Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Just got back from Borovets. Our 2nd time there and we will never go back. Village looked run down and dirty, beggers on street corners and everyone trying to rip you off. Snow conditions not very good, Rila side melting fast with 5 runs closed at end of week. Musala pathway also closed so no way down mountain from gondola side for beginners except for taking the gondola. On our first day the kids ski instructor took them to the top of a red (this was a beginners class) and expected them to ski down. They all fell and at lunchtime they were screaming to get out of ski school. On complaining instructor was changed and things did get better for them, but they were constantly ripped off at luchtime being overcharged on menu prices for food and drinks. Rila side was completely shot for beginners by end of week with slush and puddles of standing water at bottom of slopes. This meant everyone, including ski schools went up gondola at end of week resulting in 2 hour queues to get up and almost same to get down. Once up top there were massive queues for button lifts and no room to ski on greens and blues. Menu prices up top were ignored with waiters making it up as they went along or forgetting you gave them a 20 not a 10. On our last day my brother in law went to change last of his sterling at an official exchange which was advertising 2.54 exchange rate on board. He change £100 and was given 224 levs back. He was told this was the rate and the board was wrong, and he had to swallow it and walk away. Highlights of the week were eating at the Alpin and at Sunnys which were both excellent. In my opinion they are over developing a small resort. It needs investment and more ski runs desperately. There was no sign at all of any investment having been made on the ski facilities or amenities from last year. Just more hotels to lengthen the lift queues. Very dissapointed and will never go back.

A group of 9 of us from South Wales (4 couples aged 45-50 and my youngest daughter who is 15 - 4 people were 1st timers). Whilst I agree with Steve's post regarding the conditions on the Rila side towards the end of the week I beg to differ with some of his comments. Our 4 1st timers did not go to ski school but had some private tuition organised by Fiona (thanks Fiona) and then proceeded to practice on the nursery slopes (Rotata, Rila and Iglika). On our 1st day the rest of us did George's Run just to get our ski legs back, followed by Martini Baraki 3. On subsequent days we generally skied the Rila side in the mornings and made our way up the Gondola at about 12.30 each day when there were no queues! I skied down the Musala Pathway each day although on Friday (it was still open at 4pm when I skied it) there were some icy and slushy sections on the final third of the run but it was still skiable. The conditions were still excellent at the top of the mountain (markudjik 1, 2B and 3 )where I spent most afternoons. Generally there was a no more than a10 minute wait for the drag lifts for these runs each afternoon.
With regards to money changing I only used the Crown Exchanges (as recommended on this site) and I was getting 2.54 right up to Saturday morning. Our group ate out every night at the following restaurants all of which have been recommended on this site at one time or another. I would rate these restaraunts in 2 groups - Excellent and Good/Very Good and all were great value for money. Excellent - Green King and Blue. Visited these restaurants twice (enough said). At the Green King I would recommend the Chicken Special which can be shared by up to 3 people and the Sach which is enough for 2 (the average cost for our meals throught the week was 10 - 15 quid per head including 3 or 4 rounds of drinks ). Blue Steak House - excellent food and again great value for money. The other 3 we visited were the Black Cat, Katy's Steak House and White Magic where we once again had nice meals (we had visited these in previous years) although I do think Katy's is overpriced for what you get in relation to the Green King and Blue. A large beer varied in cost between 2.50leva in Black Cat (£1), 3 leva in the others. Apres ski should start in the Alpina where it is 1 leva for a large beer during happy hour and only 1.80 leva at other times. I can honestly say that I was not "ripped off" in Borovets and I think that if people take on board the advice from the many posters on this site then they will have a great time in Borovets. We won't be going to Borovets next year as we intend to go to Italy for the new year however I have no doubt that we will return to Boro in the future.