GRIFID HOTELS - OUR COMMITMENT

We at GRIFID Hotels realize the importance of the environment and its preservation for the existence and development of our business and for future generations.

We as Holiday service providers are pursuing a policy that protects and preserves resources and strives to manage our business in a way that reduces the harmful impact of our operations on the environment by using good practices and modern methods in our work.

We at GRIFID Hotels engage all our employees in our efforts to operate a sustainable and green business.

We work in several key directions that help us in our goal of running hotels that along with their successful performance also contribute to protecting the environment.

Our main areas of work are:

• ENVIRONMENT
  • Conservation of natural resources through saving and management of energy and water consumption
  • Minimizing waste and carbon dioxide emissions
  • Use of alternative renewable energy sources - e.g. solar panels
  • Raising awareness among employees and customers for the importance of sustainability and the impact of travel on the environment
• LOCAL CULTURE:
  • Our operational activity is closely related to the destination and the local culture - employees, partners, and community. We offer our guests an insight into the local culture, heritage, and environment and the experiences associated with them
  • We are a Bulgarian hotel group and have established lasting ties with local producers, communities, and partners. This allows us to conduct an effective policy by involving staff, local society, and guests in the events and initiatives we organize to protect the environment
  • We are actively working with all employees to make everyone aware of and contribute to the goals that our management has set for the sustainable development of our business
  • We take care of the working conditions and the welfare of our employees
• RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS:
  • We are aware of and respect the laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and the reduction of the negative impact of our operational activities on nature
  • All our actions towards sustainable development are traceable and registered

GRIFID HOTELS - WHO ARE WE

GRIFID Hotels is a Bulgarian hospitality brand. Our first hotel was opened in 2001 and the trademark was established in 2006.

The group operates seven 4-star and one 3-star hotels located in Golden Sands Resort near the city of Varna.

GRIFID HOTEL ARABELLA

The first GRIFID Hotels: which opened in 2001 set the beginning of our very successful experience with the All-Inclusive formula. Over the years we have continuously built, developed and perfected our hospitality product, added new restaurants, a bar, a patisserie, gym with a panoramic view, and renovated the accommodation and the common areas of the hotel.

Today GRIFID Hotels Arbella has stylish and modern design rooms overlooking the sea, 4 restaurants, 3 of those a la carte, a lobby bar, bar lounge, pastry, mini club, 2 outdoor pools, and an indoor pool, spa, multifunctional playground.

GRIFID Hotels Arbella has all it takes to be the perfect choice for a family holiday.

GRIFID HOTEL BOLERO

It is the second GRIFID Hotels opened in 2005. This hotel is the perfect choice for a relaxing holiday in terms of location and facilities, a huge variety of recreational and entertainment options, an excellent ULTRA All Inclusive formula, sophisticated specialties, cozy and comfortable rooms and a fun team of animators, as well as courteous service, sports opportunities, evening entertainment, a rich daytime animation program, cozy and relaxing atmosphere. The hotel offers to its guests 2 buffets and 3 a la carte restaurants, a bar lounge, a pool bar, and a relax bar, it has extensive outside areas with classic shaped and landscaped outdoor pools, an indoor pool, an aquapark with over 400 meters of water slides, designed for children and adults with 3 additional beautiful pools and situated in close proximity to them a children's complex with a mini club and a children's playground. The reception and lobby, as well as all three à la carte restaurants, have been completely renovated for the season 2024.

GRIFID HOTEL VISTAMAR

Joined the family of GRIFID Hotels in 2011. It has an extremely attractive direct beachfront location and deservedly adopted its new name Vistamar. The majority of its hotel rooms offer unrivaled sea views.

Grifid Vistamar embodies GRIFID Hotels' desire to rediscover and revive traditions, reconstruct, change, develop projects that have a history. During the winter season of 2018/2019, the hotel was renovated, and one of the blocks of the hotel was recently built, which features a modern reception block with a la carte restaurants and a lobby bar, a new buffet restaurant located on the second floor with breathtaking sea views and modern furnished new rooms. The old rooms of the hotel are also completely renovated.

