Bansko or Borovets?

A snowHead

Has anyone visited Bulgaria? either Bansko or Borovets

Are these worth a visit?

A snowHead

1969jma, Did Borovets many years ago, for the price we paid - £150 last minute deal all in, flights transfers half board and lift pass - great value. We also had around 2 -3 feet of fresh powder on the second night Toofy Grin

I wouldnt want to pay much more for it, in real terms, and wouldnt be in a rush to go back. It was a cheeky last minute end of season deal and a 2nd trip so ok.

Dependant on cost I would think you could get somewhere a lot better for a little more

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

We went to Bansko over new year (year before last) the biggest problems were the queue for the lift to get up
to the slopes. However my parents went again outside of new year and had no trouble at all. It is also a
long transfer from Sofia to the resort.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

1969jma

Smack your legs for even mentioning such a country on this esteemed forum.

Out of the two, Bansko consistently comes out as the fave rave dive east of the alps. Well documented gondola queues, but once up there it's surprisingly good, for what it is. But, hey, the alps it ain't.........

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

It does depend on a couple of things, because they can both be dire busy (especially Bansko) and there is limited mileage of piste available at both. However if you eat and drink local, you can still grab a pint for 50p, and avoid the busier periods and get some decent snow then you will have a cheap trip which can rival resorts twice the price.

What level of skier you are? and when you are looking to go? Ideally you would be competent on all pistes and looking to get in some off piste stuff. The lift accessed off piste can be superb with the right conditions. Its possible to lap 2 chairs and hit almost 1000m vertical of untouched fresh stuff again and again and again, varying from open gullys to technical chutes to magic forests. Unlike a lot of the popular haunts in western europe where the powder gets tracked out in a day, here you can ride for a week without crossing your own or anyone elses tracks. Thats Bansko by the way.

Borovets is a little more mellow. A nice enough resort, a lot more purpose built than Bansko. It has a nice ski area, most of it fairly mellow. It is arranged in distinct sections which is a bit annoying as you have to make a decision where you want to ski. It has a wicked cool retro gondola, of the sit back to back eggshell variety which ski wider than 90mm dont fit in. Had a handful of individual days in Boro and enjoyed them all.

I prefer Bansko, in March.

You'll need to Register first of course.

A long transfer from Plovdiv as well on the worst roads I've ever been on. It was OK as a very late, Easter deal for my third week on skis. I could ski everything there and was only doing 1/2 days as it was slush by lunchtime. I'd be bored after a day there now. Different if you're off piste I guess.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Transfer times have been reduced greatly by the construction of a new motorway leading out of Sofia and the (semi)completion of the ring road. If you fly to Sofia you can be in Borovets within 1.5 hours and the transfer to Bansko is around 2.5 hours.

After all it is free

Not been to Borovets now for a couple of years, and that was our fifth time in two years. It was cheapish then, but some accommodation and food standards were only just acceptable. We went so often as we met friends there so they made the holiday really. Ski rental via TO's is bloody awful, the kit is years old in all the cases we encountered. One year we went a friend of mine was offered the same damaged pair of ski boots that he was given the year before. Taking your own kit is better but if conditions are poor you'll trash it. Skiing is OK, limited compared to Alps resorts. Socially it is good and cheap enough to have a good lunch and a few beer/coffee breaks (remember you are on holiday). Night life is good if you want to party.

Probably played it out but we got a bit fed up with it really, I suppose I could have a right old moan about the place but it served it's purpose by getting us back into skiing after 12 years.

We go to the Alps now.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I have been following this thread as I have been thinking about a trip to Bansko early March 2011. My main reason for this resort is that my travelling companions are reasonable intermediate snowboarders, so it should suit them. I will hopefully be able to make use of the off piste if the conditions are good.
Last year we went to Serre Che and whilst I covered almost all of the pistes during the week, my companions were happy to remain within the Villeneuve sector on a couple of blue runs. Now Serre Che was rather pricey for food and drinks, plus it is now almost impossible to get a flight from Scotland to Turin. OK enough of the flimflam, here's my questions.

