If you’re booking a Black Sea holiday, there’s one absolutely crucial thing you need to know from the start. Bulgaria all inclusive holidays aren’t a single thing but four different tiers, and the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive option is enormous. Often you only find this out on the spot, when the bar refuses to pour you anything other than a local, syrupy soft drink.
Since 1 January 2026, Bulgaria has officially adopted the euro, which has made price comparisons far easier for tourists. You no longer have to fiddle around converting leva — you just glance at the price list and immediately know where you stand. On top of that, the country remains one of the most affordable destinations in Europe, despite steadily improving hotel services.
Scrolling through hundreds of reviews on Booking and travel forums, one thing is crystal clear: the key to a great holiday is choosing the right resort and hotel based on exactly who you’re travelling with. Families with toddlers will appreciate the shallow beaches in Albena, teenagers will love the giant waterparks in Sunny Beach, and couples should look for peace and quiet in boutique hotels. And that’s exactly what we’ve done for you. Here are 22 resorts that guests simply can’t stop praising in their reviews.
TL;DR
- There are 4 catering tiers: From the stripped-down “Light” to the generous “Ultra”, which even includes branded spirits and food throughout the day.
- Beach loungers usually aren’t included: The beaches are run by concessionaires, so you’ll normally pay extra for a parasol by the sea — only the poolside ones are free.
- Watch out for tricks in the names: If a hotel has “Free Beach” in its name, it paradoxically means that most of the others charge for the beach.
- Waterparks are often extra: Even if the slides are right there in the hotel grounds, the basic all inclusive package often doesn’t cover them.
- Adults only doesn’t always mean quiet: In Bulgaria you’ll find adults-only hotels that operate as loud party oases for young people.
- September is a bargain: If you can travel outside the main summer holidays, hotel prices drop by 30 to 40%.
- How much it costs: A week off-season starts at roughly €245 per person, while luxury resorts run to around €1,050.
- When the season starts: The official beach season with lifeguards runs from exactly 1 June to 30 September.
| You’re travelling… | Our resort pick | Location | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| :— | :— | :— | :— |
| With small children | Hotel Gergana | Albena | 8.7/10 (Ultra AI) |
| For the water slides | Aqua Paradise Resort & Aqua Park | Nesebar | 9.3/10 (AI) |
| As a couple, for peace | Hotel Marina Palace | Nesebar | 9.2/10 (Adults Only) |
| For absolute luxury | Astor Garden Hotel | St. Constantine and Helena | 9.4/10 (Premium) |
| For the best price | Hotel Continental | Golden Sands | 9.4/10 (Budget AI) |
What all inclusive means in Bulgaria: four tiers
A lot of people assume all inclusive is the same everywhere, just like in Turkey or the Caribbean. In Bulgaria it really doesn’t work that way, and you’ll find that out before you’ve even unpacked your suitcase. Here the offer is strictly divided into four categories, which decide whether you’ll be served premium gin or just coloured water from a machine.
| Tier | What you actually get in the price |
|---|---|
| :— | :— |
| All Inclusive Light | Just the main meals and dispensed local drinks within a narrow time window. Outside breakfast, lunch and dinner times, you get nothing. |
| All Inclusive | The classic standard. Breakfast, lunch and dinner as a buffet, plus drinks during the bars’ opening hours. Usually local production. |
| All Inclusive Plus / Premium | A wider drinks selection, generous snacks between the main meals, and often one free dinner in an à la carte restaurant. |
| Ultra All Inclusive | Includes branded imported alcohol, à la carte restaurants in the price, and snacks available even outside the main set times. |
In reviews on travel portals, guests at the cheaper hotels very often complain about so-called “fountain drinks” — cheap, tasteless dispensed beverages. If you want to treat yourself to a decent cocktail on holiday, you need to look for hotels labelled Ultra All Inclusive, as they’re the only ones that guarantee imported alcohol.
There are also complete exceptions on the market, such as the “24 Hours Ultra All Inclusive” option, offered by a handful of premium resorts with round-the-clock bar service. Another interesting speciality is the resort of Albena with its “dine around” programme, which lets you pop over for dinner at other hotels’ restaurants within the same resort during a longer stay.
