Snowsure: 3.7
- 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
- Borovets is snowsure even in the poorest seasons
Visitor reviews for Borovets 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 28, 2012
chris from
Bulgaria
chris from
Bulgaria
Borovets: stayed in 5 star Festa; never 5 star by English standards, but decent enough (3-4 star). The food is utterly terrible, cold or luke warm at best, with a very limited selection. Didn't find the service terribly good, very quick to take your plates, very slow to offer you drinks etc. Not especially friendly staff either.
As for the skiing? I went skiing in Les Menuires in France, many years ago, which was utterly fantastic, but Borovets is a complete disappointment I'm afraid. Went over Christmas 2012 and lots of the upper runs were closed due to thawing/high winds, which meant half hour queues on some piddly little green and blue runs, some just a couple of hundred metres long! Very rude Italian children and their gormless tarty mothers on iPhone kept pushing in! Never have booked lessons. My gf and I are of differing abilities, so went off in different groups. My instructor spoke great English, but only catered for an idiot Chinese couple who insisted that they could ski, but who couldn't stop, kept falling over and wasted 2-3 days off everyone else's holiday. Group spent 2 days skiing rubbish, untaxing green runs when weather was decent and runs were open, so that we missed out on some blues and reds which were later closed. When he did allow us to ski harder runs, we went down a very difficult red, which was too hard and shot confidence of most of the group. Instructor completely inflexible with abilities and itinerary; I was parallel skiing, but he was skiing alongside barking out instructions to snowplough! What an idiot! As for my gf, she had an instructor out of the state police, she kept barking out "snowplough, snowplough" all day, without any real tuition to speak of, so that my gf didn't bother after 3 days. Booked lessons also involve 2 hours, lunch and then 2 hours, but you are taken to lunch in wooden shacks up the mountain, where the food is rubbish and expensive. Should be allowed to have lessons and go to lunch where you like. Nightlife here is okay, feels like most of the bars are run by local mafia, but they're friendly enough. Not my scene though. All in all, a terrible skiing experience in a seedy resort, ideal for the 'ere we go' Brits, who like cheap beer and an even cheaper experience. Oh and our so called rep, was conspicuous by her absence. Never again.
December 03, 2012
Rhonda Nathan from
United Kingdom
Rhonda Nathan from
United Kingdom
What can i say? Borovets is a great resort. I have been going now for the last 8 years and love it! Last year was the best snow in 5 of the years we have been going and I'm hoping for the same this year; been December, February and March and never been dissapointed yet. Never eat at Borovets, always have our evening meal in Samokov; it's as cheap as chips. Borovets prices are equivelant to English prices and not over the top. It is great for families wanting a ski holiday without the massive expense such like France, Italy, Andora, Norway as I have also been skiing in these resorts also. My parents have a house there and we get both great winter holidays and summer holidays out of the place. Please don't be put off by the bad reports on this web site, if you want an affordable enjoyable holiday this is the place, it won't break the bank. Three weeks to go 'till we return again and can't wait.
October 14, 2012
daisy from
United Kingdom
daisy from
United Kingdom
We went on mass, there was 9 of us! The runs were excellent, covered in loads of snow and the skiing conditions were fantastic. Everyone there was really freindly and the ski schools were great for all abilities. There were many aprez-ski bars and also a tobbogan slope which we enjoyed using after the lifts had shut and we had finished skiing. I am sure Borovets is not the poshest skiing resort in the world, however, for a family holiday it was perfect. The hotel Lion which we stayed at had wonderful facilities including a swimming pool, sauna and gym; the perfect place to relax after a days skiing. All in all, I would recommed Borovets to anyone thinking to go there as whenever we have been we have always felt very welcome and had a lovely time!
March 07, 2012
Gill from
United Kingdom
Gill from
United Kingdom
Had a fantastic week skiing in Borovets in the English half term holiday (11th to 19th Feb). Having been to many resorts in France & Austria I was a little apprehensive about Bulgaria after reading some reviews. However we were pleasantly surprised. We are a family of 5 with the children's ages of 8,10 & 13 with varying abilities. There was loads of snow & we were all able to ski together as there are harder & easier routes down the mountains from the tops of most lifts. We managed to go up the gondola twice & the route down is beautiful. It was closed a few times in the week due to bad weather but plenty other places to ski when it's closed.
Stayed in the Hotel Samokov which was great. The food was good & lots to choose from at breakfast & evening meal. Maybe not so hot as we would eat it, something some seem to complain about but it wasn't a problem to us!!!! Lots of ther activities going on in the hotel, kids loved the sports bar with pool, table tennis & bowling & the swimming pool which was a little colder than we are used to in England but wasn't a problem to any of us.
The people were mostly very friendly & very helpful.
Nowhere was over crowded & no massive lift queues even though it was half term & we could actually afford to stop at a mountain cafe for a hot chocolate. France/Austrai had become too expensive to do such things.
A few seedy bars around as we had been warned but easy to ignore if you wish & we stayed in the hotel at night anyway.