Should I book early bearing in mind that we want to fly from Edinburgh and there is only one flight out per week to Sofia?
Or, should I hold on for a late deal to try and save some money?
I am being quoted a prices of £400 to £450 for half board hotel, flights and transfers at the moment, does this sound reasonable?
I am inclined toward waiting for a late deal as I think the recession will bite harder and tour operators will have difficulty filling seats and therefore need to cut prices. Plus, I have been told that a lot of Bulgarias ski tourists come over from Greece and the Greek economy is shot to hell at the moment.
Any opinions would be appreciated..and please be brutally honest.

Have any snowheads any hotel experiences in Bansko from 2010? "Tripadvisor" and other similar sites have wildly fluctuating reviews for all the hotels we have been offered.

The hotels we have been offered are - Hotel Bansko / Hotel Pirin / Hotel Lion / Hotel Tamplier / Hotel Perun Lodge.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

The queue for the main Gondola can be a pain, make sure you get there before 8.30 ish or it becomes a bun fight. Piste wise they are very well looked after. Last year we managed to ski the Ladies downhill hill Piste the day before the race. Agree that an average skier could do all the pistes in 3 days. The off piste is very good and quite safe. We managed to get 2 12 year old boys off piste and they loved it to the point that we could not get them back to the pistes. We hired a car from Sofia and quite often drove up the mountain to the car park by the end of the Gondola to avoid the queue in the morning. The run back at the end of the day can be very good but to be avioded if your a boarder as it does get quite flat in places. Food and beer wise very good for quality and costs. I would say though that the lift pass is exspenive for the area covered but then all passes are getting exspenive. The new roads from Sofia do make it easier and i have seen worse conditions at home. The Bulgarians are friendly if you make the effort. One word of warning though make sure you keep an eye on your kit as theives are about. With more investment this could be an even bigger area to ski as vast amounts of the mountain range have not been touched yet.

snow reports

The simple solution to the main gondola problem is get a taxi, its cheap enough.

Mightysaints, I dont agree with avoiding the run back home if your a boarder I have done it numerous times without having to unstrap. I would say if your a beginner/intermediate you would struggle but anyone who can hold there speed should be fine. If your a beginner/intermediate I would stop at the half way gondola station and get a gondola back down as it would not be the most enjoyable way to end a day!

elcottero..` If you are thinking of travelling in early March the only time you would expect to see any queueing for the gondola (the gondola is used to access the top section of the mountain) would be around the 3rd, 4th and 5th as this is a big holiday in Bulgaria, having said this the queues wont be that bad and there are other alternataives for access to the mountain and lifts. Over the last 7 years I can honestly say that 95% of our guests during the busy periods have never queued.

I can only judge from our time in Bansko but March usually sees some excellent snow falls and the conditions have been fantastic. Not the Alps as some point out but then we dont charge alps prices either and in the last couple of seasons we have seen some migrants from the alps trying Bansko out because of the recession. On the whole they have been really quite amazed at what the resort has to offer as an overall package (the slopes, the town, the apres ski, the prices, the general friendliness and over all charm of the place). We have infact overheard hardened alp goers saying they are probably now converts to the more personal experience rather than being a mere 'number' taking a lift every day, clocking up miles rather than having fun and enjoying that hard earned holiday. True there may not be the kms of runs that are seen in most Alpine resorts but the kms we do have (70+) are very well managed in respect of grooming etc. The runs are wide and long, some are tree lined, some are open but all are great fun. The off-piste is limitless and varied, from gentle tree dodging to steep and deep. I can only speak for myself but, having been in Bansko now for nearly 8 years Im certainly not bored of the runs yet. I always manage to get a great deal of enjoyment out of my time spent on the mountain on either my snowboard or skis and always look forward to the next day I get to spend on the snow.

