Hotels in Bulgaria

There is quite a bit of difference between the hotel industry in Bulgaria and that in the U.S. Whereas the U.S. market is dominated by large chains such as Sheraton, Hilton, Days Inn, and numerous others, the work horse of Bulgaria's tourism industry is the small to medium-sized family owned and family-operated hotel. As of now, although some successful hotel owners are making investments in that direction, there are in fact no hotel chains. This is quite remarkable since Bulgaria is one of the most visited holiday destinations in Europe.

The lack of chains is sometimes a problem as tourists are not sure what to expect - different owners and managers have different ideas about what constitutes good service and facilities. Booking is more cumbersome as the tourist has to call the hotel, make a reservation and pay upon arrival as opposed to using a centralized booking system. However, the lack of uniformity also has an important charming side - there are hundreds of hotels and guest houses with very unique character. These are sometimes large old houses that have been renovated and converted into hotels. In addition to accommodation, the hotels also often feature small cozy restaurants where the owners try to be inventive with delicious local dishes. The terms of accommodation are flexible and the atmosphere is personal.

One hotel in Abanassi exemplifies this. Arbanassi is a small historic village overlooking the old capital of Bulgaria Veliko Turnovo. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Bulgaria, partly due to the types of hotel where tourists can stay. Villa "Tvorcheska (Artistic)" is a three story spacious house with stone foundations and beautiful arches. It sits in a large and sunny garden with a shaded area and fruit trees. It has 11 guest rooms, each furnished and decorated in a different style: 2 Italian rooms, 1 French room, 1 Bulgarian room, 1 Oriental room, 1 mansard studio with a round bedroom, 1 Japanese room, 1 African apartment, 1 Roman room with a tub for hydro massage, and 1 room with Jacuzzi. What a variety!

One can explore the various hotels and guest houses in Bulgaria at: Hotels Bulgaria.

Stefan Valev writes regular columns about holiday destinations in Bulgaria.

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