Hotel Ritza Reviews

Picked this hotel without much prior knowledge of the area or Bulgaria itself - first time visitors. We had a long transfer from Burgas to St. Konstantin but when we arrived at 2.30 in the morning we were offered a cold meat platter! Hotel was spotless and nicely situated if you don't want to be at the busy heart of a resort - we only had to walk about 500m to get to the market place and the bars. Staff were generally friendly and pleasant but limited English - this hotel largely caters for German and English folk. The rooms are so clean and all the public areas are well maintained. The pool is cold but again well looked after. Food - ah food!! Not so good although I have a suspicion that the chef was on holiday at the beginning of our week as the latter half of the week it got decidedly better!! Plenty of choice but the hot selection was not always that hot - lukewarm really. Food is served early - 6 until 8 and our advice is get there at 6 as it is then you get the best selection and it is relatively warm! Always a salad option as well as hot food. The Bulgarians don't really do dessert although ice-cream was always available. Drinks have to be bought from the bar to go with evening meals. No entertainment in the hotel although you can play table tennis and there is also a billiards table but to be quite honest the bars in the resort have enough entertainment. You can order a pedicure or manicure but only between 10 and 4 (book at reception). Make sure you get a safety deposit box (30 leva and they are in the reception area) However if you get one early in your holiday and pay for it (we like to 'pay as you go') make sure you get a receipt for it as we were charged twice (although we fought it). Overall though this hotel was very good indeed.

We have just returned from a weeks holiday in Bulgaria. As we arrived the last week of the season everything was closing down, the little market in St Konstantin was lovely, good job we bought things when we saw them by the last day alot of the stalls had closed. We took a bus into Varna one day...that was the last time, would never go there again, we was warned about pick pockets ( on the bus too) i spent the whole time looking around and keeping my hands in my pockets to make sure noone could steal my money! We took a bus into Golden Sands too, again we was warned about prostitues, they are dropped off in mini buses, we saw 5 mini buses in the space of 5 minutes! As i don't like feeling unsafe we didn't go there again.

I would go back to Bulgaria again but in July, and i would defenietly stay at the Ritza Hotel, it was lovely it's the 1st time i have stayed in a room that looks exactly as it does in the holiday brochure, the food there wasn't up to much and it was always luke warm or cold, but then when we was chatting to people from other hotels there's was the same. The management, receptionist and the cleaners couldn't do enough for us, so pleasant and helpful, and the cleaners came and cleaned everyday and changed the towels and sheets everyday too, they even left little swans and heart shapes with the towels.

Over all a good holiday, would go there again but only to St Konstaintin, so so very cheap too!

This was our first visit to Bulgaria enjoyed holiday but would not return.
The hotel was excellent my daughter celebrated her 13th birthday whilst on holiday. Hotel staff left a bottle of wine and flowers in the room for her.

Booked a local trip with private company we were the only brits on trip,all GERMANS so driver only spoke in german.So check before booking.

Be very careful pickpocketing is very high,hassled you in shops and markets to buy,only change money at bank or hotel as money could be fake.

Cheap to eat out and taxis are the best way to get around.

Dolphinarium is worth a visit so is the town of nessebar.Whilst you are there coffee and cake is a must slices are huge and so cheap.

We heard lots of good things about Bulgaria, so decided to go before it joined the EU. Chose the Ritza for it's looks.
Originally we were supposed to fly from Humberside, but 8 weeks before departure date, flights changed to Leeds/Bradford, apparantely this happens every year.

St. Konstantine is an odd place, it is so neglected, which is such a pity, although it does add to it's charm. It must have been quite impressive when the Communists first started to use it. The best area is at the eastern end of the beach, where there are newer, more expensive Hotels.
The Ritza is situated in the NW of the resort, the walk to the market is very pleasant, one of the nicest roads, even though it is a dual carriageway, and not many cars on it,in Bulgaria.

The food and drink is extremely cheap, as well as most other items.
We were advised not to exchange at the money booths, but had no problem with them.
Visited Sunny Beach, would not hoilday there for free, too crowded, too noisy and quite a bit more expensive than St. Konstantine. Also visited Golden Sands, like it very much, plenty to do there.
We are hoping to return to Bulgaria next year, but do not want to stay at the Ritza.
The staff at the Ritza could not have been nicer, the rooms are excellent. The food was different, but not inedible.

The hotel lacked something, a bit of life. This was mainly due to the manageress, everyone jumped when she was around. We took an instant disliking to her when she shut the dining room door in my wife's face, not an accident.

As I said earlier, we are hoping to visit Bulgaria next year, have seen two Hotels that we like the look of. One is the Mistral, but as yet we are unable to book it.

One thing that nobody warned us about, was buying 'Duty Frees' at Varna Airport, everything is marked up in EUROS, they will exchange £,$ and DM, but no Bulgarian Leva. Their exchange rate is ridiculous, my wife wanted cigarettes, 400 came to 18 Euro(£12), but because we had no euros and they wouldn't take leva, I used sterling, which came to £18. So get some EUROS before you go on holiday.