The hotel is not bad, but New Year's Eve is a nightmare

Written: 12 january 2014
Travel time: 30 december 2013 — 5 january 2014
Who does the author recommend the hotel to?: For a relaxing holiday; For families with children; For recreation with friends, for young people
Your rating of this hotel:
6.0
from 10
Hotel ratings by criteria:
Rooms: 6.0
Service: 5.0
Cleanliness: 6.0
Food: 5.0
Amenities: 6.0
We went to Bansko to celebrate the New Year and go skiing. We chose the Rodina Hotel and, in general, the hotel is not bad and corresponds to three stars. Now I will outline all the pros and cons of the hotel.

PROS:

1. Number. There are no complaints about the number. You must immediately be aware that the hotel has 3 stars and you should not expect a plasma TV from it on the floor of the wall. The room we got was small but cozy. Two beds are pushed together, but the mattress is one-piece and did not have to roll into a hole between the mattresses all the time. Our refrigerator was broken, but they replaced it immediately and without a tip. The room has a working hair dryer, TV, toiletries, a coffee table with 2 ottomans and our room had a balcony. The neighbors did not have a balcony, so here, as someone is lucky. The room was cleaned every day. There were also some shortcomings, but they did not overshadow the impression.

2. Availability of free sauna and swimming pool.

From 17:00 to 21:00, the hotel offers free access to the sauna and swimming pool. The pool, of course, is a loud name, given that the size is small and you need to squat down so that an adult has water up to his neck. But taking a dip after the sauna is fine. There is only one sauna, so you can sit with other visitors as well. During our vacation we went 3 times and only once sat down with us again. Maybe not everyone knows about the presence of a sauna and a swimming pool, because at the reception they don’t really tell you anything.

3. Free transfer to the ski lift. From 8:00 to 10:00 a transfer departs every half an hour, which is very convenient, since it takes at least 20 minutes to walk to the ski lift. And if you are with your equipment, then it is exhausting. From the lift, the transfer returns from 15:00 to 17:00, also every half an hour.

MINUSES:

1. New Year. The tour operator forced us to buy a New Year's Eve dinner at the hotel in advance, apparently they knew that it would be terrible and we would have nowhere to go.
If you do not feel sorry for the money, then it is better to pay at the hotel and go celebrate at the local mehana. It's much more fun and delicious. Or bring food and drink with you. It is not prohibited. In short: we were seated at the table at 20:00 and sliced ​ ​ fresh cucumbers, a tomato, a boiled egg and a bunch of grated beetroot lay in portions on a plate, and next to it was a glass of moonshine. Oh yes, and a few cups of peanuts, which turned out to be the most delicious of the whole evening. The cutlery was not changed, napkins were handed out to each one by the piece, the waiter champed his chewing gum right over his ear. Show programs 0 (grandmothers danced about 70 years old), the DJ played almost only Bulgarian national songs, the promised salute from the hotel was not at all. We stood and watched the color of the sky change, because no other fireworks were visible from behind the roofs of the houses. Neighbors robbed 2 rooms. No one compensated the guys for anything, and they celebrated the New Year in the police station.
This spoiled the overall impression. So hide your laptops, phones and money from the surface of the bed. We tried to treat this circus with humor, but still the holiday was spoiled. Although everyone who celebrated in hotels and paid for dinner before the trip experienced the same thing. Some people went to the mehana, so they ate a pig on a spit for the same money, danced all night and watched the fireworks.

ABOUT REST:


1. Establishments. I advise you to visit Dedo Yonkata and Salt & Pepper. Affordable prices, large and tasty dishes, nice staff. I especially liked the Salt & Pepper restaurant. I really liked the Amigo pub. A cool pub, there is live music, a gorgeous Bulgarian woman sings. The atmosphere in the pub is sincere, a lot of fun. On the second floor you can only drink, and on the first floor you can eat. That's just in order to sit on the ground floor, you need to book seats 1-2 days in advance. We did not know this and sat on the second floor, but enjoyed it anyway. Don't go to the Attic Mechana.
The prices are higher than in other mekhanas, the food is not the most delicious. Better choose another place.

2. Equipment prices. Do not take equipment near the lift. There are the most expensive prices. We took equipment a little further away and paid 20 levs for skis, 15 levs for sleds. If you don’t want to stand a kilometer-long queue for the lift, then you can see cars nearby that will take you to the top of the mountain for the same money and, by the way, will lower you (if you don’t know how to ride).

3. Currency exchange. In the Crown network, you are given a check indicating that you have exchanged euros or dollars for levs. If by the end of your holiday you still have levs and you want to exchange levs for euros, then you can do this only if you have a receipt. Otherwise, you may be denied. Therefore, I advise you to change in this exchanger, because in others checks are not issued.

Despite the fact that on New Year's Eve the temperature was +10, the snow still lay on the mountain, and it was possible to ride.
In general, the Rodina Hotel is not bad, but be careful if you want to celebrate the New Year there.
Translated automatically from Russian. View original

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