The Ivana Palace is situated just behind the main road about a 10-15 minute walk to the very centre of SB. You are about a 6 minute walk to the beach, which is directly across the main road and brings you out on the promenade not far from the Victoria Palace. Whether walking along the main road or promenade you will find plenty of bars and restaurants. Just remember, the nearer to the beach the dearer the prices will be.

Decent restaurant not far from you is the Arizona Steak House ( just off the prom )

Click here for a map of Sunny Beach

sunnybeachmap.com/sunny_map_eng/3d_map_eng.p…

scroll along to the right until Ivana Palace shows in hotel list, click on it and it comes up ringed.

The resort centre/market is at Hotel Kuban.

Weather in August can be very hot( mid to high 30's) and you'll be glad of air conditioning.

Spending money is difficult as it depends on whether you'll be doing excursions. Wife and I go every Sept for 2 weeks and have never spent more than £800 between us and thats eating out/drinking every night. This year is a little bit more expensive due to poor £. ( mind you we don't have kids with us but we do live like kings for the fortnight ).

Toonman

Thanks toonman,

How long have you been going to sunny beach? You know your stuff!!!

Ive took on board alot of what you've posted on this forum site!

Every bit of info is useful, especially as it's our 1st time going to Bulgaria!!

Thanks for the link for the map - great that is!!

It sounds it should be hot in august then, does it go chilly on an evening?

Do you know what the estimated journey time is from bourgas airport to sunny beach resort?

Were flying with Balkan, ive seen some mixed reports about balkan?? Have you flew with them?

I might be getting back to you with more questions.

Thanks a lot

Lou,

it is only about 20-30 minutes from the airport to SB.

The weather in August will be very hot and you should be ok at night. It does cool down a bit in the evening, especially early/late season but a light cardi/jumper is sufficient.( we always go 1st 2 weeks in Sept and it's just starting to cool down then ).

Have flew with Balkan on a number of occasions. Pilots are superb and flights very smooth, even on the old Tupolevs. Meal on board is very basic, sandwich,cake, juice, tea/coffee. but there again you aren't charged so what.

Toonman

Hi, we are going to the IVANA PALACE on 5th July 08 from Newcastle, will be our first time there so looking forward to it. Hotel is only 4 years old and looks large, modern and nice pool area etc. Will let you know how we get on.

Ray

Hi ray,

Look forward to hearing from you with a review when you get back!!!

Hope you have a good hol!

Louise

Hi, just come back frome Ivana Palace. It's a quite hotell, 3 star, nice staff, good bar at the swimming pool, very good value for money. 5 minute walk to the bach, taxi drive cost 4 pound to anywhere in sunny beach. Buss stop 1 minut walk from front desk, bus every 10 minut, cost 1 leva to nessebar or sunny beach.

Will stay here again, i dont think you can do bether for the price:)

KingHarald - As you have just returned from the IVANA PALACE, can you advise me about it's food, we are going Bed and Breakfast only, so is the breakfast good, what is on offer?

Also, are there restaurants or snackbars/cafes nearby, or do you need to travel to the centre of Sunny Beach? I have read that there is a bar/cafe opposite the Ivana, called FRIENDS Sports Bar, is this correct, and if so can you get food there through the day/in the evening? I've also heard of the Arizona Steak Restaurant that has live music, down near the beach front (by the Victoria Palace hote)did you see it or know of it?

Can you get taxi's from the Ivana, or nearby, and how long does the bus take to get to the centre?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but we are going on Sat 5th july, and every bit of onformation saves time when you are in the resort, as it will be our first time to SB.

Thanks, any information will be much appreciated.

Ray.

Well, today's the day - Off to SB this afternoon (5/7/08) from (not so sunny) Newcastle, with good old Balkan Hols/Airline, hope we go direct and not via Iceland or somewhere ;}.

Looking forward to our first trip to SB, and to the Ivana Palace hotel, I'll report back asap.

