hi !

Although the wife and I are big turkey fans we decided to shop around for something different next year,so last night whilst enjoying a wee dram or several we phoned Thomas cook and enquired about Bulgaria. The wife has just informed me that we booked it for June next year at a bargain price. ( it really must have been a good night! LOL!) As far as I know they are going to phone back this morning with some details of the holiday, so I will ask them if it has been completed and is open and will post the answer later today.

Alistair

Hi, we stay in a RIU hotel at the top end of Sunny Beach called RIU Evrika if the standards there are anything to go by you will have no worries. We like it so much we are going back for the 3rd time a week on Monday (6th June) cant wait!!! Rooms very big and one of the cleanest places I have stayed in.

Hi josstick

According to thomas cook this morning it is up and running,hope you have a great time when you go, look forward to your review of the hotel. Still can't believe the bargain we got, must be a catch!

Alistair

Thanks for your help, its nice to know its up and running looking forward to holiday now.
We will post info on hotel ASAP when we return.
At least any teething problems will have been ironed out by 2006

I spoke to the holiday rep yesterday on her mobile who confirmed that the Riu Helios Bay Hotel on Obozor Beach, opened on 1st June and there is no building work either.
We're going at the end of Aug for a couple of weeks. Never been to Bulgaria before.
Barry.

Thanks Barry looking forward to some R&R, pleased to know its opened, will look out for reviews soon.

Hi all,
we also booked Riu Miramar first, and have been proposed to move to Helios Bay since Miramar is not open yet. We will be there from August 18 until 30. We are quite confident about this change. We were at a Riu last year, and it was what we call it in Belgium "tip-top in orde"
CU there,
Danny

check out riu web site http://www.riu.com/uk/bulgaria/obzor/hotel_riu_helios_bay.html
new pictures of hotel, looks good

Hi guys,

Found a picture gallery about the hotel. It is getting better every day !
Please visit
http://www.visitbg.de/index.php?topic=picshow&pat=heliosbay&pic=1

CU there,
Danny

Thanks Danny cant wait to get there, only wish site was in English
nice to see some real pictures at last. Julie

HI,

We are due to go to Helios Bay Hotel Obzor on the 8th of july for 2 weeks, Little bit concerned we have been getting mixed information about the hotel, some say it's not even properly finished yet and building work is everywhere. Have phoned thomson they have said everything is fine, but from visiting here not so sure now. Anybody who has any information please reply

Many thanks

Libby

Hi! We are going to this hotel on the 26th July for two weeks, having been transferred there from the hotel we originally booked, the Mirimar. I hope that all this work we have been reading about still isn't happening when we get there! Also hope the kids facilities are up and running or we will have a very bored 6 year old!!! Does anyone know if this is just used by English or is it a multi-national hotel? What about shopping nearby, and what goeso n at night on the hotel? Any information at all would be most appreciated, as my husband is convinced that after readoung these forums that we are going to end up in a bulding site in the middle of nowhere, Carry-On style!!!

Hi,

We have been to our travel agent today and they have been in contact with the Manager at Thomson Mind you it took our travel agent a week to get any information out of thomson but as of today we have been told that the hotel itself is finished except for the Theme restuarant which is due to be completed in the next 7 days. they also assured us that the beach was complete also all entertainment for children and adults is up and running and there is no building work to be done. Like you we was very concerned regarding building work after reading other peoples forums we did try to email the hotel ourselves with no joy it's extremely difficult to get any information from anywhere. We are due to fly out on the 8th of July and hpefully things are as they say. If anybody else has any information it would be gratefully appreciated. Has anybody reading this stayed at this hotel

Many thanks

Libby

Have you checked out Danny's link above, at least it shows its up and running and looks great at night
As to who is staying there, the actual place Obzor, (check out Obzor link) seems to have been used by locals before they started to build. but Thomson have booked lots of english people in it so looks like there should be a good balance.
We are keeping an open mind, if you go expecting a london 4 star you might be dissappointed but we go just hoping for a clean well looked after place with a nice beach and anything else is a bonus.

Nice one! It is starting to sound a bit more positive, lets hope they are not being economical with the truth! If anyone reading this is flying from Manchester on the 26th July to stay at this hotel, let us know! We may see you there! Please post on after your stay, hope everything is as it should be when you get there! Have a wonderful time! Jacky x

hi i have just returned from this hotel last week. i found a bad hotel review on it three days before we went so i rang portland who where not that helpful my worry was that we where taking a 2 year old to a building site!!! landing in bulgaria was a bit mad as there where 6 flight's all in the bagage area there are only two belts so i think it took us about two hours to get our laguage. it is about 1hour 20mins from the airport to the hotel.
i think we arrived around three in the morning the first view of the hotel is a shock it look's fantastic!!

so in answer to all your worries is the rooms are great a good size with a fridge and hairdryer and plenty of cupboard space they all have sea views we where really lucky as we where on the sixth floor over looking the pool. there is no building work going on it is very clean the staff are very helpful, there is plenty of choice at meal time's. a couple of downsides are it is about 70% germans and 30% british, i did not think much to the beach ( only went on it once ) you will need to pack beach shoes as it is very sharpe sand and mixed with a lot of shell's it does cut your feet open!!

if you fancy a walk into there town there is a flintstones bar which the kids thought was great, we felt very safe walking out and about.

We had a good holiday not sure i would go back though as i do like a good beach.

if anyone has any questions i will be happy to help

Hi Nicky,

What is the entertainment like ?

Is it a good hotel for Kids ?

Hi Nicky

so nice to finally hear off somebody that has stayed at this hotel even after being told that the hotel was finished by thomsons its just nice to hear it from somebody who has stayed there. The hotel itself sounds lovely like you though i too enjoy the beach so its abit of a shame about that also my daughter loves the beach but will make sure we pack beach shoes.
what is the pool like is it a nice size? also was the weather good only the weather reports dont read to well, 1st time in Bulgaria and have been getting lots of different reports about what its like, my partner said im getting abit obsessed with it now always checking what people have written on the internet, only another week until we go now so i wont be doing his head in for much longer now

Hi the entertainment was just getting up and running there was vollyball, darts,shooting i think aqua aerobics started as we where leaving. the kids club had different things going on each day and a kids disco at 7.30 at night ( they did play the same music though and it was not in english ) the staff where good though. the adults evening entertainment starts at 9.30 which was getting a little late for us ( with having a two year old )some of the shows where a good laugh but some where not that great.