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
February 29, 2008
Rambo from
Greece
Rambo from
Greece
And something else, I totally disagree with the previous guy, calling Bulgaria a third world country, he has just to remember how was our country (Greece) 20 years ago, or less. Certainly, it's a poor country trying to make progress and Bansko, Borovets and else are some of it's best points to that goal,
Also, there might be people trying to make easy money quickly, taking advantage of tourism, but this is no Bulgarian exception. Chris I offer you a free one way ticket to third world countries and you'll see how wrong you are. Try some regions in Africa, Pakistan, India (this in no insult to these countries) but for sure Bulgaria has nothing to do with places like that. Last points; many people speak English, even Greek. They are quite helpful in the lifts.
Remember to ask for ski insurance (it's about 2.5 Euro for a week)...
February 29, 2008
Rambo from
Greece
Rambo from
Greece
Bansko is an excellent choice for people looking for good ski conditions, even on sunny and warm days like these. The pistes were in very good condition and most of the Bulgarians seem to know what they do and how to ski. There are many good hotels with very low prices. For sure, for anyone looking to ski in the Balkans, Bansko is the best value for money choice. I would certainly visit this place again...since I am interested mostly in ski and not about nightlife..(although there are a couple of bars mostly English style).
February 28, 2008
Chris L from
Greece
Chris L from
Greece
Hi,
I was at Bansko last weekend. Last year I was at Zell am See in Austria and 3 years ago I had visited Pamporovo (Bulgaria). So I would inevitably compare Bansko with the 2 others.
Fortunately Bansko was a pleasant surprise to me. Bansko is a modern ski resort which cannot be compared with any other in the Balkans. Actually it is the only ski resort in the Balkans that can be compared with the same ones in Austria or the Alps.
Of course, the bad news is that the resort is located in a third world country and that is a fact that we cannot neglect. No matter what way you choose to travel to Bansko you'll have to keep this in mind. You are travelling in Bulgaria and this a frustration. But once you reach Bansko everything is changed. It looks like that Bansko is somewhere else in central Europe. The ski runs were in an excellent condition and the prices were very good. There are plenty of choices for food and accommodation and it is still constructing more buildings than you can imagine. In 2-3 years Bansko will be definitely my favourite resort and it's only 3 hours drive from my home. I'll never have to travel to Austria again, just to get the same experience, unless I am looking for more luxury holidays.
February 23, 2008
Paul Holloway and family from
United Kingdom
Paul Holloway and family from
United Kingdom
Last week in Bansko we had the best skiing holiday our family have ever had. Reading some of these reviews I struggle to see the place that they are describing. You have to understand that Bansko is 4 years into probably a 10 year process to change it from a small agricultural mountain town into a big international ski resort. However, this is reflected in the price you pay. How you can say that the Dolomites is the same price as Bansko is an absolute fabrication. I have skied many times in Livigno and I can't find a beer anywhere there for less than 4 Euros. In Bansko it ranges from 1 to 2. All in ski hire cost us 45 pounds each compared to more than double this in the Dolomites.
We stayed at Chalet Isabella, a brand new alpine style ski chalet 5 minutes walk from the town centre. The standard of accommodation, service, food and facilities surpassed any chalet I have stayed in the French alps, for a third of the price! It was run by a very helpful British couple who taxied us up direct to the pistes every day to avoid the gondola queue (we were there during a half term week and everyone I spoke to said that they didn't wait more than 30 minutes in the queue - so it didn't seem as bad as some people have suggested).
That said, the food and service in some of the restaurants on the piste can be terrible. We took packed lunches up in the end. The tavernas in the old cobbled town centre were much friendlier and cheaper. Also, we agreed with the comments on the need for more deckchairs and more helpful ski lift attendants!
Will definitely come again!
February 22, 2008
Denis from
Bulgaria
Denis from
Bulgaria
With regard to the attitude of local people, I do agree. On first sight they are miserable and unfriendly. However, if you make the effort with them, you quickly realise that they are completely opposite and their iced facade soon melts away. I always think we are like mirrors and what we give out, we get back in return - a smile usually ignites the same from others.
Whilst we have a business in Bansko, we choose to live in a small village 20 minutes away and the locals there have taken us in as one of their own and despite having little in the way of material possessions, they are always keen to bring us gifts of home grown vegetables, yoghurt and milk. There is a real sense of a community, which unfortunately, we generally seem to have lost in the UK.
Obviously, as a developing nation, Bulgaria have a lot to learn and this can be quite frustrating, both for us in business and also for the visiting tourists but I don't think it's time to write the resort off just yet, after all who knows what the next 5 years will bring.
February 20, 2008
Sean from
United Kingdom
Sean from
United Kingdom
Well. It looks like one or two of these reviewers should stay in safe, commercial, bland Europe! Better still, why don't all you moaning minnies just stick to your local dry ski slope, I imagine they do a great Full English Breakfast! Bansko is a developing resort. Visit any French or Italian ski resort 20 years ago and you'd have seen much the same. There is a fair amount of building work but the slopes are wide and well maintained and the night-life is cheap, safe and fun. You're not paying St Moritz prices so what do you expect? Go if you have a sense of adventure and want to try something different. If you're expecting France, go to France!!
February 19, 2008
Louise from
Bulgaria
Louise from
Bulgaria
I too have to agree with Downhilldan. I went to Bansko last week instead of my usual annual trip to Italy. What was I thinking? If it wasn't so terribly un-pc to clap as we took off from Sofia airport, I would have done so.
The Bulgarians (or Vulgarians as I came to call them) have no idea of what customer service is. They don't smile, they don't talk to you and those who do are very few and far between. The skiing wasn't bad but once the powder snow was blown off the pistes, you were left with ice just about everywhere. They haven't grasped that not everyone wants to ski from the minute they arrive on the mountain. Haven't they heard of deck chairs?
As for the apres-ski, we frequented Happy End on a couple of occasions after coming off the slopes which was really buzzing, however, go back a couple of hours later and the whole place is dead. Food awful, usually served luke warm, kept up most of the night by barking/howling dogs and the place is like a hell whole. Sorry to bang on but I work hard for my money and would much rather spend it in a country that's grateful!!
I won't ever return! Long live Italy & France!
February 19, 2008
Paul from
United Kingdom
Paul from
United Kingdom
Have to agree with Downhilldan. Returned from Bansko last week. Skiing was okay but that was about it. Went open minded because of all the bad reviews I had seen, but I for one won't be going back and Dan is right, it's not even that cheap.
The food was awful, bar a couple of meals and the whole place is a building site. In 5 years time, if they haven't addressed the infrastructure it will just be worse. I spoke to a few families who were on their second or third visit and all said that this would be their last. That simply says that things have got worse rather than better which doesn't bode well.
February 18, 2008
Downhilldan from
United Kingdom
Downhilldan from
United Kingdom
Sorry Gill. Either you haven't experienced any good ski resorts or you have a low expectation. This place is hopeless. I can't think of much positive to say about the place. It's not even cheap. Italy is cheaper and infinitely nicer. The transfer was long and scary, the town is a dirty massive building site. The gondola queues are around an hour (it's rubbish that another is on its way). The pistes were overcrowded with poor skiing standards. The Ulen instructors looked no more than intermediate themselves. Food and drink on the mountain was crazy money. The locals are either lovely or downright horrible. There's a total rip-off culture. Try the Dolomites, it's in a different league for no more or possibly less money.
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