What is NOT included (and people expect it)
The most common disappointment stems from confusing what a hotel has on offer with what’s actually included in the price. It’s absolutely standard along the Bulgarian coast that beach loungers and parasols are charged separately. The beaches don’t belong to the hotels — they’re managed by private concessionaires who set their own prices.
In 2026, prices for beach service range from €0.60 per item north of Burgas up to €6 in Golden Sands. On the popular Sunny Beach you’ll pay over €5 for a single lounger. If your hotel says the poolside loungers are free, that definitely doesn’t mean the same applies at the sea.
Fortunately, Bulgaria has a law requiring that at least 50% of the beach area must remain a free zone. So you can happily spread out your own blanket or towel for free, even right in front of the most luxurious five-star hotel.
The second big catch is hotel waterparks. Even if you see huge slides right there in the hotel’s photos, entry to the waterpark is often for a hefty surcharge. To be on the safe side, look for hotels that have the magic words “Free Aquapark” or “Free Beach” right in their official name.
For families with small children
Travelling with small children up to age six calls for specific conditions, above all a very gentle entry into the sea and calmer surroundings without night-time discos. In this category, resorts like Albena stand out, as do smaller towns such as Kranevo, where the beaches are wide and sandy and the water stays shallow for a long way out. Parents simply can’t stop praising the following hotels in their reviews.
1. Sunny Castle Hotel – All Inclusive, Beach and Free parking
You’ll find this very pleasant Sunny Castle Hotel in the quiet resort of Kranevo, strategically set between the busier Golden Sands and peaceful Albena. On Booking it boasts a brilliant 9.2 rating from more than 500 reviews. From off-season prices of €133 a night, you get accommodation that’s just a few steps from the beach.
What parents praise most here is the intimate atmosphere and the seasonal pool, where there’s no scramble for loungers. A huge bonus for anyone travelling in their own car or a rental is the safe, completely free parking. It’s an ideal spot if you’re after relaxation without noisy entertainment programmes.
💡 Tip: Kranevo has a gorgeous, wide and very long beach, along which you can take a calm stroll with a pram all the way to neighbouring Albena.
👉 Check current price and availability
2. Hotel Gergana – Ultra All Inclusive
If you want the best swimming in all of Bulgaria for your toddler, head to Albena. Hotel Gergana offers full-fledged Ultra All Inclusive, meaning quality food and drink all day long, at prices starting from €127 outside the peak. A rating of 8.7 from nearly 300 reviews shows how satisfied guests are.
The hotel sits right on the beach and, on top of that, borders the beautiful Baltata nature reserve. Albena in particular is renowned for having by far the most gradual entry into the sea on the whole coast, so small children can splash about safely in the shallows.
💡 Tip: Most of the Albena resort is closed to regular car traffic in high season, which makes it an incredibly safe zone for children running around.
👉 Check current price and availability
3. Selena Beach Family Hotel – All Inclusive Light
This hugely popular Selena Beach Family Hotel lies in the historic town of Sozopol, just 50 metres from the beloved Bamboo beach. With a fantastic rating of 9.4 from over a thousand reviews, it’s one of the most popular family choices, especially thanks to its friendly off-season price from €67 a night. Parents here love the well-equipped playground and the safe children’s pool.
But you have to be very careful about one key thing that guests often overlook. The hotel offers catering in the All Inclusive LIGHT format, which means you get excellent main meals with drinks to go with them, but don’t count on an unlimited supply of cocktails and ice cream all afternoon.
💡 Tip: Sozopol has a gorgeous historic centre full of wooden houses, where you can nip off for an afternoon stroll when you get bored of sitting by the pool.
👉 Check current price and availability
4. Perla Plaza Hotel – All Inclusive
A long-standing favourite in Primorsko, a spot travellers have been happily returning to for decades. The Perla Plaza Hotel has an excellent 9.1 rating from 340 reviews, and off-season you’ll stay here from roughly €117. It offers classic and very honest all inclusive catering that guests hardly ever complain about in reviews.
The beautiful North Beach is just a four-minute walk away, which you’ll definitely appreciate with small children and bags full of beach toys. On top of that, the hotel grounds are surrounded by a well-kept garden with a seasonal pool, providing much-needed shade during hot afternoons.
