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  4 of 5, "Good Beginners Resort" 19/02/2010 @ 22:35:23 |
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| Price Paid |
| not sure - was a present from my dad! |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Neilsen |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
Ok, so as my dad has now retired, he wanted to try something different and when he asked my brother and I where we would like to go on holiday we decided to finally take a trip to the slopes and learn to snowboard.
We went to the ski and snow show in London, and after much looking around and asking various reps - and my dad's mate - we decided on Bansko.
We landed in Sophia, and got on our transfer coach, little did we know it was a 3 hour transfer to the resort! Lukily we are all used to long journey's so didn't really bother us, but if you hate long coach trips, then it might be one to avoid.
We stayed in Hotel Pirin, which for the price we paid was quite a good hotel. Relatively close to the main town, and right on the edge of the old town - where all the traditional Bulgarian restuarants and bars are - everything we needed was in walking distance.
The hotel itself had all the facilities we needed - free swimming pool and sauna/steam room, table tennis and games room, bar, sports shop, and half board all you can eat breakfast and dinner.
The food at the meals was pretty much the same everyday, but wasn't anything wrong with it.
The room was cleaned everyday, new towels etc, and the staff were friendly and answered all questions as best they could.
We went for a week and being our first snowboard holiday we decided to book six 2 hour lessons (1 a day) for the week. We had a talk with our instructor who basically said he will teach us enough to get us on to some blue runs, and if we want to carry on with the lessons we can, otherwise let him know and we can do our own thing.
As the resort only has one mountain, and the mountain is relatively small compared to other ski mountains, there are a lack of ski lifts/gondolas and thus the queues can be massive, and some mornings we had an hour or more wait just to get on the first gondola to get up to the first runs.
As well as lack of ski lifts, there are also limited runs, although there is a pretty easy going run that goes from top to bottom, which was a nice way to round off the week. The lack of runs does mean that the slopes can get crowded and there is quite a lot of places where ski lessons seem to cut across in front of the boarders. Whether these are problems everywhere I don't really know as this was my first experience, and I don't really have any ski/boarder mates.
Overall I was relatively impressed with the whole resort.
Staff were friendly and helpful. Although the resort is small, the runs seemed to be a good length - at the least the ones i went down, and there is a good selection for the size. As a beginner, I would recommend it to other beginners and first timers... whether i would go back as an advanced rider I don't think I would... but maybe if a group of mates wanted to go over of mixed ability, with some beginners. |
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| Strengths |
Small resort - everything in good location
Friendly staff
Locals are friendly
Everything is cheap from Bulgarian currency to the UK pound |
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| Weaknesses |
Small - crowded slopes, lack of runs
Not great for advanced boarders |
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 3 of 5, "Long weekend wanted? Bank on Bansko" 07/02/2010 @ 12:29:23 |
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| Price Paid |
| £250 for a week with flights |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Internet |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
I went out to Bansko for the first time in Feb '09.
The thing that all that have been to Bansko will agree on is that the transfer is a doozy! It averages about 3 hours and it will seem like a long 3 hours too. The roads are in a poor state so, our taxi driver was changing into oncoming lanes without any hesitation. This does take some getting used to! As did the ramdom stop by a police car who was then paid off to let us carry on - strange!!
The resort itself looks like it needs some real attention, it isn't the prettiest of places.
Sure, there are unfinished buildings. Sure, the place could use a couple more bars and restaurants.
But, I go for the slopes not the town. The limited slopes that are there are good, a bit choppy, but to me it's good to learn how to ride more difficult terrain - otherwise stick to an indoor slope back home!
For me it's good for a long weekend, you should be able to get it all covered in that time, if you are of 'red/black' run standard.
There is a standard board park at the very top which has some nice kit - but is best to create your own kickers.
The slopes are very pretty being tree lined - my girlfriend really liked them. It's also got some decent off piste areas - but you will have to do some investigation to find them.
The best part for me, was the ride home - get yourself to the very top and then take the 16Km ride back home and believe me, you will know you've had a good ride by the end - you've earnt your beer!
