Hotel Shipka

Worst holiday ever and I'm not a fussy traveller! Regretted wasting my money. A big group of loud obnoxious Bulgarian guests took over the pool area intimidating other guests and it was the management that lent them the speaker and encouraged them! They were then rude and unhelpful when I complained. There is nothing 4 star about this hotel. I've been in better 2 star hotels.

Honest rewiew-really bad experience,horrible customer servis,dining and cleaning
I don't suggest anyone to stay at Shipka hotel for a long period of time! We arrived at 9 am and asked if it is possible to check in early. The receptionist just simply answered "No you have to wait until 2 pm". The reservation system showed a lot of free rooms but nothing apropriate for us which make an impretion that the employes waiting for extra money.. you have to leave your luggage in unloced room behind the elevators. So we asked if we can go and have a breakfast because we orderd and payd for full board but the receptionist Tanya said no your dining program starts from diner. Imagine that we have been traveling since 2am and the hotel don't provide any food and beverages until evening...
we stayed here for 3 nights and lost breakfast , lunch for the first day and last day the same ..it is 8 meals. What is the point of paying for full board. The rooms are old, mattress uncomfortable and overused. The bathroom covered by mold! Por cleaning once per 3 days. The worst experience we have ever made with food which is not tasty and the variety of meals are
comparable with motel . Disgusting! We had to visit local restaurant nearby- excellent! I would recommend to organise the hotel staff especially the receptionist Tanya, she is really arrogant and her customer servis is on the lowest level. Don't book this hotel! It is not 4 star, maybe 2. Never again !

We arrived 3 hours late to the hotel because “Wizzair”.
Check in was fine.
The staff of Shipka Hotel were sullen.
Then we spent ½+ hour stuck in the lift, (about 4ftx4ft fits 8!) on the way to the room with 3 other people. Obviously we pressed the alarm button a few times (no answer), but it was our Hungarian co-prisoners banging on the door that started the rescue. Oh yes we were still infront of the reception, we had moved 1inch. The 3 lifts were taking turns to break all week.
The room was adequate. But don't look under the bed, not dust bunnies but dust bears!
The bathroom usually smelt ok but sometimes had the waft of bad drains/defecation for an hour or so. The cistern was constantly running. The shower/bath was slow to drain, but the plug was damaged and didn't work so the choice was a shower with foot bath or bath with constant top up.
The balcony that was overlooking the front of the hotel was ok. We had two garden chairs, one of which snapped as I pushed myself up from it (I'm only 110Kg). Because we were at the front we could hear all the music from the restaurants, even inside when the badly fitted door was shut. The balcony lights are on automatic so keep the curtains shut if you need an early night.
The two beds pushed together are huge but firm.
Varna is Southend on Sea/Brighton on steroids.
The hotel is 2 stars, maybe 3 on a good day. It says it's a four but they must be very small and done by the Bulgarian tourist board.
We stayed at a 3 star in turkey in June and that would run rings around Shipka Hotel.
Also there is a “gentlemans club” attached, and while sitting on the balcony we could see people (probably their staff) approaching single men and escorting them in that direction.

We had a couple of good days around the pool very relaxing with a cosmopolitan attendance.
Then the “Bulgarian group” arrived. (Yes we asked) Typical bullying, loud, obnoxious and that were the “adults”.
About 2 pm a 240w portable JBL Party speaker appeared and the head bully started playing his music extremely loudly. I am sick of macarena. This went on for 2 hours until someone complained.
The next day the same thing happened. My wife asked reception if they were Bulgarians and was asked “why does it matter”. He then got the head receptionist while smirking, she said that IT WAS THEIR SPEAKER, AND “THEY HAD ASKED POLITELY TO BORROW IT. IT WAS A BIG GROUP AND THEY WERE CELEBRATING. AND IT WAS ONLY FOR 10, 20MIN! ALSO IT IS A COMMUNITY AREA.”

Errrr exactly!?

Basically she brushed us off because they were Bulgarians and we are English. This put a real downer on our holiday.
The breakfast was ok but no variety from day to day.
If you get a room opposite the lift door be prepared for the constant ding, ding.
The fire doors were constantly held open by the fire extinguishers.

They say the tourist trade in Varna is suffering and I can understand why. Everything is pro Bulgaria and fxxk anyone else.
Will I go back… no.
Would I recommend Bulgaria…. Not on your nelly.
Go to Croatia instead.