 Poster: A snowHead
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Here’s my trip report from Bansko, Bulgaria:
I’ve tried to break it down into categories:
Skiing/Ski area:
The ski area is approximately 65km which can be skied in a whole day. Quite a bit queue in the morning for the gondola which takes 20 minutes, however, this is compensated by the fact that there are no queues when up on the mountain. The gondola is very modern, clean and fast and no different to any other gondola in a “western” Europe ski resort. As I said, I didn’t experience any queues up on the mountain.
When you get off the gondola at the top, you are in a large plateau where the nursery slopes are. There is also a large selection of eating places.
The other lifts on the mountain are mainly modern 4 and 6 man chairs with one or two 3 man chairs. There are only 2 drag lifts.
There is a good selection of runs. Ok, you will ski the same run over and over but, for its size, there are a good selection of runs. Mainly blues and reds and there is the Olympic black (Alberto Tomba run). You can right down to the very bottom at the end of the day which is good.
In keeping with a lot of “western” Europe resorts, the lift pass is electronic and can be put into your jacket sleeve pouch thingy!
Accommodation/Bansko itself:
I stayed in a 4 star hotel with swimming pool and sauna. The hotel was absolutely spotlessly clean. It was a 5 min bus ride from the gondola station but the hotel did provide a free courtesy bus. I was on a half board basis and the food (will come to food a bit later) was edible for my week there.
Bansko itself is basically a very small original town with cobbled streets which has been surrounded by not very nice hotels. If you stay close to or visit the old town, it is much better. The old town of Bansko is at the other side of where the gondola station is situated. Because of this, there are the usual tourist shops and hire shops (this is the new Bansko).
Standard of equipment:
I have my own boots and hire skis. The skis I hired were of a very good standard (far far much better than the ones I hired in Soll, Austria) – so I have no complaints about the standard of the hire equipment.
General stuff:
Very very very very cheap for everything. A lunch on the mountain (spaghetti, chips, soft drink £12). The eating places on the mountain are not too bad – they more or less sell the same kind of food.
I found the food to be ok in my Hotel. The Bulgarians tend to like their food lukewarm. I did read somewhere that they think its wrong somehow to eat hot food. You can heat up in the microwave, so its not a problem. The breakfast was very good cooked and continental). None of the other guests, including myself, had any dodgy tummies or anything, so must have been ok.
I booked through www.balkanholidays.co.uk - nothing much to report on them. They seemed ok, website easy to use and easy to book through. I didn’t require the services of the Rep (but then again, I never do). They use Balkan Holidays Airlines which is their in-house airline. Just a standard charter airline, nothing good or bad to report there.
Would I go back:
Yes, yes, yes. I would definitely go back. I chose Bulgaria because I was going on my own and it was cheap. I deliberately chose the resort of Bansko as it’s the biggest in Bulgaria.
I had misgivings before I went as, although I am not a great skier by any stretch of the imagination, I had visions of it all being nursery and easy slopes but I was really very pleasantly surprised. The skiing is good, the food is not too bad really, very cheap, good standard of accommodation and equipment and the old town is very nice.
I will probably go back next year!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Which hotel did you stay in?
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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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Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sat 14-05-11 19:03; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| NickyJ wrote: |
| Which hotel did you stay in? |
Hotel Bansko
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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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jb1970, good to hear that Bansko was up to your expectations - sounds as though you made a good choice. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| jb1970, good to hear that Bansko was up to your expectations - sounds as though you made a good choice. |
I really really enjoyed it. It is ideal for someone on their own. Doesn't cost too much.
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I have been to Bansko 4 times now, always stayed in Katarino SPA, which is in Razlog (15 min free shuttle bus ride) - absolutely gorgeous! Heated outdoor pool is great, though is a huge heated indoor pool, too, with 4 different steamrooms and 2 saunas - all free to use. Food is delicious and plenty of choice, the hotel itself is fantastic, with huge fireplaces and cozy sofas all round..highly recommend top anyone. We managed to buy 1 week from Manchester for 380.00 per person, for 14/01 - great value! bought with Crystal holidays
Bansko itself (the skiing) is a bit boring by now, I wish to try something new, but cannot imagine the same outstanding quality of teh hotel for similar money..any ideas? 
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