Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Pete

personally myself and my fiancee going on 15/01/2005 to 22/01/2005, had a great time and found the locals to be more than accomodating.

Understanding what you mean by the lack of length on the slopes, and the heavy queues for the lifts would make us think twice before returning to Pamporovo.

This said, the instruction at Pamporovo was excellent, and the service, food, and quality of the hotel we stayed in - Perelik was fantastic and sheer good value for money.

Pamporovo needs investment, much like the funds been given in Bansko. Without this funding for better lifts, better facilities and increased number of runs Pamporovo will not retain people. It will also not retain skiiers who go to "try it out" and will only fuel the stigma attached to Bulgaria.

I would disagree with you on the bell sellers, we found that a polite "No thank you" was enough to see them go on their way.

To read such a report from yourself on this board will only make other's think twice before investing their time and money on visiting Pamporovo. I must admit, I prefered the ski schools and ease of runs at Pamporovo, but for the quality and length og skiing, the lifts and the apre-ski it does not compare to Bansko.

I am also not sure that we will return to Bulgaria next season, although if we do it will be back to bansko. However as this becomes more popular, it too will become more crowded to the extent of becoming over used.

That is the problem Bulgaria is in at the moment. it is becoming more popular with more people, but there is not the investment to continue to grow these resorts.

Our instructor actually said that Pamporovo is "dying because of the lack of investment and the creation of more runs".

YT

Bulgaria is going to go like Greece, if the people go, the prices will rise and can you blame the people of Bulgaria for trying to make a living?

It still remains the cheapest country in the world to ski. If you have a much sought after product, would you not want to get the best price for it?

As for Bansko having cheaper food on the moutains, we actually foudn Pamporvo to be a great deal cheaper than last year in Bansko. Bansko is great value in the town but on the mountain we found Pamporovo cheaper.

YT

It was not the report I ever intended before I left....... full of my usual enthusiasum and delighted with the snow conditions, but as much as I wanted to, I could not allow myself to give a false report nor to hide my true feelings. Remember this is only my opinion, though it was shared by many friends who were in the resort at the same time, and have also been to Pamporovo many times.

But so much has changed since we all started out so many years ago. Of course that had to happen, and of course you cannot halt progress, but you can alter attitude, service, and explotation and those are the 3 fundimental diferences to the resort.

The lev is much stronger now against the pound so the rate of exchange is much weaker. Being charged 10 levs for 2 coffees in The Lodge when 2 years ago that would have been 2 levs. Bulgarian beer no longer included in Happy Hours, only cheap poor quality spirits, there are no cheap jacks in the resort any more selling CD's or Watches, just a few shops here and there.

I know that all sounds as if I want everything for nothing, but that in not what I am saying. I expect to pay more as the years go on, but I do not expect the service to go backwards, nor do I expect price inflation to be extorinate.

Pamporovo is still a great place to be, maybe it's me that needs to think again.

PP

EXCELLENT AND VERY TRUE REPORT We second your views Pete, after 5/6 + visits to Pamporovo things are changing and not always for the better. taxi fares, food and drink, prices much increased since last year. Have stayed in Perelik three times, Snezhanka once and this year tried the Mourgavets. Lovely hotel, very clean and comfortable rooms and facilities. Lounge bar very friendly and good service, but Dining room, "whoops" - not so good, just as Pete said, tables aren't allocated and being a party of 14, we need to be seated together, which wasn't often possible, dirty tables, always a lack of cups for coffee/tea, and help on first breakfast visit.. Waiters generally standing around. Severe lack of supervision, needs a Maitre'D. But, as always had a fantastic week with great fun and more snow than we have ever seen, which on one occasion stopped us going to the slopes until midday. Having said all that, our first timers were thrilled with our annual Instructor Sesko and are already counting the weeks and will almost certainly return "again" next year.

just returned today noticed prices have risen since last year on the slopes chocbrandy was on average 7-8lev, last year and year before paid 4-5 so nearly double, food was nearly cheaper than drink but still nice will prob give another go next year
we only had trouble on Saturday with lifts this was due to the amount of locals who decended on to pamps because of all the snow
2 in our group also at mougavets said food was cold We stayed at Prespa food was always at least warm if not hot again only saturday where it was below par but again due to amount of people staying in Hotel that night

To all you old hands (pamps):

Hi there, my mate sue and I are going to pamps on sat 12th, with our teenagers, for the 2nd year running. last year on day 2 we decided there and then to return again this year, and by the end of the holiday we wanted to stay in pamps forever! Last time we all booked into the beginners ski school (great!), but this year we have just booked hire ski gear and want to do our own thing. This is mainly because we were all so hung over every morning we found it such a struggle to get up in time for ski school! Seriously, the main reason is that we all progressed at such different rates. The two boys were whizzing down the mountain on day 2, sue and my daughter by day 4, but me and her daughter have two (four) severly left feet, and could still barely manage the nursery slope by the ski shack by the end of the hol! Not wanting the hold anybody back, we decided that we could maybe book a day or two's instruction on site, and thats the crux of the matter; how do we go about this, what's the best thing to do? Any ideas, or advice, please die-hardened pampers? The boys also want to snow-board abit, and my son wants to try snow blading. Please, please advise......

Looking forward to: bj's, cheap (but nasty) fags
Dreading: bell sellers, breakfast, coming home again