GRIFID HOTEL METROPOL

Was presented in the brand GRIFID Hotels first in 2013 as an extremely ambitious, categorical, different, and modern project - PREMIUM All Inclusive, adults only, all-inclusive with a la carte service in all restaurants and bars on the grounds of the complex, Fusion restaurant with gourmet cuisine, 9-course Degustation Menu, Molecular Cuisine, extremely individual service and Concierge care, Grifid Beach with Lounge Bar and reserved access of Grifid Metropol's Guests, incredible Sky Bar, Bio Pool with natural stones - this project became our little gem! We found and developed the adults-only concept - for over 16 years - for those of our guests who are looking for and prefer peace and privacy during their holiday. Here our staff is extremely discreet and unobtrusive to create an atmosphere of relaxation, intimacy, and undisturbed personal space.

GRIFID ENCANTO BEACH

Joined the group only in 2016 as a result of the acquisition of a competitive business in financial difficulties. This is our last completed project - completely renovated in 2017/2018. This lovely hotel with a great location has modernly furnished rooms, most of them with wonderful sea views restaurant is located on the second floor with a direct sea-view terrace, a spacious foyer with a lobby bar, an infinity pool on the 5th floor, and an indoor pool. It has the widest and cleanest beach in the resort, with a beach bar and a modern restaurant. Through the hotel-based medical center, GRIFID Hotels Spa entered a new market for health and recreational tourism. It collaborates with German health insurance funds and Austrian insurers in the field of health tourism.

SENTIDO MAREA

Although marketed under a brand owned by REWE GROUP (who bought it after the bankruptcy of the leading European tour operator Thomas Cook) is actually operating and being run as part of our own GRIFID Hotels chain. This hotel also joined GRIFID Hotels as a result of the deal for the acquisition of competitive hotels in 2016. In the same year, we started a major reconstruction of the hotel, completely renovating its appearance. We built a new modern and bright reception block, having completely changed the entrance of the hotel to improve the safety and peace of the holidaymakers. The accommodations, common areas, and exterior areas were completely renovated.

Today the hotel has a main restaurant located directly facing the beach, a la carte restaurant, 4 bars including beach and pool, 3 swimming pools, one with wonderful water facilities for children, and next to the beach.

GRIFID FORESTA

It is our smallest hotel, opened in 2016 as a brand new hotel in place of a former car repair service base. Today it functions as a small boutique hotel, scattered on the outskirts of the Golden Sands Resort. In addition to its accommodation, the hotel operates outside of the tourist season as a training center for hospitality professionals and a qualification center for our staff. During the season there is also our own laundry facility, as well as auxiliary production workshops for confectionery and butcher production.

GRIFID MOKO BEACH

The 4-star hotel was acquired in 2021, went through the renovation of the swimming pools in winter 2022, and had its first summer season as GRIFID Hotels. In Winter 23 the hotel through complete renovation of rooms and bathrooms.

It is located in a quiet part of Golden Sands Resort, on the promenade, and offers amazing views of the Black Sea from its excellent position on the first line of the resort. The hotel attracts guests with a wide and clean beach of fine sand and it makes it the perfect place for vacationing with young children. The hotel also offers all the amenities needed for a great holiday - swimming pools for adults and children, a beach restaurant for lunch and a la carte dinner, a main buffet restaurant for breakfast and dinner, a lobby, and a beach bar. One can reach the center of the resort by a tourist mini-train or by walking along the beach promenade.

We hoteliers are much more than sellers of accommodation and catering. We work with the idea of constantly improving by offering experiences, emotions, care, unforgettable moments, sensations, delight, imagination ... we sell memories ... and that is our greatest responsibility!

The realization of all these projects is possible thanks to our main asset - our employees. We have the pleasure of working with young and ambitious people, a generator of new ideas, and determined to open new horizons that work with heart and enthusiasm. We are aware of the fact that the care of our staff is a concern for our guests - we develop a favorable social policy, and every year during the off-season we organize language courses and qualification courses, incentive management trips to high-class hotels abroad and cruise ships. We have also found our own Staff Training Center, our Grifid Academy.

We are confident that investing in our staff is an investment in the satisfaction of our guests.

GRIFID Hotels – WE PRACTISE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

We at GRIFID Hotels engage all our employees in our efforts to lead a sustainable and "green" business. We observe strictly all the norms of the Bulgarian and European legislation as regards the protection of the environment, working conditions and human rights, health, financial norms, and requirements.

