Borovets, Bulgaria

A snowHead

Hi All,
First time on the forum so please be gentle...............
I have finally after years of trying talked my family into a ski holiday for 2014. (the dragon, two 14 year olds and me)
When I was younger I did 4 winters (2weeks a time) in Soldeau, andorra and loved it, but it has taken me tooooo long to convince the family they would love it. I suppose my 14 year old twin daughters school trip to Austria this year has helped Very Happy

We are on a budget and Borovets come up with some great deals, who has been there and what are your thoughts?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pas de la casa looks good but quite a lot more.

Best regards,

DJ

A snowHead

Drunkenjoiner, welcome.
If you do a search on Borovets you will get a lot of results to read through.
In a nutshell, it is cheap for good reason, massive queues, average often cold food, elderly equipment, small area, generally a bit tired. That said, as beginners who have never experienced any other resort there is plenty of runs they can do, reasonable instruction and they will have a lot of fun. My first 3 trips were to Borovets, had a great time but now I have experienced a few other resorts I am in no hurry to return.

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

Drunkenjoiner, Borovets not very snowsure go to Andorra or anywhere else excluding Bansko.

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

My first ski trip was to Borovets. We were lucky, as we had snow, but I know of others who've not been so lucky. That said, we had to go up to the runs above the gondola, and if you tried to do that 1st thing in the morning the queue was around an hour long.

Have you had a look at Passo Tonale? It's a great resort for learning and not too expensive.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Drunkenjoiner, hi and welcome.

When are you planning on going? Different weeks can make a massive difference on price. Given your children are in secondary school, if you are trying to go in school holidays Easter comes out the cheapest week.

We have booked the second week of the Easter school holidays to Les Deux Alpes with Mark Warner (catered chalet hotel) so not a lot left to pay for once we get there. My girls are younger so we are after somewhere with Childcare (not that Mark Warner are limited to just families). Les Deux Alpes has a glacier to even if next year is a poor year for snow we should get at least some skiing (that is your risk leaving it that late).

You'll need to Register first of course.

Thanks Guys,
I must admit when I first looked at Borovets I probably just saw the reduced pound signs and though this looks great. The more I dig the more I become sure I should look elsewhere.
I have not looked at Passo Tonale but will certainly do now, thanks for the heads up.

A friend and his family are now very interested so that would be 4 adults, 4 kids. Though kids will be 15,15,16 and 19.
The search goes on, so if anyone can recommend other areas for me to look it would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
DJ

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

After all it is free

Consider the NW of Italy.
Pila, Sestriere, Montgenevre, Madesimo.

Thanks Onnem, will look there too.
Note also guys, my cousin works for Thomas Cook.
We do not really get any major discounts but it sure make the booking process easy.
Regards
DJ

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

http://www.brentaski.com/

The above is a company run by somebody who used to post here. I thought his half term prices didnt seem quite so inflated as other places, so worth a look.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Drunkenjoiner, have skiid both Borovets and above mentioned Passo Tonale. Borovets was my first ski trip (aged 25) and I loved it (but I didnt know any better at the time!) Again, we were fortunate to have (a bit) of snow. It was enough to ski the beginner areas but we found ourselves walking through green/brown patches to get to the rest of the run. It was cheap there (but its not as cheap anymore as they have moved to the euro) However, since going to other resorts, there is no way that I would go back to Bulgaria (any of the 3 resorts...have also done Pamporovo...rained for 2 days (no skiing then!))

Passo T is good - espically if the family havent skiid before. Great prices on the slopes (food/drink....prob in the same region as Borovets now) There is 100km of slopes (mostly blues and V gentle reds) so should be enough to keep everyone occupied. Good lifts etc. Food and hotels are much nicer than the average bulgaria ones. Plus they look after the slopes better. When we went to Passo T, it hadnt snowed for 3 weeks but we were able to ski every day. If that was bulgaria, after 3 weeks of no snow, there would be nothing left to ski on!!!!

I know it looks cheap, but like Ive said before, if it doesnt snow and you cant ski, it become a very expensive walking holiday!
Dont know if this helps, but this was my holiday vid of Passo T from 2yrs ago. Shows some slopes and snow conditions
http://youtube.com/v/miFOWvKQ9_8
(another point, we went 5th Feb to Passo T - not school holidays but was the week before)...we didnt queue for a lift once. Straight to the front every time. The slopes are nice and wide.

snow reports

Thanks NickyJ, I see what you mean some of their prices look very good.
Wow Jon Ford, thats really how to wet a guys appitite, cracking video. One of my daughters said "thats it dad, book there............".
What is the apre ski like, by that I mean, any shopping nearby for the ladies?

