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 11, 2009
LULU from
Bulgaria
LULU from
Bulgaria
December 08, 2009
Cosmin from
Romania
Cosmin from
Romania
December 03, 2009
Vladimir from
Russia
Vladimir from
Russia
Have just booked Emerald Bansko for Christmas 2009-2010 (!) for me, wife and my sons 2,8 years old. My evil nasty Boss approved my vacation for 8 days, hoping I'll die in the mountains of Bulgaria!
Expectation of Holiday is better than holiday itself as we say in Russia! That's why I started reading reviews and found this site as really perfect to find some useful details.
Thanks to all who have written such big reviews, they a really useful.
I have some questions and would be really grateful for answers:
1) Kenguru nursery - I need it! Where is it? Is it possible to book it in advance?
2) Anybody booked Emerald from 28 DEC to 4 Jan? If yes - let's contact in advance, may be we'll find some common business, for example BEER, SKI, or may be discussion about dirty politicians and Gordon Brown particularly :-)
3 What's about equipment hire? Is it worth it?
P.S. Some Britain wrote so much funny stories about RUSSIAN MAFIA, I really enjoyed - Well, don't worry, no Russian Mafia in Bansko and Bulgaria at all, times have changed, no Robin Hood in Sherwood forest as well!
Vladimir, [email protected]
November 10, 2009
penny hevey from
United Kingdom
penny hevey from
United Kingdom
Have been going to Bansko for the past five years, and learned to ski there at the age of 50. If you want to learn to ski there you will not be disappointed. We have always found all ski instructors and ski suppliers more than friendly and helpful. The best for us is Bansko Sports; cross the wooden bridge from the car park, or turn left at the traffic lights, about 100yds down that road (opposite wooden bridge.) Demitri, who owns it also trains young people in mountain sports, he is a great guy and you will get great service and even be offered a drink after a hard day skiing. Avoid the queue for the gondolo by turning up about an hour after it has opened and you can get straight on. As for food and drink at Bansko, we walk down to the old town and we are rarely disppointed by either the price or the quality. Best is near the old square, or walk into the national park and there is a very charming pork resturant just off the road. Avoid the Lion Bar, which has good atmosphere but expensive. Be open minded and learn a few Bulgarian words. Food includes seasonal veggies and the meat is always excellent. A few supermarkets at Bansko can rip you off, but walk out, you can always find another one. Those who rip you off don't deserve your custom, but they are the minority. Most resturants have live music, try the one with the big barrel outside by the side of the river by the bridge. We have taken quite a few friends to Bansko, and they have always enjoyed it, especially the nightlife - you can eat in a different mehani every night. The infastructure, like roads, is now improving, and all the new buildings, although there are far too many, are all charmingly built. Even better, go back to Bansko in the summer. Hire a guide to take you walking in the mountains or just to see the rest of Bulgaria. The young people love their country and it is worth letting them show you around. We have now bought an apartment in The Monastry, and if you want to rent at a reasonable rate somewhere which is close to the gondolo, it is worth checking out. Enjoy.
November 06, 2009
David Jackson from
United Kingdom
David Jackson from
United Kingdom
We came to Bansko last February (2008). We opted for the Mountain Residence self catering.
Had a fantastic time, locals very friendly food good. One complaint was the lack of hot water in the apartment.
Apart from that it was brilliant, pistes good weather great, guess what? going back in March 2010 and can't wait.
To all in Bansko, can't wait to see you all again.
April 09, 2009
Jo from
United Kingdom
Jo from
United Kingdom
We had a great week in Bansko at the end of March (particularly after the amazing huge dump of powder we had).
We stayed at Chalet Rozov with Marty, Victoria and Richard and the hosting and the food was just amazing - 4 course meals all the way (think it's time for a diet).
You can see that Bansko is still developing but the resort is only a few years old so we didn't find it hard to look past the 'building site' aspect, and everything was covered in snow so it was not bad at all.
On the mountain the food was OK but not great - the best restaurants are at Shiliganika behind the wooden fence - if you are friendly with the staff you get a free chocolate bar.
We ate out one evening in a traditional restaurant which was fun - we ordered a meat skewer and it came out on a massive sword stuck in a piece of wood.
I had a ski lesson with Rich from Method and he was brilliant, he really got me going and I felt loads more confident for the rest of the week.
We had a great time and will be back next year - even if it's just for those afternoon cakes in the chalet.
April 03, 2009
Jules from
United Kingdom
Jules from
United Kingdom
We've been to Bansko every year since the cabin lift was installed and we've seen it develop - the facilities, the apartment blocks and the ice rink etc. The 'quality' of the visitors also changes.
We have Bulgarian friends who have to put up with this kind of thing. I am pleased that the same grocery shops are still there with the same staff, who are lovely - I hope they're still there this year too.
March 31, 2009
TALIJO from
Greece
TALIJO from
Greece
March 23, 2009
Peter from
United Kingdom
Peter from
United Kingdom
I wrote a review shortly after our trip at Christmas and have returned now from our second week skiing in Bansko.
The weather was nothing short of awesome - one day of windy conditions but all the pistes were open and the conditions for skiing were perfect. Sunshine and blue skies; at the top of the mountain people were skiing topless.
The snow was almost 3m deep in places (no joke) when we were there, powder in the mornings turning to compacted powder in the afternoons - very different to Christmas when it was very icy, we only saw a couple of small patches of ice this time.
I conquered my first ever black run, second time around.
We were off-piste skiing through the trees, snow and pwder as deep as your ski pole; sunburnt nose.
Bansko is quite a dull town but we went there for a break away to have some fun; we met good people again and had a great time skiing. Our ski instructor was again very, very good; patient and enthusing. We expereinced the local "mehanas" for good quality food at very reasonable prices - we could have done with the volume turned down a little on the entertaining but hey ho.
Again, we put our daughter into the highly recommended 'Blue Kangaroo' creche - the facility is superior to any in the UK and we were more than content to pay circa £35 per day for 9 hours of care and food. We will definately be going back to the Blue Kangaroo.
The lifts were all open, gondola queues no more than 15 mins and the pistes were not busy.
We stayed at the Strazhite again and would go back; half board with all food was exceptional value - basic food but still filling and good.
We didn't get stung by the double scan scam this time - infact the opposite, we stopped at a good place on the side of the road where they had a BBQ and hot coffee, chocolate and the all important loos, a welcome break.
Had a great time, came back achy and tired but we were skiing non-stop for 6 hours a day. Many happy memories and we are more than likely going to return again next March as a bigger group of reprobates.
Go to Bansko for a good value holiday with great skiing - even if you only go once. :-)
March 21, 2009
Captain Turnstile from
United Kingdom
Captain Turnstile from
United Kingdom
My wife and I learned to ski in Bankso 3 years ago and have gone back every year, have bought an apartment there, are very slowly learning the language and love the place. So do our 19 and 16 year old kids who also learned to ski and board there.
Bansko is rustic, it is not hi tech and that is what we love about the area. The people are very friendly and when you make any attempt to learn a few words and phrases, they smile and love to help you.
Just got back tonight after 6 days skiing and left a resort that has just had another metre of snow, I kid you not - look at banskoski.com or bulgariaski.com for photographic proof. Nearly 3m deep pistes and more forecast.
The slopes are quiet at Bansko and if you want to find the best way to get rid of the credit crunch blues and love skiing or boarding, then get out to Bansko because the snow is there, it's not as expensive as the Alps and if you even learn to say hello, goodbye and thank you, you will be made very welcome.
Get out to Bansko in the next few weeks leading up to and through Easter and you will not be disappointed.
Nearest