We always set and reach new goals, not only in terms of the satisfaction of our guests but also those that aim at reducing the consumption of electricity, gas, water, environmentally hazardous detergents, etc.

We inform, invite and encourage our guests and employees how to save electricity and water, throw away their garbage separately, and engage in cleaning and environmental protection activities. Use more than once the towels in their rooms to reduce the influence of detergents. Additional information about the development of sustainable tourism is provided by inviting leaflets in the rooms and on the information boards in lobbies and common areas in each of our hotels.

The rooms and common areas of our hotels are equipped with energy-saving lighting units, motion sensors and shut-off sensors of the AC for open doors. All showers, sinks, toilet cisterns, etc. have minimal water consumption.

Since 2012 we have gradually replaced our hotel air conditioning systems with modern multi-unit highly energy efficient VRF(variable refrigerant flow) HVAC systems with very high COP (coefficient of performance) values exceeding 5, all using the R407 refrigerant, which is so far the safest for the planet's ozone layer.

Since 2011 all our newly purchased faucets have to comply with a max 5,9 l/ min consumption (standard ones 10-11 l/ min), sanitary systems with 3 & 6 l/ min consumption (standard ones 8&9 l/ min), head & hand shower 9,5 l/ min (standard ones 15 l/min)

Established in 2015 GRIFID Hotels Laundry is equipped with machines with the highest class of energy efficiency and low consumption of water and detergents.

The detergents that are used in our kitchens, restaurants, bars, and hotel hosts are nature-friendly - quickly and completely degradable.

Separate waste collection and waste separation is organized for paper and paper packaging, metal and metal packaging, plastic and plastic packaging, glass and glass packaging, biodegradable and household waste.

All goods are delivered in large packaging to minimize waste packaging.

In order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cars for all employees we provide organized company-run transportation to and from the workplace.

Besides our guests, workers are equally important to us as well. GRIFID Hotels, employing nearly 1360 people in an active season, strive to offer some of the best working conditions:

All 8 hotels in the group are located in the resort Golden Sands. Further to and from the city of Varna, the company provides transport to other settlements in the area such as Dobrich, Varna, Beloslav, Izvorsko, Stozher, Lyuben Karavelovo, Dalgopol, Provadia, and others.

The company provides uniforms and safety clothing.

In the off-season, workers can take advantage of company-paid language courses depending on their needs, as well as the use of sports and relax membership cards.

Since 2015 Grifid Training Center has been open. It is dedicated to training candidates for the professions "Waiter", "Cook", "Ship cook", "Baker", "Bartender", and "Maid". Upon completion of the theoretical part of their training, the students receive the right to practice at GRIFID Hotels. The Center is licensed under Bulgarian law and the diplomas awarded are internationally recognized.

We from GRIFID Hotels organize and participate in social and charity events, donations, and more in order to improve the tourist infrastructure, cultural and natural resources of the Varna region.

We make sure that the food products we buy for our restaurants are from local producers. We encourage our tens of thousands of visitors to visit more cultural and natural tourist sites during the summer season.

We use e-mail as a means of communication to reduce paper-based correspondence and paper-based information.

GRIFID HOTELS – ACCOMPLISHMENTS - MAY 24 - APRIL 25

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION POLICY

It is the shared commitment of the management and owner of GRIFID Hotels to ensure sustainable protection of the environment during the management of the holiday product.

What are the main goals of our Environmental Policy:

• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the field of environmental protection
• To educate staff about environmental protection so that employees understand the role they play in meeting our goals
• Invite our guests to support our efforts to reduce waste in the environment

Some of the activities we have done:

• Due to the increased number of auto tourists, GRIFID Hotels rented parking spaces outside the Golden Sands complex and exported car traffic and respective gas emissions outside the complex
• We introduced 2 charging stations on the territory of GRIFID Hotels for electrical autos
• We are submitting waste as batteries, TVs, and Air conditioners to authorized companies
• We successfully introduced and implemented the "Green Buddy" project, developed in partnership with the Association for the Support of People with Intellectual Disabilities – RIVIERA, Varna. The project's mission is to care for young people with special needs and promote their social integration. Through this initiative, we not only focused on environmental protection but also provided support to socially vulnerable groups.

