Bargainous Borovets (Borovets)

Member Name: traveladdict

Product:	Borovets
Date:	16/08/08 (803 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap resort, good snow

Disadvantages: Limited runs, occasional power failures

Borovets is a good low-cost, small ski resort. I agree with others who comment on it being small and not for advanced skiers but if you are looking for somewhere cheap, this is it!

I have been to Borovets twice. The first time, it was my 3rd time skiing! And more recently I returned after over 20 ski holidays. so my experiences are drawn from both times.

As a beginner I booked hired equipment however even as a beginner I recognised that this wasn't ideal. After trying on several pairs of boots I just took some and they hurt my feet so much that I went and bought my own boots from the ski shop (only £80 for Rossignol boots - bargain). After this my skiing went from strength to strength as I had better control in my feet and legs. My advice here would be to seperately book your ski and boot hire, rather than through your travel agent or in the package. I did notice that there were several ski hire places, some had all the lastest equipment. the place I went to seemed the cheap option!

There are a number of runs in Borovets, catering for all abilities however the actual length of runs is somewhere around 35Km rather than the 200Km you'd find at one of the linked French or Austrian resorts. However having said this, the green and blue runs at the top of the gondola are fine for a beginner, who will probably spend most of the week up here, prgressing onto the easier reds by the end of the week. For more advanced skiiers, runs are limited with several reds and a couple of blacks, however unless you want to bomb it down, these are plenty along with a couple of icy greens that go round the mountain, with chances to stop at mountain huts for hot chocolate or schnapps.

Hotels in the resort vary from the Rila and Samokov with pools, casinos and shops below to the Lion and Bor which are a walk from town.

I stayed at the Bor and it was fine - rooms were clean and tidy. The hotel had a buffet style restaurant and a bar. the walk to and from skiing was very welcome on my first visit to Borovets to stretch out my weary muscles. It only took 10 minutes and was downhill on the way back.

There are a few shops and restaurants around the resort. The Buzz Bar is fantastic and has happy hours at good prices. White Magic is also worth a visit.

The transfer from Sofia takes 1.5 hours because the roads aren't great. The resort had reasonable snow mid Feb and great snow at Christmas. I guess you just have to be lucky with the snow though it has been pretty good both times I've been.

My one caution about Bulgaira..... There are often powercuts meaning no light, you get give candles instead in the hotels! This also affects the lifts. I have been stuck on a chairlift with no power but not the gondola - I think they have a generator/oil/gas methods of bringing you down if it should cut out then!

A good resort with cheap prices (50p half litre of lager, £2.50 a pizza, £1 a plate of chips)

Summary: Great for a group trip or where bombing it down 100Km of runs is not so important