This hotel was perfect! Clean, tidy, non stop food and drink on offer. The staff were friendly and helpful at all times and loved the fact we were english as they wanted to practice our language.
There were 3 extremely clean pools with plenty of sun loungers we never once found ourselves without. One pool was dedicated to kids and families with activities all day and the reps were great fun and very friendly. The other two pools were quieter and also had a jacuzzi set in a rock pool which was lovely. There is alos an on site wellness spa offering a range of beauty treatments. An indoor pool is availiable should it rain.
The room was clean and spacious, fresh towles and linen everyday. Bathroom scrubbed daily too.
The food served was wonderful. Plenty to choose from even with fussy kids! There were always traditional bulgarian dishes on offer as well as a full range of other foods. The stewed cabbage was far more delicious than it sounds! The drinks were also all included and this included the branded spirits not just local ones which is unusual on All Inclusive. There were 2 bars open til 5am so plenty of time!
The beach is a 10 minute pleasant walk away. As ultra all inclusive you have free access to the hotel sun loungers on the beach. Thre is also a beach bar that is related to the hotel so that you can spend the day at the beach and still get your food and drinks all inclusive!!!
All in all we had a wonderful holiday and i will be going back with the kids in tow!!

Don't be confused with the 3* offering, this review is for the Ralitsa Superior.

This was a surpisingly good holiday experience in a country that is still developing their tourism.

This was a family holiday booked through Balkan Holidays (they were very good) in the UK for 2 adults and 2 young children.

You need to be aware the hotel is in the Albena resort and is government controlled so it is not as commercial as other resorts - prices in the shops are fixed - you wont get ripped off too much

The Good Points:
1. Travel to and from airport punctual and good
2. Hotel was refurbished recently and very clean
3. Family room was clean and a good size; everything worked
4. Hotel staff are generally helpful and do speak some English although speaking German or Russian would be advantageous
5. Ralitsa Superior Pool is very clean but get the towel on the sunbeds before the Romanians (even the Germans have competition!)
6. The Black Sea is a 5 minute walk away and the sandy beach is reasonably clean
7. Breakfast was good - a lot of choice - queue for pancakes.
8. Very few loutish tourists
9. Lush green surroundings.

The not so Good Points but can be worked around.
1. Bulgarian Airlines are awful. Seats, food, service...try and get a BA flight if possible.
2. The all inclusive meals are plentiful but bland. Canteen Service is also slap dash and sometimes surly. There is very little evidence of Bulgarian dishes available and we found the food rather tasteless. its ok for a few days and then you may think about venturing out. if you are looking for egg and chips, beans, donner kebabs, battered sausages then go to Magaluf. Outside the hotel, near the coast, there are tavernas and other mainstream mediterranean cuisines.
3. When at the bar, people queue orderly from left to right - which is wierd but amusing.
4. The resort is quiet so if you want to go clubbing this resort will not suit you

ANDY CLARKSON FROM HAMILTON/SCOTLAND
i'm just back from the ralitsa superior 4*(don't get this hotel mixed up with it's sister hotel ralitsa 3*)
if you stay at the 3* you need to pay extra for air-conditioning
pay a couple of pounds extra to stay at the 4*and air-con is free!

the family room we stayed in was the biggest i've stayed in on any holiday.
2 toilets,1 with bath and shower.2 balconies with great view

2 single beds where o-k,the fold down setee was not the comfiest(but we put on some extra blankets)and it wasjust like adding another matress, a lot more comfortable.
the food was o-k,plenty of choice.(i always feel it's difficult please everyone where food is concerned)my 2 kids didn't care for it two much though.

downside to hotel.

head barman in the lobby could have made more effort to smile.
my girls like to go on the computer(MSN)but hotel ran out of cards a few times later at night.
be up for 7.30 a-m to have your towels on the sun loungers
HA!HA!HA! the usual foreign tourists

if you try this hotel you will not be dissapointed