The rooms are good - bright and clean.
The hotel is located close to the ski lift - 300 meters.
I recommend for everyone.
True, unfortunately, kitchen utensils are not provided at all, I'm not talking about the presence of four low and tall glasses, glasses for wine, though of completely different shapes, as well as containers of an unknown breed - not a decanter and not a glass in the amount of for some reason already three pieces, but don't worry, it's not the worst. We proceed further, and then on my way there was a bathroom, I was absolutely not embarrassed by the absence of even a shower cabin, although it was a 5 * hotel, although for example, in a 3 * hotel, in the glorious town of Sozopol, both a full-fledged shower cabin and bath. Entering the bathroom, I was a little alarmed by the lack of a sanitary tape on the "white friend", but then I thought it was a 5 * hotel, drive away doubts, but upon contact and closer examination, the hair stood on end !!!! ! That same "white friend" was not cleaned at all after the previous guests!!!!!
I am shocked, but with the hope that in the second bathroom the picture is completely different rushed there, but ....I will not describe the picture even worse. We thought about it and decided that most likely we just didn’t have time, well, we didn’t have time to clean it up, because different things can happen. Our guesses were confirmed by the remaining garbage from the vacationers who previously lived in these APARTMENTS. Turning to the reception to one of the managers, who spoke excellent Russian, we quite calmly explained what the maid needed to do in room No. 210. With hope we left this palace, went to dinner. We returned at about 22.00, upon arrival we found that the manager did not understand Russian as well as he spoke Russian. It all ended with a short course of washing the toilet. On December 31 at 5 pm we became aware that the payment does not include New Year's Eve dinner, we will attribute this to the error of the tour operator.
We were nicely offered dinner for 100 euros per person, after our refusal five minutes later we were offered the same dinner, but already for 50 euros per person : ). Also, one of the many important points was that for 5 days of staying at the hotel the bed was changed 1 time and then after another reminder during the day. We just didn’t even think that in a 5 * hotel they don’t do this every day.
Dear, future guests of the Guinness Hotel, I want to warn you that I change the towel only if they are on the floor, but check before use! And yet you will not be able to relax near a wonderful, truly wonderful fireplace with a bowl of mulled wine or grog, this is not served in a 5 * hotel, and I also do not advise you to relax with a cocktail under a name you know, and even more so not known because in a 5 * hotel Guinness does not know how to do this either. It will be better if you make your own cocktail, the bartenders of the 5* hotel will agree with this : ).
Perhaps this is a coincidence and someone will be more lucky, but I think that a 5 * hotel is not a field of miracles where you can bury 5 gold "5 *" Guinness is much more expensive!
+ not far from the ski lift, practically did not use the hotel transport
very large hall, with a huge fireplace in the center, in the style of Egyptian hotels
Specifically, we had a two-story room with two bedrooms and bathrooms. Super!
Food is average, pretty decent.
the hotel also has a mehana (a small Bulgarian restaurant)
nice pool with two saunas (Finnish and Turkish)
friendly staff, hassle free
- there is a big construction site next to the hotel
the rooms at that time were still not really washed from building dust
PS I advise everyone to calmly go to Guinness, you will not regret it, but of course you must understand that this is still Bulgaria and not the Alps.
LOCATION
(+) Located almost at the foot of the mountain, 5 minutes walk from the gondola station. You can not use the bus, and you can walk to the rental or luggage storage.
(-) Back, after skiing, the bus does not pick up.
(-) Around the hotel there is a continuous construction site, a dump or a garbage dump. If it snows or rains, then it becomes impassable mud. If there is no precipitation, then clouds of dust from cement and sand from neighboring construction sites accompany you. It seems that he came to an unfinished cottage village in the Moscow region.
BUILDING.
(+) This is worth noting separately. It impresses with its original architecture. Empty space inside, along the perimeter of the gallery of balconies with numbers. In the center of the hall there is a large fireplace, with a chimney extending into the glass ceiling.
(-) In the morning, after the evening burning of the fireplace, there is a strong smell of smoke in the hall, fortunately, it is almost not felt in the rooms. You can see bad draft in the fireplace.
ROOMS
(-) In appearance, everything is solid and beautiful. Upon closer inspection, everything turns out to be much simpler. The faucets in the toilets are disgusting, fashionable, but cheap. Water cannot be adjusted. There is no bath, there is a corner cabin with an uncomfortable shower. From the outlets located on the outer walls, air blows (from the street) like a fan. It's better not to talk about windows at all. Saved by warm weather and an adjustable battery.
(-) The room has a mini kitchen with a sink and stove. But the devices attached to it were not issued. Maybe it's temporary.
NUTRITION
(+) Breakfast buffet:
Quite convincing, standard Turkish set. No complaints. Although the coffee machine could have been delivered less miserable.
