MARINA PALACE

Can you smoke on your balcony in the hotel

Been back a week, sadly, and finally writing my review. This was our first time here and certainly won’t be our last. We stayed in the wonderful Marina Palace Hotel in Nessebar and couldn’t have picked a better place. Where to start …. The hotel was immaculate and had the most amazing views from the rooftop bar, sun-decking and pool area. From the side they overlook The Old Town From daytime to night-time views I never tired of this - and miss it so much. From the back of the pool area it overlooked the sea and a small beach - beautiful. The pool itself is quite small. We tended to be out for most of the day and so just headed up there around 4ish. The pool at this time was never overly busy. Although most sunbeds were taken around the pool there were still plenty available on the upper sunbathing terraces - shade or not. Our room (420) was a deluxe side sea view with the balcony facing another hotel block unfortunately- not the best of views but looking down to the left you could see the sea. The room was very spacious with balcony, kettle, coffee maker, small fridge, iron and ironing board and a safe. Thank you to our housekeeper Lobiana who did an excellent job. This was our first time staying all-inclusive and could not fault the food at all. Breakfast, lunch and dinner all offered up so much choice. Each night had a different theme which allowed you to sample a variety of different food throughout the stay. Thanks to the chefs. The waiting staff were friendly, very attentive and plates cleared away quickly. A shout-out to the Food and Beverage Manager ( didn’t catch her name but she was Russian) who did an excellent job with a great team. Thank you Ivans for your lovely smile every day. Because we stayed more than 5 nights we were entitled to an A la Carte meal on the rooftop bar. This was exceptional Talking of the rooftop bar we spent most evenings up here later on. Luca was a credit to the team. I can’t comment on the entertainment provided (nightly at 9pm) as we tended to go for a walk after dinner and it was just finishing when we got back. The reception staff were equally as friendly but I did not need to have many dealings with them. Alex was especially helpful when we were enquiring about the local bus to Burgas. When checking out (morning of 4th August) the receptionist (not sure of her name) - very smiley - couldn’t have been more pleasant. The hotel location is fabulous. A short stroll into the Old Town which is truly beautiful. Also very nice to walk round the outside. We caught a beautiful sunrise just up from the harbour on the left hand side. Worth getting up early for. There is a small beach just at the back of the hotel and a much bigger one a further 5/10 minute walk away. This was very busy but got a bit quieter the further up you went. There’s a bus stop just across the road from the hotel where you can catch the bus to Burgas - well worth a visit especially the Sea Wall Garden and Sand Sculptures. We took the bus another day to Sozepol - again you catch the bus to Burgas then change here. Sozepol was another beautiful seaside town definitely worth a visit. The only bad thing about our holiday is that we were there for just 7 nights. Wish we could have stayed longer…… Thank you so much for beautiful memories.

The hotel itself is modern, spotlessly clean, and in an excellent location. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated, comfortable, and are one of the highlights of the stay. Unfortunately, the all-inclusive package falls well below the standard you would expect from a hotel of this quality. The food was the biggest disappointment. Although there was a reasonable selection, much of it was very bland and lacked flavour. The live cooking stations for omelettes and pasta were extremely slow, with no clear queuing or ordering system, resulting in long waits. Breakfast was also inconsistent, particularly with the freshly squeezed orange juice. Depending on which member of staff you asked, it was either available or you were told it had run out. The all-inclusive drinks package was equally disappointing. The only beer included was Tuborg, which I found to be very gassy. The local spirits (gin, rum and vodka) were of poor quality, and the cocktails were let down by the use of diluted post-mix style fruit juices rather than proper fruit juice. Even using carton juice would have made a noticeable difference. Most of the drinks that were enjoyable or made with better-quality ingredients came with an additional charge, which defeated the purpose of paying for an all-inclusive package. Overall, the hotel has a lot going for it—excellent location, beautiful rooms and high standards of cleanliness—but the all-inclusive food and drinks experience was a significant let-down. With improvements to the quality of the food, organisation of the live cooking stations, and a better standard of drinks included in the package, this could be an excellent hotel. As it stands, I would return to the hotel, but not on an all-inclusive basis.