💡 Tip: Primorsko is generally cheaper than the northern resorts and it’s a family-friendly, laid-back town — great for kids who make friends easily on the playground.
👉 Check current price and availability
5. Paraiso Beach – All Inclusive
You’ll find this superbly rated Paraiso Beach hotel (9.1 from 250 reviews) in the resort of Obzor. It stands in the front row right by the beach, so you can get from your room to the sea in about a minute. Off-season prices start from €118 a night, while in July and August you’ll need to allow for a marked increase.
For families with children there’s one absolutely key draw here: professional kids’ entertainment and a huge indoor play area. You’ll appreciate the indoor spaces for children the moment the weather turns or it gets too hot to be outside around midday.
💡 Tip: Obzor lies exactly halfway between Varna and Burgas and has a long, fairly quiet sandy beach that doesn’t suffer the same overcrowding as the giant resorts nearby.
👉 Check current price and availability
For families with older children and teenagers
When you head to the sea with a ten-year-old or a bored teenager, shallow water and a bucket for sand no longer interest anyone. At this age, what matters is water slides, huge pools and a constant supply of fun. This is where the big hotel complexes in Sunny Beach and Nesebar come into play, competing to see who can build the bigger waterpark.
6. Aqua Paradise Resort & Aqua Park
The absolute best pick for families with older children lies near historic Nesebar. Aqua Paradise Resort, with a fantastic rating of 9.3 from more than 500 reviews, ranks among the very best you can book in Bulgaria. Prices start at €162 a night, which is a very fair offer for a complex with this kind of facilities.
The biggest draw is, of course, the huge waterpark located right on the grounds, which hotel guests can access for free. Your kids will keep busy for whole days on dozens of slides and flumes, while you make use of the classic all inclusive services.
💡 Tip: The historic UNESCO centre of Nesebar is just a short taxi ride away, an ideal lifesaver for an early-evening outing.
👉 Check current price and availability
7. SOL by Meliá Luna Bay Resort – All Inclusive
This massive SOL by Meliá Luna Bay Resort in Obzor holds a brilliant 9.3 rating from more than 600 reviews, and off-peak you can stay here from €120. For teenagers there’s a dedicated waterpark, which is completely free for guests, plus a system of indoor and outdoor pools.
Reviewers on Booking constantly highlight the professional entertainment programmes and stunning gala evenings, which keep older children and adults alike entertained. Unlike at many other hotels, the evening entertainment here doesn’t feel cringeworthy — it’s genuinely high quality.
💡 Tip: The Meliá brand has long prided itself on a high standard of dining, so even in standard all inclusive mode you can expect above-average buffet quality.
👉 Check current price and availability
8. SH Dolce Vita – All Inclusive – Free Aquapark & Beach
This giant SH Dolce Vita complex in Golden Sands is one of the most thoroughly reviewed hotels in the country, as proven by more than 1,500 reviews with a solid average of 8.7. The price from €113 is very attractive given the services on offer. As the name suggests, you’ll find everything in one place here.
This hotel is brilliant in that, as one of the few, it offers not only its own waterpark for free but also a private beach with loungers included. That saves you the unpleasant daily payments to the concessionaires by the sea, which can add up nastily on a family budget.
💡 Tip: Golden Sands is set in a hilly nature park, so the hotel’s surroundings are beautifully green, but bear in mind you’ll sometimes be heading downhill to the sea.
👉 Check current price and availability
9. Hotel & SPA Diamant Residence – All Inclusive
A very popular hotel, Diamant Residence sits on the edge of bustling Sunny Beach and boasts a 9.1 rating from an impressive 919 reviews. With off-season prices from €89, it’s one of the most affordable quality complexes for older children. You do have to walk about 450 metres to the beach, but the hotel makes up for it with its facilities.
According to guest feedback, there’s an absolutely exceptional entertainment team here, capable of getting even the grumpiest teenagers involved. A huge central pool forms the heart of the whole resort, with something always going on around it.
💡 Tip: Sunny Beach is the largest and noisiest resort in Bulgaria, but this hotel lies on its outer edge, so you’ll have peace and quiet for sleeping at night.
