We wanted to finish our self-guided tour of Bulgaria relaxing at the beach in September sunshine. Having checked out several hotels, we found them bigger and brasher than those we would normally choose and so booked a week in two different hotels to manage the risk.
The first was seven nights at the Aphrodite Beach Hotel in Nessebar on a breakfast only deal.
Room 214 was spacious with modern, lightwood furniture making it clean and bright. The bed comprised of two comfortable singles pushed together with individual duvet cases, with the actual duvets and a third pillow in the wardrobe. An easy chair looked as though it could be turned into a third bed. There were bedside cabinets, two charging points and lights and more electrical points in a good place near the desk. The room was well equipped with two chairs, a coffee table, safe, TV, empty fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, biscuits, bottled water and a small bottle of rosé. We didn’t expect the wine to be replaced, but not replenishing water on a daily basis was a miserly touch. Aphrodite beach bags with our beach towels were provided for our stay: it was not clear how beach towels were changed and we just kept ours.
The good-sized bathroom had a shower cubicle which leaked a little, but the water was hot and powerful. The only downside was the basin tap, which if not turned on very slowly, drenched you. Complimentary toiletries were in environmentally friendly large containers but there was plenty of space for our own. There was a good shaving mirror, and although the hairdryer was in the bedroom, it was next to a mirror.
Our balcony, with a side view of the Black Sea, had two chairs, a table and a drying rack for towels. Unfortunately as it never caught the sun, we rarely sat out.
The small unheated swimming pool (with a tiny children’s area attached) had lots of sunbeds around it, which were a little close together for my liking, but on the positive side, it was never very busy.
Like most of the nearby hotels, Aphrodite had beds and parasols on the public beach which were free for guests, and these tended to be more popular than the pool. Again, they were very close together, and for some reason, bean bags abounded despite being rarely used. A shady beach bar provided a break from the sun, along with drinks and snacks. In September, I found the water a little chilly, but we enjoyed beach walks, although one day found ourselves in the nudist area.
Breakfast, from 7.30am to 9.30am, was a splendid affair with lots of choice: four juices, two types of yoghurts, whole and cut fruit, cereals with lots of nuts and seeds to add, salads, savoury pastries and pies. Hot dishes included the ingredients for a full English but others which changed daily. To finish, there was a good bread and jam selection, lots of tiny pieces of cakes, and coffee machines.
We were slightly disappointed there was no actual evening bar, but the top part of the restaurant was less popular than the front conservatory, and staff were happy for us to drink there.
Unlike many others, we were on a breakfast only plan, and the menu for lunch and dinner was the same with a reasonable range of salads, grills, pizza, and standard international fare. The food was generally good, and well-priced with a litre of house white costing 17.99 Lev or just over £8. The restaurant staff were exceptional, and we quickly got to know the small team.
A small coffee shop with a bar opened during the day, but appeared to be rarely used, and its library of paperbacks were mainly in German.
After four weeks on the road, I wanted laundry done which was unusually charged at 15 Lev for a large bag, rather than priced individually. We handed it in at 3pm and it was ready the following day.
Our stay coincided with Bulgaria’s Independence Day on Sunday 22 September which appeared to be celebrated as a long weekend, and the hotel was busier than normal. Consequently, there was an evening singer, who continued for the rest of our stay.
One of our favourite things about the hotel was that it was only a 20-minute walk to the UNESCO-listed old town of Nessebar and we walked in most days, either for sightseeing, a drink or dinner (see separate review).
However, we were a little disappointed at the lack of restaurants/bars/supermarkets in closer proximity to the hotel, and as it was mid-September, some of them were closed with others closing after the Independence weekend.