Cornelia Deluxe Residence

The photos and the actual apartment were shockingly different. Credit to the photographer or whoever edited the pictures. We were on the top floor, where most of the walls, about 90%, were poor-quality windows. Wind came straight through them and moved the curtains. The bed was right beside those windows, so we slept in thick clothes and hats, and stuffed anything we could find against the glass to keep out the cold. Some windows were cracked, and the balcony was barely usable because the wind blew the chairs over. After sunset the apartment was so dim I had to use my phone flashlight to find clothes in my suitcase. The place was filthy and the furniture was very old, except for the living room chairs. Dust and dirt covered the bedroom bed and a thick layer of dust sat on the furniture. The sofa was awful: under the supposedly white cover were brown and black stains, and it smelled terrible. In the kitchen, old food and grease had built up around the stove and on the tiles. The oven was dusty around the edges and wouldn’t close properly. The bathroom was a disaster too. The shower looked ancient, with peeling, yellowed surfaces and dirty edges. The toilet hadn’t been cleaned properly before we arrived, and the old sink faucet was oxidized and filthy. Food smells came through the bathroom vent every evening, though it was so clogged it’s a wonder any air got through. On our first night, the living room bed hadn’t been made up, with no sheets or pillows, and there weren’t enough towels for four people. The restaurant looked like the only decent part of the complex, but the food and service let it down. For five days there was only water, tea, and coffee to drink, with no juice at all. Water wasn’t included at dinner either. Drinks had to be bought at extremely high prices or brought along. The included breakfast and dinner were repetitive, low quality, and mostly greasy fried food. Often there was no bread, water, or cutlery, and the coffee was made from awful powder. There was no real reception. The waiters also covered reception, and nobody was available from evening until morning. To get to the pool, people had to walk right through the restaurant. I don’t know whether guests were too lazy to use the changing rooms or staff were recommending that route. Either way, people came in wet from the pool, half-dressed and in flip-flops, sat at tables or got into the elevator while others were eating. It was so inappropriate that even children laughed. The pool felt like a big bathtub, and the tiles looked slippery. When we went to look at the small hot tub, around 10 men were crowded into it. We left and didn’t go back for the rest of our stay. The location was isolated and far from the city center, so a car is absolutely necessary to get anywhere. The view was decent, but the stay was very disappointing. We definitely won’t return.

We stayed at Cornelia Deluxe Residence with two families, spread across three rooms on the same floor. The experience was marked by poor upkeep and indifferent service, and basic comfort and safety suffered. The kitchen appliances were a particular letdown. We chose these units for their kitchens, but the stoves and ovens were broken. Reception said they already knew the stove was broken, yet it hadn’t been repaired and we weren’t told before check-in. The fridge light didn’t work either, so we had to use our phone flashlights to see inside. The room windows also let in substantial cold drafts overnight despite the heating. There were plumbing problems in all three rooms. The boilers gave water that swung between scalding and freezing, and the supply ran out after 5 to 10 minutes, too soon for one person to finish a shower. Water pooled under the bathtubs and kitchen faucets. On New Year’s Eve, water also leaked from the restaurant ceiling directly below our floor. Meals and service were just as concerning. The buffet omelettes were raw in the middle, and the bread toaster didn’t get hot enough to work properly. The coffee station stayed empty for long stretches; after two requests for a refill, the machine only dispensed water, and staff seemed indifferent to fixing it. Housekeeping repeatedly took used towels without leaving enough clean ones. The Jacuzzi was kept above 36 degrees Celsius, which seemed unsafe. Staff showed little urgency or concern about our documented complaints. This place is advertised as “Deluxe,” but it had broken appliances, leaks, and food that raised safety concerns. Cornelia Deluxe Residence feels badly run and in decline. We advise anyone visiting Bansko to stay elsewhere.

The rooms didn’t seem well maintained, and the spa felt too small for the number of rooms. In our room, the bathroom was outdated and kept leaking water. Heating came only from the air conditioning, and the apartment door was in such poor shape it was hard to close properly. Getting to the pool and breakfast meant going outside, which was unpleasant in the cold. Wi-Fi was unreliable, and breakfast fell short of expectations. Finding wet plates that were meant to be clean was disappointing.

They said we could leave our luggage before check-in, but when we arrived, that wasn’t possible. We were also told dinner would be 22 euros for two evenings, then ended up paying double and WERE INSULTED. The Wi-Fi in the room was available but didn’t work.