👉 Check current price and availability
10. Topola Skies Resort & Aquapark
This Topola Skies Resort complex lies well away from the classic mass-tourism resorts, in the small village of Topola between Balchik and Kavarna. With a rating of 8.8 from 900 reviews and a price from €147, it offers a completely different experience from the hotels in the south. The resort stands high on a cliff with a breathtaking view of the sea.
Within the sprawling grounds you’ll find an extensive waterpark of its own, an excellent spa centre and even the option of golf. It’s an absolutely ideal retreat for families who want top-notch attractions for the kids but dread the overcrowded promenades full of stalls and discos.
💡 Tip: Given its remote clifftop location, this hotel is the best choice for travellers planning to hire a car and who don’t want to spend every day just lying on the beach.
👉 Check current price and availability
For couples and adults: adults only and quiet resorts
The “Adults Only” concept is still a real rarity in Bulgaria, and along the entire coast you’ll find only a handful of such hotels. And most importantly, you have to be extremely careful about what you’re buying. Adults-only in Bulgaria doesn’t automatically mean quiet romance. A great real-life example is the popular Sunny Beach Club – Adults Only, which may not let children in but operates as a loud party oasis for Gen Z, with music until dawn and crowds of teenagers. If you’re after peace and quiet, choose carefully from the following tried-and-tested spots.
11. Hotel Marina Palace, Affiliated by Meliá (Adults Only & All Inclusive)
This renovated Marina Palace hotel in Nesebar is, according to the reviews, the very best choice for couples seeking real peace and quiet. With a rating of 9.2 from more than 400 guests and a price tag starting at €194, it promises a premium experience. It has an adults-only policy and stands just 50 metres from the sea.
In their reviews, people rave about the designer rooms after the recent renovation and the fantastic rooftop pool, which offers a gorgeous view of the sea and the old town. This isn’t a place for wild parties but a retreat for adults who want to unwind from a year’s stress over a glass of wine.
💡 Tip: If you’re looking for romance on the Black Sea, historic Nesebar with its cobbled lanes and wooden houses is the best possible backdrop.
👉 Check current price and availability
12. Bilyana Beach Hotel – Adults Only
Another gem in Nesebar, the Bilyana Beach Hotel is intended exclusively for adult guests and holds a brilliant score of 9.2 from 217 reviews. Off-season prices start at roughly €211 a night. The hotel lies right on the beach and has its own separate access to it, ensuring you maximum privacy.
Guests praise the combination of an indoor and outdoor pool as well as the fitness centre, which is included in the price. The biggest asset, though, is the atmosphere. Quiet, refined, the staff know you by name, and the evenings drift by slowly with a view of the waves and a glass in hand.
💡 Tip: Thanks to the quality indoor pool and spa facilities, this hotel is a great choice even for early June or late September, when the sea might not yet be fully warmed up.
👉 Check current price and availability
13. HVD Club Bor Ultra All Inclusive – Private Beach & Free Parking
Although the HVD Club Bor hotel doesn’t carry the official adults-only label, it functions as an absolutely peaceful enclave in the middle of the noisiest resort in the country. Located in Sunny Beach, it has a superb 9.2 rating from just under 300 reviews and prices from €159. For that money you get Ultra All Inclusive right away.
It’s more of a boutique hotel, offering its own private beach and guaranteed parking, which is a huge luxury on overcrowded Sunny Beach. According to guests, people come here for the exceptional food and premium alcohol, available to you all day long.
💡 Tip: The HVD brand is among the absolute top for dining in Bulgaria, so if you enjoy discovering new flavours at generous buffets, you won’t go wrong here.
👉 Check current price and availability
14. Rome Palace Deluxe – All Inclusive Premium
This palatial Rome Palace Deluxe hotel in Sunny Beach, with a rating of 9.2 from more than 600 reviews, offers an upgraded Premium catering programme. You can book a room here off-peak from around €200 a night. It’s located in the eastern, considerably quieter part of the resort.
The hotel is about a 15-minute pleasant walk from the busy centre. For couples it’s an ideal compromise: by day you get complete peace by the pool with premium drinks, and when you fancy some lively nightlife in the evening, you can stroll into the centre on foot.
