Image of Riu Helios Bay Hotel

Riu Helios Bay Hotel

1 of 3 hotels in Obzor

4 out of 5 from 49 reviews
4 stars
Tchernomorska, 50, 8250, Bulgaria

49 Reviews

Traveller Rating

  • Excellent
    10
  • Very Good
    25
  • Good
    7
  • Average
    6
  • Poor
    1

Review Overview

  • Cleanliness
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Service
  • Location
17 years 7 months ago
The hotel looks lovely and the room size is good although we had a ground floor room as requested the veiw wasnt great. Everywhere was very clean and rooms where sorted even if you didnt leave them till late in the day.

Ok the sickness virus... had read previous warnings so thought I was a bit clever to have brought anti sickness pills briefly warned at welcome meeting but it was fairly played down, it was a bit worrying to see the big queue each day at the on site doctors but the man is making a fortune, every one of our party caught it my son was put on a drip as where many many others, its grim and lasts about 4 days almost every party had at least one member sick and dont bother seeking the reps help as he is only there to sell trips. Doctor told my its been going on since May and is air borne, we did see some very doggy practises involving the sewers and the river beside the hotel....

On a plus note if you are well enough the food is very good, always fresh, cooked in front of you and all the staff are very friendly and helpful its one of the nicest hotels in that way and the location on the beach is just brilliant. a perfect destination once the illness problem gets sorted.
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Travel operator: Thompson

Recommended
Michelle Witton
17 years 7 months ago
Hotel spotlessly clean, staff helpful, friendly, can't do enough for you. Food very nice but you do get fed up of veal, chicken & pork. Drinks great.

Entertainment was great for 3-7 years olds nothing much there for teenagers. Low key for adults the odd show, singers but all finishes about 10.30. Very boring after this!

Beware of the Bulgaria bug which they called it. Out of 16 of us who went 13 of us was all very ill with sickness and diahorrea. It wasn't just bus ill most of everyone you spoke to had it or in there room suffering, can't believe they haven't shut down hotel to clear bug.

It is such a shame because to look at the hotel is beautiful. Thomsons need to look at this problem very closely.
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Travel operator: thomsons

Recommended
K English
17 years 7 months ago
Having spent the week there from the 22-29 august,the hotel was lovely and in a good location,food ok,although too ill to eat it.
We all caught the so called bug and it has taken two weeks from when we have arrived home to get rid of it.

Had read reports on this hotel before we went and thought that it would be ok and we were advised that it had cleared,the travel company should have stopped anyone else going.
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Travel operator: portland

Recommended
L Holmes
17 years 7 months ago
After reading all the reports on here all the holiday companies MUST STOP sending people to this hotel.

We went on a well deserved holiday that after working all year like many people were really looking forward to. My holiday like many others on here turned into a nightmare with the sickness bug!!

I have written to the holiday company with which i booked but they really dont want to know as the in-house doctor, in his nice cosy room in the hotel said it was an 'airborne virus'!!

I think the holiday companies must be very pleased he said this as this saves them a hell of a lot of money in compensation! If they are reading reports such as these though and receiving letters of complaint why are they still sending people to this hotel??

On a final note, good luck to anybody who is travelling to this hotel in the near future and dont forget your Imodium!!
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Travel operator: thomsons

Gail
17 years 8 months ago
We are just back from this hotel and we all had a ball, we would highly recommend hotel.

We had a few cloudy days and a thunder storm this was the only downfall.

If you are going to this hotel in the near future you will not be disappointed.
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Travel operator: Portland

Recommended
Vinnie
17 years 8 months ago
Having arrived back home early this morning from Helois Bay I felt I must write about our experience for people going in the next week or two.

Firstly the hotel is really nice & appears clean but we stayed there for 7 nights & the amount of people going down with a sickness & diarrhea was unbelievable. My partner & two kids caught it & still are not well today & they fell ill at the start of our holiday.

I would strongly recommend taking diarrhea tablets & something for upset stomachs as there was so many people falling ill. You can see the in house doctor (which costs around 72 levs) then to be told that its just an airborne virus.

In my view if that hotel was in the U.K it would have had the environmental health there straight away & closed for a week or two.

I will be complaining to firstly The travel company who i booked with & then RIU for not doing more about this problem while we were there. The location of the hotel is OK but about 1 & a half hours long winding drive from the airport.

The area outside hotel seems safe but not much to see & do. We payed to go on excursions but because of illness couldnt go or get a refund. The food is OK but a little repetitive.

Hotel staff do seem friendly & the bar staff are very good. You never have to wait long for a drink. The entertainment is OK but nothing special. Which I expected as I have stayed in RIU's before.

The weather was really really nice though & pool area nice but you have to get up early if you want a sunbed. Which I guess happens everywhere.

Would I visit this hotel again...... no way!!!!! Seen enough! I hope the virus has gone as it is quite bad & anybody visiting in the next couple of weeks should take precautions i think.

