Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Just got back from Borovets yesterday and wanted to let you know how it went.

We left on Boxing Day and stayed at the Olymp. I'd read a lot of reports on here and wasn't expecting much. Good job really as everyone else in the party was quite dissappointed. wardrobe doors were not on the hinges and wouldn't close. The shower was right next to the toilet and the shower curtain didn't divide the toilet/shower so toilet was soaked through. OK for blokes going to the toilet, but a bit inconvenient for ladies.

The (net) curtains were laddered, beds were comfy and the the room very warm. Oh yes and the toilet leaked. My advice is if you aren't happy, complain to the rep and they will do everything they can to help you. By the way the higher up you are staying in the Olymp the better the hotel rooms become - wierd. Also I don't think there is a Bulgarian word for soundproof as sound travels amazingly well, must be something to do with the concrete floors. Other facilities were ok, table tennis, gym and swimming pool.

Any food is ok-ish, stick to what you know and I recommend avoiding chicken as a general rule for the entire resort.

We ate out almost every night. Chinese was alright, massive portions, Crystals was a great bulgarian meal with local dancing (bit smokey though), Flora restaurant was very nice and the cheapest (100 lev for 6 inc. drinks), Mamacitas (mexican) was by far the best meal and I recommend the chicken fajitas and pina colada's - top class. The guy's in there really cared and if you leave anything they want to know why so they can improve. Also The Titanic behind Rila 1 boot shop, Chips, Eggs and Beans on Toast for 5 lev = magic lunchtime scran. If someone opens a Chippy in Borovets they will make an absolute killing.

Really didn't like everyone trying to drag me into their bar for a drink - just like the Med, but here's a quick and brilliant response I heard a girl say:
Bar Guy: "Hey come in, we have log fire and good drinks"
Girl: "If you give me and my friend two free shots we will"
BG: "Ok"
Smart girl.

Attitude of Bulgarians varied dramatically from being very friendly (majority) and helpful to being downright rude (minority). Pretty much like Blighty really.

Power cuts - 2, once in the evening for 3 hours which was good fun with torches, and once whilst on the gondola for 15mins - not so good fun!! should've gone before I got on the lift!!

Piste conditions, excellent on day 1, only gripe was that it was chaotic trying to find the rep, find boot shop, queue for ages, find the instructors. Didn't start skiing until 11:30am!! Basically if you are having a lesson and are new, ask anyone in a red jacket where you need to be and make sure they know you are waiting, then you'll be fine. After day 2 it went a bit downhill really, no snowfalls, too warm, slopes getting badly worn, and what was left was ice and too many beginners clogging up the bottom of the slope. Frustration for beginners was the queueing time for the drag lifts. Lucky me got to go up the gondola to the top of the mountain. Only open 3 out of 6 days due to high winds, but once you are up there the snow and pistes are fantastic.

Rained on day 4 until 3pm and then started snowing lightly. conditions improved slightly. Day 5 was ice hell coming down the main red run to the bottom and blooming snowboarders were just scraping whatever snow there was off. Day 6, same as Day 5, but Gondola was open so skiing was ace.

Instrutor: Val = great. We all tipped 50 lev's each and as other people have said, they get paid 200-300 lev's a month if they are lucky. Some even have to provide their own jackets which makes them harder to spot. We started with 13 in the group and ended with 6 which was a good group size.

Comments from other people was that the Samakov, ice angels and Rila were the best, although Ice-angels looked like you wouldn't get as much disturbance from the nightclubs and was ideally positioned.

Summary: Olymp Hotel - poor, nightlife - good, Skiing ok-ish outside Rila, and fantastic up the gondola.

Would I go again - probably not as I got to ski most of the runs, however Val was telling me about the Super Borovets project and al the other developments that were being planned. So when thats nearing completion I'd really consider it. Apparrently Val was saying that the best time of year to ski in borovets is end of Feb and March as that is when the best weather generally is, which was interesting.

Anyway, that's my brief (!) report!!!

Completely forgot to mention the activities that Balkan Holidays - lovely helpful people that they are - try to flog you for every lev you have.

bumboarding - don't bother, buy one yourself from any shop nearby and enjoy the frenzied fun packed activity - v.good when racing friends.

Skidoo - ace, £24, but oooooh so worth it. especially if you can be at the back of the group as this way you can hang back a bit and then get a really nice stretch to burn snow!!! top top fun.

sleigh ride - smells of horse poo - don't bother.