The slope side bars, are as you expect slightly more expensive than in the resort and we paid around 5lev for a hot drink and 7 lev for a kebab meat and chip wrap. So, with the lev being 2/1 against the pound it beats paying 5 Euro for a Kit-Kat in Merribel.
The bars at the gondola, (by the way the queues for the gondola are a pish take so go real early or take your time and go later) are a little pricier, 5/6 lev a pint. Walk 200-300m to another and you can get a pint for around 3lev, sometimes even cheaper if you go a little further away from the centre. This resort is not the best for food - so catered chalet may be a prefered option or if you can live off of pizza you can get huge slices for 2lev.
The locals - well being a guy I found the women friendly and the men rude - some local people don't like the tourist place that Bansko has become.
The lift pass was around £25-30 per day, which for the number of runs isnt the best value.
All in all - the resort is worth a try. It's not France - so don't expect good food and wine. It's not Austria - so don't expect the hospitality or apres ski.
This is a GOOD place to go if you want a fair priced long weekend break.
We're going back in a couple of weeks time and have paid £250 for a fully catered 4 night stay with flights and transfers. And will be able to drink in the bars every night and after all will spend probably no more than another £200. If you can get that cheaper at other places - let me know!
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| Strengths |
Good value
Scenic slopes
Good for begginers/novice/intemidiates
Hidden Gem bars off the beaten track
Fantstic long run from top to bottom - around 16Km |
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| Weaknesses |
Transfers
Small resort
Food choice is limited
Only one way up - so queues are likely |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
Three Valleys
Maryhoffen
Tignes
Val Gardena |
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| 4 of 5, "Top atmos in Bansko" 25/09/2009 @ 12:14:29 |
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| 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: |
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| Revision #3 (Last edited: 25/09/2009 @ 16:26:40) |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| Chalet Soltir, Mark and Amy |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
Had a fantastic holiday in January 2008 in this lovely Bulgarian resort. Stayed at the beautiful Chalet Soltir owned by a great English couple Mark and Amy. The house itself has kept a lot of it's authentic qualities such as beautiful thick wooden doors and beams but has modernised tastefully and was a really spacious and cosy place to chill and have fun. It was really nice to visit Bulgaria and experience refreshing old school customs and values from friendly, genuine people. I have been to Courchevel, Soll (Austria), Whistler and Bansko and had the best time in Bansko so far. The mountain was great for all levels of rider. Of course it's not the biggest mountain in the world but still plenty big enough for most levels with great layout and terrain. I enjoyed drinking authentic Bulgarian beer in the piste side bars and found a lot of qualities lacking in more well known European/Canadian resorts. Oh when you go, watch out for the 'overfriendly' taxi drivers at the airport and sort out your transfers beforehand for a much better deal.
www.boardingbansko.co.uk
Source: www.ba |
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| Strengths |
| Good buzz all round. |
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| Weaknesses |
| Taxi drivers |
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| 3 of 5 28/04/2009 @ 19:33:19 |
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| 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: |
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| Price Paid |
| various |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| balkan |
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| Times Visited |
| 2-5 Times |
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| Review Detail |
just read the previous review and thought i would give my 2p worth, i have been to bansko 3 times over the last 4 years, also borovets (never again) and have had a pretty good time. its not as cheap as it it used to be, i was paying less than a £ for a beer a few years ago but the price has gone up, party due to the state of the £ (i was getting 3 lev as opposed to 2 this year for my £).
the local mehana's usually are pretty good although some are better than others, the further away from the gondola the cheaper and better they are. there is also a few traditional restaurants and the prices are fair. the price of a few beers is still a steal compared to france etc, although there isnt an abundance of bars.
the town is pretty unique, its a very old bulgarian town that has had a ski resort thrust upon it not a town that has been built around a ski resort. there is massive over development which is a shame as there is alot of people unable to resell their "bargain property" but apart from it not looking as sweet as other resorts it does its job.
taxi's are a rip off, best to avoid if possible.
