Hotel "Allegra/Aurora" — Hotel in Varna

The hotel has a fairly good location. It is set back from the main strip and the beach area. If you have mobility issues then it will be difficult heading back as the hotel is on a bit on an incline. There is a shuttle transfer that runs to and from the beach during the day, but I believe it is hit and miss to when they run this. We only saw it once.|The pool is a good size, it needs some maintenance. There is only one set of steps in and out the pool, at the shallow end (there was another set by the looks of it at the deep end but they are no longer there (just the holes remain). Because the steps are in the shallow end, they are really low into the water, it is tricky getting in and out and requires a big step up. Several people looked to struggle and miss their footing.|The flooring around the pool is a type of cladding that is almost black in colour, it gets extremely hot in the sun. Many people couldn't walk on it without footwear. There is plenty of sun loungers and they are very comfy. Lots of shade around the pool too.|The entertainment left alot to be desired. Only once per week was there evening entertainment from an outside act. Once a week there is nothing and the other days were covered by the animation team. The said team would encourage people to join in with activities such as darts and volleyball. Mostly they were shouting loudly into a microphone which was annoying when you're trying to relax. They would also play music really loudly around the pool. Sometimes good summery music, other times Rap music full of inappropriate language for a family environment. It was so loud that several times the barman from the paid bar would go and turn it down when the animations team weren't around.|Bars - this was the strangest setup for All Inclusive I have ever seen. The hotel has 4 bars. 1. in the reception / lobby but only for paid drinks, 2. was in the restaurant and was all inclusive but only open during meal times, 3. was on the 1st floor of the hotel and All Inclusive. You had to go up to it from the pool whenever you wanted a drink. They had very limited selection and used tiny plastic cups, and never filling them. 4th was by the pool and most convienient during the day but was again paid drinks and not for All Inclusive. There was a bar man there all day and evening, and in 10 days I saw him serving maybe 4 or 5 people in the whole time. And that was for an ice coffee. It would make so much more sense for all bars to be All inclusive AND paid.|Staff- some staff were really helpful and polite. The salon manager always had a smile. The bar staff, reception staff and guy cooking pancakes in the morning all looked miserable and like they'd rather be anywhere but there. The reception staff in particular were rude, would roll their eyes at guests and answer in very inappropriate ways. The reception manager was especially rude.|Parking - Park at your own risk! The hotel does not have a private car park. Parking is along the road outside of the hotel. 20 leva per day. Lots trucks and buses travel down the road, your car can easily be damaged. There are car parks close with cameras which would be a safer option.|Our room was huge, but suffered with water damage. One of the celing tiles (only the styrofoam type) was so wet from the HVAC system, it fell in one night. 2 more tiles were very wet. I visited reception on the Sunday evening and guy was beyond great and helpful. It was late, probably around 21:30, he came and looked at the issue, then offered us another room. I went to view it but it was very small in comparison and overlooked the pool of the hotel behind ours. Their entertainment was going on and I felt it would be too loud to get our daughter to sleep. We thanked him for his efforts, and he said if we visited reception the next day there would be another room for us as people were checking out. He told us to pack up our things in the morning and then speak to reception and he would leave a note. I went to reception the next day to be met by another receptionist who basically laughed in my face and said no you wont get a new room, we will send maintenance. Maintenance replaced the tile that fell in the next day but the rest weren't changed. We had water dripping from the celing in the bathroom too. The wardrobe was broken, the clothes all had to go on the floor of the wardrobe as only a couple hangers and no other option. The bedsheets were all too small for the beds, so they never stayed in place.|Housekeeping came twice during our stay. We did ask reception for a 3rd visit but it didn't happen until later in the afternoon of our last day full day when we were getting ready for dinner and packing as we were checking out the next morning.|Food - it was on the whole good. Some things were better than others. There wasn't alot of choice for kids. The chicken nuggets were always cold and rock hard. A couple days there was pizza which was fine. The salad selection was vast. Hot food wasn't kept hot for long. The dessert selection was pretty much the same every day and unless you went to dinner early, you didn't have much chance to get anything other than ice cream.|I think this hotel received it's 4 stars a long time ago. I would be very surprised if they'd retain it now with a new inspection.|There is alot of hotels in this area, I don't think I would stay here again on...

