Just arrived back from a 2 week holiday at Golden Sands, Hotel Royal. To describe the hotel in one word would be 'horrendous!'
I felt the staff treat the guests like cattle and have no respect. The food was like recycled meal after meal. The pool is mostly in the shade during the day so we had to spend a fortune on other pool bars and beach sunbeds. I have never written a review before but please guys, i wouldn't wish this place on my worst enemy! Choose another hotel there are plenty of great ones in golden sands.

I like Golden Sands, and I want to go back to Bulgaria again because the place, the people, and the food are very good! I stayed in hotel Admiral which is a 5-star hotel. It is a perfect place, just opposite the beach. The service is wonderful! When I arrived, I was surprised by the design, and the high standard of the hotel, not because it is something unspecific for Bulgaria, but because it was really a nice place, and I have travelled a lot. The people are very hospitable, too. The bars, discos and shops are open everyday, and display a big variety of products, cheap and of high quality. The town, Varna, which is near the resort (18 km), 30 min by bus, is beautiful, with a sea garden, very interesting orthodox cathedral, museums for example... the Archaeological museum with the oldest gold found on earth, not to mention the Ethnographical Museum with a pallet of customs and objects from the Revival period... For those who are interested in history, relaxation, and sport, this is the right place, with the right people and prices!

I stayed in Hotel Obzor, it was beautiful. The staff were welcoming and took luggage on arrival. The room was cleaned every day and the hotel itself was spotless. The buffet breakfast had a lot of choice and was nice but the only trouble with that was it finishes at 10 so you need to be there early and no one in our family are early risers so very disappointed to be getting up. Tea was the same standard but as my cousin and I are vegetarian we had just about the same every day but it was nice for everyone else. My parents said the meat was very salty though. It is cheap to eat and drink out. The Bulgarians aren't prepared for rain so if it chucks it down beware! I can't say anything about Balneotherapy as it flooded and was out of order. The lifts are very dangerous so avoid if you can, if you're not quick the doors shut while you are walking through and don't just open, like ours, when you step on the runway. There is a button inside though. The people in shops and stalls jump on you when you're looking. A taxi driver we had was extremely fast and dangerous so be careful which you choose. I recommend Aquapolis Water Park.

The Hotel Royal has Lovely new rooms, good showers, and massive king-size beds.
Staff are helpful, and 24Hr pool bar staff are happy to talk and are very polite,
It is a quiet location but close to everything,
The Inside pool is finished and very nice,
There is a Nice outside eating area.

Hotel Royal exceptionally clean, breakfast quite edible (buffet) staff made you feel really welcome.
Good location, lovely beaches and very cheap to eat and drink. We are going again this year.