How does the project work?

Our guests simply have to hang their Green Buddy on the door handle, this means that they are skipping daily cleaning.

We invited and encouraged all our guests to support this cause by purchasing their own Green Buddy, with all proceeds donated to the RIVIERA institution and its beneficiaries. This sustainability initiative was successfully implemented at our SENTIDO Marea hotel, and we were truly inspired by the support we received.

Through the "Green Buddy" project, we achieved sustainability and environmental protection in three key dimensions:

• Ecological - because we save water, cleaning supplies and electricity
• Social: The dolls used in the project were handcrafted by individuals with intellectual disabilities at a specialized institution, providing employment and professional integration opportunities for these young people
• Economic: We saved on labor and energy costs, contributing to the overall efficiency of the hotel's operations

• As part of our commitment to sustainable development, Grifid Hotels actively participated in and implemented the "Against the Current" campaign. This initiative became an important part of our environmental strategy, aimed not only at protecting the environment and supporting vulnerable groups, but also at involving our guests in the hotel’s sustainable practices
• In the autumn, we organized a refreshing yoga session on the green lawn in front of GRIFID Encanto Beach. Working together with our friends from the association for people with intellectual disabilities and guided by the skilled yoga instructor Jazzver Singh, participants enjoyed a yoga session that harmoniously blended and fostered both physical and mental balance. This session was an integral part of our collaborative workshop, which focused on environmental protection and raising awareness about pollution. By incorporating yoga into the activities, participants not only strengthened their bodies and minds but also deepened their connection with nature. This initiative helped raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment and inspired participants to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.
• We were honored to receive recognition at the end of 2024 in the "Social Innovations for Social Inclusion" category at the Annual National Awards of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy for the "Against the Current" project. This award underscores our commitment to creating positive social change and reflects our dedication to social responsibility.
• At Grifid Hotels, we have integrated a new, modern, and personalized mobile app, GRIFID Hotels, available for both iOS and Android. This app provides our hotel guests with easy and quick access to hotel services and information. Through the app, guests can also easily make reservations for the à-la-carte restaurants included in the Dine Around program. This convenient feature simplifies the booking process while eliminating the need for paper and reservation tickets. By eliminating physical documents, we actively contribute to sustainable resource management, reduce waste, and support environmentally friendly practices.
• Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond that. The app offers detailed information on our environmental initiatives, energy efficiency measures in hotel rooms, and recycling programs. Our guests can learn about our efforts to protect the environment and participate in various eco-initiatives, such as beach cleanups or tree planting, helping preserve our beautiful natural resources.

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT POLICY

This is the shared commitment of the management and the owner of GRIFID Hotels to ensure that all our employees are provided with the best possible working conditions at all times.

The following achievements in terms of human resources can be highlighted:

• GRIFID Hotels have once again joined government programs to support employees in sectors with a significant decline in activity and participated in programs to preserve the jobs of employees in companies in downtime or very limited economic activity, as well as to maintain the remuneration of permanent employees undertaken with a significant decline in revenue.
• We continued the policy to stimulate the employment of employees from underdeveloped economic regions of the country by investing in expanding the accommodation for employees - we bought and invested in the reconstruction and modernization of Mercury Holiday Base, which we turned into a modern dormitory for employees with renovated interior and central air conditioning, high-speed Internet.
• We have kept the network of departmental transport for the employees of GRIFID Hotels, continuing to maintain route schedules through less economically developed regions in the vicinity - the village of Stozher, the village of Lyuben Karavelovo, the village of Izvorsko, the village of Gradinarovo, the village of Blaskovo.
• In order to create conditions for hiring candidates from less economically developed regions outside the country, in addition to providing accommodation and meals, the company is committed to covering the costs of employees for transport to and from the country.
• We have expanded the scope of our programs for dual education and professional training practices, and in addition to the traditional schools in the region with which we cooperate - Vocational School of Tourism Varna, College of Tourism - Varna, Vocational School of Tourism Ignatievo, we added new schools in the country from the towns of Kardzhali and Vidin. We continue the excellent cooperation and Erasmus internship program for students from vocational schools in tourism in France.
• We have hired an additional labor force from abroad- Turkey, Kirgizstan, Indonesia for different hotel departments (kitchen, restaurant and bar, housekeeping, beach and pool).
• We have successfully integrated Typsy, a leading online training platform in the tourism industry, taking another significant step toward service excellence at GRIFID Hotels. This initiative is a key milestone for us, aimed at enhancing both our team’s performance and the overall experience of our guests.

