Victoria Palace Hotel & Spa

Victoria Palace Hotel & Spa is a massive all-inclusive resort that attracts vacationing couples, groups of friends, and some families, though the general party atmosphere of the area and lack of kids' facilities make it more appropriate for adults. It's housed in a huge building with a pale-yellow and white color scheme and Corinthian columns that give way to a grand lobby with a huge crystal chandelier and tons of gold lamé furnishings and gold-hued walls and pillars. While the hotel does its best to look glitzy, during our visit, many of the common areas seemed neglected and dirty, with lingering cigarette smells. 

This hotel is located right on the shore in Sunny Beach, a popular vacation resort on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. The area is dominated by other hotels along with bars and restaurants aimed at tourists, and there are a couple of casinos and an amusement park about a six-minute walk along the beach from the hotel. It's about a half-hour drive from the Burgas Airport.

This hotel offers three room types: Singles, Doubles, and Studios. Decor is similar throughout, with white desks, beige carpets, yellow-beige walls, and heavy drapes and furnishings in hues of pale gold with richer gold curlicue patterns. Most rooms also have a few leopard-print chairs, which adds to the borderline gaudy look and feel of the spaces, along with what appear to be attempts at sub-Saharan African decor, including wall hangings and -- in Studios -- heavy wooden chairs that look like they could have been plucked from a safari lodge. 

Single Rooms measure 20 square meters (215 square feet) and have full-size beds and park views. Double Rooms (measuring 25 to 35 square meters/269 to 323 square feet) are available with either sea- or park-facing views and come with either a king-size bed or two twin beds. Studios are a full 40 square meters (430 square feet) large and all have sea views and either two twin beds or one king-size bed, plus living areas off to one side with sofas and chairs. Amenities found across categories include TVs (flat-screen TVs in Studios, tube-style TVs in other rooms), air-conditioning, mini-fridges, and furnished balconies. Wi-Fi is available for a fee, though it's free in the lobby. Large bathrooms are simple, with shower/tub combos, small vanities with basic toiletries, bidets, and hose-style hairdryers. Studio bathrooms add double vanities and separate walk-in showers. 

The Victoria Hotel is geared toward leisure travelers, with amenities to match. There's a huge outdoor pool with lots of sectioned-off areas, including shallow sections for kids, and the space is surrounded with tons of lounge chairs and parasols, that are free for guests to use. However, there are some issues with people reserving their lounge chairs with towels early in the morning and then leaving for long stretches at a time. The hotel also sits right on the beach where additional lounge chairs are available, but they cost extra. Other facilities include a luxurious spa with ample facilities including saunas, whirlpools, and a Turkish bath, along with all sorts of beauty and wellness treatments and packages available. Curiously, there's no fitness center.

This hotel offers three restaurants, all of which are available as part of the all-inclusive packages. The main Hollywood Restaurant and Bar features a safari decor scheme similar to what's in the rooms, with leopard-print chairs at all the tables and huge buffet spreads for all three meals. There's also an a la carte restaurant, Gondola, that guests can reserve for something a bit more intimate, but seating is limited.There's also a small snack bar, Restaurant Victoria, offering liquor, drinks, and ice cream, but it's only open for a few hours a day. The hotel offers three all-inclusive bars: the Lobby Bar Safari; a chicer indoor/outdoor Irish Bar; and a pool bar, Palma, all with local spirits and beer. There's also a fourth bar, Mezzanine, with high-end/imported liquor that's not covered with the all-inclusive package.

Other facilities include free on-site parking, but it's limited and fills up quickly. There's also free Wi-Fi in the lobby (but it's costs extra in rooms). While kid-specific facilities are noticeably absent here, there are high chairs in the restaurants and cots upon request. There's not much for corporate travelers or those looking to plan meetings, but wedding services are available.