Lion Bansko Hotel

The hotel is situated in a very good location as it is away from the hustle and bustle of the main town but close enough to walk into. The hotel has a spacious entrance with 2 real fires one of which was always lit in the evenings giving the lobby a cosy feel. All the public areas were very clean. There was a good choice of food at breakfast however, instead of fresh juice fruit squashes were available. In the evening there was a good selection of salads and hot meals. The bedroom was spacious but a little bit tired looking. The lighting was dim so it was difficult to read at night and internet was sporadic at times. The hairdryer in the bathroom was barely adequate. There is a very basic gym and there are 2 saunas and a steam room. Care is required when using the steam room and saunas as it is very slippery as the water is not mopped up regularly.

The Hotel, though dated was great, decent food, warm and good fun. Saved our holiday as the weather was awful for skiing. Pool and sauna/steam room was nice and clean. Buses to the slope a bit haphazard, we walked most of the time. Bar food was ok as well.

Would just like to say what a lovely Hotel the Lion is. Rooms, food, staff, all great. From the start,to the end of our weeks skiing holiday, everything about the Hotel was lovely. Would definitely stay here again, if I ever choose to come back to Banksco. The spa area is great, after a mornings skiing.

This was a perfect choice of hotel for skiing and I would recommend it to anyone staying in bansko. Other reviews don't do it justice at all. We went half board which included an all you can eat buffet breakfast (great food choices) and an evening buffet meal with wine and beer ON TAP. Food was great and varied every day and staff service was exceptional. Rooms were massive which was a great bonus and had all amenities you needed. AMAZING spa area with 3 steam rooms, sauna and lovely pool. Spotlessly clean. There is also a good sized gym. Free shuttle bus to the slopes which was a 3 minute drive, or an 7 or 8 minute walk which was ideal. Quiet location but close to bars and restaurants. Lovely lobby area with bar and wood fire in the evenings. My only 2 small complaints are that the third bed in the triple room isn't a proper bed, it's a pullout which isn't ideal if you've been skiing all day and need a good night's sleep. The other was that the heating was up very high throughout the hotel. Overall it was fab and I would 100% come back and stay in this hotel.

Having spotted this hotel on a previous holiday to Bansko, my son (9) and I knew that if we returned, this is where we’d love to stay! Excellent location - far enough away from the hustle and bustle for the peace but close enough to walk it in 5 minutes. We were welcomed at 2am by complimentary drinks. Check-in was quick and easy. We had a double/twin room. Very spacious with a bath and over shower, TV, mini-bar/fridge etc. The hotel is immaculate. Reception area with open fire and plenty of sofas/chairs/tables is great from a relax after a day on the slopes. The bar serves all kinds of drinks and has a great food menu (we had some snacks and were very well presented and tasty) prices are also very reasonable. Half board - breakfast was great. Something for everyone from a full English to continental, fruit etc. Evening meal was also fine. Not much of a children’s choice but there was something every night for all tastes. We ate out a few nights locally (again, silly cheap) Pool/spa area is lovely. The pool is a good size although can get busy later in the day but my son absolutely loved it. Free return transfer to the gondola on a regular basis but we walked as it was minutes. As for staff, of the staff we come into contact with, all were very friendly and helpful (shy if anything but once we made the effort, the reception was great). My only negatives would be…. 1) the heat in the rooms….. super stuffy! 2) bring your own hair dryer We have already booked our return visit to the Lion for next year. A great find and would highly recommend.

Good sized rooms with balcony. Nice heated rooms never cold. Amenities very good. Staff very helpful and courteous always helpful. Food hot and tasty self service including drinks Plenty of hot water. 10 minute walk to Gondalo. Plenty of bars and shops nearby. Will book again loved the hotel

First time skiing in Bulgaria. We knew it wouldn’t be comparable to the Alps but it is much better value for money and we really enjoyed our stay. The hotel was great, good location (5-10 min walk to gondola), enjoyed the food which offered a good choice for breakfast and dinner. The spa area and pool was good but it was a shame there was no jacuzzi and the smaller pool wasn’t really hot. Steam room and sauna was lovely. We hired our ski stuff at Megaski which was a short walk from the hotel and about a 3 min walk to the ski road which you could ski down a tiny way to the gondola. We enjoyed the skiing, a good selection of runs for beginners and intermediates - it was a shame we had no snow when we were there but the snow cannons ensured we could still ski (if a little hard & compacted snow). The only downside of the hotel was the paper thin walls - you could hear everything especially people who talked in the corridors and tvs on in their rooms!

Wow wow wow, what a fabulous hotel! Booked our ski holiday through Crystal and selected this hotel, was not disappointed! Really good price and got half board. FOOD Food was really good, full English on a morning with Continental twist. Food on evening was good too, lots of salad bits, hot food and goo selection of puddings. Could have wine and beer for FREE with evening meal! - side note if you are a fussy eater or have intolerances this might not be as good of an experience however we did see them cook food separately for someone with a intolerance ROOM very clean, very large! Mini fridge stocked and prices were not daft for it either. My only critique with the room was no kettle but wasn’t the end of the world! SPA/POOL Lovely modern, clean pool and spa facilities. BAR/FOYER Great bar at reception/foyer, had a pool table and loads of TVs showing sport. Also had an open fire for a cosy vibe too! OTHER - welcome drinks on arrival -packed breakfast when we left for airport, as was befire breakfast service started -could hire skis and store own skis but couldn’t store other rental ski there. Overall 5*

Ok so first the good points. The hotel had great facilities including the the gym, pool and sauna/spa facilities. Breakfast was always great with plenty of variety. The shuttle bus was always there to take you 5 mins to the main gondola and back again in the afternoon. We had a great room on 6th floor with a superb view of the mountains. Room was clean and spacious. But staff are very unfriendly and unwilling to help or assist. Pool attendant was especially useless & didn't speak a word of English and couldn't be bothered to tell us where to collect towels. Don't bother with the white or rose wine. Red wine is drinkable as is the beer. Food was bland and incredibly salty every day. Walls are thin. Can hear people slamming doors at night. We booked this through Crystal Ski. We paid for ski School, equipment and lift pass. But had to pay about £50 each extra for a "fast pass" to beat the gondola queue in the mornings. I didnt have to use the fast pass at all as there were no queues! So a bit if a con. Also, if you want decent equipment hire from one if the ski rental shops. As Crystal use the main N4 depot next to the gondola and all their equipment is totally sub-standard, even if you ask for expert level equipment. I had to change my skis twice but were still rubbish. My poles were bent and broken. But when I returned them they charged me 25lev. Not a world class resort. Ski area is very limited compared to France, Austria, Swiss etc. But you get what you pay for. Not great for advanced skiers and very limited for beginners. But overall a pleasant week of skiing.