Viva Mare Beach Hotel by Santa Marina

Before I write anything I must stress that I booked this hotel as part of a Jet2 holiday and not directly with the hotel. I would add that we visited in the last week of September 2024. The hotel web site indicates all the facilities available at the Viva Mare hotel, to include numerous sports, health spa, massage, a kiddies club etc, plus a number of restaurants and shops on site. The area was described as ‘vibrant’. NOTHING could be further from the truth. There was one restaurant open. There was one supervised pool open, the other 4 were open but unsupervised with zero pool facilities (food/drink etc closed) The shop by the reception was closed up. There was nothing relating to the hotel on the beach. No sauna, no massage and not one single sports facility open. The whole place was eerie, with a ‘dead’ feel to it. The town was just the same, I would say that it was 98% closed. There was one evening (25/09/2024) when we actually struggled to find ANY restaurant open for an evening meal. Even our rep' couldn’t find us anything to do. He actually advised us to catch buses to Burgas and Nessebar to find something to do. In other words, get out of Sozopol!! I mentioned that there was one restaurant open at the hotel and it was a proper horror. We simply had to use it on our final night (29/09/2024) as there was nothing open in the town. The restaurant was very quiet yet we received appalling service. There was a table full of Americans eating and the 2 available waiters (one was the manager) were fawning all over them. We really struggled to get served. We were EVENTUALLY served with two meals. Mine was fine but my wife’s was tiny. She’s a petite woman but this meal wouldn’t fill a child. We waited a full half hour to even get a desert menu and then the desert that we ordered was forgotten!! I had had enough and complained to the manager re the awful service, due entirely with his focus on the Americans. He was slightly taken aback, not by my complaint, but by the very fact that he had just noticed us - I honestly don’t think that he was aware that we were even there. We saw two young men enter the restaurant, sit down - ignored ignored ignored - and they simply got up and left. The manager did reduce our bill by 10% (which says it all really) but this was just the end to a rotten holiday that we didn’t need. This was not an end of season ‘holiday’ as per Spain, Portugal, Turkey etc, where a few things are closing down but that there are plenty of things to do - eat/drink/play etc, Sozopol and the Viva Mare hotel are DEAD and this was certainly not a ‘holiday’ we couldn’t wait to leave. We are not a couple of 25 year olds who would be better off at Sunny Beach, we are 67 year old Grandparents and this place bored us to tears. It was one rotten holiday. Please avoid.

Having visited between 20th & 27th September we stayed here as the Hotel & the Old Town was starting to close up for the Winter. 50% of the hotel's facilities were shut (Shop, Pizza Bar, Buffet dinner, Beach Bar). The food in the restaurant for breakfast & evenings was very good. The buffet evening option was replaced by the downstairs restaurant. The food was of the highest quality. The staff were very good. The rooms were huge. Clean. Unfortunately the main swimming pool was very cold. Most used the warmer Jaquzzi. Even though the hotel was very quiet it suited us perfectly. If you want everything they can offer, go earlier in the season.

We were so pleasantly surprised by the quality of this hotel. We booked a break with Jet2 and were on B&B which suited us. The room was excellent , clean, modern, fresh towels daily, toiletries replaced, lovely balcony to chill on. Breakfast was best when it was quiet but lots of choice and plenty of fresh fruit etc. The cherries were amazing. We spent time around each pool, renting towels so no need to pack them. The beach had sun beds which were free to guests. We ate in the main restaurant and the Italian pizza one, both were good but not exceptional. Service was professional but a bit hit and miss depending who was on duty. We liked the beach bar but it closed too early. Our only criticism was the over playing of loud music everywhere!!! We older people prefer peace on holiday. You can walk to Sozopol from the hotel and it is worth a visit but avoid the new part, very tacky. The old town is delightful and very interesting. I suspect we shall return if we want a week of rest and relaxation Thank you