Snowsure: 3.9
- Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
- Is often closed due to a lack of snow
- Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
- Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
- Bansko is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Bansko Ski Resort
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(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
(NOTE: Reviews may be edited by our content team for the purposes of ensuring accurate and relevant information)
Latest
December 20, 2010
Viktor from
Bulgaria
Viktor from
Bulgaria
Update for 20.12.2010 - the snow conditions are good at Bansko but the resort authorities don't care about the ski tracks and there aren't any snow cat machines - you need very strong legs to ski all the obstacles. They didn't care about the safety on the piste and you have to be careful because there are some surprises left for...
December 19, 2010
Mr Jonathan Froggatt from
United Kingdom
Mr Jonathan Froggatt from
United Kingdom
My Girlfriend and I are on our way to Bansko (hopefully) in about 3 weeks and we cannot wait. My brother and I have just had to return home very early from Tignes in France due to an horrific experience with Alpine Element who were supposed to be looking after us! Due to stress, my spine at the present has collapsed (its a disorder that highly related to stress), what a holiday!!**&^%!
To y'all, this is my view and my view only and no way is it meant to imply that Alpine Elements always give their guests an horrific experience. I hope they do get it 'right' sometimes! My advice: don't book with them. If my spine is ok, I'm looking forward to riding with you all and finally having a wonderful holiday! Big'up Bansko!
If my spine isn't working properly, I'm still coming, just buy the guy lying flat on the floor in the bar area of Royal Towers beer. I'll tell you everything. Fingers crossed, we'll be ok. My girlfriend will be the one showing off on the icerink! Love Jon&Claire xxx Peace.
November 28, 2010
Arie from
Israel
Arie from
Israel
Wow, it was great! I was in Bansko with my dad and friends last year in late March-beginning of April, and it was fantastic! We stayed in the Grand Montana hotel, located 5-10 mins walk from the gondola, but thats ok because we hired ski equipment in a store right next to the gondola (they were the cheapest and closest, called "sport" something..).
The hotel was so cheap, because it was at the end of the season and was not very busy. All very clean and huge rooms. There are some nice restaurants in the town near the gondola. We liked the most a Mexican restaurant for their great steaks. They were very, very delicious and again - unbelievably cheap.
As I mentioned, it was in late season so there were no queues at all, besides 5 mins for main gondola in the morning. All slopes were open and it was even snowing a bit on a couple of days.
Maybe some expert skiers would be a bit bored in the site after 2 days but for intermediate and beginners it's perfect, and specially recommended on late season, when it's not very busy.
I'm positive it wasn't the last time I've seen Bansko in my life!
November 03, 2010
Gill Price from
United Kingdom
Gill Price from
United Kingdom
Gosh! We have just been to Bansko with the kids for the first time and what a fab couple of days we have had. No snow but not expected (well perhaps the kids thought there maybe) but we have had a great experience. Kids want to know when we can go again.
We have a property and it's lovely, quite spacious and has been well furnished. Although kids could not understand the unfinished buildings and holes in the road, particularily coming out of Sofia and the cobbles! Once explained they completely understood, even the youngest.
Found some great restaurants and goodness the local beers and wines are very tasty. Avoid the tourist places, have local currency and you can feed 5 with lots of good alcohol for £50.00.
Fanastic place to go. We will be back in a couple of weeks if business allows.
October 27, 2010
Mary from
Greece
Mary from
Greece
We go to Bansko for ski holidays every year. It's very close to us, about 2 hours away.
The great thing about Bansko is that there is always snow, there are tracks for all kind of skiers, there are many to do during day and night when you are not skiing and all of them sooo cheap.
We were interested in quality ski equipment so we searched a lot about it. We hired in tsakirisski.com and we got what we wanted in very good prices(impressed by helpful and friendly staff).
Loved the bulgarian salats;)
Get good company and enjoy!
October 24, 2010
James Griffith from
United Kingdom
James Griffith from
United Kingdom
Dear all, my family have been going to Bansko for 4 years so far. The first two times were in the half-term. Yes, there were huge queues in the morning but once up the mountain as long as you have all lifts working full capacity you get no queues up at the top. If any of you have been to the Alps (like my Dad) I'm sure you will find you queue for over 10 minutes for every lift. The waiting isn't as long in the alpine resorts than in Bansko, but it seems far, far longer as all the queues are all condensed into one area.
With the town it is being made better every year. Last year we went in Easter and most of the infrastructure was there and the place had been tidied up. They are also going to remove buildings that are mainly unbuilt and whose owners have gone bankrupt and done a runner.
The resort area will be tidier every year and there is news that they are upgrading two of the slower lifts up the mountain, further increasing ski time.
My family have always believed the skiing in the area is very good and the piste bashers and numerous cannons mean that you will get well maintained pistes. The runs are varied and last Easter we think the owners where testing speeding up the gondola to help tackle queues in peak season.
