You Say

“Hi Lance, Just wanted to say thanks for a great blog, the recommendation for the hire shop — was brilliant, have skied in the US and Canada a lot but their kit was the best quality I’ve ever hired and comfiest ski boots, thanks!” –  Nicky Addis

“Hi Lance, we were in Bansko in early Jan and did not have a bad meal in any of the Mehanas we ate in all reasonably priced. Really liked ‘Mehana Motikita’ and the Fancy Bar which we used as salvation coming off the ski road. Looking forward to coming back to Bansko next year. Keep up the excellent blog. ” — John Dutson (UK)

“Sorry to have missed seeing you.  We made it to JJ Murphy’s but suspect we were alot earlier than you, boys were starving and tired after their skiing adventures. A great week’s skiing, and good service from BanskoSkiMania — thank you for sorting that all out.” — Richard Millman (UK)

“Thanks for all the good advice!” — Charlie Joseph (UK)

“Thanks for your help it’s much appreciated ” – Pete Grant (UK)

“Hi Lance, I have been following your blogs since my girlfriend and I booked our holiday to Bansko (6/3/10) and I must say I’ve been very impressed. Very helpful site.” – Pete (UK)

“Hi Lance just like to say thanks. Your Blog it is very helpfull, I have filled out the ski hire form you sent and wonderd if you could give me a price for my daughter to hire skis and boots and have lessons.” – Sean

“I am so happy that you have mention Lucky Bansko as one of the best hotels …Me and my family are coming this Sunday…Hope we will have great time. Have a nice day and thanks for all the information that you provide, it is very helpful” — Marta

“thanks for the site – it’s really helpful!” — Chris Perryer (UK)

“Hi, thanks for your blog I have found it useful, and it made me want to try out Bansko before bringing a larger group next season.” — Anthony Constantinou (Greece)

“Hi Lance – good to see the u-tube vid of the Head ski test – you really need to use your knees more!” — Merv (UK)

“Hello Lance, first of all, I want to thank you all the information you have provided me. I’m a Spanish lawyer, Me and some friends of mine three years ago we bought several apartments in the complex Prespa. Last year we were in Bansko and we liked it very much. This year will certainly go again later this month. Thanks for all the information and continue talking.” — Sergio (Spain)

“Great blog, very useful information.” — Adrian Smith (UK)

“Hi Lance, I have a apartment out in Bansko and love the place and think it’s great that you are making people aware of the few people out there who are trying to make a quick buck!!It could be such an amazing place if we all work together to make everyone’s holiday a better one. I have been 4 times now and have learnt the hard way about Bansko but I always have a good time with great snow! Thanks for the great site and keep up the good work.” — Aaron (UK)

“Just thought I would let you know that I bought boots (Head Edge+ 8.5) from the Head Test Centre on your recommendation even though I am a beginner. Stampi was awesome and my son (UK BASI Quailified) was impressed with his advice, he wouldn’t sell me the initial boots I tried as they were unsuitable although they felt fine to me! I was VERY impressed, thanks for your help!! …PS I got the 10% discount as well!” — Paul Barrett (UK)

“Hi Lance, Thanks for the daily videos they are great. There are 3 of us coming out on the 4th of Feb and coming home on the monday 8th.” — Matt Fowler

“Hi Lance, Thanks for the updates!  Actually heading out to Bansko on Saturday for a week so it looks like we’ve hit the snow right on target!  Great to read such positive snow reports in your blog today!”

“Hi Lance, Keep up the good work! My wife Chris and I went out to Bansko to our apartments in Mountain Dream over Christmas and New Year, ( if I’d known you were out there we could have met for a beer. )  This is just to say that I think your Banskoblog is very useful to all us Bansko fanatics and as I said keep up the good work.” – Kevin Elliot (UK)

“Lance, thankyou for all your information….I am really looking forward to bringing my family over to Bansko as we really want to experience the place and spend time exploring it all so your blogs are very informative.” – Nicola Cole

“Hi Lance, Cheers for all the top info you’ve been sending to me over the last few days. Arriving in bansko late sat night so fingers crossed the conditions will be spot on for some top boarding on sunday” – Martin Williams (UK)

“Hi, Please find attached a booking form for ski hire, many thanks and keep up the good work” – Simon Frogatt (UK)

“Hi Lance, I like the info! My partner has been a few times now and this time (Feb Half Term) he’s taking my son. GULP. All lessons have been booked in! Love the info on the mineral baths, I bet they will go there!” – Helen (UK)

“hi there, thank you for all your information.” – Nickola Cole (UK)

“Hi Lance, Thanks for the great blog!” – Susie and Jared (UK)

“Hei Lance.. cool blog you have here.” – Jeppe

“Your blog is excellent. It’s fantastic to have an impartial report on snow conditions, queues and lifts. Keep up the good work.” –Simon

“Your Bansko blog is a very interesting place. You’ve got an objective approach to the information which makes it a very valuable resource.” – Christian Nasulea (Romania)

“I wish you all good fortune with the increasing influence of BanskoBlog.com in the market place.” – Giles & Valerie Pitman (UK)

