Zodiac Hotel

Location
A good 30 minute walk from the main ski lifts. Free shuttle bus runs to the town at 08.30 / 08.50 / 09.20 / 09.40 returning at 15-30 / 16.00 / 16.30 / 18.00. The shuttle bus is fairly small and can be busy at times, best be outside promptly or plan to take a taxi.
Rooms and main hotel
We stayed in a family room which was clean and spacious. They have been refurbished perhaps 2-3 years ago and are a little worn in places but generally fairly good, the common areas are in need of a little love and attention. The bar area is small and is frequented by the staff who seemed to be making an attempt to chain smoke themselves to death through the evening and into the early hours, my only issue with this is that the lack of ventilation causes a plume of smoke to extend up the stairways and this floods into the bedrooms when the doors are opened. I turned the heating up and opened the windows in an attempt to keep the room fresh.
Facilities
There is a games room which has two table tennis tables, one has a net ! Nothing else for kids to do.
No swimming pool. There is a night club on site but it didn’t appear to be open or at least not popular.
Food
Oh dear….. you wont be putting on weight during your stay. The breakfast is the best mean of the day and offers eggs (if you are quick or lucky), spam, cold baked beans and toast. The evening meals are frankly dangerous at times…. the seem to generally be meat and rice, perhaps a few chips, I did see an offering of partially cooked chicken kebabs one evening….. not for me.
Overall
Crystal Ski are the only UK operator to take guests to this hotel and not because they have found something great and exclusive. Much better to pay a little more to stay in town or perhaps at the Hotel Lion but if you are travelling without kids and get a cheap price for this hotel it could be a fine base to explore the slopes of borovets but for the love of God go self catering.
17th Feb 08