Bulgaria Ski discussion board

I stayed at the Iglika in 2003 and was booked to go back this weekend and be there at the same time as you - unfortunately my Mum is seriously ill and we've had to cancel.

YES - the pool is open.

YES - the resort is fab

YES - the food is ok, and if there really isn't anything you fancy, they may make you something especially - they did for me when I was there in 2003.

Although we've had to cancel for 2005, we are already booked for 2006 - staying at the Iglika in a Superior room.

I went to Pamporovo in 2004 but prefer Borovets.

There seem to be a large number of people who once they go to the Iglika are very pleased with it and it's proximity to the slopes. It's a small hotel with no nightclub, but does have the advantage of being across the road from the Rila and round the corner from the Samokov so you've got the best of both worlds

J

Returned from Borovets on Sunday morning, People really friendly, Its a bit like I imagine Benidorm would be with snow. You have to run the gauntlet of people inviting you in for a drink/food/snack as you pass every bar/resteraunt, It starts with your first trip up to the ski slopes and doesn't stop until about 12 midnight!
I cant comment on the Iglika pool as I wasn't staying there but I am sure that someone will supply that info for you,........... Anyone?

The food in my Hotel (The Bor) was edible, Ranging from English style cooked breakfast or continental salad or cereals in the morning to a range of mystery foods (all edible) in the evening, even chicken nuggets and chips on one occasion, My Veggie girlfriend managed to eat well also.
I must mention a little place at the bottom of the black run opposite the new 4 man chair, he went out of his way to prepare a veg dish which was out of this world, His hot-choc brandy's were mighty fine too!

Apart from some initial organisation cock-ups with rental (they ran out at the gondola depot) we were supplied with VERY VERY CRAP snowboards and the guy in our group with size 12 feet wasn't able to be supplied with big enough bindings.

Piste bashers only prepare the slopes for the weekends and leave the slopes rather rough and un-prepared for the rest of the week, something to do with scamming the diesel money an instructor told me.

Ladies of the night are never a problem, you will only spot them if you are looking, Apparantly

Scenery is fantastic, It snowed all last week, Temperature ranged from +4deg C to -15deg C, If you go up the Gondola wrap up warm, its rather chilly and windswept sometimes at the top!

Tip everyone, they will look after you.

Agree taxi price before getting in, Expect to pay 15 levs from bottom of gondola run back to Rila area if you dont want to do the cross country bit!! (Boarders avoid its up hill or flat, 20 min walk)

And try not to get sucked into the Skiier superiority thing, we are all there to enjoy the snow, remember to look up the slope before setting off, dont stop in the middle of the piste (unless you have too, ie crash )

Above all have fun, I would recommend this place to anyone, Its cheap, chearfull and FUN.

Hope this helps, email me on snowboard@waahoo.fsnet.co.uk if you have any specific questions

Sorry thats not right about the bashers, they work every night, unless the fall is too heavy to make it worth while, and as for the diesel rip off, be a bit hard as they get it from the pumps in the depot, believe me, ive been on one this year, and whilst its not a ride open to everyone, it b*****y should be knocks the skidoos in to a cocked hat. Not quite sure how the guys dont fall asleep though as it seems obligatory to stock up on raki before they set off. Any doubters they usually depart around 6 from between the old lifts on the nursery slopes, slip them a few lev, you will not be disappointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

They DO NOT do all the slopes every night, They were leaving some of the slopes in a terrible mess most of the week, At the end of the week I was going up on a basher after the lift closed to do another run but they weren't around all week, they sometimes drove up and back down but didn't bash the whole piste area, The Diesel scam info I got from a couple of instructors, they may have been misinformed but hey, I aint that fussed, Last run down of the hols was fresh bashed all the way.
And how much snow is too much to bash, It wasn't exactly more than 5cm on any day last week.

I had a great time and put this on the site when I got back at the weekend:

I booked my holiday to Borovets with mixed feelings after reading such a wide spread of views on the skiing/food/hotels etc etc but I kept an open mind.

