Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi Chris welcome to the forum. Ok it sounds like you have quite a bit of skiing experience. Firstly I would say do not expect Bulgaria to be able to compete with any of the resorts you have been too skiing wise, because it can't.

You say you want a lively resort? Now you have kids so I am guessing that maybe you will not be up having it large til 5am?!

Pamporovo is the smallest of the 3 resosrts and the lowest. Very pretty tree lined runs and lively nightlife but it is a purpose built resort and not a village in it's own right. Best hotel would be the Orlovetz in resort centre.

Borovets is more of a party place and also more runs and more scope for off piste can't add more as I have not been.

Bansko is a town as well as a resort with the majority of the hotels being at the gondola end of town. The best hotel is as Steve c says the Kempinski grand slap band next to gondola and it is very nice would tick all the boxes for you wife and whilst more pricey than most other hotels in Bulgaria it is certainly less than you would pay in Austria or France for the equivalent.

The old town of Bansko is a good 15 mind walk and here you will find plenty of good local Mehanas (restaurant's) rule of thumb the further you get from the gondola the cheaper it gets. You will also find plenty of lively bars close to your hotel.

Whichever resort you choose I urge you to eat out as much as you can even if you have paid for Half board as the quality of food in the Mehanas is far better than in the hotels.