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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
February 18, 2011
Chris from
United Kingdom
Chris from
United Kingdom
Ok, so after reading plenty of reviews before my girlfriend and I went and having spent what I can only call "peanuts" on the initial trip itself, just like everyone else said we were going with an open mind with no high expectations. Having said this, were were both rather surprised especially given the fact the both of us had skied most of our lives in many top European and even Canadian resorts!
We went to Borovets on February 5th 2011 for a week and stayed in the Hotel Bor just outside the town centre but a nice 10 minute walk to all of the bars, shops, slopes etc. The Hotel was nice, being cheap and cheerful, and all the staff were lovely. The breakfast and dinner that is included, if half-board, was ok but obviously you get what you pay for. Not to worry as eating out is relatively cheap! You do get a hot breakfast which is good but for both courses selection is limited. The bar, in the hotel, is cheap with a 500ml beer being 2.50 Lev (£1.20) which is almost a third of the price than it is in the UK.
Renting equipment is cheap but shop around the smaller outlets and barter with them as they will give you a better price, don't just dive at the first offer you get as they love to heckle! However, when booking your ski pass you might be better ordering that before you go. I only say this as we payed around £125 for a 6 day lift pass and I think it may be slightly cheaper to purchase through your tour operator before you go.
The night life is great and even better for the drink prices! When you walk through the town you do come across people trying to get you into the bars and restaurants but it's all good fun and they are generally friendly and enjoy a laugh. Try all the different bars and places to eat as they will offer you free shots and all sorts of stuff, if not then you could be cheeky and ask. 'Happy hour' starts from 4pm onwards. Go to Katys Pub, very cosy little place and does cracking steak! £1 for a large beer and all sorts of cheap cocktails during 'happy hour' and a live performer! Plus the staff appreciate your business and it goes without saying; they all love it when you attempt the language and also when you leave a well deserved tip! It is a much more friendly experience in Borovets with the locals really wanting you to have a good time providing good entertainment and warm welcomes!
When we were there the last snowfall was 2 weeks prior, meaning the snow conditions weren't brilliant and most of the runs were closed towards the end of the week. Having said this, the weather all week was clear blue skies and hot sun; partly the reason for the deteriorating snow! We weren't to phased by this as with the weather being absolutely fantastic we spent a lot of the time in the sun taking advantage of the cheap drink prices and just taking it easy. The runs were fairly busy and it is very much a resort for beginners, not just due to the variety of runs but also the majority of people who go there are first time skiers! We knew before we went that it wasn't the place for hard core skiing but more of a relaxing ski holiday which was just what we needed. The best thing about staying at the Hotel Bor is that it is the perfect excuse for you to stop off at every bar on the way back from the ski hill, a great way to get to know the locals who will remember your face every time!
All in all, it's a great, cheap, relaxing ski holiday destination and you will love it if you aren't expecting the Ritz which of course you wouldn't be! We will definitely be going back but a word to the wise; try and book it closer to the time as we saved a fortune booking it a few weeks before but that is the risk you take with regard to availability!
Nazdrave! (cheers in Bulgarian)
February 17, 2011
Lester Jarvis from
United Kingdom
Lester Jarvis from
United Kingdom
Went to Borovets on the 5th Feb with a mixed group of skiers and a couple of non skiers. Stayed in the Lion Hotel. We all had a great time. It annoys me when you read some of the negative reports about the place. Some people obviously go out there with the wrong attitude and a preconception of the country. If you want 5 star luxury then go to the Alps or Canada and pay for it. If you want a good time at a great price then go to Borovets and chill out.
February 16, 2011
Cat from
United Kingdom
Cat from
United Kingdom
I will be heading back to Borovets for my 5th year in a row...at the end of Feb. I have loved Borovets every time I have been but, like anywhere, the longer you are there, the more you find out! Yes, the snow has been a bit hit and miss for a while but there are things to do and lots of families go to the resort. It my have sex bars around, but what town or city doesn't! If it's not you, don't go! It is also amazing and beautiful in summer.
Don't let people put you off just because they have had a bad time, decide for yourself. If you read reviews for all the places you wanted to go, you wouldn't go!
February 15, 2011
epps family from
United Kingdom
epps family from
United Kingdom
Just got back from Borovets, staying at the Samokov hotel. It was brilliant; loads to do in hotel when not skiing. Snow fall was disappointing but apparently they seem to get more during March. Will definitely go back next year, prices are amazing, great food and the people are very friendly. All in all, a big thumbs up.
February 15, 2011
Patrick Brown from
United Kingdom
Patrick Brown from
United Kingdom
I just got back from Borovets after a 4-day trip with three friends. We stayed in an apartment in Borovets Gardens. The complex was nice, quite modern but wrongly advertised as having free access to the pool and sauna both of which had charges (note: the ‘day pass’ only allows for one session in each).
The resort itself is not the place for a family, aside from there not being much for kids to do, posters of naked women were plastered on lampposts left, right and centre, along with sex shops and erotic show clubs sitting next door to supermarkets.
We weren’t very lucky with the weather and the resort had not had snow for a few weeks prior to our arrival. Also, although the resort does have snow machines, they can only operate at temperatures of -7°C so we didn’t see them in use during our visit. That said, there were some runs open and we did try to ski everyday.
