Both are beach hotels in Sunny Beach with the top official category. The first is a few metres from the sand, with a 1,200 m2 spa and three outdoor pools. The second is 70 m from the beach and has an aquapark with two water slides. Choose the first for the spa, the second for the slides.
At a glance
| Fact | Barceló Royal Beach, Sunny Beach | Planeta Hotel, Sunny Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Check availability | Check availability | |
| Official category | 5-star | 5-star |
| Rooms on the hotel's own site | 304 | Not published |
| Brand | Barceló | Not published |
| Board, Differs | All-inclusive | Ultra all-inclusive |
| Adults-only | No | No |
| Family-friendly | Yes | Not published |
| Spa | Yes | Not published |
| Pools | 4 | Not published |
| Beach distance | 50 metres | Not published |
| Address | 8240 Sunny Beach | Not published |
Not published.Official category is the national tourist register category.
The short verdict
- Pick Barcelo Royal Beach if you want to be a few metres from the beach, with a 1,200 m2 spa for body treatments and massages, four pools (three outdoor, one of them for children, and a heated indoor pool) and the Barcy Club for children aged 4 and over.
- Pick Planeta if your children want water slides: it has an aquapark with two slides, a pool with a children's section and slide, a kids club with animators and a playground.
Location and getting around
Both hotels list their location as Sunny Beach, Burgas. Barcelo Royal Beach gives its address as 8240 Sunny Beach and says it is a few metres from the resort's 7 km sand beach. Planeta is 70 m from the beach; for its exact address, ask the hotel.
For airport transfers, ask either hotel when you book.
If you are driving, Planeta has private on-site parking, which is paid and cannot be reserved. For parking at Barcelo Royal Beach, ask the hotel before you travel.
Rooms and board
Barcelo Royal Beach gives 304 rooms, including Deluxe rooms and apartments; the Deluxe Pool View room is 47 m2.
Planeta does not publish a room total. Its own site lists five room types: Deluxe Double, Deluxe Double Sea View, Superior Double, Superior Quadruple and Family Apartment. If you travel as a group of four, the Superior Quadruple and Family Apartment are the types to ask about.
Both hotels sell an inclusive plan, but not the same one: one is all-inclusive and the other ultra all-inclusive, as the Board row in the side-by-side table shows. Ask the hotel what each plan covers and at what times.
The beach
Barcelo Royal Beach says it is a few metres from the 7 km Sunny Beach sand beach, which makes it the closer of the two to the water. Planeta is 70 m from the beach, still a short walk.
For sunbeds, umbrellas and towels, ask either hotel.
Pools, spa and facilities
Barcelo Royal Beach has four pools, three outdoor (one of them a children's pool) and one heated indoor, and a 1,200 m2 spa with body treatments and massages. Children aged 4 and over can join the Barcy Club, and the hotel has meeting rooms. For its restaurants and bars, ask the hotel.
Planeta has a pool with a children's section and slide, and an aquapark with two water slides. Its relax centre offers a sauna, a steam bath and massages, and the fitness room is on the top floor with sea views. Children have a kids club with animators and a playground with a climbing frame and slide.
Planeta's dining covers a main restaurant, an a la carte restaurant, a pool bar, a snack bar and a lobby bar. Its Sofia hall holds up to 400 people, which suits conferences and events.
Who each suits
Choose Barcelo Royal Beach if being closest to the sand and having a large spa matter most. It describes itself as family-friendly, and the Barcy Club helps families with children aged 4 and over. Couples who want treatments and a short walk to the sea will also find it a good fit.
View hotel or Check availability.
Choose Planeta Hotel if your children want slides and a playground, or if you want several bars and restaurants on site. It is the larger hotel by register count, and the top-floor fitness room has sea views. Ask the hotel about its policies for families before you book.
View hotel or Check availability.
To compare more options along the beach, browse all Sunny Beach hotels.
Questions
Which is bigger, Barcelo Royal Beach or Planeta?
Barcelo Royal Beach gives 304 rooms. Planeta gives no total on its own site, so ask the hotel about its size if scale matters to you. Planeta's site lists five room types rather than a count, including a Superior Quadruple and a Family Apartment.
Is all-inclusive available at either hotel?
Yes, at both, but the plans are not the same. One is sold as all-inclusive and the other as ultra all-inclusive, and the Board row in the side-by-side table shows which is which. Ask the hotel exactly what your plan covers, such as drinks, snacks and a la carte meals, before you book.
Which has the bigger spa or more pools?
Barcelo Royal Beach has the larger stated spa, at 1,200 m2 with body treatments and massages; Planeta gives no size for its relax centre. On pools, Barcelo Royal Beach lists four pools, three outdoor and one heated indoor, while Planeta has a pool with a children's section and an aquapark with two water slides.
Is either hotel adults-only?
No. Both hotels say they are not adults-only, and both have facilities for children. Barcelo Royal Beach runs the Barcy Club for children aged 4 and over, and Planeta has a kids club with animators and a playground. If you want a child-free break, ask either hotel whether any areas are set aside for adults.
Which is better for families?
Both work for families, in different ways. Barcelo Royal Beach describes itself as family-friendly, sits a few metres from the beach and has the Barcy Club for children aged 4 and over. Planeta suits children who love water slides, with its aquapark, a kids club with animators, a playground and a Family Apartment room type.