Orpheus Spa Hotel

Ann Charles from UK, sent on 1 October 2009

2.8/5

We stayed at the Orpheus Spa hotel, Devin. Booked a car transfer from the airport which was excellent - a hassle-free way to get to the hotel through some beautiful scenery.

The hotel is listed as 5* but it's more of a 3*. The spa facilities are very good and the treatments done to a high standard. However, there are a few things 'round the edges' which could be improved. For example, there were no extra towels or dressing gowns supplied. You would normally expect this at a spa and it meant that we were walking round in wet dressing gowns after the first day as they picked up moisture from the swimming pool area etc.

Although water was provided, there was no herbal tea or chill out area available after treatments, so one went from being nice and relaxed to having to shuffle through the corridors to another part of the spa area to relax. Also no kettle / tea / coffee making facilities in the rooms, which I would have expected for something rating as 'five star'.

The hotel staff coped with our lack of fluency in Bulgarian but had very little information about the local area (even telling us that they didn't know where the public spa was despite it being signposted in town) and couldn't even provide us with a map.

Small points, though. The food in town - especially salad selection - was great and no problem for a vegetarian. We enjoyed being at the spa and the treatments are excellent value for money - the massages for example being first class. There is not a huge amount to do in Devin and the outdoor swimming pool and fitness pool in the hotel were both closed (we hadn't been warned in advance). Therefore, would recommend as a place to go for a couple of days to unwind, but not for a longer break.