Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Just returned from Borovets on Satuday. Everything was as I remembered it last year -
Rila very good, clean, good service, helpful, food warm at best, but good choice and excellent for the money
Nightlife - excellent, freindly bar staff, loads of bars, cheap, cheap, cheap
And so on

However, we were really struggling for snow. It didn't snow all week or the week before, therefore by the end of the week most runs were down to grass and rocks - my ski's are in need of major repair, thank God they're only cheap ones! The runs from the 4 man chair were mostly covered (probably due to the cannons) tho were VERY icy and some of the less skilled in our group couldn't tackle them.

The poor runs weren't helped by the fact that the cable car didn't go to the top due to wind and the single chair lift runs couldn't be accessed as it wasn't operating.

A great time was had, but none of our group will be returning as we'd rather pay a bit more and go somewhere with a better chance of snow (we were struggling a bit for snow last year also).

I don't want to put people off - we all had an excellent time and I would still recommend it - just be prepared for the chance of limited snow.

Gavin

Hey Judith

No, avalanche's don't sound particually tempting, but I'm off to Livigno in a few weeks so I'll see how that is - more expensive but hopefully worth it.

It's true that you can't be sure of the weather wherever you go, but you do have a better chance at some places than others.

I really like Borovets - I've had two great group holidays there and think the place itself is fantastic, especially for groups of younger people like me and my friends - but after the poor snow last year I was concerned before I went this year, and as it turned out it was even worse.

We'd all love to go back, but if we did I think it will be a last minute thing when we know the slopes are good.

Cheers, Gavin

Hey Judith

No, avalanche's don't sound particually tempting, but I'm off to Livigno in a few weeks so I'll see how that is - more expensive but hopefully worth it.

It's true that you can't be sure of the weather wherever you go, but you do have a better chance at some places than others.

I really like Borovets - I've had two great group holidays there and think the place itself is fantastic, especially for groups of younger people like me and my friends - but after the poor snow last year I was concerned before I went this year, and as it turned out it was even worse.

We'd all love to go back, but if we did I think it will be a last minute thing when we know the slopes are good.

Cheers, Gavin

Hey Judith

No, avalanche's don't sound particually tempting, but I'm off to Livigno in a few weeks so I'll see how that is - more expensive but hopefully worth it.

It's true that you can't be sure of the weather wherever you go, but you do have a better chance at some places than others.

I really like Borovets - I've had two great group holidays there and think the place itself is fantastic, especially for groups of younger people like me and my friends - but after the poor snow last year I was concerned before I went this year, and as it turned out it was even worse.

We'd all love to go back, but if we did I think it will be a last minute thing when we know the slopes are good.

Cheers, Gavin

Hi Gavin,

Its a shame about the snow (or lack of it). We're off on Saturday staying at the Rila also. Can you answer a couple of questions for me please?

1) Are there tea and coffee making facilities or have we got to pack the travel kettle. My other half cannot function without at least 8 cups of tea in the morning. We're staying in the studios.

2) Do they provide towels for the pool?

3) Can you exchange money in the Hotel and if so what is the exchange rate?

4) Is there any part of the hotel where its not so noisy? Is it better to be higher up? at the back?

Please reply

Mimi

Mimi,

From our experience:

1. There are two electric hobs in the studio and a kettle (non electric - goes on hob), my wife suffers the same affliction but with coffee after skiing - I found a bottle of Kamenitsa or two preferable at this stage of the day, stored in fridge also provided. There are tea & coffee making facilities available in the restaurant (open from 8am). From comments I heard I would take your own supply of tea bags, apparently they try very hard but cannot 'do' tea.

2. I think they provide towels for the Pool, in any case there were always four bath towels (changed daily) in our room.

3. There is an exchange in the Hotel, I didn't use it as we took cash from here and topped up using VISA at the gondola cashpoint, I think that has a maximum of 200 leva per day (c.£80). Someone has posted an exchange rate of 2.40 leva to the pound, I saw on the street 2.704 but don't know if there was commission etc... to pay.

4. We did not find it too noisy we were at the end next to the main street but at the back. The only people we spoke to who complained about the noise were a family who were surrounded by noisy guests, if you are a family it may be wise to ask if you are near other families or not - but then you may get a screaming baby.

Bill

Hey Mimi

I'll do my best

1) Not in the rooms but don't know about the studios, I'd take you own to be sure.
2) You take the towels provided in your room to the pool.
3) You can exchange money in reception, tho the rate isn't great - it started at 2.4 and went upto 2.5 by the end of the week. Well advertised places outside the hotel will give you 2.7 ish, however we changed ours with some bloke in the pizza / mexican place opposite (and a bit to the right) of the rila and got 2.75. We also got money out of the cash point down by the gondola which is supposed to give a reasonable rate.
4) When sat in the the ground floor bar you can hear and feel the music from the basement nightclub (tho it isn't excessive), however, last year we were on the front at second floor level, and this year the back at 5th floor level, and didn't hear anything either time - and as an acoustic consultant I should know! I'm sure the club is audible in some areas as people have mentioned it on this site, but so far I've been ok.

Hope this helps, have a great holiday

Gavin