Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa

Love the hotel, the food, the spacious sunbed areas, the rooms. Everything is perfect. Just one improvement for people like us. Asthmatic people or those with heart conditions who don't smoke. The small no smoking area has a constant breeze from the smoking area, meaning you are always breathing smoke unless you go inside. A rethink of the smoking allocated areas would help people like us. It won't affect those who smoke, but would make a significant difference to us. Also the no smoking area is incredibly small compared to the smoking area. On this visit our room neighbours sat on the balcony chain smoking for what seemed like most of the day and evening until the early hours. This meant we can't sit outside on ours. It has spoilt our enjoyment of this lovely place.

Disappointing Experience – Not the Luxury Secrets Experience We Expected We chose Secrets Sunny Beach after an exceptional stay at Secrets Lanzarote, expecting the same luxury adults-only spa experience. Unfortunately, this resort fell well short of the standards we associate with the Secrets brand. There were positives. Our room was spacious, comfortable and well maintained, the housekeeping team did an excellent job, and the gym was well equipped. I also paid for a massage, which was excellent and the therapist was professional and welcoming. However, the experience was unfortunately spoiled when a member of the cleaning staff unexpectedly entered the treatment room during my treatment. The cleaner appeared embarrassed and laughed before leaving, which detracted from what should have been a private, relaxing and professional spa experience. The biggest disappointment was the atmosphere. The resort is marketed as a tranquil luxury spa retreat, but at times it felt more like a party hotel. Around the main pool there was often music coming from several different sources at once – the pool, aerobics, the restaurant and even the neighbouring sister hotel. Guests regularly played their own music through portable speakers, made loud FaceTime and speakerphone calls in the restaurant and, on more than one occasion, we witnessed people vaping indoors. What surprised us most was the apparent lack of staff intervention. During our stay at Secrets Lanzarote, staff actively maintained a calm, respectful atmosphere, which made all the difference. There were also a number of smaller details that didn’t reflect a five-star luxury resort. Our bathrobes were old and worn, the gym mats were falling apart, and the in-room coffee and sachet milk were of very poor quality. We had paid extra for a sea-view room and had imagined enjoying a peaceful morning coffee on our balcony, but instead we found ourselves going down to the restaurant every morning because the coffee in the room simply wasn’t enjoyable. Breakfast also had only one toaster, leading to long queues most mornings, and there were often lengthy waits for the lifts. Outside the hotel there was also very little that appealed to us. Sunny Beach was not the relaxing resort destination we had anticipated and instead felt more like a funfair on steroids, with loud bars, amusement rides and a constant party atmosphere. We appreciate that this may suit some visitors, but it was completely at odds with the peaceful luxury holiday we were looking for. This was our main holiday of the year and a significant investment. We both work in demanding jobs and booked this holiday specifically to relax and recharge. Sadly, we left feeling disappointed and, if we’re honest, wishing we had returned to Secrets Lanzarote instead. The staff we interacted with were generally friendly and hardworking, and there are certainly good aspects to this hotel. However, for us, the overall experience simply didn’t match the luxury, tranquillity and attention to detail that the Secrets brand promises. We hope management takes steps to better protect the peaceful atmosphere that many guests choose Secrets for. Overall rating: 3/5 We wouldn’t return to this resort and, based on our experience, would instead recommend Secrets Lanzarote to anyone looking for the true luxury adults-only Secrets experience.

Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa – Honest Preferred Club Review Having stayed at several Secrets Resorts & Spas in Mexico and Jamaica, including the outstanding Preferred Club experience at Secrets The Vine Cancun, I arrived at Secrets Sunny Beach with clear expectations of the brand’s usual standards. After a 7‑night stay booked through TUI, here is my honest and balanced review. Arrival & First Impressions Our flight from Birmingham landed late (around 23:30), so I had arranged a separate private transfer for my wife and me to arrive earlier and meet friends flying in from Stansted. Unlike Mexico, where we were greeted mid‑afternoon by concierge staff, luggage whisked away, and a full Preferred Club welcome, Sunny Beach offered no concierge presence, no luggage assistance, and no explanation of Preferred Club benefits. Check‑in was handled at the main desk with no differentiation for Preferred guests. This was disappointing, especially as we had told our friends to expect the elevated service typical of the Secrets brand. Hotel Cleanliness & General Standards To be absolutely clear: The hotel itself is spotless. Throughout our stay, housekeeping, public areas, and restaurants were immaculate. Staff were polite and hardworking, and the resort is visually impressive. Preferred Club: Comparison vs. Secrets The Vine Cancun What Preferred Club Looks Like in Mexico (for context) At Secrets The Vine Cancun, Preferred Club included: - A dedicated Preferred pool with key‑card access - Pool attendants who set up loungers, umbrellas, towels - Full drinks service delivered to your lounger - Cold face towels provided throughout the day - Concierge team assigned to your floor, checking in daily - Restaurant reservations handled for your entire stay - Preferred bar on your floor with staffed service - Room extras: well‑fitting robes, stocked minibar, complimentary bottle of tequila, premium snacks This level of service is what I expected when paying for Preferred Club at Sunny Beach. Preferred Club at Secrets Sunny Beach – Reality Preferred Pool - Signposted as Preferred-only, but not staffed, so anyone could enter. - Over 7 days, we were asked to show our key card twice. - No drinks service — you must walk to the pool bar or Barefoot restaurant. - No towel service at the Preferred pool; towels must be collected from the main pool using a towel card. - Umbrellas not set up — we had to hunt for pins to assemble them ourselves. - Cold towels were provided, which was appreciated. Preferred Room - Extremely clean and well maintained — thank you to housekeeping. - Minibar restocked daily. - Dressing gowns provided, but far too small unless you’re a size 6. - Sea view from the 13th floor was excellent. Preferred Lounge - No Preferred bar like in Mexico. - Instead, a Preferred Lounge on level zero with self‑service drinks and snacks 24/7, accessed by key card. No premium drinks unless paid for at main bar. Concierge Service -No dedicated concierge for Preferred guests. - No daily check‑ins, no assistance with restaurant bookings, and no personalised support. Departure Experience With a late flight home, we enquired about late checkout two days before departure. We were told to ask again the day before — but no rooms were available. We were advised we could use the indoor pool changing rooms, which turned out to be basic locker rooms with no additional facilities. We asked to speak to a manager, and within 10 minutes the Preferred Manager met us. She listened to our concerns and explained she had recently been brought in to revamp the Preferred Club offering, so hopefully future seasons will see improvements. She was polite and professional, but unfortunately nothing could be done for our departure day. Overall Verdict Secrets Sunny Beach is a spotlessly clean hotel with good food and friendly staff. As a standard guest, you will likely have a very enjoyable stay. However, based on extensive experience with the Secrets brand, the Preferred Club package at this resort does not currently offer the elevated service, exclusivity, or benefits that other Secrets properties provide. Would I recommend paying for Preferred Club here? No — not in its current form. You simply do not receive the level of service that the Secrets brand normally associates with Preferred Club. If the Preferred Manager’s planned improvements are implemented, this may change in future seasons. Paul E Spalding

Very lovely hotel, very clean with lovely big rooms. All staff very nice, friendly, helpful and professional, especially the two guys on reception Redji & Mariah. Also the pool bar guys in the photo below 😁 and the two young guys in the restaurant, sadly didn’t get there names, but all very lovely 😁😁 Food was fresh every day and night with plenty of choice. Would definitely recommend here. Thanks again for a lovely experience. Xx

This was our second trip to this hotel and you did not disappoint. Lovely relaxing holiday. The staff are very friendly and helpful, polite. The hotel was very clean rooms cleaned to a very high standard. Pools very clean and a big shout out to the entertainment staff who never gave up encouraging everyone to join in the activities. Food was great always plenty of variety for everyone to enjoy, super fast service with drinks and clearing tables. The lifts were a bit iffy at times but I used the stairs not a problem. We used the a la carte restaurants just found them a little bit rushed and not relaxed we are not used to that in the UK. Thank you secrets sunny beach staff for a very great holiday again