Our employees have been given access to specialized courses that have enabled them to develop new skills and enhance their job performance.

As a result of the undertaken activities for the period May 2024-April 2025, we achieved the following results:

• The share of persons from minorities among the company's employees has increased, providing them with equal conditions for access to work and pay. Thanks to these efforts, minority candidates were given a chance for realization, decent pay and career development
• Increased the share of employees from underdeveloped regions in the country, found in the company
• The share of employees from less developed economic countries remains significant
• We have increased the number of jobs for employed people in all our companies
• Incorporating students from Bulgaria for their professional training program, part of the educational school agenda
• Training and Development: Our team has undergone various programs and training that ensure a high standard of preparation and continuous skill improvement. As a result, quality, consistency, and professionalism remain at the heart of every service we offer.
• Onboarding and Induction Training for New Employees: New hires at GRIFID Hotels were provided with a smooth and efficient introduction to our standards through structured courses on the Typsy online platform. This platform gives our employees 24/7 access to training, enabling them to learn at their own pace and convenience, which has significantly enhanced their motivation and engagement.
• Enhanced Guest Experience: At GRIFID Hotels, we believe that well-trained employees provide a higher quality service, which ultimately results in higher customer satisfaction.
• By integrating Typsy with the Travelife philosophy, Grifid has strengthened its reputation as a sustainable and responsible tourism brand. As more travelers seek hotels that incorporate sustainable practices, we at Grifid are constantly working to meet these expectations.

Regarding the human resources management policy and in the future GRIFID Hotels will work in the direction of:

• Increasing the accessibility to work in the hotels of persons from minorities, permanently unemployed, from regions with high unemployment and difficult transport accessibility and with permanently reduced working capacity
• Training at Grifid Academy for the permanently unemployed and providing opportunities to work in GRIFID Hotels and raising the qualification of GRIFID Hotels' own staff in order to develop in the organization

COMMUNITY POLICY

This is the shared commitment of the management and owners of GRIFID Hotels to pay attention to how its operations affect the local residential and business community.

Through our Community policy, we set the following goals:

• To prove that we protect the local community;
• To support the local economy
• To prioritize the recruitment of local staff to promote the development of the societies in which the company is present
• To preserve the local culture and traditions

We prioritize the purchases from local suppliers not only to provide good quality fresh products for our customers but also to give support to the locals

• We provided possibilities for work within GRIFID Hotels
• One of our successful initiatives is the collaboration with the Riviera Center
• We have successfully integrated the new GRIFID Hotels App, which provides guests with easy and quick access to hotel services, as well as valuable information about cultural events, local attractions, festivals, and activities. One of the key features of our new mobile app is providing details on exciting local events, attractions, and festivals, encouraging tourists to connect with the local culture and enjoy unique experiences during their stay. By providing this information, we help tourists engage with the local culture and economy. Through this initiative, we also highlight the commitment of GRIFID Hotels' management and owners to positively impact the local community and business environment by prioritizing local tourism service providers.
• The app also features an interactive map of the Golden Sands resort and the city of Varna, providing our guests with detailed information on cultural, historical, and natural landmarks, as well as tourist attractions. This map not only helps our guests discover interesting places in the area but also promotes and supports the local business and economy by showcasing local attractions and services.
• The app also offers a range of excursions and leisure activities, prioritizing local providers and offering our guests authentic experiences, that align with our community policy goals. The tourists can easily receive recommendations for local attractions and plan routes for their tours, making their stay even more enjoyable, exciting and memorable.
• Through the GRIFID Hotels app, we strive to offer our guests not just convenience, but a truly unique experience that leaves unforgettable memories of Bulgaria. At the same time, we actively participate in environmental conservation and support the local economy, contributing to the future of the communities we are part of. This approach reflects our strong focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility, fully aligned with the values of our community policy.