‘We really enjoy your Blogs~they keep us going when we can’t get to Bansko!!” – Peter Mayne (UK)

“Thanks for your blog. I really enjoy it!” – Grainne McGurk (UK)

“Thank you creating such a wonderful website.” – Lyra Culverhouse (UK)

“First i should say that your blog about Bnasko is fantastic!!! Definitely something that Bansko missed past years. I am from Sofia, but i am also a great fan of Bansko from my early teenage years. I think your site is becoming not only useful for people going to Bansko but also for those staying in Bulgaria as general. I have talked with so many people that were put off from coming here, but only because they lacked some simple but essential information – such as transportation, accommodation etc. Really – great job!!!” – Philip Gologanov (Sofia, Bulgaria)

“Thanks Lance;  this all looks very informative.  Keep up the good work.” – Jan Reynolds (UK)

“Great site, and thanks for all the info, very informative. I like your Guide to Bansko – very comprehensive, and actually has useful info like names and addresses of places. I note you say you don’t mind the guide being forwarded, but would it be acceptable to print it off and place in an apartment info folder – obviously crediting yourself, to go with my own stuff?” – Carlo (UK)  …Lance says:   Thanks! Yes, everyone is welcome to print out the Bansko guide and place in apartments.

“Love your blog.  Keep up the gr8 work and look forward to hearing from you soon.”  - Ciara McCabe (Ireland)

“Your blog is most informative. Thanks. ” – Richard Beynon (UK).

“We own an apartment in White Fir Valley, overlooking the course. … Thanks for a great site, we glean much information from you” – Liz, (UK)

“Seems like a nice website with fresh new articles on Bansko & the area!” – Milen (Sofia)

“Thanks for all the great info, its really useful. Keep up the great service” – Paddy & Ann Redmond (Ireland)

“Hi Lance, Just came across your site this morning and I am delighted. I have joined your Bansko Blog. I am going with my wife to Bansko for a month on July 21st, and I am looking forward to the Jazz Festival. Thank you for the Programme.  I have an apartment in Bansko and have been skiing there for the past three years. Apart from skiing, one of my hobbies is songwriting so I have attached my Bansko song to let you hear it. Looking forward to future blogs,” –  Michael Green (Ireland)

“We had an excellent ski trip to Bansko this year and intend to do the same again next February. I’ve seen on your website that you will soon have a forthcoming events notice but do you know if there are any major ski competitions scheduled for February next year?  We want to avoid the UK schools mid-term break but also crowds if possible. Thanks again for all you do – reading the website is like visiting again!” – Dick Martin (UK)

“Good site very professional” – Patrice Cogels (Belgium)

“Many thanks and keep up the good work, very helpful” – Kim Riseborough (UK)

“Hi Lance, Great blog you’re having here, tons of useful info about Bulgaria and Bansko…” – Krasimir Dyakov (Sofia, Bulgaria)

“Hi Lance, Just a quick mail. I hope you are well. Keep up the good work on the site!” – Rory Clerkin (UK)

“Keep the blog going. It has helped me a lot.” – Joe Chisholm (UK)

“Hi Lance, I just came on your site by accident, its great to get as much information as possible. I went to Bansko 5 years ago to see about buying an apt and I finally managed to move into it last month!! Like you, I have seen great changes in the town, not all for the best, but with so much development going on I expect this was bound to happen. It is such a beautiful area and the people are so nice, I hope they don’t get fed up with all the newcomers taking up part-time residence. I will keep in touch, keep up the good work.” – Enda Monk (UK)

“Hi Lance, thank you for your updates, the information you and your site provide is very useful.” – Steve Tilney (UK)

“Have had a good look at your blog, its great thanks, we are going to our apartment in Bansko for the first time on an early Tuesday easyjet flight.” – Kevin Wood (UK)

“Very informative site by the way!” – Gary Romans (UK)

“Thanks Lance, all very interesting. Excellent mehana in my opinion is DedoYonkata, on left at top of Pirin Street – always been pretty good food and service. Keep up the good work.” – Alison Glennon (UK)

“Dear Lance, Just joined your blog, very interesting.” – Colin Morris (UK)

“Hi Lance, I just wanted to say what a fantastic job you are doing I love the guide. I will definitely type up some restaurant reviews for you, we have been coming out for the last 3 years and have an apartment we are usually out 5 or 6 times a year so will keep sending reviews etc, Cheers” – Karen Martin (UK)

“The information provided by Lance was very useful”  Darren McFarlane (UK)

“I find your blog most interesting and informative.” – Deborah Bates (UK)

“Thanks again for all the information you have passed. It is appreciated. Many Thanks” – Jennie King (UK)

“All the information was very helpful.. thanks again and see you in April” – Serap Marsan (Istanbul, Turkey). For Serap’s audio review click play

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

“Thanks for some really useful information in your blog Lance. I’m in Bansko right now for my first time and you have inspired me to create my own blog to document the experience!” – Steve Farrall (UK)

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Join BanskoBlog Group On Facebook …….  latest events and gossip on twitter

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Accommodation : Guest Reviews