Off to swot up, see you soon guys.

Best regards

DJ

Drunkenjoiner, Not the best place for Apres Ski. Not much happeming straight off the slopes. We stayed in the Grand Hotel paradiso (posh hotel...bit too post for a skiing holiday - fancy food- all you want at the end of a day is a pasta etc), right behind this hotel is a bar with a big sun terrace. They have the music going, but its more of a chill out and soak up the sun and views. Most apres ski happens in the hotel bars. We ventured out to a bar for 2 nights. Both of them were pretty dead but the hotel bars were all full. From my experience, Italy isnt known for the apres ski (not like Austria)

In all honesty, the resort itself isnt the prettiest. All the hotels/bars and shops line a busy road. Its safe to walk up it but just stick to the pedestrianized bits. The shops are alright. There are a few ski shops to look at clothes etc (we always like to pick out which skis etc we would buy if we were ever to buy some...which we wont!!) but there are no designer boutiques etc (bear in mind I went 2 yrs ago so it may have changed). There are a couple of nice restaurants there should you want to go self catering or a change from a Half board deal. There is a nice pizzeria - good value. There are a couple of souvenier shops (tacky though...like most souvenier shops!) as well as a couple of Spar shops selling food/drink. Also got a few ski rental shops

However, the views easily make up for the lack of shops etc (at the end of the day, you are there to ski). You can get the gondola to the highest point (the glacier side of the mountains) without having to ski (go up in normal clothes/shoes) just to take it all in. Its really nice up there and you get some great photos. But go when the sun is shining on that side as it can get V cold up there!!

There are also some excursions. Dog sleds, skidoos, (not sure what else)
It is a great place for beginners. Our friends who went with us were on the beginners class and had a great time. Nice slopes and they get taken up higher so not just on the same slope each time.
I would deff recommend here over Borovets. It wont come in that much more. There are a good range of hotels, all close to the slopes (however, I dont think any are truely ski in/ski out. The Grand Hotel Paradiso is right on the slopes, but you have to climb up/down steps to get onto the slopes, The Hotel Sport Vittoria looked nice and more in "resort" than the Paradiso.

If you go, and you have a night flight coming home, try and see if the rep offers a day trip to verona before you fly home (you prob will fly in/out of verona airport. Its a lovely city and a great end to the holiday. The roman ampitheatr is amazing and there some (very expensive) designer shops

Hope this helps - all the best with the booking. (just to give you a heads up, we booked out begining of february trip about 6weeks before hand and there were loads of places to choose from, so I dont think you need to book a hotel any time soon)

You know it makes sense.

I have to admit I increasing like Borovets. As someone who no longer looks to get the maximum number of miles under my belt, or try to bomb the most difficult black and mogulled runs time after time as I did many years ago, Borovets has a lot to offer. It does not have a lot of ski kms. It does not have challenging blacks. It does not have great off-piste.

What it does have, is a friendly, relaxed, and very cheap area to ski. It is not pretentious like some Alpine resorts. Nice restaurants and pubs surround the end of the wide flat main run into town, and so you can sit there watching the world go by with a pint of good yet cheap beer, waiting for your friends. The food I have found is certainly more exciting that I found in posh resorts such as Verbier or Courchevel. A hog roast for example, or nibbling on braised chicken hearts over my beer! Well OK, that's not for everyone, but the closeness of Bulgaria to the mediterranean compared to the Alps meant that not every meal was a burger, or tartiflette and pomme frites.

For beginners, who are not looking for huge miles and steep challenges, I would definitely recommend. All the main 4* hotels are close to the slopes, and have a good bar and a good pool and sauna for those weary legs after your lessons. And where else can you get a package like 4 days B&B accommodation, 3 days lift pass, 3 days equipment hire, and an instructor for 3 days for around £200?

The main issue, as many have mentioned, is the snow. Being a low resort, the best advice is to check out the snow report and live webcams before making a last minute decision.

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

Thanks bum, always good to have as many perspectives as possible.
But bit the bullit and booked today, Passo Tonale it is. As Jon said we going skiing and snow virtually guaranteed there.
Hotel Orchidea, reviews seem good, quiet and friendly, within our budget.
Everybodies input has been greatly appreciated, the only thing now i'm booked guys is you can get ready for loads more questions..................

Best regards,
DJ

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Borovets, Bulgaria

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