned up.. We could have starved as the hospital would not give us any food and we lived on fruit, crisps,cakes,water from a shop near the hotel so be aware of this if you need hospital care.
The hotel manager was very concerned and had no problems with us taking food and water from the hotel and on our last day gave us a complimentry late check out room as all of our money had gone on taxis
as our flight wasnt untill late in the evening. So she deserves a special mention and our thanks.

Not much else to say really but taxis were cheap and the driver would wait for four hours while we were at the hospital and a nearly 3hr round trip for about £36.. but depending which driver you get it could be the RAC rally of Bulgaria...

I always think of a hotel if they were good if i would want to return... im sat on the fence to be honest but there are better Riu hotels in better locations.. and the entertainment in other hotels is better but just the normal grease etc.. my wife said she would return so i guess i cant say i would never go back would have to give it some thought.

If you go there the animation guys of Toni and Ivan are good but really there is only the two of them with one other that seams to do the kids club. They try hard but there isnt enough of them to be honest when in other hotels there are sometimes 10 or 12 so there is a alot more going on in the day and shows are better.. but a few beers normally makes the time go quicker..