“What a week we watched the free Jazz Fest every day, a little hiking and swimming and Belitsa bear sanctuary. All the tips really helped us — and the apartment on this site was very comfortable” – G Giorgiu, Thessaloniki (Greece) August 09

“…Your apartment is furnished to the highest standards and has all amenities needed to make a pleasant and comfortable stay. It is perfectly located few steps away from the gondola and from our favourite Happy End bar, perfect for post-skiing relaxation and dancing. Bansko has a lot to offer for summer tourism as well, and we are looking very much forward to spending the next weekend at your apartment, enjoying the greenery this time. Thank you very much again” Ivanka (Sofia). May’09

“We are Bulgarians from Sofia and we have been many times in Bansko but I must say that the conditions that you offered were the best in our experience up to now. Our holiday in Bansko took part between 01 and 05 of April ’09. The apartment house is built in a modern stile with flavour of traditional Bulgarian architecture. The location is convenient – very near the gondola station. We liked the apartment very much – large, luxury furnished, clean and quite. And the price was very affordable. This was all we need …. So Lance, thanks to you, we have spent a fantastic holiday in Bansko! I will recommend your offer to all my friends. Looking forward to our next meeting ” Emil Raskovski, Sofia (Bulgaria). April 2009

“On holiday in Bansko, Bulgaria. We are staying at this very nice, but very affordable apartment: http://banskoblog.com/bansko-accommodation” – Koos Jan Schouten, Sofia (Bulgaria) – via Facebook 18 March 2009

“had a great time in bansko…great apartment …very professional slopes….good organization with gondola, lifts, ski schools etc…good food….cheap prices….what would you expect more from a ski vacation? we had ALL even more…:). Thanx very much for your help again and again Lance….” – Sevgul Oztavman, Istanbul (Turkey) Feb 2009

“thanks for the great apartment… We really had a good time in Bansko” – Serap Marsan, Istanbul (Turkey) Feb 2009

“The Mountain Residence 3 (now Winslow Residence) apartment was smart, clean and very close to the gondola.”- Thomas Phillips, London (UK).  Feb 2009

“Hi Lance, have just got back – all was great the apartment was lovely, great position and just what we needed.” – Mark Dudley, Gloucs (UK) Feb 2009

“The apartment is excellent and Mountain Residence 3 has great positioning indeed! I’ll recommend it to my friends…..One of the best part about it is the positioning: it’s 3 minutes walk from the gondola, 5 minutes walk from the center of the town.” -Emil Comsea , Bucharest, (Romania) Jan 2009

“We had a perfect holiday in Mountain Residence 3. The two bed apartment was very comfortable and spacious. Being so close to the gondola meant a stress free start to the day and at the end of day jacuzzi was just what was needed to unwind. Thanks for all the info and look forward to staying again in 2009. Best Regards.” – Patrick Bell, Manchester, UK (April 2008)

“The ski instruction was tops and Mark even got down the tomba black run whilst i finally got to do a tandem paraglide – amazing…. arrive with friends next year. thanks again for your apartment which was just right.” – Jane Sipson & family, Wandsworth, London, UK (March 08)

“thanks very much, everything was very comfortable and staff were helpful” (October 08) – Simeon Kristoff, Ealing, London, UK (Feb 08)

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The long road to writing about Bansko is littered with potholes. And I am certain I’ve fallen into more than a few. And like the hub cap spinning off the wheel  into the ditch, there will be times when the articles diverge from all things Bansko and, sometimes, Bulgaria.

But this is not only a personal journey of what I find. This is also the place where others write about their Bansko or their Bulgarian experiences. For these contributions, I am particularly grateful.

Correct It If Its Wrong

If you read something here that you believe is wrong, or just out of date, then please comment. Please comment if you agree, disagree — or have more to add. If you have a good, or bad, experience then please let me know.

…Feedback always sought on transfers, exploring Bulgaria, restaurants, wine, beer, gentleman’s clubs, bars, off piste, ski / board hire, off piste, golf, lessons, excursions, Sofia, places, events etc. If you’re a business owner, take a look at options available to sponsor this blog.

Your stories, pictures and comments always include attribution. I always link to your web site if you have one.

Bansko Twitter & Facebook

If you use twitter and facebook to help search for useful info or just keep in contact, then you’ll find BanskoBlog pages and groups on these. Twitter is now a useful source of info, and you’ll see @bansko retweeting snow reports, events and news that will help us all enjoy our time in Bansko, or Bulgaria generally.

Twitter for 09/10 season : send your restaurant and bar reviews — I will retweet to all @bansko followers. Together we can help others avoid rip offs and also to reward quality.

Blog And Guide Testimonials

This is the place where I feel compelled to apologise. Because I’m listing some of your kind comments. I’m very grateful to have received these and I put them here so to help me keep working hard to improve the site.  Many thanks!

Support This Site

If you have a Bansko property, then you can help support this blog and rent your home on this site. Lots of options and easy payment terms here: http://banskoblog.com/advertise-bansko/ Or if you are looking to rent in Bansko, why not support the owners’ advertising here? Take a look here: http://banskoblog.com/bansko-accommodation/

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