Think we will be sticking to Spain from now on.
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Travel operator: portland direct

Jaki
17 years 8 months ago
The hotel is wonderful everthing about it has been well thought out.

The food was very good and although it seems a bit reprative,we think perhaps this seems so just because there is so much of it, too much eating,too much food,but all very nice.

The cleanliness of the hotel is exellent ther is a cleaner around every corner,rooms were superb we had to book a superior room because of the age of our children which was fantastic but our friends had standard rooms which were more than ample.

The staff are all welcoming and helpful,I dont think small measures is in the bar staffs vocabulary so watch out for the hangovers. Although the entertainment was a bit ropey the animation team got 10 out of 10 for effort. Sorry to all those who witnessed my singing at kareoke.

The hotel is situated right on the beach and is close enough but far enough away from the village.
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Travel operator: thompson

Recommended
Vince Williams
17 years 9 months ago
Excellent hotel, good management and staff. Cleanliness is exceptional and as others have said there is a cleaner around every corner,rooms are large modern and very clean. Food is more than adequate, when in Rome do as the Romans do, try everything the choice is there do not expect it to be a burgerbar, some of us like real food. The Bulgarian night is to be experienced we all enjoyed it especially the Bulgarian Brandy even with the salad course?? Pool is large and clean with plenty of sun loungers available and towels are provided. Bar staff are efficient and all the drinks are fine, large TV in the bar to watch the football with free beer must be heaven!
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Travel operator: Portland

Recommended
17 years 9 months ago
We have just returned after spending 2 weeks at this great hotel, as you approach it, it looks very majestic and special from everything around it.

We had a few problems when we first arrived, mainly we booked the superior family room with 2 bedrooms, but ended up in a standard family, took 2 days for hotel to admit we had wrong room, but james the rep was a great help, they had no superiors to put us in, as Germans get priority I found out, as they spend more for there holidays, but standard room was very large and we had no problems for 2 weeks there.

The food is great so much of it, and choice, you can eat healthy, or go junk food. Food for your every taste at every meal. Breakfast was my favourite at the grilled tomatoes were so sweet and yummmy. Saying that all the salad meals are so sweet, nothing like the uk veg we buy from tesco.

The snack lunch at pool restaurant is ok great for kids, but same food there all 2 weeks, chicken nuggets, pizza, chips, pasta...then all the salad and meats, so eat how you feel.

The hotel staff work very hard, long hours if you notice. the room cleaners deserve 5 stars on there own, we tipped our cleaner because our room was a tip with the kids most days, and perfect when we got back, she made a lovely heart and swans with there heads making a heart out of towels!!!

Entertainment staff work hard, try there best to get everyone involved, but they do talk to you in German first, which got a little annoying after 2 weeks, thought they would have got to know us by then.

Obzor is a great little place bigger than I expected, from reports I read, the shops are great and so much more cheaper than sunny beach, we stocked up on clothes, and a great shop for jeans on left before you get to main street, owner speaks perfect english, and knows your size by looking at you, with changing rooms to try jeans on...all the makes d@g, diesel etc for under
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Travel operator: portland

Recommended
Nicki
17 years 10 months ago
The hotel was beautiful and very clean. The rooms were big and carpeted with a small fridge (useful for getting milk, water, juice, etc from the bar for my little girl and saving for first thing in morning). There was even a hairdryer which saved taking one.

The food was excellent with a big choice - (breakfast = cereals, breads, cheeses, meats, bolied eggs, fried eggs, two sorts of omlette,friut, yoghurt, etc.. Lunch & tea you had choice of fish, chicken, pork, veggie thing (didn't look too good but I didn't ever try it?), salads, puddings, etc. It was brilliant and I ate far too much. I was starting to get bored after a week though wanting a nice roast dinner, curry, real fish & chips, etc. My little girl was a bit fussy becasuse it didn't taste excatly like home but she survived especially when we found out chicken nuggets and pizza served in downstairs snack bar until 5 pm.

The hotel was right on the beach with a view to die for and no noise from hotels nearby. However, the village of Ozbor was a bit boring with not much going on even though it was the beginning of June. The people were polite and not pushy though.

The entertainment was OK but I couldn't really follow it as half was in german and half in english with a heavy bulgarian accent on. But it was good fun and with a few beers down you it was great! My 3 year old daughter loved the kids disco at 8pm. Language didn't matter to her. Daytime activities were good too. I only did the shooting and aerobics on the beach but my daughter went to kids club every day and loved it. You are supposed to supervise them but when she settled I went sunbathing and kept one eye out on the door in case she ran out (the pool was outside and I didn't want her falling in!). I used the gym every day - it is basic but air conditioned and adequate. The beauty treatments and massage weren't cheap so I didn't bother. The jacuzzi, steam room and sauna cost 10 lev each (about
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Travel operator: Portland

Recommended

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