💡 Tip: Premium catering here means you have significantly better snacks available between the main meals than at ordinary hotels, including excellent coffee and desserts.
👉 Check current price and availability
Luxury and premium ultra all inclusive
If you want a standard comparable to five-star resorts in Western Europe and compromises aren’t for you, we’re in the world of Ultra All Inclusive — and the price tag reflects it. In these resorts, branded imported alcohol, top-notch design and perfect beach service are absolutely standard.
15. Astor Garden Hotel
The Astor Garden hotel is an absolute institution. It lies in the oldest and greenest resort, St. Constantine and Helena, near Varna. It has earned a phenomenal 9.4 rating from more than 1,600 reviews, and prices here start at €204. This is a place you come to for perfect relaxation.
It also ranks among the elite TOP 10 best spa hotels in all of Bulgaria. The resort is famous for its healing thermal springs and is two classes quieter and more refined than neighbouring Golden Sands. The food and services here are genuinely at an exceptional level, and the staff look after you as if you were the only guests in the hotel.
💡 Tip: If you’re looking for luxury combined with genuine rest and wellness care, this is currently the best the Bulgarian coast has to offer.
👉 Check current price and availability
16. Effect Algara Beach Resort – Ultra All Inclusive
In the quiet town of Kranevo lies this huge Effect Algara Beach Resort complex, with a rating of 9.3 from nearly 1,800 reviews. The grounds stretch across an impressive 85,000 square metres and offer a top-class Ultra All Inclusive programme. The hotel boasts a huge park that reaches all the way to the sea.
There’s one huge plus for guests here that’s definitely not common in Bulgaria. The hotel has its own extensive private beach where the loungers and parasols are completely free. Add imported premium drinks all day long and free parking, and you have a carefree oasis of luxury.
💡 Tip: The Effect brand is known for its beautifully landscaped gardens, so you’ll feel more like you’re in a vast botanical park than at a classic hotel.
👉 Check current price and availability
17. Aquamarine – Beach & SPA Hotel
This newer gem in Kranevo, the Aquamarine hotel, holds the highest possible score among large hotels in the country — an incredible 9.6 from more than 500 reviews. Off-season you’ll pay from €219 a night here. The wide, sandy beach is exactly a two-minute leisurely walk from the entrance.
In their reviews, guests don’t hold back on the superlatives, especially about the incredibly clean spa centre and the professional staff who remember your favourite morning drink. It’s pricier, but an absolutely flawless choice for the most demanding travellers.
💡 Tip: Kranevo is overall a very quiet resort, so even if you’re staying at such a large and luxurious complex, you won’t be disturbed at night by any thumping bass from nearby discos.
👉 Check current price and availability
18. Astoria by Astoria Collection – All Inclusive
This top-class Astoria by Astoria Collection hotel in Golden Sands holds a strong 9.1 rating from more than a thousand reviews. From off-season prices of €183, you get access to a private beach club. It’s a huge, modern and architecturally very well-designed building.
What fundamentally sets this hotel apart from the competition is the standard of dining. In the price of the basic package you actually get free access to an Italian and a Bulgarian à la carte restaurant, which usually comes with a hefty surcharge at ordinary hotels. So you can swap the buffet queues for proper served dinners.
💡 Tip: This hotel’s private beach club is among the best-rated in all of Golden Sands, with perfectly clean sand and comfortable mattresses on the loungers.
👉 Check current price and availability
Cheap all inclusive with good ratings
Bulgaria is renowned for the fact that you can get a holiday here for a fraction of the price compared to Western destinations. The trouble is that the cheapest hotels often suffer from awful food and poor hygiene. Finding a clean, decent hotel for under €80 a night for two is an art, but according to guest reviews it’s still possible. These four hotels prove that even on a limited budget you can have a lovely holiday.
19. Hotel Continental
This unassuming Hotel Continental in Golden Sands is the absolute winner for value for money in all of Bulgaria. With a fantastic 9.4 rating from an incredible 3,076 reviews and a price from €71 a night, it has no rival. It has the highest score of all the hotels that have crossed the thousand-review mark.