Bansko is a good resort but only when people think about the fact you may queue for longer in a day in the Three Valleys than here and the fact Bansko is a lot lot cheaper. Some would say Bansko is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it.
October 12, 2010
Kevin from
Spain
Kevin from
Spain
We go to Bansko every year (me, wife and two children ages 9 and 14). It is busy at peak times which results in long dispiriting queues for the gondola. If you can, avoid school holiday times for countries like UK, Greece, Romania, Russia and Bulgaria itself. We go around the middle of March and rarely queue more than a few minutes.
The children love the place and can’t wait to go back.
From an adult perspective, the resort has tidied up its act significantly over the last few years. Loose ends and tatty areas are gradually getting sorted. There is still much to do and a lot of unfinished apartment complexes will probably stay that way for many years (reminds me of Spain in that respect!). Having skied (mainly pre children) in over 30 resorts spanning two continents and ten countries – this is the place we now enjoy returning to every year.
There’s enough high quality skiing to keep an intermediate happy for a week without getting too bored. The lift system is modern and piste maintenance is usually of a high standard. Hotel and apartment accommodation is mostly of a good quality and you generally get a lot of living space for your money. There are plenty of bars and restaurants and the old town is charming.
Even the trip from Sofia is now accomplished on good roads (except the periphery of Sofia city which still has a few lumps and bumps).
So, if you’re not a young expert expecting the extensive linked terrain of some ski mega centres – then give it a go. It works for us and it may work for you!
October 05, 2010
Jo from
United Kingdom
Jo from
United Kingdom
We went to Bansko last January and had a great time - no queues except one morning which was some festival day over there. Our chalet host drove us up the mountain so we missed the queues anyway and most of the people seemed to be on foot so once you got past the first lift there weren't really any more queues.
We stayed in Chalet Diana with Piste & Peaks, which was great. Tim and Steff looked after us really well and served us some delicious food - the Bulgarian evening was the best meal ever!
We though the slopes were great - our group was a mix from beginners to intermediates and it was easy for us all to meet up at lunch after the beginners had their lessons. It was much cheaper than France and all the lifts are brand new so although it's fairly small we didn't feel hard done to. There was plenty to keep us going and we'd probably do another week there before we got bored of the slopes, we quite fancy trying the resort next door - Dobriniske which is meant to be really old school. Watch this space!
September 14, 2010
KB from
United Kingdom
KB from
United Kingdom
I think if you go to Bansko at peak times then you have to face the queues - it is further worsened when the other resorts such as Borovitts & Pamporovo have no snow and people are bussed into Bansko. This happened last year and then to top it off the cafe at the top burnt setting fire to one of the lift pilons and causing it to close for the rest of the season - accidents can happen anywhere.
We have been to Bansko for the last 2 years. 1st year we were just leaving as the 1/2 term crowd arrived. Last year it was after half-term - it was fantastic - good snow, not too many people and hardly any waiting times at all - all made better by our wonderful instructors from Method Snow School.
We will be back this spring - probably in March as this seems to be the best time for snow fall and has the lowest level of visitors. And the 2nd gondola is supposed to be finished for 2012 opening up more of the mountain. It is a good spot and it will improve over the years to come.
Compared to other resorts in Europe Bansko is quite good.
For those who complain about the Bulgarians manorisms and habbits - well, it is their country so if you don't like it just stay at home...
April 02, 2010
hughes from
Bulgaria
hughes from
Bulgaria
Just back from Bansko where we had a very good week skiing. We are a mixed ability group and found the runs suitable for all. The snow was not good however, especially by the afternoons when it was extremely heavy and rutted. Method Ski school excellent, with one-one instruction being very good value for money. No queues anywhere. We walked straight onto the gondola in the morning and only a few minutes wait at 4.30pm coming back down. We stayed at the Premier Luxury Mountain resort which was far superior to any accommodation we have ever stayed in in France for less money. The local Mehanas were excellent value for money with good food and service and nearly everyone able to speak some English. The Crown pub was exceptionally friendly, helpful and cheap. The Irish pub was not however, Service was fine but food was awful and more expensive. The same with the Lion Pub - basically if you go for English food and establishments then it is still a lot cheaper than France but don't expect the same value as the locals provide. The Friendly Pub was reasonable food but not overly friendly! Harry's Bar seemed to be the most popular with all the skiing instructors etc and again reasonable food and nice atmosphere. The one thing we found was that everywhere was so quiet & atmosphere was lacking! Overall, excellent value for money and it was a change to not feel permanently ripped off as in France, but come earlier in the season and not in school holidays. The one nightmare we had was driving down from the airport - potholes everywhere on the roads and ended up with a puncture at 2 am. If hiring a car then invest in a map as road signs are either non-existent or in Bulgarian. What should have been a 3hr drive took us over 5!
Nearest