Santa Marina Holiday Village

There’s a wonderful feeling when you approach a hotel resort and immediately fall in love and that was the feeling I had when I arrived at the Santa Marina Holiday Village in Sozopol on Sunday.

As you enter the security gates you see an incredibly picturesque reception building. It’s the kind of thing you see on a post card or in a movie. The steps leading up to it are all surrounded with beautiful flowers and if you look back towards the road you get a glimpse of the black sea.

Once inside the cool building the reception feels calm and relaxing. When you’re handed your room key you are also given a map of the complex. It was only then that I realised how huge this place is!

The map shows all of the facilities in Santa Marina Holiday Village, including five swimming pools, several restaurants and bars and two beaches!

Our apartment was close by the reception but even if yours is not, you don’t have to worry as there are little buggies available to take you and your luggage to your room! You can also use the shuttle bus service that goes all around the resort on a regular basis if you get tired walking from one place to another!

Our room was on the 4th floor (no elevators so you will need to climb some stairs) and the first thing I did when I walked in was head straight to the balcony to check the view! Anyone who knows me, or who has read the blog, knows that Sozopol is special to me. My very first visit to Bulgaria was a holiday in Sozopol and no matter how many beautiful places I visit, this will always be my first love. So with that in mind, walking out on to the balcony and seeing the view that we had completely took my breathe away. I think I stood still for at least 5 minutes without saying a word!

I’m also pleased to say that the apartment met the expectations set by the view when I returned inside and it was wonderful. There are two floors and it feel like a real home from home with the fully equipped kitchen and living room.

There’s no wifi in the rooms, just cable internet (ask reception for a cable when you arrive) but to be honest, who needs wifi when you’ve got that view. For someone who loves to write and take photographs this place was heaven for me.

We spent the afternoon exploring the grounds which are so green and lush. Then, after we’d tired ourselves out from walking it was time to relax on the private beach. We had everything we needed there with the beach bar, comfy sun loungers and showers and toilets. It was such a perfect place to end the weekend, I just wished I could have stayed much longer. Next morning we had a delicious cooked breakfast by the pool followed by one last wander around the resort. There were plenty of families enjoying the resort and several of them had also brought along their cute dogs for a holiday too. Some people were riding bikes and lots of children were taking advantage of the hilly pathways and using their scooters and skateboards!

I took so many photos that there’s a selection below but also I’ve added more on Facebook so you can see them all!