Overall, I found the resort to be very frustrating and felt that the whole place was set-up to swindle your money. A few examples: Firstly, the ‘supermarkets’ only appeared to stock crisps, beer and a few mushy apples, meaning you are forced to eat out on every occasion (making the kitchen in our apartment a pretty redundant feature- if you do feel the need to come to Borovets be sure to stock up in Sofia first). Whilst the overall cost of skiing in a place like Bulgaria is obviously cheaper, the day is broken up into three sessions in Borovets- morning, afternoon and night (1 run), meaning you’ll find yourself buying new passes every few hours. Perhaps the single most ridiculous thing I saw whilst there was the sight of hundreds of fellow skiers heading in the opposite direction on the ski lift! We were twice sold ski passes at the office, only to get to the top of the mountain and find no runs were open, leaving no option but to get back on the lift and sit like a lemon heading back down the mountain. The man at the top of the lift just said ‘no English’, and the ski passes have a no refund policy. The runs we did get on were ok, icy in large patches but skiable, however not recommended for beginners as the numbers on the slopes were high due to the closure of most runs. Two of us rented gear at a very good price but my friend had a pole stolen from outside a bar and had to pay the price of a new pole on returning his gear. We mentioned this to our taxi driver on the way home and he said that the rental shops send out staff to pinch back gear so that they can charge for ‘missing’ gear.
During our time there we found the locals to be mixed, some were friendly enough, as long as you were drinking their beer and eating their food, but many were hostile. The resort doesn’t have the nicest atmosphere, and unfortunately on our last night we were jumped outside a bar by six men and all beaten up. Sitting in the back of an ambulance waiting for my friend to be treated for a head injury having hit his head on the ground, we literally couldn’t have dreamt up a worse holiday. When I asked for a policeman, I was told ‘no police tonight, maybe tomorrow or next day’. I will never return to Bulgaria, at least not until it is in the EU and not run by crooks.
I am not normally one to write damning internet reviews but I really feel it is my duty to let others know of our experience. Despite continually getting ripped-off, we were all trying to have a good time, but enough is enough and it must be said Borovets is without doubt the worst run resort I have been to. Save your money up and go somewhere in central Europe.
February 08, 2011
Davy from
United Kingdom
Davy from
United Kingdom
Just got back from a week's stay in the Samokov hotel at Borovets. What a great hotel and the conditions were spot on but it needs a dump of snow very soon. The sun is hot and it's melting the snow fast. Go to the White Magic across the road for a good drink and fun. Christov is magic, tell him Davy from Devetak said.
February 05, 2011
Paul Gilson from
United Kingdom
Paul Gilson from
United Kingdom
Was in Borovets 15th to 22nd January 2011. Though the resort could have done with a bit more snow, there were a few good runs open. The prices are very reasonable when compared with the Eurozone countries and with a tightened budget this year, it was a very good holiday, with just enough runs open to satisfy my standard of skiing. The reds were a bit icy down the bottom end, but the upper slopes that were open were ideal.
March 26, 2010
Dave from
United Kingdom
Dave from
United Kingdom
March 20, 2010
John from
United Kingdom
John from
United Kingdom
Just returned from Borovets. Only fault we had was that the British Airways strike meant we had to return early loosing 3 days of the lift pass we had payed for and airport parking in the UK. We will not be booking with BA again. We stayed in Borovets Gardens Aparthotel which is brand new with a swimming pool and wellness centre. It is a good walk from the gondola and is situated at the bottom of the hill of the main drag up to the gondola. They claim that there will be a chair lift 40 metres away soon which will connect to the Yastrebets Express chair lift. If this happens it will make it a brilliant spot as you are away from the noisy part. The restaurant is not yet open on the complex so we had to walk a short way up the hill for our meals. We found three good restaurants virtually next door to each other; Happy Duck, Hunters and Vicky's Pizza, the latter being the best but probably the most expensive. The pizza's were great and I had a steak which was 2 inches thick and was lovely. The beer was 3 leva for 66ml which is £1-50 for more than a pint. The pizzas were about a fiver!
The skiing was very good and very quiet in the week, the weekend had a few more locals I think.
All in all, we were impressed with Borovets as, for value for money, it was good and it was not stuffy like those Frenchies.
We will return to Borovets Gardens when the chair lift is fitted.
March 19, 2010
Caroline from
United Kingdom
Caroline from
United Kingdom
Came back from Borovets on the 13th March 2010 and it was really good. Stayed at the Samokov and everything about the hotel was great - even the food was very edible and plentiful. 2 for 1 on certain drinks and cocktails in the sports bar all day long and the local bars were cheap too.
The hot stone massage provided in the hotel was to die for and I would recommend it to anyone at the end of their skiing week.
The snow was brilliant, no queues for the chairs or drags, the gondola by mid week was a little busy but for the cost of the overall holiday it was a bargain!
If you are lucky enough with the snow (and that surely goes for a lot of Europe anyway) this little jewel is an absolute treasure. The transfer from the airport is less than 90 minutes and everything seems to work like clockwork.
Would I go back to Borovets again - sure I would!