Bulgaria Ski discussion board

I'm glad people are starting to take notice, i said a very similar thing back at the beginning of February i got shot down and was basically told if i don't like what Bulgaria has to offer then go elsewhere.

As i said back then my concern was for Bulgaria and the fact they can't keep raising the prices as they are without increasing the quality of the resorts.

I have a lot of respect for people on this board and for what they are doing for the country but some people will only take note when someone like Pete posts on here(no disrespect Pete). It would be nice if others opinions are respected.

The main problem for Borovets is the lack of competition and it can't keep on. Borosport have a monopoly over the resort and until this is broken prices will continue to rise and people will go elsewhere. I don't mind paying more if the money went back into improving the resorts but this quite clearly isn't happening.

I love the country and will keep going back but others and first timers wont and where will that leave the skiing industry in BG.

PS Pete Wembley here we come.

I have to agree too!
Lack of snow: Never had less lesson as this year, it feels like I paid too much money for nothing (extra) learned.
Offcourse I have to mention that we only used 2 slopes(!) Markudjik 1 and Yastrebets till midstation but thats not his fault!!!!
higher prices: 12 leva for a cup of soup presented in a plastic bowl together with a plastic spoon that let you do eat like a child (half of the soup is on your chin) is not what I called cheap but more extravaganza!! (240 old belgian francs OOGH)
The section bad experience then: I had an extra shower in my hotelroom for more then 24 hrs! First they moved the bed ("its fixed") then the whole night it was the sound of drop-drop-drop from the ceiling right into the carpet...Still can't understand that I slept trought it
So please take another room then nr 516 in hotel Samokov!
ok time to move on..but still like BG and will be back!

There are things that can be done,'if they want to'.

Poor snow, well thats all part & parcel of skiing,nobody can predict the weather.They can invest in quality snow making systems though.Xmas 2006 i skied on almost totall artificial snow, but had a great time.Its not rocket science build some more runs higher up & supplement them with pre programmable cannons. Most nights temps dip bellow on the tops, problem solved, well atleast some sking can be had in bad times.

Sorry but the lift systems are a complete joke, one gondola at bansko to service how many hotels?.The other resorts as pointed out already are badly in need of a face lift, its dangerous having that many people on few slopes anyhow.

High Prices, didn't someone mention a scheme on this forum that some of the restaurant owners were supposed to be signing upto, or was it just BS. As for the ripping off name and shame those establishments.

Dodgy pubs/clubs with drink spinking and other seedy goings on, should be clamped down on period hardly family friendly.

Reps should black list uk yobs, it gives us all a bad name.

To sum up, i didn't mind paying for a cheap holl with most of the above but, its no longer cheap and there is better value elsewhere. Simple really.I'l be back if they sort things out.

My comments and my personal experience in Pamps this year
(havn't been to the other's)

Poor Snow - Jan 26th-2nd Feb - Great Snow
March 8th - 15th - Not so great snow BUT, ssaw the cannons working when cold enough, even during the day and they did a great job to make it ski-able for us. I noticed alot more cannons installed this year. (which apparently are doubling up as fire hydrents for summer)

High Prices - Didn't notice a vast difference to last year, I did compare the cost of a cuppa in the overnight stay at Manchester hotel on way back tho-
Pamps 250 Lev, Manchester £2.50

Lack of Slopes - The new lift in Pamps is being worked on, the Helicopter was there nearly everyday, we were in Stoikite when it picked up lift parts right in front of us. The new runs to Stoikite will probably start to be worked on now snows almost gone. Got told that stoikite lift will be the next new ski centre 3. Also, had an excellent Bulgarian guide on Bus to Sofia Tour and she told us loads of info about the plans to the area.

Bad Experiences - I'm not a big drinker, so don't stay out long enough to see people drunk, but did see one English person make a nuisance of himself in White Hart around 9pm.
Food was dissapionting in Mourgavets, thought Perelik food was better.

Good Experiences - Great Reps in Pamps, Ski-Dooing on the Perelik Mountain, loads more snow and white trees
Going it alone without ski-school, great fun being able to ski where you like. Mourgavets Panoramic Cafe was good, also pool and Sauna.

All in all,
Pamps is expanding, probably take longer than the they are predicting, but they have made a start.

Hopefully someone in authority is reading the comments on this Forum and will sit up and listen to the bad things that are being said about the resorts or no-one will want to come back.

The Bulgarians are poorly payed, they have probably been hit hard over the last 12 months due to the lack of snow last year. Maybe thats why they have upped prices, trying to make up for last year.
I did notice the price of Bells had gone up

AA