Pirin Golf Hotel & SPA

You can spend winter mornings skiing, then play golf in the afternoon if the snow hasn’t covered everything. If it has, there’s a fitness room and four swimming pools, one indoors and three outdoors with warm water. There’s also a VIP SPA if you want privacy and a proper chance to relax. Pirin Golf Hotel & Spa has a cozy, homey feel, and the staff are polite, attentive, friendly and caring. The services are great, whether you’re looking for a romantic couples’ getaway or a place that welcomes children and pets. The air is clean, the scenery is magnificent and the views are wonderful. For a relaxing vacation that leaves you feeling recharged, I highly recommend Pirin Golf.

We’ve just come back from a golf trip to Pirin with a group of four, booked through Your Golf Travel. We’d all like to return, even with the two hour drive each way from Sofia Airport, and I’ll recommend it to my golfing friends. The course is a joy to play and was in good condition, with a few wet, muddy patches that weren’t surprising early in the season. The snow capped mountains make the views special. It’s a tough course to walk, so consider a buggy. My main gripe is the 12th, a ridiculous dog leg that almost doubles back on itself. In my view it needs a serious rethink and detracts from the rest of the course. The 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th holes weren’t in the original Woosnam layout, but were intended as academy or practice holes. The hotel shuttle handles airport transfers. Look for the driver with a “Pirin Golf” sign, and allow around two hours for the drive. Check in was smooth. We got a resort map and a sheet with restaurant names and hours. Our rooms were clean and had the usual facilities, including a TV, iron and ironing board, hairdryer, safe and minibar. The minibar wasn’t part of the all inclusive package. The coffee machine was complimentary. The large bathroom had a WC, bidet and jacuzzi bath with a shower over it. The step into the bath is high and could be difficult for someone with mobility problems. I’d prefer a walk in shower. There were two complimentary bottles of water, but they weren’t replaced during our stay, which seemed a bit mean. Rooms were made up daily, although I don’t think they were cleaned. Used towels were replaced each day. My room was 102 in the main part of the hotel. Noise from the bar beside reception carried into the room until about 11:30. If you go to bed early, bring earplugs, or ask for a room numbered 12 or higher in the wing on the other side of reception. Breakfast in the Euro Kitchen had a good range of hot and cold dishes. We had lunch each day at the golf clubhouse, which was ideal for a light bite. Make sure you understand how the restaurant setup works if you’re on all inclusive. We ate at The Octopus restaurant one night. The food was excellent, though the service wasn’t great. They don’t have printed menus, everything is accessed with a QR code. We spent the other evenings in the Euro Kitchen, where the buffet was plentiful and varied. With our different tastes, we always found something to enjoy and ate well throughout the trip. We had no trouble with the all inclusive drinks. The local beer and wine were good, and my G&Ts were made with Gordon's. Bottled water isn’t included in the all inclusive package, which seems like an oversight. Everyone we dealt with was helpful and pleasant, and we had no language problems.

Our apartment was simple, so don’t expect anything luxurious. There weren’t even basic cleaning supplies for washing dishes. The gym has an extra charge, and breakfast didn’t have milk alternatives, so getting a cappuccino with soy milk costs extra. The hotel has a lovely rustic look, and the spa area is excellent. Our quiet, comfortable apartment was very close to it, which made going to the spa especially convenient. We enjoyed the facilities a lot.

The golf course is excellent, and the spa is the one real bright spot, especially the outdoor pools. The rest was a poor experience for a hotel that calls itself five star. The bed was extremely hard, and I barely slept. The room also felt worn and tired, not at all what I’d expect for the price. Service was disorganized and inconsistent, more chaotic than professional. The food was poor throughout, low quality, overpriced and nowhere near acceptable for this kind of hotel. It’s very poor value for money, with premium prices for a clearly subpar stay. I wouldn’t stay again.