Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi Jer.
We stayed at the Elina over the Christmas week, me, the wife and two daughters, 17 & 13.
We had a really good holiday but............
This was not thanks to the Elina.
When we arrived first impressions were good.
Greeted at the door, after dropping our bags in the rooms we were cooked a hot (ish) meal. Not bad!
Went to our rooms, the heating in our bathroom (room 403) didn't work, not a good thing at -6! This was never sorted after 5 or 6 mentions to many people, including the rep.
Mattresses the hardest I’ve ever slept on but it wasn't too bad. Noise on the first night was terrible but earplugs sorted that in the main.
It is advertised that this hotel has been refurbished, the bar, lobby, restaurant may have been, the rooms........
One of the reasons we booked this place is because it was in a 'quiet location, minutes walk from the centre'.
The pine forests are gorgeous, very picturesque, however, the walk to the centre does take minutes, 30 - 45 of them!!! The '500 metres away nearest ski lift' isn't the one you will be using if you are a beginner.
There are no shops within a stroll of this hotel and all they sell behind the bar is nuts!!
The buffet breakfast is dire as was the evening meal mostly, having said that, when we had something from the menu and paid for it, it was fine.
We met some lovely people on the first day and this helped to make the holiday, had we not met anyone decent it would have got very boring.
Overall, the holiday was one of the best we have had, but, I wouldn’t go to the Elina again and would think twice about Balkan. Their brochure ‘accuracy’ is non existent.
I still think you will have fun as long as you go with an open mind!!
Have a great time.

Jeremy.
When we had half a days skiing due to heavy rain we went back to the hotel early and ordered from the menu in the restaurant. We had 'American omelette', everyone enjoyed it alot, so they can do it if they want.
You do not have time to just eat elsewhere. You go down for breakfast at, say, 8, go back to your room and be ready for the bus at 9 or 9:30. Off to the slopes, 4 hours of skiing with one hour break for lunch. The food on the slopes is also a bit dodgy and more expensive, we found pizza to be the safest bet. I think they were about 6 lev (less than £2.50) but it filled a gap and back off skiing.
Then back to the hotel at about 4, up to the room for a much needed rest and down for dinner at 7 ish.
As the centre is such a stroll, you would need a taxi every night there and back, 12-15 lev each way (4-5£)
We found the centre a bit boring but it was the first week, maybe it gets better. Don't listen to all this 'get your stuff when you are there it's cheaper' rubbish.
Starter goggles over here were about £8, over there it would of been about £20!!
When do you go?
When we came away they were desperate for snow but the forecast is looking the mutts nuts.
We were lucky to ski for 6 days.
Any more I can help you with just ask.

Hi everyone (especially Anto Ireland)

Stayed in the Elina same time as Lewie and im sorry to say Lewie has summed it up to a T. One other thing don't leave your wallet in your room while you go down for breakfast, I had 20 euro's stolen from my wallet. Also bring a torch with you as they are prone to power cuts, we had one at 2.55am on Friday morning and were leaving hotel at 3.30am to go home (not much fun trying to take your cases down 2 flight of stairs by mobile fone light!!!) The restaurant/hotel at the top of ski school 2 served lovely hot food £5 for t bone steak which was nice. You might have to ask for a fan heater for your room as ours was freezing cold (211). Ski instructor was called Emo who was excellent at teaching us all to ski. You can use the jacuzzi and gym in the evening, be warned if you book a massage she strips you naked. Lewie is also right about buying your stuff out there, get it before you go as its quite expensive and watch out for the bell sellers when you get off the bus, we got hounded for the whole week by them.

Jeremy.
The 'jacuzzi' we were shown was one of those stand up/sit down showers with multi jets of water!!
The other one was green and one of our party thought the local dogs had taken a bath in it.
I think this was 10 lev to use.

Ben.
As a beginer, £8 goggles would do fine, I didn't use any even in a blizzard, I found it fun.
We didn't ski fast enough to warrant spending £100 on something you may never use again.
One thing that was at the ski station for 35 - 45 lev were some cross between goggles and sun glasses, these looked quite cool.

Paula.
Yes, the power cut was interesting wasn't it?
We also used mobile phone lights.
The manageress offered us a heater for our bathroom!!!!
Nice n safe eh?? ;-)