Hyatt Regency Sofia

"We had booked a 12-day Balkan trip starting in Sofia, Bulgaria. We had stayed in the Hyatt Regency Sofia for 2 nights. We liked the place very much for the following reasons: Location: A lot of city attractions and historic sites are within walking distance. If you want to take a day trip to other places in Bulgaria (such as Plovdiv or Veliko Tarnovo or Rila Monastery, many of these day tour’s starting/ending points is just across the street from the hotel or nearby. The hotel room is quite large, amenities are plenty. The breakfast in the Revolutionary Dining Room & Bar was nicely decorated with photos of many famous people. The food was excellent. The free Wifi was fast. If I could suggest anything for improvement, I would like the hotel to install more USB ports in rooms (type A, type C) for cellphones. Another area of improvement is the glass partition on the bathtub won’t prevent water from the shower from splashing out all over the floor."

"This is simply the nicest room (especially the bed - you have to try it) you can have in town. The cleanliness, the interior, amenities and furniture are superb! Specious bath with ideal shower. The best location in the city! You are simply walking distance to ... everything in the city's center. Keep up the good work!"

"**Disappointing stay – well below the standard expected from Hyatt** Overall, a disappointing stay, mainly due to the service. Check-in was mediocre, and many staff appeared bored, uninterested and reluctant to help. There was little initiative or willingness to go beyond the bare minimum, with even simple requests feeling like an inconvenience. We received an upgrade to a "garden-view" room, although the view was underwhelming. Rather than much of a garden, we looked directly across at neighbouring balconies, including a fridge/freezer being kept outside on one of them. It certainly didn't feel like much of an upgrade. There was tea and coffee in the room but no milk. When we called to request some, there seemed to be little understanding of such a simple request, and we eventually went downstairs to sort it out ourselves. The general attitude actually put us off trying the hotel restaurants. If this was the service we were receiving as hotel guests, we had little confidence in the dining experience. The parking experience at checkout summed things up. We asked whether hotel guests received a parking discount and were told yes. The receptionist applied it and charged it against our deposit without explaining the amount. When we asked how much, she seemed annoyed and simply replied "50% off". When I asked 50% off what, her response was essentially whether I wanted the full or discounted price. Either amount would have been useful—I can work out 50% myself! It was the attitude and lack of communication rather than the cost that was frustrating. The steam room and spa facilities were pleasant, but the wellness and fitness area is small. The pool is more suited to using the wave machine for swimming in place than conventional swimming. All the relaxation beds were occupied despite the hotel not appearing particularly busy. Several people had recommended another hotel in Sofia and, with hindsight, we wish we had chosen it. This was especially disappointing after staying at Secrets Sunny Beach, also within the Hyatt portfolio, where we experienced much warmer and more pleasant service. As World of Hyatt members, we regularly consider Hyatt properties when travelling, but loyalty alone isn't enough when the hospitality falls short. We wouldn't return to Hyatt Regency Sofia for either business or leisure, even for the opportunity to earn or use points. The biggest improvement needed is staff attitude, initiative and genuine hospitality. The service simply wasn't at the standard we have come to expect from Hyatt as a whole."