Checked the weather and it looks good for next week, sunny and high 80's until Thursday, then ....?

Ray

Enjoy yourself Ray and i hope you have a lovely time.

Look forward to a report on your return.

Toonman

Hi All,

Back from SB yesterday (12/7) and we really liked SB and loved the IVANA PALACE hotel. It is a large, modern hotel just back off the main road but only 5 min to beach front and prom (across the main road, busy but has a light controlled crossing and bus stop). We had requested a "higher floor and pool view room, I emailed the hotel a few days before we went, and we got exactly that - the 4th flolor and a pool view (room 411). The top floor (5th) is suites or family rooms which Balkan do not offer.

Room was really nice, clean, big and bright, twin beds, double wardrobe and shlves (take some extra hangers)plenty room for us two, dressing table unit with cupboard, bed side tables, TV with cable, phone, coffee table, bed setee, mini fridge which was empty so you can put your own stuff in it, water, drinks etc). Nice, modern, clean fully tiled bathroom with over-bath shower, plenty hot water. Balacony was nice (we had pool view), a bit narrow but fine for us two, glass sides and front, so may be a worry if you've got young kids, plastic table and 2 chairs on balcony, plus a useful dryer for clothes.

Maid service was excellant on our floor, room cleaned every day, towels changed if you but them in the bath, bedding changed twice in the week (beds were comfortable & have summer weight quilts and a cover).

Pool and sun terrace really nice, lovely big main pool with central 'mushroom' fountain, bridge over to pool bar and a smaller kids pool with fountain. Both pools cleaned every day and 'walk-in' steps at either end, main pool 1.2 - 1.5 meters deep. Plenty sun beds, matteresses and sun brollies, BUT if you want pool front beds or those in a particular (sunny spot) you'll need to get up to put towels out from 6.30 - 7.00. This is a multi national hotel, but a lot of Brits/Irish so you are not out numbered. Mainly couples and families when we were there, but no bother.

We but 2 towels out then went in for breakfast about 7.30 - 8.00. B'fast same every day so ok for a week, cereal, bread, salad, hot (Warm !!!) selection, hotdog style sausage, fried-bolied-scrambled eggs, french toast, small cakes, juice, tea, coffee, some fruit. You MUST show your card at breakfast as they check it everyday. Tables cleared & cleaned quickly the staff were pleasdant but rarely smiled and most looked half dead each morning (young girls who had been out on the town the night before?). Restaurant manager kept them at it but was himself not very friendly, but overall not a problem, we were only in for 30-45 mins each morning. There is a cafe-bar (FRIENDS pub) opposite the front of the Ivana selling English b'fast, snacks etc.

Nice bright lobby/24 hour reception and money change 09.00 -22.00 (closed 13.00-14.00 for lunch). Lobby bar with lovely couple who run it, excellent range of beers, cocktails etc at reasonable prices. Seemed to be open all hours, but never noisy, + pool table. Also a very usefull well stocked mini supermarket off reception selling water (big 5L was 3.5 Lev), drinks, sweets, crisps, fruit etc etc, open till late and good prices. Another good s'market at EFIR Aparts just in front of Ivana on the main road, a bit cheaper and only 2 mins away.

Bus stop on main road in front of EFIR Aparts, to central SB (Kuban Hotel-tower block is classed as the 'centre')or further to Nessebar (lovely, well worth a visit), all fairs are 1 lev per person regardless of stop, pay the conductor on the busy, can be busy but the Ivana stop is before the masin strip so better chance of getting on & getting a seat!

Just realised I've gone on abit.... will need to do full report on Hotel Reviews section, but if any questions, please ask.

We loved the Ivana and would certainly go back, also have NO problems with Balkan holidays, flights on time (oldish planes but ok), reps good and on time at hotel, do a useful Welcome meeting at the Fat Cat bar (beach front) on first morning (free bus there and back from hotel). We booked KHAN's TENT night at £29 each and enjoyed it (meal, wine and show), 7.30 to 12.

Ray.

Ray