There is a lot of snow here in Bansko!  Bansko Royal Towers is covered in about 2ft of snow and it is very hard to walk but makes great sledging and some people, in the High Street, are carrying their babies on sledges instead of prams!

Today I went up in the Gondola and made a slope to sledge down at the top of the mountain!  We got a drink and Mummy spotted a massive hill in the snow.  Mummy was terrified to go down on the sled but once she went down she loved it and wished she could stay there all day!  I made a snow chair it was so deep.

Tomorrow we are going to ski down if they have made it flatter and I am going to bury my Daddy in the snow!

Ellie (aged 8)

Well, there is more snow here than anyone expected!  It has snowed constantly since Saturday and there is heaps on the mountain.  Lots of fun for the children building igloos and tunnels - and the snow ploughs are out to keep the roads as clear as possible.  (Does not bring the town to a standstill like recent times in the UK!)  All is excellent and the Mall is finished and offers some wonderful shops, bars and restaurants.  Just keep any techno-geeks away from the ground floor though as it is a cave of wonder I am told!

I will offer more detailed reviews on the facilities etc that are new this season when I return but all good news so far!

Carol, Jem and Ellie

Hello to all!  We are well into the new season now and all is going very well!  There are a few changes in town with the new Shopping Mall and new owners in our Restaurant which I will report on when I go out there shortly!

A number of the Apartment owners have just a few weeks left to rent so watch out for the bargains!

We will report from Bansko but to everyone ... have a fantastic time skiing if you are able to get there and let us know of any funny or interesting stories!

Carol, Jem and Ellie

Well, we are home again and want to be back in Bansko!  It has been a really lovely break and we have met lots of the other owners which has also been fantastic.  Special hello to Mark and Karen, Ellie and Olivia; the children all became best of friends and entertained us lots!

For anyone wondering what it is like in Bansko in the summer or if there is much to do ..... we ran out of time before we ran out of activities!  We found a great Aqua Park in Blagoevgrad (found being the right word as it is rather tucked away!) and also trekked up the mountain to find lakes, marshes and (apparently!) Bear poo .. (thanks Ellie)!

We also spent time at Dobrinishte pool which is always great for sun and relaxing - with the obligatory meal at the local Mehana of course!

We were also introduced to a fabulous Mehana in town by Brenda and Kit Sweeney - The Tedova House.  It is down the tiny lane around the church in Pirin Square and run by 'Jimmy' and his wife.  Terrific menu and really terrific prices! (85 LEV for a meal for 4 adults and 3 children plus booze!) Thoroughly recommend it! 

With mountain biking, quad biking and Buggy treks, there was barely enough time to get sunburnt reading a trashy novel ... but I managed that too!  The pool in Bansko Royal Towers was even warm yesterday!

And of course the Jazz Fest!  It was a real success and lots of people came to BRT and also in town.  I am not a huge fan of real traditional jazz so was delighted that it ranged from Blues to contemporary jazz and a real variety of bands and musicians/singers.  It keeps getting better each year!

There are some summer photos on the site now and booking enquiries for next summer too so here's to another hot one then! 

Back to real life ...... !

Carol

We are here at the Jazz Fest - it has really brought interest to Bansko and Royal Towers as well as being really impressive!  There is a Dixie Band on lunchtimes at BRT that we all agreed were the best; playing a variety of jazz and blues and even some Stevie Wonder!

The weather has not been wonderful the last 2 days - rain and then brilliant sunshine - but the forecast is great from tomorrow for the rest of August so, if you are thinking of a last minute break .... we have dealt with all the bad weather for you!!

I will post some photos of the festival as soon as possible and let you know of any other news/gossip!

Carol

We are off to the Jazz Festival next week!!  Really looking forward to the break and to get away from the storms!  We will report back on anything that has changed since we were last there! Can't believe we will be getting ready for the Winter season again when we return!

Till then - take care!  Carol, Jem and Ellie

There is a lot of snow here and it's very cold. we had lots of fun here. Today we are going bowling at the Straghite Hotel in Pirin Street.  you can go skiing in this weather .

We had a great time and we have a  visitors book . In it is some lovely comments.

    This is one of are favourite's :

"Loved it.  Lovely apartment, lovely location, lovely weather, great jazz  festival.   Brilliant .    

Thank you. Now, driving on Bulgarian roads; thats a completely different matter! SCARY!"                                  

BYE FOR NOW  WE'RE   GOING FOR DINNER!                    

Hi everyone!  We are out here in Bansko and it is snowing!!  We braved it to the top today and it was really empty of people!  Guessing they are probably the ones that got up really early and got their skiing in before the snow came down - was our intention too but ....late night, lie in and lots of coffee seemed preferable!!

Some of the pistes are closed to the public at the moment awaiting the World Championships next week but there are still loads open for all skill levels - the prices do seem a lot higher this year simply due to the exchange rate but the rate here in the banks is much better than at home or at the Airport so worth waiting if possible.