You won’t find it right on the beach — it’s about a 9-minute pleasant walk to the centre and the sea — but that’s precisely why it keeps its prices so low. The hotel is renowned for perfect cleanliness and even offers special rooms for allergy sufferers. The buffets may not wow you with luxury prawns, but the food is always fresh and tasty.
💡 Tip: The short walk to the sea pays off handsomely, because with the money you save you get services on a par with much pricier competitors right on the beachfront.
👉 Check current price and availability
20. Madara Park Hotel – All Inclusive
Another very budget-friendly choice in Golden Sands. The Madara Park Hotel, with a rating of 8.3 from more than 2,500 reviews and a price tag starting at just €63, offers classic, honest all inclusive. The hotel’s main appeal is what guests call “peace and greenery in the heart of the resort”.
It’s surrounded by mature trees, which provide gorgeous natural shade and an escape from the summer heat. The services here are absolutely basic — don’t expect any luxury — but the rooms are clean, the staff smile, and there’s always plenty of room in the pool for everyone.
💡 Tip: Golden Sands is known for its hilly terrain, so you’ll head downhill to the sea and work up a bit of a sweat on the way back to the hotel, which is common at the cheaper hotels in this resort.
👉 Check current price and availability
21. Arena Mar Hotel and SPA
This large Arena Mar hotel in Golden Sands has been rated by almost 1,500 people with an average score of 8.4. The off-season price starts at an unbelievable €55. For such a cheap hotel, it offers surprisingly good facilities for when the weather turns bad.
Inside you’ll find a very decent heated indoor pool and several saunas, which are accessible to guests. That makes it well worth booking this hotel even for early May or late September, when outdoor swimming would still be for the hardy few.
💡 Tip: At very cheap all inclusive hotels, expect the alcoholic drinks to be local production only, and the coffee is often from powdered-mix machines.
👉 Check current price and availability
22. Ahilea Hotel – Free Pool Access
The very cheapest decently rated all inclusive hotel in our selection can be found in the town of Balchik. The Ahilea Hotel, with a rating of 8.1 from more than 300 reviews and an extremely low price from €40 a night, is an ideal choice for undemanding travellers. The name “Free Pool Access” makes it clear that the pool is included.
Balchik is a very distinctive, quiet and hilly little town dominated by the gorgeous palace of the Romanian Queen Marie, surrounded by a botanical garden. Don’t expect any endless sandy dunes here, but rather smaller beaches and cliffs. It’s a calm alternative to the overcrowded resorts in the south.
💡 Tip: If you’re on a strict budget, Balchik is generally very cheap even in the local shops and taverns outside the hotel.
👉 Check current price and availability
How much all inclusive in Bulgaria costs
The answer to the money question is far more pleasant than for most European destinations. Bulgaria has long been the cheapest country in the EU when it comes to hotels and restaurants. Prices are roughly half the European average, which in practice means that for the price of an average room-only night in Croatia you get a decent all inclusive for two here. The introduction of the euro in 2026 has made everything more transparent, but the country still keeps a huge price gap from overpriced Croatia or Greece.
The prices given are approximate for high season in July and August. If you set off in September, prices drop by 30 to 40%.
| Accommodation type and budget | Price per night (2 people) | Week for a couple | Week for a family (2+2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| :— | :— | :— | :— |
| Budget (cheaper 3–4-star hotels) | €70 – 90 | €490 – 630 | €750 – 950 |
| Happy medium (quality 4-star) | €120 – 160 | €840 – 1,120 | €1,300 – 1,700 |
| Luxury and Ultra AI (top 5-star) | €220 – 300 | €1,540 – 2,100 | €2,400 – 3,200 |
While in Greece you’ll happily fork out €140 for an ordinary three-star room without meals in season, in Bulgaria the same money will often get you a very decent all inclusive for two right by the sea. For families with children, it’s currently the most sensible choice for not spending your whole holiday counting every euro spent on ice cream.
Is all inclusive even worth it?
This is a question travellers on forums debate endlessly. When you honestly add up the costs, you discover something interesting. A week of all inclusive works out at an average of €245 to €1,050 per person. If instead you take a nice apartment at the peak of the season (roughly €55–80 a night) and eat exclusively at local mehanas (traditional restaurants), you’ll pay roughly €15 to €30 per person a day for food.