Should you book early or try and get a last minute deal? This really is dependent on the kind of accommodation you are looking for. If its the mainstream tourist hotels offered by the tour operators then I've no doubt you will get some good deals later on. If its a more personal service with an independent hotel or chalet, book your own flight etc then Im not so sure the price will change that much, infact because the airline prices usually go up neareer to the date you would like to travel it would probably be wise to book earlier. Last year saw a huge increase in the number of Greeks coming into Bansko and if anything this will probably keep the prices higher, recession doesnt seem to have had an effect on us as a ski resort. I think Im correct in saying (Im sure someone will let me know if Im wrong) that last season was officially the best season in respect of numbers of visitors to the town.

I hope this helps you out a little..

You know it makes sense.

elcottero, to Bulgaria! I would wait until nearer the time and you could get a great deal to the alps for that price. That's what I would do unless you have a desire to try Bulgaria. I think £450 is rather steep, you still have the lift pass and hire on top of that. I know 6 lads who went last year and they paid £300 for everything.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Glynis, as you have a vested interest in Bansko, you tend to view the place through rose tinted welding goggles. I've noticed your very 'positive' offerings on 'Talk Bansko'. My experiences of Bansko were not quite as you suggest. However, I am planning to return to Bansko this season(family owned apartment), to check for myself how things are now, 3yrs since my last visit.

A snowHead

A snowHead

1969jma,

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=55174&highlight=

Fill yer boots.............

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Mollerski

You are correct I do have a vested interst in Bansko I live and work there, I didnt like the place I wouldnt still be living there! I was merely trying to give a little advice to someone who asked!

Although in previous posts you gave Bansko a real good slamming it couldnt have been that bad if you are prepared to come back again! If it was truely that terrible not even a family apartment (which may have been offered to you free of charge) would be enough to drag you back!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Glynis, what are the medical facilities like now?

After all it is free

so bansko thumbs up or thumbs down???

Hi Welsh Skier

Medical facilities are available in the bottom station of the gondola during the ski season and although never had cause to need them myself i have been in there with one of our guests, I can only speak from what I saw and they were very well equipped, clean and efficient.

The doctor we use (our personal GP) speaks excellent English and is great and very thorough.

The local hospital (Razlog) I must admit the building has definitely seen better days and it does look typical Eastern block but, I had reason to see a neurologist and an ENT specialist there in the last 6 months and although when I first saw the building etc I wondered on the hell I was going into they were great. No appointment system, just turn up and wait your turn. Absolutely Brilliant. As the old adage goes you should never judge a book by its cover!

I saw a specialist in the UK last month and even paying privately I had a 4 week wait.

jamieH... For me its definitely a thumbs up but then of course I am completely bias...

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

jamieH

Welcome to snowHead

I would do a forum search. Several threads giving polar opposite opinions, which is no bad thing. Depending on where you've been prior, your ability, your budget, but possibly mostly your attitude to life you will either love or loathe the place.

If you can afford to drop a grand for a week, including spending, stick to the Alps. If you need to get the whole job done for as little as half that, there are few better alternatives, unless you go last minute.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

OK Glynis, I've read your sales schpeel on two sites now. In your honest opinion, what are Bansko's weak points? Every resort has them.

snow reports

Mollerski, Next you'll be asking a goat for a bridge crossing fee Toofy Grin

Not been to Borovets but have done Bansko

Learnt to snowboard there in 2006, and then went back last year, both trips were in March.

Stayed in the Perun and then the Lion, both were good. Wrote decent length reviews on both on tripadvisor.

Booked both trips through Crystalski and got bogof lift passes each time I think, the cost of each trip was £460. Have also been to Pamporovo once and got a free lift pass through crystalski on that one (cost £320 for a week half board inc lift pass + hotel, flight)

Anyway, the bansko £460 included, flight, transfer, lift pass, half board accommodation, snowboard carriage on the flight. (for those hiring I think we paid £30 for boots, £35 for a board)

If you have limited flights then be very careful waiting for prices to drop, chances are prices will rise at first and you’ll panic

Both trips I didn’t have any real queing problems for the Gondola, BUT have heard plenty of horror stories if you’re there during a holiday period. Our hotel was about 6 minutes walk from the gondola, sometimes we’d take the free hotel bus, sometimes we’d walk. Each morning we were at the Gondola for about 10 past 8 in the morning.

