How I saved an advance for early booking, or Welcome to all-inclusive in Koblevo
A vile virus roamed violently across Europe and Ukraine, closing all borders. Everyone went remote, the business was quietly closing, and my hopes of celebrating the anniversary in a European way were covered with a Chinese basin. . .
The bitter aftertaste reminded me of the disturbing "Petrel" from the poet with the pseudo "Bitter". However, enough weak verses, then I will only prose.
I planned to spend my anniversary with a glass of prosecco and a view of the Adriatic from the heights of the cliffs of San Marino. My birthday is at the end of June - a great time for a vacation by the sea. Back in February, a hotel in Rimini was chosen, an advance was paid to Join... Not with my happiness.
Italy scared with tragic statistics, air traffic was closed. The tour operator offered to conclude an additional agreement under the Rebooking program with the right to use the advance payment for any tour product until 03/31/21. I prefer to see the glass half full, but the prospects for the tourism industry in a pandemic are extremely unpredictable. Yes, and flying in an airplane in a mask and shying away from sneezing passers-by is not at all associated with relaxation.
In short, I had to give up going abroad for the time being. The resorts of the Northern Black Sea region remained. The closest is native to the teeth of Koblevo. Pros: we have a little more than an hour to go, a sandy sloping bottom, quick evacuation is possible in case of any force majeure. Mom is over 75, I didn’t want to take risks. I used my Italian advance to pay for a vacation in one of the most decent hotels in the resort - De La Vita, since Join offered tours there. We stayed here last year and the experience was great. Such a la Turkey, adjusted for Ukrainian specifics and without long flights.
The travel agency issued a voucher and insurance, everything was as it should be. It’s not far to go, you don’t have to worry about the excess of hand luggage. At the reception in the hotel they took the voucher, put on the bracelets. An hour and a half from the moment we left the apartment, and we are on vacation.
Travel agents warned the hotel about the anniversary, we were given a calm and comfortable room, overlooking the sea. Mom fussed on the spot, and on my birthday a huge bouquet was waiting for me in the room - from my mother, a bucket of champagne cooling in ice and a cake - a compliment from the hotel. Not Italy, but damn nice.
Shortly about De La Vita. This is a hotel on the first line with a small landscaped area and a private beach. Six floors, spa, restaurant, two elevators, own brewery, water activities. The cost of the tour includes three meals a day FB on the "buffet" system. On the second floor, instead of balconies, the rooms have huge terraces with deck boards and sun loungers.
White and turquoise rooms in a Mediterranean style, with high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, large balconies, spacious bathrooms (frosted glazing of the shower overlooks the loggia). Air conditioning, safe, flat-screen TV, kettle, slippers, dryer and furniture on the balcony, mosquito nets on doors and windows - a hotel classic. We had two separate beds with soft mattresses and an extra sofa. Clean, quiet, cool, comfortable.
On the ground floor of the hotel there is a large restaurant hall and an open terrace with tables. In quarantine, everyone is greeted by a table with a disinfectant and free masks. Hot meals and snacks were handed out by waitresses in masks and gloves. The rest of the staff was also fully equipped: masks, gloves, antiseptics. Employees have uniforms, but first of all, bartenders, waiters and gardeners differed from tourists by wearing masks in the heat.
It was not possible to instill any "social distance" in our tourists - sun loungers migrated around the pools and along the beach. There was no crowding in the restaurant: each meal was extended for 2 hours, the food was delicious and there was enough for everyone. Minimum 4-5 hot people, a few desserts, craft kvass. Snacks in the style of a Ukrainian wedding: salads, pickles and fresh vegetables, all sorts of goodies from blue and red fish.
The beach was cleaned daily by special boys; there are umbrellas and awnings, a lot of sun loungers, changing rooms and showers. There is a beach bar, but this is for a fee. Animators were busy with the kids all the time. Twice a day - a full-fledged water aerobics in the main pool. After half an hour of active training, the ladies literally crawled out of the pool, and the trainer continued to sparkle with energy and enthusiasm.
De La Vita has several swimming pools overlooking the sea - a large training pool, the main one with a depth of 1.4 m, and two children's pools. Very nice small pool with hydro massagers. On the territory there are illuminated fountains, a stage for evening concerts, topiaries and flower beds. Ho-ro-sho!
De La Vita is one of the hotels of the chain. There is also a building with a swimming pool on the second line, a villa for a large company, houses by the sea and a large Vita Park with various eco-cottages in the form of ellipses under pine trees. It was more convenient for us in a six-story building: walking close to the sea, and from a height there is an excellent view of the coast, ships in the roadstead and reflections of Odessa in the evening.
This is how my anniversary passed. Without flights, passport control, hotel guides and offline translators. Impressions are wonderful. If you have not yet decided how to dispose of the advance payment "frozen" in the travel agency, take a closer look at the domestic hotels of the South and the Carpathians. When else will there be an opportunity to evaluate their resorts.
