Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi,

just back from our first ever skiing trip to Borovets and we have mixed views really.

We were really pleasantly surprised by the Rila Studios, lovely and clean - no mould in bathrooms and cleaned spotless every day by the maids. The food was so so really and we had to eat out a few times for variety - a bit noisy too but that may have been more so due to the Bulgarian school holidays which were on the last few days and the resort became very noisy. Lots of dogs whom my kids wanted to adopt and take home.........beware if you have kids as the dogs follow you around the resort and the kids think that they are now with you!!

The snow conditions were quite bad and out of 6 days we only had 4 days skiing and 2 of them were ont he blue run outside the Rila hotel which was really slushy and quite dangerous considering you had to jump off the drag lift on a slope and hope you didn't take anyone out when youfell - which I did a few times. When we got to the top of the gondola it was terrific.

Our ski instructor was Eva and we skied with the kids on alearn to ski package. We were taught the parallel skiing and snow plough and snow plough turn. When we had mastered this on day 2 we asked hwat next and were told that this would happen next year. I don't know if it was because it was the end of the season but no-body could really be bothered - that was our opinion anyway and speaking with others who have skied elsewhere they had been doing red routes on their learn to ski packages. I really don't think that we had value for money on the package but can I say that when we skied we loved it.

Lots of accidents on the routes and the beep beep of the ambulance was happening 2 or 3 times a day. Lots of broken bones around the hotel and on the plane home.

So on the whole we are glad that we went - very appreciative of your advice and tips - thankyou, but we feel that maybe we won't see Borovets again. Incidentally those who were in Bansko ont he same week had great conditions witht he chair lifts etc working - there was only between 2 and 5 trails open in Borovets all throughout the week. It was also snowing in Bansko and they had said the food was better too............

Thanks again

Karen

Borovets isn't cheap we were 97 levs to have 4 burgers and 4 cokes on top of the gondola - didn't do that again. Thanks for the tip on going to Samokov and eating at the Town House had the best meal ever for under 30 levs including drinks and made a frined with uncle George the taxi driver!!

We had no hassle from prostitutes - much to my husbands dismay - only joking and only firendly banter with people trying to get you into their restaurant. If you looked in Borovets there are nice places to go - we really liked The Central.

We took a bag full of things for the orphanage and gave them to Milena the Balcan rep.

Agree with you about the Central. Best eatery in Boro in my opinion.
If there is not much snow then Boro is a pretty dire place.
One point worth making about the cost of skiing in Bulgaria, yes it is definitely cheaper generally then most European resorts but with unreliable snow it is a very expensive skiing holiday if you can't go skiing!!!!! you lost over 30% of your holiday to poor snow. We went in March and lost about the same amount over 9 days due to poor snow or lift closures.
I don't intend to return to Boro as there is nothing more sole destroying than standing with skis in hand looking at a stationary Gondola. I'd rather spend a bit more money and have a 100% skiing holiday.