Borovets Gardens Luxury apartment E11

We paid 85 euros a night, yet the studio was cold, the air conditioner was very loud and directly over our heads, and there wasn’t even a coffee or tea mug in the kitchen. The corridor was warmer than the room. There was nowhere to leave ski equipment, and the advertised swimming pool, shown in about half the pictures, wasn’t working at all during 2023. We left a day early. The owners’ attitude was absurd and rude. After we complained, they harassed us and even called my pregnant wife a cow. They blamed us for paying for a hostel and expecting five-star service. With the cold studio and fake pool pictures, I’d say the place deserved far more than what we paid.

It was good value overall, and the apartment was spotless, cleaned daily and fairly comfortable. The location was quieter than expected but more central than described, about five minutes uphill to the gondola. There are decent restaurants and bars just a few minutes away, plus a basic shop next door. There’s also a bar serving simple snacks, a pool and a sauna. For the lifts, I’d use ski depot lockers unless you’re very fit. Facilities were okay. It had a toaster, kettle, microwave and hob, plus good storage, an iron and board, a clothes rack and a small balcony. Bring tin or bottle openers and a corkscrew. There are only a few pans if you want to cook, and no condiments. The satellite TV didn’t work, the bed was hard, there’s no restaurant or shuttle, and the place felt a little short on atmosphere. Noise carries, and I was woken regularly, though I’m a light sleeper and it was probably down to noisy guests. It was fairly quiet most of the time. The lack of restaurants and the TV didn’t bother me. If you want decent, affordable accommodation, come prepared and pack earplugs. Well worth a visit.

A clean, good value place to stay while enjoying Borovets. It’s a seven-minute walk to Yastrebetz gondola and 12 minutes to the chairlifts in front of Rila hotel. There’s a small supermarket next door for basics, and some great restaurants just three minutes away.

I booked online shortly before our trip for my sister, her two kids aged 4 and 10, and me, without knowing much about the place. It turned out to be lovely, new and close to everything. Our apartment was spacious and had what we needed for a comfortable stay. We went straight to the pool, where there were lots of fun games for the kids and us. I’d happily recommend it and would be glad to come back.