Maybe not the place for those wanting challenging black & red runs but for us a great affordable family skiing holiday & would definitely go again.
March 06, 2012
peps from
Greece
peps from
Greece
I spent two fantastic weeks in Borovets! I am a beginner and I enjoyed the lessons and the easy pistes. Perfect place to learn how to ski! Everything is very close..the lifts, the hotels, the gondola! Very convenient! From Mon-Fri no long queues in the lifts. The surrounding area is beautiful! Borovets is also good value for money! I will definitely come back next year!
The only bad story I heard while I was there is that 3 friends had their skis locked on top of their car and were stolen in the afternoon.
March 05, 2012
Hans from
France
Hans from
France
End of the week we are going back to Borovets.
We can recommend to go there because the people are friendly and the prices are reasonable.
Don't stay in the large hotels, but look for a good time in the small bars and restaurants.
A very good place to go is snackbar Joy in front of the gondola. They serve western and traditional food and make delicious pizzas.
March 05, 2012
Derion from
Greece
Derion from
Greece
My fourth and best visit in Borovets for 2012 was on 3 and 4 March 2012. This time I focused on Yastrebets ski center. Indeed this is the best in comparison to Sitnyakovo and Markudjik. It is the smallest one, as you can find there only 3 pistes, namely Yastrebets 1 and 3 and Popangelov (named after a famous Bulgarian skier). But what of pistes!!! All of them are really long for Balkan standards and are truly red and in some parts are even black. For skiers who are not used in such big pistes (like me) it is essential to take some rests. I could not downhill them in once! I skied some part and then took some rest. My legs got a really good exercise! The scenery is fantastic. All 3 pistes are in a pine tree forest. In 3 – 4 March the weather was fantastic: Sunny and plenty of snow of good quality. I was afraid that the snow would be slushy, but this was absolutely not the case. The snow was excellent cold and only in few places there were few icy patches. Stones could not be found anywhere. On Saturday, 3.3, it was windy. That’s why the gondola drove only up to the mid station. On Sunday, 4 March, it was not windy. The visibility in both days was great. There were quite big queues but quite normal and expected for such a great ski weekend! Besides, 3 March is a Bulgarian National Holiday. Some practicalities: how to reach Yastrebets? You need to take the gondola. If the gondola operates normally, head up to the top of the mountain. Then you take the blue Haramia, an easy piste with great view over Samokov. In some point, you can (optionally) leave Haramia and take the piste Fonfon. This piste is characterized as “black”. However, believe me, it is easier than Yastrebets 1&3 and Popangelov and much shorter, which means your legs do not get tired! So, Haramia and Fonfon connect the top of the mountain with Yastrebets pistes. From the mid – station gondola you go to Yastrebets 1. All 3 pistes of Yastrebets finish in Yastrebets express, which is a 4 – persons – chair lift. Be warned that Yastrebets express can get crowded. On Saturday, I paid 25BGN for the lifts’ ticket, because the top of the mountain was closed due to high winds and on Sunday I paid the normal ticket, 45 BGN. Overall, I had a great time visiting Borovets ski area in 2012 and I hope next year will be for Borovets as snowy as 2012. Given good ski conditions, Borovets ski area consisting of Sitnyakovo, Yastrebets and Markudjik is a pretty good, affordable and enjoyable choice for skiers.
March 01, 2012
Dawn from
United Kingdom
Dawn from
United Kingdom
Had an absolutely amazing time here in January, so much so we have booked to go back in mid March (cannot wait!) It is basic but the people are friendly the snow was fab and powdery and it's actually quite a pretty place. If you want 5* luxury then go somewhere else and pay over the odds for it. I don't mind, it means more space on the slopes for me :)
All in all, Borovets is brilliant value for money with reasonably priced lift passes and food and drink. Would recommend it for anyone who wants a good value fun ski/snowboarding holiday without being surrounded by pretentious nonsense.
February 19, 2012
Andrea from
United Kingdom
Andrea from
United Kingdom
Just had a fantastic week in Borovets staying at the Samokov Hotel. The snow was really powdery and there was lots of it! As a beginner I have nothing to compare it to but the runs were challenging and when the gondola was working (closed from time to time due to weather conditions) we had more variety. The hotel was full of English families as it was the school half term- great if you want company. The food was good and mostly warm- I had heard some bad reviews about the food but we enjoyed what was on offer. The pool was lovely and not cold like the reviews had said and there was plenty of things for families to do (Pool,table tennis, bowling). Overall it was a great holiday and not too expensive. We'd definitely come again!
February 16, 2012
lou from
United Kingdom
lou from
United Kingdom
You get what you pay for and skiing in Borovets is a cheap and tacky experience. It's ok for learning but after that, forget it. The worst was the food! Horrible cardboard like and made in dirty little huts. The people were friendly though. The place is full of strip clubs and just horrible. The hotels are basic, if you're a student on a budget. But if you want a bit of comfort and luxury, go elsewhere. Borovets is full of pushy Italians and Greeks at the lifts, who have no concept of queuing or politeness. Never again!
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