Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Here in Pamps at the moment staying at Pamporovo Hotel, and thought I must make a refernce on here for all of you coming out soon!!!

This is my 9th time here in 15 years and how things have changed, everyone out here is so negative about Pamps these days and sadly I have to agree, the people in our Hotel are very unhelpful and moody, many people have had to change rooms and have had great difficulty in doing so, although ours is fine, but the hotel hot water runs out too soon!!!!!

The snow is not great but we can't complain about that, but it is nearly as expensive out here as at home now, the Balkan brochure still states 80p a beer and 3.00 for a meal, this is so untrue a beer is 5 levs, nearly 2 pounds, and meals on the slope start from 10levs about 4 pounds, the reason for this we have been told by Bulgarian friends and ski instructors is that the all the bars and hotels are owned by the same person/company and there is now a cartel in operation!!! I last came out 2 years ago and the prices were half what they are now, I have loved Pamps for a long time and I am upset to see the place go downhill and the greed of the few that run the place, even the instructors and some of the bar staff we know say they are not happy but are unable to do anything..... You even have to pay 50st-1lev to use a toilet now, Pamporovo has only been popular for all of us because it was cheap, so we would put up with the poor hotels and the poor food, but now its getting so expensive, we have cause to complain.

I haven't found one person who would return to this place, yet most have been before, and think this is very sad, I for one after having 9 great holidays here over 15 years will not be returning, as things will only get worse with all the new apartments, there are no new ski runs and probably never will be, it will be interesting to see who comes here next year.

I'm feel so strongly about this and felt I had to put something in writing, maybe if more people vote with their feet things may change, but from a greta place to come for a holiday I'm dissapointed and sad to say it will be the last!!!!! Your comments Please...........

Hi Dave,
I have satayed in the Pamporovo 3 years ago too.

http://www.bulgarianproperties.com/Property_news/stcperelik_1430.html

Heres the lastest news i've found on the Perelik Project in Pamporovo, I was told this year that the company who runs the mountain are in their last year and will be taken over next season by someone else so maybe they are getting out of it what they can.

I love Pamporovo and will be returning next year and in the furure. No one can take away the fact that it is a beautiful place.
But I think the cheap ski-ing holidays in Bulgaria will be soon a thing of the past.

I did find the Perelik Hotel better than the Pamporovo and even though the prices had gone up on the mountain we still didn't spend alot.

Hope you have a better holiday next year where every you end up.

AA

A bit sad to read negative thoughts about Pamp. We were there from the 24 Feb for one week and had a wonderful holiday. The snowboard instruction was very average but my private ski lessons through interski were outstanding. We met another great couple and just enjoyed ourselves thoroughly despite the poor conditions. On the hill we ate at the potato shack at lift 2 cheaply every lunch. Speedy smiley service and good healthy food. We stayed at the Perelik which was very clean. The food was average but Svetlana the manager made me vegetarian sauce each night for my pasta or rice. Cannot complain about that! Yes the prices are not what we expected but I am sure still cheaper than Europe and definitely cheaper than the US. We had a special meal at the BBQ at the Mourgavets and it was outstanding. So much so we went back the next night. No more than £10 per person and that was a lot of good food. We did the jacuzzi in the Mourgavets as a treat a couple of times and found that really nice. The pool in the Perelik was great. And quite a few people had massages and came back very relaxed. We don't drink and we don't go to pubs/bars so can't comment on that but we had an excellent holiday that was sunny, relaxing and fun. We would go back if the snow conditions improved. Your holiday is what you make of it at the end of the day.

We love Pamps and have been for three years in a row, we love the hotel Perelik and have only ever received good service there but I think we have been for the last time. Unfortunately, because of my job it has to be in school holidays which has got busier during the time we have gone and with the new developments will get busier still. Having had a very bad injury to my knee a couple of years ago I don't like to ski in crowds or do reds and blacks anymoreand the queues to go down the green slope this year were frightening. maybe its time I put my skis and boots on ebay.

I have to agree with Dave here i went there this year and couldnt believe how much the whole place resembled a building site!
There was simple things that could have been done to make a big difference but it seemed the people out there would rather sit on there arse than try to help!
One thing that could be done was to move a large pile of snow next to the lift to cover the mud coming through and stopping people getting to the lift, so simple yet not done!
There were rocks and stones on some runs which many of us moved in the end, not a hard job and improve the narrow run a lot probably took us 5 mins to do yet saved any peoples ski equipment im sure!
When we were walking on the pavement to the lift there was a manhole cover missing they had put a twig over the hole which wouldnt stop anything falling down the large 6 foot deep hole! To top it off hte proper cover was right next to it! The people really are just lazy!!!!
The people selling bloody bells should be shot as they were just a pain the whole time!
The runs were limited and fairly busy god know what it will be like when all the extra accomadation is up and running?
Credit to hotel perelik as it was clean food was good and people nice to deal with. The White heart was a good night as were a few other places
I WILL NOT BE RETURNING as overall it was a dissapointment and the cons strongly out weighted the pros

Matt

Its a pity some on here can't cope with a litle constructive critisism, I agree with some on here the Perelik is a far better hotel, as is the Bor the staff are certainly more friendly and much more willing to speak English, most Bulgarians dont have a good word to say about the Pamporovo Hotel as well as their guests, I just wanted to let others know who may be considering booking as many of the other hotels seem to offer much better service. We all went to Chepalare by local bus yesterday, we all had a great day and prices were 1/5th waht they are in Pamps, it just shows we are being taken for a ride, also there is one hotel in Pamps (the newest) independantly owned by the olympic medal winner at Negano and the drinks their are a 1/3rd of the price, compared to the main hotels, but you wont find the hotel in the brochures apart from Chrystal, again it shows that some out here can keep things as they were...

As for the guy on here with the apartment he has purchased, good luck as they aren't selling very well are they and the locals thing the Brits are mad paying between 20-50K for a home, as they say who will buy them from you when you want to sell, they can't sell what they are building!!! But I'm sure Pamps will become less busy for you reducing the value of your property and rental income perhaps. Have a brain mate!!!