the gondola is fine as long as you get there early, i am always there at 7.45am and there isnt a queue at all. it opens at 8am so a 15min wait isnt bad, get there at 8.30am and you will be looking at 45-60mins, if you go at 10.15am at the queue is minimal.
the runs are limited, is not a huge resort, but there is enough to keep an average rider happy, i go with the miss's and our daughter (aged 8), its enough for the miss's and the wee un but i could do with a bit more by the end of the week. snowboard instruction is very poor (apart from method) but the skiing seem to be fine.
i booked my pass via balkan and it cost £79 for 6 days. the transfer is quite long (took us 2.45 last time, but it was nearly 7 hrs the first time i went).
whenever i read bad reviews about bansko its nearly always "its not as good as france or austria etc" or "its got limited runs". if you do you homework and still fancy it have a try, if you dont, try elsewhere.
i have booked for next year in march, it has cost £1125 for the 3 of us, 2 ski packs (hire, pass and 6 days tuition) and a pass for me and board carriage, 4 star hotel half board.
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| Strengths |
its good and cheap for beginners or a mixed group.
is cheap to eat and drink out.
new lifts.
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| Weaknesses |
long transfer
rip off taxis
not as "pretty" as other resorts |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
| all 3 bulgarian resorts over the last 15 years, france, spain, andorra. |
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| Reviews: 1 |
| West Yorkshire |
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 1 of 5, "Not as good value as your led to believe" 28/04/2009 @ 16:34:39 |
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| Price Paid |
| £300pp |
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| Booked Trip Through |
| self/internet |
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| Times Visited |
| Just Once |
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| Review Detail |
I went to Bansko with a group of 9 over new year 2008/09, we decided to book two apartments through owners direct and flights through various budget airlines as people were travelling from different locations. On arrival to Sofia airport we'd pre-booked transfer with a "specialist" company, they were OK although rather than all go up in a coach as we were kind of led to believe it was a mini bus and knackered old vectra (which stunk of fumes), it did mean we met for about 5 minutes in the airport then had to spend the next 3 or so hours upto Bansko apart again not as a group.
The apartments were spacious and clean way better than what I've had in Tignes, you got an on suite bathroom, full kitchen etc. I got the impression most of the apartments in Bansko were large again unlike Tignes etc.
As for the Riding, the first nightmares are A) lift prices - if you look at what you get then these are way over priced I think they equated to about £40 per day for whats essentially a small overcrowded poorply maintained hill which compared to other resorts just doesn't represent good value. B) to get to the main "base" you have to go on a gondola from the village/town, the stories you read about the queue for this gondola are not wrong it can take over an hour after the gondola opens, in fact the queue was thast long we took to hiring taxis to take you to another point where you could ride/walk to an lift further up the hill and go from there, if there was one piece of advise I could give you about your trip to Bansko (aside from avoid it) would be to get a taxi to the mid areas!
You never see many piste groomers etc on the slopes so they all get chopped after not long plus lift queues were long in my experience.
Off the slopes the beer isn't that cheap, the local stuff is cheaper but not like the reports lead you to believe. Food is pretty ropey uncooked chicken, all your meals come out at different times, usually cold too. Before you go make sure you eat a lot of veg and salad cos you won't be getting much out there! Just the generic meat which is usually pork. They do a platter called a sack or thats what it sounds like anyway "Banski Sack" which is like a hotplate of meat (the fat splatters all over you but at least you know its cooked!).
Overall not that good, don't even think "well I'm not paying much" it ain't worth it!
The only thing that made it for us was the fact I was there with friends and that made it a laugh! |
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| Strengths |
well at least there is snow
going home |
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| Hot Spots |
| airport departure lounge |
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| Weaknesses |
Lift pass prices
lift queues
gondola queues (deserves a special mention!)
food
drink
prices |
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| Similar Resorts Visited |
er none like this!
Joke, I have been to Avoriaz, 3 valleys resorts, tignes, val d'saire, livigno, Zell-am-see, Kaprun, whistler, mammoth, Lake Tahoe. |
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