Personally I had a great time. I stayed at the Rila which I thought was really good for the price I paid for the holiday. I stayed in the Rila Studios which were clean, basic but sufficient and room temperature was ok. We had our beds made every day and clean towels every day which I didn’t expect because it was a Studio. The food was ok with a big choice. For breakfast you had a choice of fruit, cereals, pastries and lovely bread as well as a cooked breakfast. For dinner there were about 6 choices of main course, soup for starters, loads of salad, and numerous deserts. You have to be really picky to dislike everything they put out. I thought it was good for the price you paid. You have to buy drinks for dinner but at breakfast there is water and squash. The service in the restaurant was good and they are really quick at clearing away!

The pool is nice, slippery round the sides so be careful. They charge you to use the sauna and steam room but you can get away without paying. Its only 6 lev per person if you have to pay tho.

Did eat out a couple of times. Katys is excellent for steak and the Red Lion was good too. Drinks vary in prices through out the town but Titanic was really good service and really cheap and good atmosphere. You do get a lot of people handing out fliers for their pubs/restaurants/erotic bars and all of them say it’s the best!! Let’s face it, if you were earning the pittance they were, you'd do the same. If you just tell them you already have one then they leave you alone.

As for skiing, it was my first skiing holiday and I thought it was great. I have heard from friends that it is not the France and Switzerland's of this world but then for an Eastern Block country that is relatively poor you can’t expect that. As someone who has only been on dry slopes I thought it was great. I had 6 days of ski school and was with people who had been to Borovets before. We had snow everyday and covered a good selection of runs. It does get a bit busy on the lower slopes if the gondola is shut which it was one day because it was blowing a blizzard at the top!!! I had heard there were really long queues for the lifts but have to say I didn’t really experience this. Had to queue one day for half hour but this was when the gondola was shut. Weather can’t be helped tho.

Ski school was good and although I don’t have kid’s, they seemed to be well catered for with kindergarten and loads of activities.

Food at the top of the mountain is more expensive than the resort but then I suppose they’ve got to take it a long way!!! Its ok but nothing to write home about. If you need the loo at the top then you have to pay 1 lev per pee!!! The toilets are not the best either so if you’re someone who likes everything to be spotless then either go before you ski or hold on till you get back!!!! Its ok tho.

I took £100 worth of lev and £50 sterling and this was enough - I’m not a big drinker tho. It is easy to change money there but shop around for exchange rate if you can be bothered. There are also 3 cash points on the resort. I had a safety deposit box at reception and things were fine. I didn’t have any problems with things going missing but did hear of a few people. But be sensible and put things in the safety deposit box and don’t do things like leaving your mobile phone on the side in your room.

All in all, I had a great time and will be going back either in March or next Jan. It is a very relaxed resort and very friendly with no snobbery. Go with an open mind and just have fun and you will have a great time too. If you’re going soon then have a great time and I’m really jealous!!!!!!

Any questions, just ask and I’ll do my best to answer!!!!

Hi, stayed at the Iglika over christmas and it was brilliant. The swimming pool is open but be warned it is a bit cold to start off with, but a lovely pool may i say, the food in the hotel was good with an assortment of choice for breakfast, and the same for evening, all in all a very good choice of food, we only eat out in the daytime on the slopes. The staff in the iglika were all very friendly and helpful, we got a safety deposit box on the first day as you are told to (just the same in every foreign country). We liked this hotel because it was small and friendly, we went in to the Rila for a drink but felt it was not as friendly as it was so big, this one is a bit more personal. The room we had was excellent it was a family room, the maids came in every day to make the beds and change the towels.We had a new years eve gala dinner in there and it was brilliant, you can also nip through the back of the rila to get to the slopes that way which is a lot quicker than walking all the way round. Infact we liked it so much we are booking up to go to the iglika again this christmas, so from our point of veiw it was first class, please let me know what you thought of it when you get back, cheers have a good time, Michele