For families with children and anyone who just wants to switch off by the pool, all inclusive is the obvious choice. You don’t have to worry about where to have lunch, and the soft drinks flow all day. On the other hand, for a couple who want to travel around every day, explore the surroundings and taste local food in the taverns, full board hardly pays off, because you’ll simply miss most of the lunches you’ve paid for.
And if you’re worried you’ll be stuck with nothing but heavy meals, don’t be. Bulgarian hotel buffets are famous for the fact that fresh vegetables, cheeses and salads are always available in huge quantities. You’ll commonly come across the traditional shopska salad with Balkan cheese, the refreshing cold tarator soup made from yoghurt and cucumber, layered savoury banitsa or the vegetable dish mish-mash. And for meat lovers, the local classics are grilled kebapche and kyufte patties, whose aroma wafts far and wide from the buffet grills.
When to book and when to go
If you want the best family hotels with waterparks, you have to book well in advance. The most popular resorts are usually sold out for July and August as early as February. The official beach season itself, when lifeguards are on duty, runs from exactly 1 June to 30 September.
Sea temperatures in Bulgaria are a bit deceptive. In June the water is still fairly refreshing (around 20.5 °C), and it’s warmest, as usual, in August (25–26 °C). The absolute secret tip, though, is to travel in September. The September sea, at 22–23 °C, is warmer than in June, the resorts are beautifully empty, and hotel prices are a third cheaper than during the summer holidays.
Where to next
- Holidays in Bulgaria: 30 most beautiful places
- Prices in Bulgaria after switching to the euro
- Sunny Beach: 15 tips and what to watch out for
- What to pack for a holiday in Bulgaria
- Where to go on holiday in September
Frequently asked questions
What is ultra all inclusive?
It’s the highest level of board. The key difference compared to standard all inclusive is that branded imported alcohol is included in the price, you can dine in specialized à la carte restaurants, and food and drinks are available outside the main designated times.
Are beach sunbeds included in the price?
In the vast majority of cases, no. Beaches are managed by private concessionaires and you’ll pay approximately €3 to €12 per day for a set of two sunbeds and an umbrella, depending on the specific resort. They’re only free at the most expensive ultra all inclusive resorts.
How much does a week of all inclusive cost?
Outside peak season, cheaper three-star hotels start at around €490 for two people per week. A quality four-star hotel will cost a couple approximately €840 to €1,120. During the peak summer holiday season, expect prices to be 30 to 40% higher.
Which resort is best for families with small children?
According to reviews, the best choice is the peaceful resort of Albena, specifically hotels like Gergana. The reason is the extremely gentle entry into the sea, wide sandy beaches, and the fact that the resort is largely closed to cars during the main season.
Are there adults only hotels in Bulgaria?
Yes, but there are few and you need to choose carefully. Some adults-only hotels operate as loud party zones for young people. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, proven choices are Marina Palace or Bilyana Beach in Nessebar.
Is all inclusive worth it?
For families with children and people who want to mainly relax by the pool, it’s definitely worth it because you’ll save a lot of money on drinks. However, if you plan to rent a car and explore new places every day and dine in town, a hotel with breakfast will be more than sufficient.
When is it cheapest?
Definitely in September. The official beach season with lifeguards runs until September 30th, the sea is beautifully warm after summer (around 22–23 °C), and accommodation prices drop by 30 to 40% compared to the holiday months.
Is the aquapark included in the price?
Not always. Many hotels have giant water slides right on their premises, but with basic all inclusive packages you need to pay extra for entry. Look for hotels that have “Free Aquapark” in their name.
What’s the food like in Bulgarian hotels?
In budget hotels, expect rather average quality and repetitive offerings. In four-star and five-star resorts, the food is excellent, buffets are full of fresh vegetables, Balkan cheeses, and local specialties are prepared on the grills.
Can I get vegetarian food?
No problem. Bulgarian buffets are full of vegetables, cheeses and salads. You’ll always find the traditional Shopska salad, cold yogurt soup tarator, savory pastry banica or vegetable mish-mash, so you definitely won’t go hungry.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
