The Hostelz.com Review
Gregory's Backpackers Hostel is a medium-sized hostel located in Zvesditsa, a village near Varna. The hostel has a warm, friendly atmosphere with a great management team.
The Location
The location is one of the few things that lets this hostel down. It is located in a village outside of Varna, and despite the website showing a beach, the village is not near the beach. There is a free pickup when you arrive and a free shuttle service at fixed times twice daily (11 a.m. and 6 p.m.) and also a public bus which runs every hour to the village. Unfortunately however, the bus service ends at 9:30 p.m., so going out for a drink on the town will cost you (this is if you are lucky enough to find a taxi driver who will not rip you off -- generally, one can agree on a price before getting into the cab. Plenty of parking available as it is in a village, and it is safe to park on the street.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Dorms have six beds and are in good condition, mostly clean, spacious, and with a balcony. The in-room lockers are also a bonus. There are three bathrooms in the hostel -- all spacious, with hooks for your clothes, and reliable hot water. The only thing lacking is soap dishes. In one case the shower is shared with the toilet, which can mean people are waiting to use the toilet whilst you shower or the other way around!
Common Spaces
Great common spaces including a kitchen, TV room, computers, outside seating, games area (ping pong, pool table, board games), book exchange, and a bar. This is a social hostel with a warm atmosphere where it is very easy to meet and have fun with other backpackers.
Summary
Overall this is a very good hostel where management go the extra mile to help you in any way they can. The only flaw is the location.
The Location
The location is one of the few things that lets this hostel down. It is located in a village outside of Varna, and despite the website showing a beach, the village is not near the beach. There is a free pickup when you arrive and a free shuttle service at fixed times twice daily (11 a.m. and 6 p.m.) and also a public bus which runs every hour to the village. Unfortunately however, the bus service ends at 9:30 p.m., so going out for a drink on the town will cost you (this is if you are lucky enough to find a taxi driver who will not rip you off -- generally, one can agree on a price before getting into the cab. Plenty of parking available as it is in a village, and it is safe to park on the street.
Rooms and Bathrooms
Dorms have six beds and are in good condition, mostly clean, spacious, and with a balcony. The in-room lockers are also a bonus. There are three bathrooms in the hostel -- all spacious, with hooks for your clothes, and reliable hot water. The only thing lacking is soap dishes. In one case the shower is shared with the toilet, which can mean people are waiting to use the toilet whilst you shower or the other way around!
Common Spaces
Great common spaces including a kitchen, TV room, computers, outside seating, games area (ping pong, pool table, board games), book exchange, and a bar. This is a social hostel with a warm atmosphere where it is very easy to meet and have fun with other backpackers.
Summary
Overall this is a very good hostel where management go the extra mile to help you in any way they can. The only flaw is the location.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
June 2009
Their Description
Gregory's Backpackers Hostel Details
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Gregory's Backpackers Hostel Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Terrible experience I think the previous staff were miles and miles above and beyond the current staff, who were essentially two couples who sat around and watched DVDs or chatted on the phone all day. No water available when we arrived -- no big problem, we'll wait. Then no hot water -- ok, no problem, surely it will get fixed momentarily -- nope. There were four staff members to three guests but you end up doing just as much work as they do. The staff monopolised the "common area" and generally I felt like I was intruding on them all the time. Rooms were dirty (condom wrapper on the floor when we arrived in our room) and the upstairs sink was clogged for well over a day. The location is good if you're not interested in the beach -- and don't even think you can walk to any beach nearby or into Varna itself. Staff offered a shuttle ride (but then proceeded to take up three of the eight spots so they could go shopping in town) while everyone else sat two to a seat in the back. One bright spot was the cheap beer, but again, the bar looked like it hadn't seen a good clean in awhile. Perhaps with friendlier staff and a good clean, this could be a good hostel, but I would not recommend this hostel to anyone I know traveling through Varna. — AD (2009-09-08) Absolutely brilliant! What can I say? do yourself a favour and get yourself to Gregory's backpackers if you're staying in Varna. The location of the hostel is by far an advantage as you're out of town in a little village with so much traditional charm (and the only restaurant there is amazing and cheap!). The hosts Terry and Georgie we're everything you could ever hope a host to be and lots more! The beers are icy cold, the rooms are very clean and presentable and above all the place is very homely if ya just wanna chill out. Cheers guys for such an unforgettable stay. — Mick Stuth and Amy Busteed , Australian (2007-05-16) Without doubt the best hostel I have ever stayed at. Terry and Georgie are the nicest hosts you will come across. Looked after me like I was one of their mates. The hostel itself was spot on. Gregory's is worth the trip to the Black Sea on its own. Wish I could've stayed longer and been there in peak season to see Varna really take off. Make sure this place is on your itinerary! — Jeff Brooks , Australian (2007-04-18) Bloody little ripper! My younger brother and I stayed here for a few days and loved the place. Terry and Georgie were brilliant hosts, very laid back but still on the case. The hostel is in a great location as it's a little out of the city giving you a bit of the Bulgarian authenticity! If you're after a good time and a great place to visit then this is your stop! Bring your drinking shoes! — Jodie Shaw (2006-12-20) We had such an amazing time in Varna and Gregory's hostel definitely made our stay! Terry and Georgie are lovely people and do everything in their power to make your stay a pleasant one! And at the same time the hostel is very laid back with a welcoming atmosphere. Through eight weeks of traveling around Europe and staying in a hostel every night, we would rate Gregory's as the best!! Loved it, Gregory's caters for everyone, will be back for sure! — Adam and Lois (2006-10-19) I stayed at Gregory's Hostel two weeks ago and had an absolute blast. This is certainly one well organised hostel. Firstly and most importantly to me is its an absolutely fun party environment and it couldn't be easier to meet people. There is a communal bar area where everyone congregates, chills out, and drinks. The hostel itself is run by a fun outgoing couple Terry and Georgey. They keep the place very tidy, fresh sheets, and also provide frequent transportation to train stations and the beach. If you're in Varna don't miss this place. One of Eastern Europe's best hostels! — Dan Campbell (2006-09-12) This hostel rates as one of the best that I have stayed at. Friendly owners, friendly travellers that you can hang out and chat with, lifts to and from the beach/Varna, kitchen, DVDs and books at your disposal, bar and internet! I had a great five days here and would definitely recommend this place. It has been the only hostel so far that I didn't want to leave. Keep up the good work. — anon (2006-09-12) I thoroughly enjoyed Gregory's Hostel in Varna. As a seasoned traveller this was the best staff I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Very helpful, free pick-ups from town, great breakfast. A must if you are in the area! In addition, this town is a great place to party at night and relax on the beach in the day. I'd definitely come back. — Nick C. (2006-08-09) Gregory's was a great experience. The owners were exceptionally helpful and the facilities were abundant! The free pickup and dropoff is obviously a plus. I felt completely secure in this village and enjoyed knocking back a few brews and hanging out with the other travelers -- when not partying in town! There are even some real live Canadians there (which are usually not the kind to travel to Eastern Europe) so you know it has to be safe for the Balkans! — PJ (2006-06-15) Gregory's is the kind of place where a backpacker feels welcome the minute he steps in the door. The owner's are extremely accommodating and the onsite bar doesn't hurt the appeal either. If you're looking to read books and crochet, then this probably isn't the place for you. On the other hand, if you are outgoing and enjoy meeting adventureous people from all over the world, there is no better place in Bulgaria to spend the night. — Nick T. (2006-06-14) Kitchen and shower dirty. The doors could not be locked properly. We needed privacy and rest, but the others were having a party until two a.m., and it could be heard through the balcony and through the floor (so no use of earplugs). Maybe all the five-star comments are from those brits who live there a long time and get to know each other? We felt like outsiders. In the morning they were all sleeping, including the owners (twenty-four hour reception, huh?), and we had to wait for someone to open the locked doors to get out. Recommended for people who travel abroad to get drunk with (other) Englishmen.
Reply from the Hostel: We would like to offer an apology to these guests who did not enjoy their
stay at our hostel. It is an English owned hostel but we have guests from
all over the world and would never treat any nationalities differently. On
the day in question it was my husband's birthday and we had a BBQ to which
we invited friends who live here and guests alike. In Bulgaria it is the
tradition for the host to pay for everything on his / her birthday so free
food and drinks were offered all day to all hostel guests. Most guests
(English, American, Danish, Dutch and Bulgarian) had a great day but I can
understand that if people arrive to a hostel feeling tired, they may not
appreciate a party atmosphere. I sincerely hope this review will not deter
future Finnish guests.Terry's birthday is 28th May and mine 20th August by
the way...... — Tiina J. (2006-06-09) This place was by far the best hostel I have ever stayed. Quite a few times I forgot that I was a paying guest and that it was not one of my mate's houses. Anyway, the bar is great and the owners are fantastic. They really made me feel welcome and they were always joining in on the fun. Oh yeah, and Varna is a great place. — Michael (2005-09-15) Absolutely brilliant! Whatever you like doing, from going out to ridiculous hours every night, to taking it easy and taking in the culture, Terry and Georgie will use their experience of the city to make sure you have the best time. It was difficult to leave because we made some great friends! Hostels don't come any better!!
Cheers for an unforgettable six days! — Mike and Kersh (2005-09-04) I've just come back from a week staying at this hostel. I had a fantastic time and the couple running it couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. The location is fantastic, peaceful, rural and scenic but the regular minibus runs into Varna dispel the fear of being too "cut off."
Terry and Georgie arranged a trip for me with a guide (Patrick), which was a very interesting insight into the area as this was my first trip to an Eastern Bloc country. Everything in Bulgaria is so cheap it is very difficult not to have a good time! A full-blown meal at a top Varna restaurant with too much wine is less than £20 — yes, that's for three people, not one!!! Great place, great people — go there. — Roger Mudditt (2005-06-12) Well, in one word...FANTASTIC. George and Terry were so welcoming and easy to get along with. They really know how to make you feel at home. I found their knowledge of Bulgaria from the backpackers view point, indispensable. I would recommend Gregorys to everyone. Cheers for a fab holiday guys! — Pete Warrington (2005-05-24)