Bulgaria Ski discussion board

To all those going to Borovets, just to warn you not to book excursions with your ski instructor. Our hoilday was completely ruined because our instructor first of all booked the wrong day and time and tried to charge us twice, but worst of all (completely our own fault) we were messing about and caused damage to a skidoo and then found out, after being told by our instructor that we were covered, that we were only covered if we had booked with our tour operator. We were left with a big fine to pay, which meant that we were left tight of money for the rest of the holiday. Just to make things worse, we then found out that the reps excursion would have cost us exactly the same as the ski instructor charged us, despite the fact he told us he was cheaper. In future I will only book with my reps, and I would advise you to do the same!!!

Alex, sorry to hear about your bad experience. I wouldn't trust the ski instructors to know what would be covered by insurance...

As for whether ski instructors are well paid or not, they are paid VERY WELL by Bg standards. To put things in perspective, the average monthly salary in Bg is about 300 levs. Yes! that is three-zero-zero levs or about £100 per MONTH. I have a friend who is a teacher in Sofia and he gets less per month that what it will cost me for only two days skiing. Also, I have first hand information from my personal ski instructor from a couple of years ago in Boro, his name was Daniel, and he told me that he was a mechanical engineer and took holidays in winter to be a ski instructor because he was making a killing! He also told me it was "customary" to pay him separately, in addition to the 6-day tuition I had paid at the office...

What can I say, I know Bg is very cheap overall (for us!), but it bugs me that we get charged 1000% mark up on everything, and not only that, but people like ski instructors demand tips or just plant the idea in people's heads that it's the done thing to give them tips.

I'm sorry to say it, but I don't think there is such a thing as honest pricing in Bg, more so than any other place I have been to, except for the Phillipines.

At last some sensible comments!
When will many of these posters realise that they are being ''fleeced'' for just about everything in the resorts.
Many Bulgarian people are very nice ,honest people but those in the ski industry consider us Brits as rich (my instructor told me so )and consider that we must pay/tip for evertything .
Our instructor wanted 4 of us to pay 20 lev each (80lev) for a hose and cart ride lasting around 8-10 minutes (that is nearly £30!!!!)it was only when I protested that he said he meant 20 lev in total!
(ROBBING B ---ARD )
I am not even on the average salary ;but I love skiing .
So as for all you rich Brits please go to Sitzerland or Franch alps,and let us paupers have Bulgaria!