The only plus of this hotel is the young guys serving the restaurant and bars.||What I didn't like. |1. Food. Fire the cook! I have an AI meal plan and for a whole week I didn't try anything that was even a little tasty. Tasteless, burnt, unsightly. How can you manage to spoil chicken - I can't understand. There was no variety. Poor. Breakfasts were the same. There were practically no pastries. And this is in Bulgaria - which is famous for its cuisine.Fruits are a separate minus. Hard nectarines and overripe watermelons, absolutely paper melon once a week.|2. Reception. The ladies are unfriendly, they talk reluctantly, if you approach the counter with a question - they don't pay attention to you. Questions are not answered. Checking in is a disaster and a pain. Instead of the required check-in at 3 p.m., you can wait until the evening. The answer to all questions is the same - the room is not ready and I don't know when it will be ready. If you arrived early in the morning, there is nowhere to change clothes and leave your things. The luggage room is small and does not close - no one watches it. Leaving suitcases there is dangerous - anyone can take them. Access to the luggage room is open to everyone.|3. Cleaning. There was none. During my week of stay, no one came into the room. Not even to change the towels and take out the trash. But on the day of departure (checkout at 12 noon!!) they entered my room WITHOUT KNOCKING TWICE. The first time around 10 am, the second time at 11. That beats me.|4. Room. There is mold along the wall in the shower and no water pressure. To understand how the air conditioner works, you probably have to be angry. Because in my room on the 6th floor, there was a box hanging on the wall with all the images erased. No remote controls. Just a box - it has two levers and a wheel. No one explained how to use it. The room is hot. Until I accidentally saw exactly the same box on the wall in the common corridor - and took a photo of it on my phone. There is not a single hanger in the closet. The clothes dryer on the balcony is broken.||Conclusion.|I'm not a picky tourist, and I chose what to eat from such food, and I'm not too surprised that the room was not cleaned. But the overall impression is that it is not 4 stars. And I will not choose this hotel again under any...

Excellent for the discount price, did not use spa so can't comment on that.|Responding to previous reviews:|Regular shuttles to the beach every 30 mins but its only a 10 min walk if you dont mind the incline and a few steps. |Three sets of ladders into the pool, a kids pool to the side. Plenty of room. |Fresh fruit and snacks, as well as ice cream, are available 8am-10pm. ||Now for my personal:|The bar shuts at 10pm. A bit early for my tastes, but fine if you're a daytime drinker I suppose.|The typical German tourist is the most common. Nothing personal, and as friends they are great. But the standard towels put out by 7pm the previous night is laughably their thing. And that happened this evening while I was still enjoying a full mixed grill for dinner. There are plenty of sun loungers, which makes it funnier. |Choice of shade under the trees or sunny loungers, with a 2:1 ratio of loungers to parasols. The trees smell great (its July). Only two tables though for poolside, I'm considering putting a towel on one for tomorrow (hehe). |Animation staff are fantastic. It's early season, but Toni was very spirited despite only a few of us joining in with her activities. Kids club is exactly how I remember it on Thomas Cook as a kid, same songs, foot tapping... it doesn't last long if you can't remember or don't like the energy, but if you've got kids or are a big kid who remembers it fondly, it's useful. The staff then take music requests from anyone nearby to keep the music going until 10. |Had completely raw chicken one dinner. Don't despair, honest mistake and the wait staff couldn't apologise enough. Chef didn't seem bothered: that's worrying. But the rest of the food has been a good selection of meats and veg most meals. The staff keep turning the toaster off in the morning, so you have actually have to press the button yourself. Seems petty, but I find that unusual, there's always a toaster on in the corner of the breakfast room everywhere I've ever stayed. |I'd continue this review, but the mini disco just started and I came second in the shuffleboard contest so I'm off to chat with the animation staff, who absolutely make this place somewhere worth returning to (I'm a big kid who is competitive, I join the games and...