The other highlight is the Spa - all working and warm and cosy!  Next week brings the Half Termers so it needed to be prepared for all the children - I was ready to go and yell if not but was able to save my voice!

There are lots of new restaurants open now too - lots of people competing for our business so some deals to be had in the evenings in the town.  There is a fantastic new Pasta Restaurant opposite the Kempinski which we will try out for you tonight and report back .... purely in the guise of investigation of course! 

I will post an update on prices etc upon my return but having a great time so may not come back!

Regards

Carol

Well, I hope that none of you have had such a chaotic year as we have!  As you know, it started with Ellie breaking her leg and what followed played out like a mad soap opera including more accidents by Jem and Ellie, bereavements and new jobs; so please forgive the rather reduced amount of Blog entries this year! 

So, we start 2009 with hope that it will be truly boring!  We are coming out to Bansko in Feb but wrapping Ellie in bubble wrap!

On a brighter note, the Bridge has been moved and is now situated just outside block 3 of BRT and we are really geared up for a great year!

The Credit Crunch is being quoted regularly and I know that many of the owners have been concerned and some guests have noticed the price of flights increasing etc.  As a project for one enquirer, we costed out coming to Bulgaria to ski vs a UK holiday and, guess what?...it was substantially cheaper to come skiing!  And I do think that people are realising that we can talk ourselves into greater financial depression if we listen to all the doom and gloom as enquiry numbers are increasing.  That said, many are finding it really tough this year and we are all aiming to support this by keeping costs down and rentals competitive.

We would love to receive any Christmas photos in Bansko this year - all entries will be posted with permission given and we will send a prize to the best example of Bansko fun! 

We would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

Carol, Jem and Ellie

Bansko is a great place for me and you!  I like the restaurants and going skiing.  We've left some videos and DVDs for all the other children and some games for the PlayStation too.  I am not coming back out until February so if you want to go out there just speak to Mummy, Daddy or me! 

Happy Christmas and it will be very beautiful out in Bansko!

Ellie Martin

Age 7

Broken limbs in Bansko!

Well, we have just returned from an, otherwise, wonderful trip to Bansko to experience the full season for ourselves!  I say "otherwise wonderful" as our 6 yr old experienced every parent's nightmare ... slipped one way whilst her boot stayed another - and broke her leg.  I am sure that most of you reading this probably heard her screams ... closely followed by mine!  But, excellent service and a beautiful pink leg cast later and we are home a little wiser about the medical system.

I confess to being one of those people who, although I always took out medical insurance, had been fortunate enough never to have to use it!  So, to experience our 'first time' in Bulgaria was a little daunting!  However, from the very first instance to our safe arrival at Gatwick, we have experienced a level of care and attention that, frankly, puts some UK medical centres to shame.  Whilst we both leant over our daughter trying to determine exactly what she had done, a ULEN Mountain Official skied to us and scooped Ellie up - to ski off with her down to the next stage and the medical hut!  Once we had realised who he was, we followed and I then had the potentially risky experience of perching on the back of the skidoo stretcher whilst we were whisked to the Gondola.  Once there, we were again sped through until we reached the bottom where a wheelchair was waiting.  The Medical Centre is just inside the main Gondola building and we were immediately seen by the Doctor and Radiographer.  Having only been used to having X-Rays passed from Doctor to Doctor without it being seen as necessary to include the patient, I was a little shocked to have Ellie's X-Rays passed to me to show me just how bad the break was!  Once I had picked myself up, they assured me that it was a clean break and moved to set it immediately.  Not great and a move that led to my daughter being promised almost anything she wanted once this was over - something I am now living through!  One pink cast later and we were taken by a rickety, but mobile, ambulance back to our apartment.

The following morning we returned where the doctor saw us at the appointed time and took the time to talk directly to Ellie about her leg and what would happen.  From here it was simply a matter of the Insurance company organising transport and Airport facilities and then home.  Interestingly, it was only upon arrival at Gatwick that we encountered a lack of equipment and rather more chaotic proceedings!!

I tell you this to reassure anyone that, probably like me if I had thought about it, is concerned that, should anything major happen, Bansko may not yet be equipped to cope.  From our experience, they are both ready and very willing to support the visitors to Bansko - no matter how much extra work we give them!

Apart from our dramas - Bansko Royal Towers is looking fantastic and we can thoroughly recommend the Zero Restaurant - although the hangovers are not good!  The Spa treatments are superb and the snow was great too!

I couldn't, however, finish this entry without saying a HUGE thank you to a group of people who not only helped us down the mountain but also provided a shoulder when I lost it, a hip flask at JUST the right moment, supplies for both us and Ellie  - and without doubt made everything so much easier!  So thank you Angie and Willy, Peter and, of course, Natasha and Doug who always make everything go smoothly!  We are really very grateful!

I hope that my next entry will be less dramatic ..... starting to get stories from all of you too so please keep them coming for the first Bansko Holidays Newsletter!

See you soon!

Carol, Jem and Ellie Hopalong!

