Borovets Hills Apartments - Studio 33

The playroom for little kids and the game room for older ones were useful, and the spa was a nice extra, though we hardly used it. Rooms are pleasant and good for unwinding after skiing, even if they're nothing fancy. The shuttle is enough for getting to and from the slopes. For trips outside its schedule, an occasional taxi at 20 leva is fine. It's a good option just outside town. Ski storage for rented equipment was secure and easy to use, though you'd need to bring your own gear or rent it elsewhere in town. Breakfast wasn't very good and didn't start until 8am, while dinner was pleasant and varied each evening. The gym only opens at 10am, too late to be useful.

The rooms were quite cold, and the hotel is a long way from the slopes. The shuttle doesn't run often enough and is too small for all the guests. Dinner is included with half board, but they DON'T PROVIDE WATER. With no tap water either, they basically force you to pay for it. Our waiter couldn't speak English at all and didn't even understand “still water”.

The spa area was good, and check-in was quick. There's an underground garage, comfortable beds and pillows, a coffee and tea maker in the room, and daily cleaning. The rooms are dated and the hotel needs renovating. Breakfast doesn't have many choices, and the food isn't five-star quality. Elevators are slow and old, the last ski shuttle leaves at 10.00, and the staff weren't very friendly. The ski depot at the hotel is only open until 5.00 PM.

We came for a spa holiday, but a children's camp was staying there, so it didn't feel like one. The pool was full of screaming kids all the time, which was disappointing. Food was poor, perhaps because there weren't many adults at the hotel. The hotel isn't bad, but we picked a bad time to visit. Still, it definitely isn't a five-star hotel.