Properties in Bansko
Properties in Bansko |
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| The Pirin mountain range: Kamenitsa - 2,816m, Polezhan - 2,850m, Vihren - 2,914m, Pirin - 2,593m. |
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| In 2003 Bansko
was discovered by the outside world. Until
then its delights were enjoyed mainly by Bulgarians. Now that the secret
of its magnificent mountain peaks and traditional local zest for having
a good
time is out, however, the numbers of foreign visitors are increasing
so rapidly that local accommodation facilities
cannot keep pace with the influx of tourists. This phenomenon has resulted in a massive infrastructure development programme by the local government, with a huge financial investment from Bulgarian and foreign companies. Furthermore, a new, fast road now connects Bansko with Sofia, the journey by car being possible in 1½, 2 or 2½ hours, depending on whether you drive fast, normally or slowly. Sections of the road have been paid for by various countries of the European Union. Moreover, the Mediterranean Sea is only 2 hours away, in Greece! All this activity has had a knock-on effect on property demand and values, which rocketed at the end of 2003 for a period of about three months. Although that was never to be repeated to such an extreme, values continued to rise until 2007, the year of Bulgaria's accession to the European Union. Values have since peaked, and are now a little lower than their highest. |
Although
Bansko shares with Borovets a long letting period, winter and summer (compared
to the Black Sea coast's summer only), it differs
from its rival in
that it is a residential town, whereas Borovets is purely a resort. As such, it has lots of local tradition, colour and life, and is likely to appeal to visitors who enjoy these things. Borovets, on the other hand, is lively in a more modern and westernised way, with its Irish pubs and discothèques. Bansko has always been a resort for all seasons, with five months of skiing usually possible, and four months of summer, when the temperature on the mountains can be more than 25°C, and you can sleep under the stars! The local people consider themselves as 'Bansko' first, and Bulgarians second. They even speak a dialect, barely intelligible to their countrymen, which is peculiarly confined to the town limits. This apparent insularity does not manifest itself, however, in their hospitality and welcoming nature. They certainly know how to enjoy themselves, usually with the aid of the locally produced wine and 'rakiya' (brandy). Bansko, boasting 180 'mehanas' (traditional taverns), seems set to be one of the country's most enjoyable places to spend a holiday. |
 Bansko map, showing location of Mountain View Lodge |
Our favourite
mehana (tavern) in Bansko 'Obetsanova Kwshta' (Click on image to enlarge. Then use the 'Back' button to return here.) |
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| Videos (Click on link to start) |
Mountain
view (1.2MB) |
Butt
heads (1MB) |
Newlyweds
in pedestrian precinct (1.1MB) |
Bansko
ski café (81KB) |
Bansko
ski lift (lower) (190KB) |
Bansko
ski lift (higher) (481KB) |
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Bansko Jazz Fest - August 2005 (annual free event!) : |
Town
square in February (220KB) |
| New 1-bedroom apartments, sleeping 4 (with sofa-bed, some sleeping 5 with extra pull-down bed), combining modernism with
traditional Bansko style, with views of the mountains. 12 apartments,
located directly in front
of the
Pirin
mountain
range, only 350m to the ski-lift, 50m to the river, and a few minutes by taxi
to the golf
course designed
by Ian Woosnam. Designed by Bulgaria Properties Ltd, all Mountain View Lodge apartments have south-facing panoramic sliding floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony (deck on ground floor). The sheer glass walls make these apartments unique in Bansko, and bring the terrace and the view right into the living room. Fully furnished and equipped with kitchen appliances and washing machine. These apartments are very unusual, in that their design emphasises spacious living, thus making them suitable for both long-term rental and holiday use. (Click on images to enlarge. Then use the 'Back' button to return here.) |
Mountain View Lodge is one of the closest apartment buildings for walking
to the ski-lift, because it is directly opposite the bridge across the
river. (See map) Bar, café and restaurant, massage, gymnasium, jacuzzi and sauna on the lower ground floor. Paved car park, gardens, a lawn and a barbeque in the garden. Rentals are available for 9 months of the year, summer and winter. Please contact the local management: hadjipopov@yahoo.com -- +359 7498 2131, +359 7498 2602, +359 898 633 133 (mobile) These apartments are self-catering, and rental rates are very reasonable. If you prefer, you can rent rooms in the same management's guest house in the old town, where breakfast is included and dinner can be provided. |
 North façade in summer, showing the view of the Pirin mountain range to the south |
 South façade, with walls of glass, bringing the terrace and view into your living room |
Interior views of Mountain View Lodge. (Click on image to enlarge. Then use the 'Back' button to return here.) |
 Friendly welcome in the tavern |
 Typical Bansko ambience |
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 Cosy log fire & charcoal grill after a day's skiing |
 Light and bright, thanks to the wall of glass |
 Plenty of space to spread out |
 Extra pull-down bed |
 Corner kitchen range |
 Straight kitchen range |
 Bedroom with TV |
 A restful night's sleep |
| Choose your apartment on these floor plans: (Click on image to enlarge. Then use the 'Back' button to return here.) There are 12 1-bedroom apartments, each with 1 bathroom, on floors 1 (ground), 2, 3 and 4, and one 2-bedroom apartment with 2 bathrooms on floor 5 (not available yet). (Being initial designs, these images are for guidance only. The actual layout of each apartment may differ slightly. Please clarify any specific queries with the management beforehand.) |
In the basement: Bar, tavern (mehana), massage parlour, hot tub, sauna, ski & boot storage,
changing rooms for residents |
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