SEASIDE LUXURY
LOCATION
You simply can’t miss the Hotel Casino & Tower Suites. It is located in the centre of the famous Golden Sands seaside resort, towering over other buildings in the area. Everything you would expect from a busy seaside town is located in the near vicinity of the hotel. Parties, restaurants, fast food chains and plenty of tourists that flock into this part of Bulgaria every summer. One of the hotel’s big advantages is that it’s open year-round. It offers numerous additional activities and a casino, making an attractive choice for congress guests, who come to Varna in the wintertime.
ACCESSIBILITY
The fastest way to get to the city is by taking a taxi, available 24/7 in front of the hotel. The hotel also has its own shuttle service. Keep in mind that public transport only operates in the high tourist season. You will have to rely on taxi service if you plan on visiting any other time of year. Varna is 18 kilometres away (20-minute drive) and it will take you 40 minutes to get to the airport. Varna’s airport is improving in accessibility every year, especially in the summer, when there are plenty of connections.
COLD STARTER - Architecture and aesthetics
The prestigious hotel was built during the first major hotel boom on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The distinctively modernistic hotel building was thoroughly renovated in 2013. The facade became more refined and the interior was put through significant change. The architects created a more functional design, that isn’t really an architectural masterpiece, but it still has an elegant, luxurious presence. The hotel is an excellent multi-tasker, capable of combining different functions.
WARM ENTRÉE - The staff and the culinary experience
The a la carte restaurant on the 14th floor nicely rounds off the offer. The restaurant is a great place to enjoy the views and modern cuisine. The wine list is solid. We were especially impressed by the kind staff and an impressive breakfast buffet with kosher dishes being prepared for Israeli guests at the time of our stay. Nice diversification.
MAIN COURSE – The meetings offer
Hotel rooms
We stayed in one of the newer rooms (Superior Room with Balcony) that had plenty of space and elegant furniture in darker tones that perfectly matched the pastel colours on the walls. The bathroom was quite luxurious, but we expected to see some more premium cosmetics. The bed was solid and the lighting pleasant. The balcony sold the room, with magnificent views of Golden Sands.
Meetings centre
Impresia Amphitheatre hall is the heart of the hotel’s conference offer. A capacity of 380 people and modern equipment, the hall is a popular choice among meeting planners in Varna. The hotel’s conference centre is one of the best in the region with 13 halls, from seminar rooms to the large Bellini with a capacity of 600 participants. The staff is
very helpful and well-versed in handling technical difficulties.
DESSERT – The extras
The Spa, indoor and outdoor pools, private beach and a top-notch gym. All on an extremely high level. Just like you would expect from a hotel of this calibre.
FLOP – NEGATIVE SURPRISES
The occasional bumper-to-bumper traffic at breakfast, when the hotel is in full occupancy.
TOP – POSITIVE SURPRISES
The location is certainly one of the hotel’s trump cards. The view of the unending coastline is memorable any time of day.
FINAL IMPRESSION AND CREDIBILITY
Hotel International is the main congress hotel in Varna. It’s been quite some time since the last renovation, but the hotel does a good job of hiding its years. We could say that it is a grown-up hotel, well maintained, still in great shape and without any foibles of a teenager. Great location, modern ambient and excellent service make it one of the best congress hotels in Bulgaria.
FINAL GRADE: 4.66 SILVER SPA Meeting Hotel
GOLD final score from 4.81 to 5.00
SILVER final score from 4.61 to 4.80
BRONZE final score from 4.41 to 4.60
