 Poster: A snowHead
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hi..
there seems to be a general degree of snobishness towards bulgaria, from what i've read.
But i can defo say that Bansko was an excellent resort. the skiing may not be as developed as alpine resorts but the people and the pistes there are were excellent.
cheap and cheerful it is, but it is also great fun.
my advice would be to try it.. going for my second time this year in a couple of weeks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mugen wrote: |
hi..
there seems to be a general degree of snobishness towards bulgaria, from what i've read.
But i can defo say that Bansko was an excellent resort. the skiing may not be as developed as alpine resorts but the people and the pistes there are were excellent.
cheap and cheerful it is, but it is also great fun.
my advice would be to try it.. going for my second time this year in a couple of weeks |
.....and your agenda is???? 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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mugen, not snobbishness just well deserved cynicism caused by Bansko property investors using forums like this one to hype up the place.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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...I did see a laughable promotional DVD that came with a ski mag once too. If that was promoting the highlights those that love it can keep it their little secret.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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mugen, welcome to snowHeads 
Just for the sake of clarity - Do you or a relative own property there? What other resorts are you comparing it to?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I heard that Bansko is the next Val d'Isere.
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| stoatsbrother wrote: |
mugen, welcome to snowHeads
Just for the sake of clarity - Do you or a relative own property there? What other resorts are you comparing it to? |
firstly i dont own property there, or anyone i know.
however may buy something in the next year when Bulgaria is on it's knees.
I really liked the place, there are issues with overbuilding and planning but to be honest i'm not there for the "charm"
i'm not really comparing it to anywhere in particular, rather i'm taking it on it's own merits.
That said i have been to france and Italy several times (sadly not austria yet) and where they gain is they have more extensively developed skiing areas, but again Bansko is good for what it is.
downsides: transfer from airport you can loose the will to live.. But that is hardly a deal breaker for me..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Mollerski wrote: |
| mugen wrote: |
hi..
there seems to be a general degree of snobishness towards bulgaria, from what i've read.
But i can defo say that Bansko was an excellent resort. the skiing may not be as developed as alpine resorts but the people and the pistes there are were excellent.
cheap and cheerful it is, but it is also great fun.
my advice would be to try it.. going for my second time this year in a couple of weeks |
.....and your agenda is???? |
i thought this was for resort reviews, or did i misinterpret anything.
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| hyweljenkins wrote: |
| I heard that Bansko is the next Val d'Isere. |
thats what i mean..
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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mugen, thanks for clearing that up. Please do continue to post here - always good to have a range of views...
We have seen clusters of posters arrive for a few posts pimping Bansko in the past - please excuse any scepticism. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hello all (my first post) - i got back from bansko yesterday (6 lads of varying degrees of ability). We went as we did Les Arcs (amazing snow) in Jan and needed a cheapo resort for 5 days before the end of the season.
It certainly is not the Alps and i was (sortof) dreading how it would be as i had booked it, however it did surprise me. Very pretty once you are up the mountain and we had more laughs in 5 days than in France, maybe because we didn't expect too much. The town is not postcard by any means and we heard the stories about the transfer and gondola however we were there in 2 and a bit hours (it was a night ride) and at the gondola at 9am every morning we walked straight on.
We are intermediates who go for blues/reds and lively nightlife - Bansko did the job to be fair. 2 lev a pint in some bars and the pistes were wide and spooky quiet. Yes there is not as much of it as elsewhere but the conditions were so good it didn't matter to us too much. We couldn't really afford to do much at night in France due to the prices but had a ball in Bansko as the value is there with varied nightlife. We played roulette in the Casino with some bizarre but hilarious locals, saw a great duo called the Snow Dogs (forgot the bar) went into the Lion bar (packed on our last night with a pub crawl) and finished up in a nice restaurant on the last night where it was the owners wife's birthday so they gave us free drinks (we did clap and sang happy birthday when the moment came so this helped)
The transfer back was a horror show though - almost missed the flight due to snow/traffic/police/you name it.
As said there are issues with the place (it's not pretty and i bet the gondola is mad busy at half term) but we had a great time (apart from the transfer back - thanks to WizzAir for letting us on after the check in desk had shut!)
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Poster: A snowHead
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| mugen wrote: |
however may buy something in the next year when Bulgaria is on it's knees.
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You'd have to be crazy to buy a place there. What's the point when you can rent one for peanuts?
As an investment it sucks (as Whitegold would say)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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devildog, thanks for that & it reads like you a right good time. What has stuck in my mind previously are some of the bad reports about long queues and limited terrain etc but your post has made me think a bit about some of the bonuses of not going to the established and clynical Euro-resorts. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mollerski, with all the other options in the world I don't think I would go to Bansko but it was the quirkiness of devildog's experience that made me think about what you don't get in a megaresort.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| moffatross wrote: |
| Mollerski, with all the other options in the world I don't think I would go to Bansko but it was the quirkiness of devildog's experience that made me think about what you don't get in a megaresort. |
There are many smaller, lesser well known resorts in Central Europe. Italy would be my choice.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| mugen wrote: |
however may buy something in the next year when Bulgaria is on it's knees.
