Review RIU Arabela Hotel - Golden Sands

By: Lee (July 24, 2006)
Hotel name: RIU Arabella ****
Hotel location: Golden Sands resort, Bulgaria
Comment: Resort was good, hotel was excellent! the food was always nice, rooms were huge! faclities were brilliant, activities couldn't be beaten with an amazing team of 4 who were always around the hotel from 9 in the morning 'till gone midnight 6 nights a week! they put on great games and make a great atmosphere, some of the entertainment acts brought in are so bad they're good!! the hotel itself is right in the middle of golden sands. close to the beach, the nightlife, the shops, the lot! although the hotel is about 75% german people it wasn't a problem as it makes all the brits come together and none of the germans take part in activities anyway!! 10 out of 10 recommend resort and hotel to anyone old or young!!!.
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By: Karen (August 6, 2005)
Hotel name: RIU Arabella ****
Hotel location: Golden Sands resort, Bulgaria
Comment: Just returned from the Arabella hotel, Golden sands. Excellent hotel. Staff so friendly/helpful. Room on the 5th floor overlooking sea/pool area. Fantastic views.Although located in middle of the nightlife/resort we were surprised that we were unaware of the noise around about us. Soundproofing in rooms fantastic, no disturbed sleep. Beach within 3 minutes walk from hotel. Plenty to do for children of all ages too. Only dissapointment was entertainment in hotel was poor and finished at 10.30pm. But plenty to do around about hotel. Excellent choice if you want to visit golden sands, Bulgaria. Definately worth its 4 stars! Room maids made "designs" out of the bedclothes and left a small sweet for the children making it exciting to return to the rooms. :-).
Would definately go back. Many german people at resort which often influenced the entertainment language. Worth a visit.
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By: Mrs Percy (July19, 2005)
Hotel name: RIU Arabella ****
Hotel location: Golden Sands resort, Bulgaria
Comment: food was okay..
Staf where very helpful all animated crew where fantastic.. mini club very good.. children where never bored.. german german germans every where there where 100 of them to 1 of us this is because there goverment pay for them to come here.. if is was to say id go again i would as long as the germans dwindeled out... very clean hotel... bulgaia is a great place ppl very friendly and very cheap to buy things bad flights home too late but apart from that exerlant holday....germans out there horible ppl so igorant...
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By: Mary Halley, Oslo (August 2003)
Hotel name: RIU Arabella ****
Hotel location: Golden Sands resort
Comment: Me and my best friend went to Bulgaria last summer, it was the best holiday we've ever had!!
We stayed at Hotel RIU Arabella, unbelievable view of the terrace, it was just amazing! I've been to so many European suthern resorts, but this view was just the best. The hotel was superb, it was definitely the money worth. Well, yes, I gotta admit it was kinda expensive, but it does not matter since people can go on holidays once a year, so if u do it, do it right.
More about the hotel - very very clean, extremely helpful staff, beautiful rooms, flawless maintenance. This year we are actually going there again, again in August since this is the best time to go:  its hot, the water is 26-27 Degrees, the sand is so hot that u cant walk, full of people, parties and great fun! The beaches are just the best you can find in Southern Europe. Compared to Greece or France, beaches in Bulgaria are long (not like in Cannes, where they had to import sand from Africa to make the beaches!), golden sand, soft and clean. Popel offer u 1,000 things on the beach, so u dont have to ecven move and u'll get everything u need. Kinda expesive it is if u dont bargain! In Bulgria u just have to bargain, those people are sly :) But very very friendly, and always available for u. The people are great, I mean, we are young, but we had so much fun! he discos are very nice, Malibu, Bonkers, Jamaica and co., marvellous Bulgarian food (we got sick of our schrimps here at home!) :) I would definitely recommend the resort!!! We're going again, and I think from now on Golden Sands and this hotel will be our destination.
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By: Claire Roy - Reading (Summer 2004)
Hotel name: RUI Arabella ****
Hotel location: Golden Sands resort
Comment: Returned yesterday (on an awful night flight) from a good weeks all inclusive stay at the Arabella. The hotel was wonderful - excellent facilities (pools, bar, restaurants, turkish bath, sauna, indoor pool.)It is close to the fantastic beach, down a few steps and accross the road (we liked this as it meant we were more private than several other hotels). The staff were polite and incredibly helpful and attentive. Our family room was huge - a very large bed with bathroom & access to balcony and the children's room (usually a sitting room) was large with a double sofa bed and a camp bed (perfectly adequate for a young child) the toilet was separate - access through our lobby between rooms. My parents and sister came and had a room for 3 - slightly smaller and their bathroom was clean but had an odour. Food was very good - plenty of variety. Many other nationalities in the hotel (German, Belgian, French) we brits were in the minority but that wan't a problem unless you weren't prepared to get up early to catch a spot by the pool. Towels etc. are not meant to be used to reserve beds by the pools but it was inevitable! One morning the hotel staff scooped them all up and took them away..excellent!! The entertainment was varied - probably suits most tastes - excellent sketch show by the staff - very witty! Entertainment staff worked hard and were welcoming (did aquagym, french boules, darts, water polo & the children went to the mini club occasionally) We did not rate the excursion to the forest for a nights entertainment - tacky and repetetive. We enjoyed the local folk dancing (drums etc althought the singing is unusual to say the least!)and the circus style hula hoop act - otherwise unless you want to look at several Las Vegas style (although not anywhere near as good) dancers it may not be the best option! Took a trip to Varna (shopping) and spent a long time in the cathedral which is beautiful and different from our own churches. Shopping was interesting though, yes the things were cheap but all the shops sold the same things - clothes usually sized for 15-21 / counterfeit bags etc cheap sunglasses (again copy!) beachwear etc. Had fun though. Bulgaria is extremely cheap. It is interesting and different from the ususal western European holiday resorts, for us it made a huge difference staying in a 4 * hotel - it was great.
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