We have just got back from our finished apartment .... and Bansko Royal Towers is looking lovely!  There are, of course, the inevitable few bits of snagging to be done around the place but the Spa is open, the restaurant is opening tonight and the apartments are warm, dry and cosy!

There is snow .... lots of it ... on the mountain and so the SEASON IS OPENING EARLY!!!  Normally on or around 15th December, it is starting 1st DECEMBER!!  So we managed to come home a day too early to ski - but the season is looking great!

We are taking lots of bookings!  Great news and we welcome any more members to our team of owners as there are many multiple bookings coming through too.  Guests will have a wonderful time and with only a few steps to stagger from the Gondola - time for fun in the bars and restaurants too! I managed to practice my bulgarian this trip ... only a few disasters where I ordered 6 lots of a meal in error!!  Up to date photos will be posted this weekend so .... watch this space!  Thank you to everyone who is supporting us and already benefiting from the marketing and bookings.  Thank you too to The Right Move Abroad who have been fabulous at supporting our endeavours.

More news when I have recovered from the Easy (?) Jet Flight!!  (Not helped by a delay caused by a family who should have been going to Tenerife and who managed to discover this whilst taxi-ing back from the stand!!!) 

Bye for now!

Hello again!  We have just returned from a brief break back in Bansko and it was 39 degrees!  A little different from the UK summer and we highly recommend it!

Bansko Royal Towers is all but finished and preparing for the Grand Opening .... looking good and Alex the Developer has proven to be both honourable and professional so so far so good!

We have been hard at work developing our new Home Owners Exchange - www.swappingholidayhomes.com so watch this space for more info. 

Bookings are coming through regularly now so please contact me if you don't immediately see what you need - it is hard to keep up at times!

Met some wonderful fellow owners on this trip so a big hello to Ann and Jer and Alison and Nigel & family - thank you for helping us on our way through too! 

Hi chaps!  Well, firstly, I apologise for not keeping these entries up for some time - unfortunately 2007 did not start well personally for us with a bereavement and everything else took rather a back seat.

However .... we are back and can't wait until the Winter 2007 season starts ...not long now!  We are heading off to Golden Sands for a week too - heard differing reports on both the resort (from "it's the best holiday ever" to "could never sleep with the boom boom of the night clubs!") so will let you know upon our return!  Actually, after so many winter breaks it is actually just a little scary to get back into a bikini!  (Seen that advert where everyone looks .... that will probably be me!) 

We are told that the place to go is 'Aqua Polis' - Water Park .....   looks pretty scary to me but I will report back!  We are aiming to link up with apartments on the beach for 2 resort breaks next summer ... watch this space!

Bansko Royal Towers is now there!  The Act 16 is due to be granted on Monday 23rd and then full completion in a month's time.  Really excited and am going there on 21st August to check it all out so will report back with full photos then.  We had a fantastic time skiing in February where my daughter (6) had her first taste of downhill ... and loved it!  So another fanatic in the family now! 

Anyway .. signing off for now but will let you know what Golden Sands is like very soon!

Have a fantastic summer break!

Carol & Jem

Well I can't believe we made it!!  Mountain Romance is looking beautiful and we are off out there in 2 weeks to make sure that it is ready and properly furnished for all our guests this year!  I will be updating with 'real' photos on our return so watch this space! 

There has been some negative press about Bansko and property etc but I would say that the same would have been said of any developing area and there is maybe a little 'green eyed monster' about some of the comments made!  Yes - Bansko is dusty and there has been a lot of building there but the people are STILL friendly and welcoming and the fresh air still abounds! 

So I would say to anyone who is thinking of either holidaying there or even buying like us - GO FOR IT!

Carol x

Well, we have just got back from a trip to Bansko - we arrived and it was sunny and ok to wear T Shirts - when we left it was in a blizzard and -4 degrees!!  But everyone is delighted that the snow has come as it apparently means a great season!

One tip for anyone driving from Sofia to Bansko this winter.  We hired a car and the road is SO much better!  Almost finished and only a few dozen pot holes now!  BUT ..... we did get pulled over by the traffic police in the middle of Sofia!  Apparently, even though there is an arrow pointing left and no obvious sign of no entry .... you can't turn left at certain times!  Interestingly, the policeman asked where we were from before deciding our fate ... but we schmoozed enough to be let off - apparently unheard of! 

More to come on Mountain Romance shortly!!!

Carol & Jem

We have been told again this year that it is substantially cheaper to purchase your skis/boots, lessons and passes from the UK prior to departure.  For information on the best deals around - use our Contact page and we will forward the links to you.

Carol and Jem

Bansko is looking beautiful and with the construction of the new motorway coming along leaps and bounds, this will greatly reduce the transfer time from Sofia too!

I would love to hear any stories of your holidays - summer or winter - as we are compiling a book that will give the best (and worst!) places to go - and would love to include contributions from you.  Just send using the Contact Page and wait to see your name in print!

Carol and Jem