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You'd have to be crazy to buy a place there. What's the point when you can rent one for peanuts?
As an investment it sucks (as Whitegold would say) |
It's not really an investment as such, possibly in 20years and wouldn't rent it out. It's just somewhere to go if i feel like it.
anyway it's just a thought so nothing concrete.
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| moffatross wrote: |
| Mollerski, with all the other options in the world I don't think I would go to Bansko but it was the quirkiness of devildog's experience that made me think about what you don't get in a megaresort. |
devildog's experice is similar to mine, probably the same cops stopped the bus:)
it's a good fun place.
never had a problem with the long gondola ride and queues were non existent for us.
also saturday is transfer day in bansko unless your flyig from edinburgh or newcastle. then it's sunday which means empty slopes on the saturday.
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The cost of running an unoccupied apartment in Bansko is not much less than the cost of running an occupied home in the UK. 
This I know from fact.
Bulgarians from other areas think it's hilarious that foreigners, mainly Brits, are paying such stupid prices for everything in Bansko. It's goldrush city. Dodgy developers, Russian Mafia backed companies, local bent officials etc, etc are having a field day.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Mollerski wrote: |
The cost of running an unoccupied apartment in Bansko is not much less than the cost of running an occupied home in the UK.
This I know from fact.
Bulgarians from other areas think it's hilarious that foreigners, mainly Brits, are paying such stupid prices for everything in Bansko. It's goldrush city. Dodgy developers, Russian Mafia backed companies, local bent officials etc, etc are having a field day. |
i agree, hence why i would only look at it when bulgaria is drowning in debt..
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| mugen wrote: |
| stoatsbrother wrote: |
mugen, welcome to snowHeads
Just for the sake of clarity - Do you or a relative own property there? What other resorts are you comparing it to? |
firstly i dont own property there, or anyone i know.
however may buy something in the next year when Bulgaria is on it's knees.
I really liked the place, there are issues with overbuilding and planning but to be honest i'm not there for the "charm"
i'm not really comparing it to anywhere in particular, rather i'm taking it on it's own merits.
That said i have been to france and Italy several times (sadly not austria yet) and where they gain is they have more extensively developed skiing areas, but again Bansko is good for what it is.
downsides: transfer from airport you can loose the will to live.. But that is hardly a deal breaker for me.. |
Well said Mugen. I think a number of posts in response to your original message say it all.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi guys i've been to Bansko and enjoyed i, im an early bird so no waiting at the gondola straight on at 830, snow was good all the way into the town which is a 15 km run for top of gondola and i think its 26 km from the peak, the new part of the town is a bit of a dump lots of unfinished properties and general mess, but if you walk for 15 mins away from the gondola you will find the old town of Bansko with very nice traditinoil buildings and nice restaurants and CHEAP.
Thats just my opinion i also have no vested intrest there........
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| romeowner wrote: |
Hi guys i've been to Bansko and enjoyed i, im an early bird so no waiting at the gondola straight on at 830, snow was good all the way into the town which is a 15 km run for top of gondola and i think its 26 km from the peak, the new part of the town is a bit of a dump lots of unfinished properties and general mess, but if you walk for 15 mins away from the gondola you will find the old town of Bansko with very nice traditinoil buildings and nice restaurants and CHEAP.
Thats just my opinion i also have no vested intrest there........ |
the run from the peak to the gondola station is great fun. best i managed was 18 minutes
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just been last week, first 2 days was bulgaria holidays and had to wait 2.5 hours to get on the gondola... terrible, 2nd day I walked up a blue run to 1st button lift as I was fed up with the queues. (45 mins up hill walk)
rest of week was mostly ok, but rainned on the thursday all day and was a washout / didn't feel like getting drenched in rain!, then on the last day half the lifts were shut because of wind.
personally if you go to bankso go jan, feb as March starts getting warm.
so it's a chance that it might be ok when you go.
http://www.ski-resort-reviews.com
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You know it makes sense.
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| mugen wrote: |
| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| mugen wrote: |
however may buy something in the next year when Bulgaria is on it's knees.
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You'd have to be crazy to buy a place there. What's the point when you can rent one for peanuts?
As an investment it sucks (as Whitegold would say) |
It's not really an investment as such, possibly in 20years and wouldn't rent it out. It's just somewhere to go if i feel like it.
anyway it's just a thought so nothing concrete. |
Just go there whenever you feel like it anyway and rent one of the thousands of cheap apartments on offer. It will be cheaper and a lot less hassle.
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