Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi Guys!!

Got back from Bansko and had a great time. Just to confirm there is plenty of snow for everyone to ski on. After the initial first 2 days where it just rained, rained and rained (i am sure anyone who left on the 26th will know how awful that was) it snowed and as we left on Sun there were more and more runs open for everyone!!!

Stayed at Hotel Perun which is a new complex opened this season. Hotel was lovely - very clean. Anyone staying therefore you must try out the outdoor swimming pool which is 40 degrees hot - gorgeous after a hard days skiing!! Please do not expect much of the food - the majority of people will agree it was pretty bad however there are numerous mechanas aroung Bankso which offer really good food for next to nothing (Try out The Wine Celler!!) The staff and service also is not all that - they told two couples one day that the slopes were closed hence they did not go skiing all day even though it snowed ALL day on the slopes - they were not happy!!! However, i am sure these are just the initial teething problems and will be sorted out soon!!!

Just to clarify to everyone on the board asking questions - ski school starts at 10am for 2 hours and then resumes after lunch at 1pm until 3pm. You have plenty of time to ski afterwards if you can manage it, however be warned the lifts going back to Bankso are awful after 4pm - you will be queuing for at least 30 min.Going up the Gondola is good, did not have to queue once!! The ski equipment is all brand new and excellent!!

If anyone has any more questions regarding Bankso i wil try my best and answer your questions. Hope everyone has a great time i am sure you will - and once again THERE IS PLENTY OF SNOW FOR EVERYONE SO DO NOT WORRY WE STILL SKIED EVEN THOUGH IT RAINED FOR 48 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for that Melini.

We are off in Feb staying at the Strazhite. Have been to Pamps before, but not Bansko.

Hope you don't mind me asking a few questions ...............

Who did you travel with and which Airports? What was the transfer like? Any stops?

What level were you?

We are a group of differant levels including 2 10 year olds. Will the kids be in differant groups to the adults do you know?

Do the kids wear helmets? Are they provided/ Mandatory?

Is "The Wine Celler" a mechanas? Bulgarian? Any others to recommend?

Is there an ATM near the goldola station?

I assume you leave the hotel in the morning, walk over to the Ski Depot for Skiis and boots etc, then off to the Gondola? I assume all groups meet up at the top of the Gondola?

Did you ski back to the town at all - or did you always queue for the gondola? Can you ski right back to the Ski Depot?

Cheers

hi

We flew from Gatwick to Sofia - the trasfer time is 3.5 - 4 hours -it really is not as bads as it sounds!!

I was a beginner - who goes in which group depend on your level - all beginners who have never skied go in one group so that is easy and you should all be in one group if you are all beginners. I belive intermediates (people who have skied) have a little test on the first morning so see how they are and then the instructors will split you all up depending on your ability. I heard from one intermediate group that at least 3 people were moved down a group due to their abilty throughout the week!!! If you all want to be in one group talk to the instructors on the first day i am sure they will help or maybe get your own intructor i think it costs rougly £30 - £40.

I did not see anyone wear any helmets!!!

The Wine Celler is a local Mechana - all restaurants in Bulgaria are local Mechanas there are very few that cater for english taste buds - apart for The Steak House which i am sure you will see cleary once you are there. We also went to a nice pizza restauant however cannot remember the name - start from Hotel Strazite and head down to the old square and it will be on the right hand side!!! 2 pizzas a salad and a 2 beers cost £6!!!!!!!!!!! All the restaurants are really really cheap!!!!!!

Not sure about ATM machine near gondola???

Everyday the bus pick you up to take you to the gondola where you pick up your skis - you take your boots back to the hotel every day - you meet eveyone from ski school at the top of the gondola- - it is clearly sighned you can't miss it!!!!

The run back to the ski depot was not open when i was there as there was not enough snow lower ground however would have love to have done it as it is fairly gentle!!! I 'm sure it will be open in time for you!!!

Anymore questions let me konw!!!

hi

We had a 13 year old in our group and the oldest was about 55 - so there was a big age difference. As you will see when you get there the younger ones tend to do much better than the older ones as they tend to have no fear!!!

I had never even put on skis before i went to Bankso so it was all new, however a couple of people had been on the dry slopes before. We had a brilliant instructor and by the last day progressed from the nursery slopes to the blue/red slopes which i never thought i would do. Did not see any green slopes, however the nursery slopes are good, however the queues up the drag lifts are a nightmare - you can be queing for at least 15-20 min!!!!!! You just have to get through it unitl you get onto the blue runs!!!

You get your boots from the ski depot the first morning but they will advise to you take them back to your hotel as the boots will be your responsibility for the rest of the week. My hotel had a dry room where we used to put the boots in. Each day you can either put your ski boots on at the hotel or take your normal shoes and take the ski boots by hand. The ski depot has a place where you can keep your normal shoes if you do not fancy wearing your boots from the hotel to ski depot. Personally, we wore our ski boots from the hotel as we got a bus to the depot each day and it does become quite busy at the depot to start sorting out your boots - but it is up to you what you do!!!