Hotel Samokov

Exactly what we needed - warm, comfy and close to the slopes. Loads of amenities including a lovely heated pool, some we had to pay for like bowling or the hamman but we were happy to do that Breakfast was adequate - my lads would’ve preferred more choice like croissants but dinner wasn’t worth paying for.

We stayed at the Samokov for a week in a twin room with sofa bed. Myself, my husband and our 16 yr old daughter. No, it's not the best hotel but it was cheap and fitted the bill. Plenty of storage for clothes, decent sized bathroom with a bath and a separate toilet. The beds were fairly firm but comfortable enough and the sofa bed a bit soft but fine for our daughter. It's basic accommodation but if you are just looking for a room to sleep in as you'll be out skiing all day then it's absolutely fine. It can get quite warm in the room and we cracked the balcony door open slightly most nights which then lets in the noise from the local bars which do go all night but we all had earplugs and were knackered from a day of skiing so really didn't notice. We went for the breakfast only option as eating out or getting takeaways are cheap enough. Breakfast was plentiful and there are loads of options. Bacon, scrambled eggs, beans, hash browns or french toast are all completely edible. There is also cheese, salamis, hams for a more continental style breakfast, lots of cereals, fruit and yogurt. It's Bulgaria, don't expect it to be perfect but it is filling and tasty enough to get you through a day on the slopes. I didn't see anyone eating the pasta offered but it was still there every day if that is your thing! There's a fridge in the room, handy for cold drinks and leftover takeaway food. The TV doesn't offer much choice but we took our firestick and a Smarty wifi dongle. We did get the Samokov wifi in the room but it was very slow and I wouldn't trust the open network for anything sensitive on your phone. We didn't try the spa or pool but we did use the games room, you can buy tokens from the machine and there was air hockey, table football and a few arcade games. We did go to the bowling alley one night which was fun. Yes, it says 4 star, no it's not 4 star like we might expect in the UK but seriously when it's that cheap you shouldn't be expecting that anyway. If you can put up with the odd stain and cheap carpets then it's absolutely worth the money it cost.

This was for my husband birthday. First time here never again hotel very run down. Carpets thread bare. Rooms dirty and beds near on the floor linen does not fit the bed. Bathroom water comes over the floor Luke warm water to wash in hole in sink towels looked like mice been at them. Lifts you have to step into them and your frighten they are going to fail whilst in them. Fridge in room freezing food and water. Staff miserable don't speak Breakfast ok Luke warm, orange juice like water. Evening meal awful my husband will eat anything but said he did not feel right and hardly eat anything. Surrounding area was good we only went for 4 nights which was just enough as we did not ski went for the atmosphere which is good. Very cheap place. We went for a birthday meal at the Black Cat which entertainment and food was great and staff so lovely really look after you but you have to book in advance as always full which is no surprise. Overall we enjoyed the atmosphere and going up the mountain's in gondolas but we have done it now and will not go back.

I recently stayed at the Samokov Hotel for a ski trip with my teenage daughter, booked as part of a package through Crystal Ski (TUI). The whole experience with Crystal Ski was mostly fantastic — everything was well-organised, and the support they provided throughout the trip was excellent. I wouldn’t hesitate to book with them again. The hotel itself is a budget option in Bulgaria, and while the décor is tired and a little dated, it’s functional and clean — exactly what you'd expect for the price. Our room was comfortable, with adjustable heating via the radiator, which worked well throughout the day and night. The beds were surprisingly comfy. One downside was the noise — the walls are quite thin, so we could hear people coming back late from après-ski while we were already asleep. That’s to be expected in a ski resort where nightlife is a big part of the experience for many, though it was more noticeable for me than my daughter. The sound of flushing toilets from neighbouring rooms was also quite loud, which could be a bit disruptive at night. The bathroom is a plastic wet room — I noticed some reviews complaining about missing bath sealant, but it’s simply not designed that way. The wet room style might be different from what some people are used to, but it was practical and worked perfectly fine. Breakfast was basic but adequate — enough variety to set us up for a day on the slopes. It’s not a luxury spread, but we never left hungry. The location is a real highlight — right by the gondola, making it incredibly easy to get to the slopes. I’d definitely recommend taking the gondola up the mountain, even if you’re not skiing, just to experience the stunning views — it’s absolutely worth it. A word of advice for first-time skiers — while dry ski slope lessons back home can give you a feel for the basics, I’d suggest keeping them to just a taster session. Even if you’ve done some dry slope practice, I’d still recommend joining the beginners’ group at ski school when you arrive. Learning on real snow is completely different, and the instructors go through all the basics again anyway. In hindsight, I wouldn’t have done more than a brief dry slope session — the real learning happens on the mountain from day one of ski school. A major downside to be aware of is the sickness bug (diarrhoea and vomiting) that seems to be a constant issue in Borovets, season after season. It’s not limited to a particular hotel, or caused by water, ice, or food — it most likely spreads through the crowded, poorly ventilated bars and the generally low hygiene standards in some places. The John Smith’s pub and White House had the worst bar toilets we saw, which likely doesn’t help the situation. From what we experienced and heard from others, at least half the travellers seemed to get the bug during their stay, often losing a day or more of their holiday to illness. What’s concerning is that there appeared to be no infection control in the hotel. I saw a cleaner in

Felt the need to review this hotel to warn others as our recent stay was substandard. We expected basic in line with the price, however whilst the rooms are basic (broken lights, 1 accessible plug socket, unsealed bath that floods the room when you use it and not well cleaned) they do their job as somewhere to rest your head and this was not the primary issue with the hotel. The breakfast was stone cold, un-replenished and uncleanly. The toaster stopped working on day 2 of our holiday which was the only bit of hot food you could actually get! They have a microwave that you can use to heat up your cold sausages/beans/bacon and even this didn’t work after a 3 minute blitz due to the age of the microwave. The cold cereals, sauces etc on offer had crumbs and remnants of other dishes in and weren’t refreshed throughout the busy breakfast service. The yoghurt on offer was gone off and had separated on the one day I tried a portion. Due to all of this we started buying breakfast out towards the end of the week, as it wasn’t worth wasting time on before skiing. I didn’t manage to connect to the WiFi once so if you are banking on using this then think again! All 4 lifts were slow and unreliable, it was hit and miss as to which floor they would take you down to. The best part of the hotel was the sports bar inside, which was busy with a good atmosphere before and after dinner times. Overall, with the lack of general hygiene and poor breakfast on offer I would not return here.