Bansko Royal Towers

The room was clean and warm, and whenever we asked, we got fresh towels and sheets. Reception was really helpful, and the breakfast and dining service was good overall, aside from one waiter. Another, slightly shorter waiter was especially polite, checked that tables were all right, and helped when people were asking about pictures. The lifts are very close, and the massage facilities are nice and good value. The Wi-Fi barely stayed connected for five minutes. Breakfast was disappointing: the croissants were cold, apparently from the day before, and there wasn’t much variety. With just two toasters for two slices each, you could end up waiting 2-5 minutes if someone was using one. When we asked a waiter for more bowls for our cornflakes, he pointed to the flat plates and told us to eat from those.

The place is starting to show its age, and the construction feels a bit shaky by Bulgarian standards. From our apartment we looked out at some unfinished flats and waste ground by the road heading south, though there’s also a beautiful view of the mountain range in that direction. Inside, it’s basically a generous bedsit: bed, sofa bed, small kitchen, and private bathroom, including a very short compact bath. I wouldn’t invest in one, but for a week’s rental it’s well placed for getting up early to reach the ski lifts, and for going to the centre. We didn’t see any of the advertised cleaners, who were supposedly due every three days. After a week there should have been two visits, but the apartment was relatively clean anyway, so it wasn’t a major issue for us.

Handy spot, just a short walk from the gondola.

The room was a good size and the location was convenient, but the spa, pool, and restaurant stayed closed all week. Reception gave no real answer beyond saying they were closed. The Wi-Fi signal was very poor, and even near the router the internet didn’t work properly. The ski slopes were bad too, with half-meter-high snow mounds everywhere. You could only risk messing up your knees, not ski or snowboard. A very bad experience.