You would maybe wait 10 minutes in the que, and it would get a bit tight going up the stairs.
If you’re there early... or very late, and not during a holiday time then its not a problem,

Lessons, be careful who you book with if you need to book some, we booked lessons through a company who post on talkbansko and the lessons were awful, young unqualified instructor who admitted that I had just as much experience as her and should have taken them on lessons myself. I didn’t have any lessons but some of the group did and the feedback... well it would take too long to list the issues.

Unfortunately we had to use the medical facility, found it fine, my otherhalf had xrays on her foot and ankle very quickly and they spoke good enough English to sort everything out. Just bruising fortunately. I then rang my bank (winter sports was through them) and they spoke to the medical centre and cleared everything up. I had to pay the medical centre my insurance excess and that was it (they let me leave the medical centre to come back and pay the money later on that day) imagine the bill was fairly high as the injured party needed a skidoo ride down the mountain + xrays.

Overall, If you go at the right time of year and avoid holidays its really good imo. Ski Road home... some of the more beginner boarders got stuck on the flats, I’d say I’m an intermediate and never once got stuck or had to unstrap from the board.
Also a note, I read that in some parts of January 2010 the snow was that bad in borovets and pamporovo that they were bussing some people from those resorts to Bansko as Bansko was the only one with decent snow.

You know it makes sense.

Once again I thank you all for your comments.
Haven't decided yet where to go but I am still going to consider Bansko as a definite possibility.
I do think that £450 is a bit pricey at the moment, bearing in mind that lift passes and board carriage have to be added, which will take it up to £570 - £600, so I am going to hang off from booking with a tour operator and try to work out a flight/car hire/apartment rental kind of deal.
If that doesn't work hopefully there will be some good late deals on offer as I don't mind travelling down to Manchester or any other Northern England airports.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

god all these bansko rampers. any criticism quickly snuffed out.

A snowHead

smithy1, and their pimping put into wider public view by you restarting a thread from 4 months ago? Confused

A snowHead

stoatsbrother, You missed a year somewhere. It was pretty good.

wink

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Bansko or Borovets?

Drowning or buried alive?

Mo Mowlem or Harriet Harmen?

Starve to death or eat your own poo-poo?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

there is a LOT of snobbery here about bulgaria. some of it quite unpleasant.

was in bansko 3 years ago and really liked it, so much going back next week (407 half board inc lift pass). it's cheap and it's fun. there isn't a lot of pistes but so what. what there is is good and the lift system is pretty nice. i can only wish glenshee would have that.

right now conditions seem great (ish)
this is my 2nd hold this year, just saying that for the snobs so they see i'm not quite a miserable little oik..

if ths snow is good .... go!!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

What is with the "oik" business? Take the chip off your shoulder and have a nice holiday!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

My first experience of Bansko was dreadful. I made the mistake of going the first week after New Year when it was still a Russian holiday. The queue for the gondola took almost two hours, which ruined the holiday. We completely missed ski school.

However. having said that, once at the top of the mountain, it was a lot quieter and I liked what the resort had to ofFer so decided to give it another chance and returned last year in the middle of january. The cost for everything was under £500, in a four star hotel with large room close to the gondola. The queue each morning was less than ten minutes. Eating out in the resort at night and the price of beer was a lot less than the Alps. The mountain restaurants are a wee bit more expensive than they shoud be, but I manged to find a mountain hut down the ski road that was cheap enough.

I like Bansko. I have skied for years in the Alps but haven't become a ski snob willing to pay through the nose to get ripped off in the resort, If you enjoy skiing, Bansko is good enough with a variety of runs to suit everyone. The Tomba run is steep and challenging. There are moguls and steep descents from the top. The ski school is professional and the ski road is a great learing curve for beginners, albeit it can get clogged.

I will be returning this year for the third time in a row because it is reasonably priced and is as good as a lot of similar sized Alpine resorts at a lot less money.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

the cheapest place i found was near chalin valog just of the ski road. it must be said that chalin valog are two fun runs.

bansko is a fun place. probably go back this year in march, after austria in jan

Help!!

Bansko or Borovets?

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste