Where to begin? From the outside the hotel looks very basic, but then so do a lot of hotels in the resort.Check in was a nightmare,only 1 member of staff on who spoke English but was rushed off her feet.We gave up & went into the resort for something to eat, came back 3 hours later & checked in straight away.After showering we went to the hotel next door where everyone eats in the buffet restaurant.The food was horrendous, there was no cutlery,we ate with only forks, & it was a real fight to get a table.The red & white wine was undrinkable & the only other drinks available were water or fruit juice!! After dinner we went back to the lobby bar in our hotel for a drink, which we sat outside with...until the bar ran out of Pepsi for our rum & offered us Vimto!!!! Time for bed!!!Breakfast wasn't much better food wise but at least it was warm (ish).We decided to go to the beach & had a lovely day, despite not being able to find the snack bar linked to the hotel (so we paid for our own lunch despite being all inclusive).On returning to the hotel, after showering, it was back to the 'bum fight' at the hotel next door for dinner....same food,same temperature, so we stuck to the salads which were okay!!Still a shortage of cutlery though.As we were leaving the following day we had an early night, but not before the Pepsi machine broke!!After breakfast we went to check out...my cousin was paying as a treat for my hub & I, because he had been staying at our house for a week.Reception announced that the credit card machine was broken...so off my cousin went to get the cash from an ATM 2 hotels away. That machine had no money,but the currency exchange said they would give him cash but he needed his passport...which was still behind reception in our hotel.So he arrives back to where his mum & I had been waiting, told us the story then went to reception to ask for his passport, explaining the situation.Then the manager appeared & they said they would get the machine from the hotel next door. By this time I was feeling rather angry & flustered...why couldn't they have done that in the first place. Whilst we were waiting someone else came to complain about something in their room!! Bill paid we left, but then I discovered that, although it says in the booking confirmation that parking is 'free'...it's not...it's cheaper than the daily rate..but not free!!!! Anyway, all in all, we had a good time but the company was what made it...we would NOT return to this hotel, not even if someone paid for a free visit!!!!Oh, and the wi-fi internet is only available a few metres from the computers in reception!
- Panorama Hotel Albena