(-) Dinner - buffet in the restaurant:
Luckily we didn't take it, it's terrible. Breakfast snacks. Maybe it's temporary.
RESTAURANT
(-) You can use the same restaurant and order from the menu. But next to the buffet, the appetite immediately disappears. Under the restaurant there is a "Mekhana", from which we were expelled, in connection with the holding of some kind of banquet, although there are more than enough places there. Arguments that we will quickly eat and leave, etc. didn't work. After a small scandal, with the administration called, we were asked to go up to the restaurant. It was mentioned above. It's not temporary anymore, it's forever. The menu is quite varied, but they don't know how to cook. Everything is salty, from cheap products. Chefs hands...., you know. Maybe they'll fix it. They are far from the city "Mehans". The only way out of this is to go to the city, better in all respects.
SERVICE
(-) There is no room for storing and drying inventory. Maybe it will.
(+) Sauna and swimming pool have earned. There is a very good view of the bath complex from the hall, I would tint these windows.
(-) Housekeeping comes down to making the bed and nothing more. Maybe they haven't learned yet.
(-) In the evening from 6 o'clock they can turn off the water (all). Turn on after an indefinite time. The circus itself was December 31.2006. The water was turned off at 7 pm, it was funny to watch the lathered unfortunates running around the floors of the hotel in branded white coats in search of water. The water was in the pool (20 gr) and adjacent tap. Yes, the water was not turned on this year, it was turned on only the next year. Maybe it's temporary.
(-) In addition to swearing in our native language about various inconveniences, we did not hear anything from the hotel administration. It's probably long term.
TOTAL
A certain number of stars from the facade could be removed for the sake of decency. The presence of a 10-meter puddle does not always confirm the quality of everything else. We can't advise or not, it's up to you. Count + and -, draw conclusions. While keeping low prices, you can go, solely because of the convenient location to the ski lift.
Good luck to all. I will answer questions, ask.
If you are going for the New Year, then only in Bansko. Based on last year's experience, there are no other options. Snow under new a year and after was only in Bansko, not very much, but from 27.12 to 3.01 they were not idle. At other resorts, they sat without snow, the first fell on the 3rd or 4th of January. This is where all the + in Bansko end. Get ready for:
1. On the mountain.
- wild queues for climbing, queuing for at least 2 hours at the station in the city. One 6-seater candola lift for the entire resort. Crush at the station, swearing, there is nothing for children to do there. Unfortunately, I didn’t take a photo, I couldn’t raise my hands, it was very crowded. And this despite the fact that the number of hotels is growing exponentially. Everything doubles every year.
- on a slope the situation is not better. Again queues, crush. I remember my native Caucasus in Soviet times. Perhaps this may be a positive moment, you will not get tired, there is time to rest.
- The slopes are very narrow and there are few of them. The large crowding of the skiers themselves guess what it leads to. I didn’t let the child go alone, I always went down strictly a few meters higher on the slope. Otherwise, there is a chance of being shot down.
- Slopes don't really work. Well-groomed slopes near Moscow can only be dreamed of. One plus on the slope - you can eat normally.
- Instructors are a separate song. Good guys, ours, Soviet. They took the child and wife several times in different offices. All teaching comes down to serpentine descent after the “instructor”. The descent is fast, the queues are long, you can stand all the time.
2. In the city.
- Bansko is one big construction site that never ends. Hundreds (yes, hundreds) of small and large hotels are being built. If there is no precipitation, then you are accompanied by clouds of dust from cement and sand from construction sites. After walking around the city, you find yourself knee-deep in cement dust. It seems that he came to an unfinished cottage village in the Moscow region. They want to build another gondola, but so far this is just talk. Every year, the queues for the lift will get worse.
3. Restaurants.
- I join many reviews - cheap, but everything is relative.
It is better to book a table in Metany in advance. 02.01. went around more than 10 establishments, everything was occupied, or they said that it was ordered. We came across the "Stack House" (in the center of Bansko). The most expensive establishment with a restaurant-European outfit, so there were empty seats. Served for about 2 hours, and only after the tenth reminder, and so on. Rock cafe (sort of) opposite the gondola station. Nothing to do with beer except rock. One dish was returned for roasting. When ordering dishes in the mechanics, they always warned that the dishes should not be salted. But everything is useless. Otherwise, they can't. Everything is terribly salty.
TOTAL.
If you want to get back to the "scoop", tormented by nostalgia, you have a direct road to Bulgaria. Push around in lines, sit without mountains, water, and taste other delights of the "developed... " You in Bansko. One big +, if you go with a big company, by train, don’t give a damn about various services, maybe go for a ride (there are few queues closer to dinner), then you can meet the normal budget.
You decide. We have drawn conclusions for ourselves, we have long tied up with our native resorts.