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Ski Bulgaria: At Least It's Pretty Cheap at Villa Roka

Where: 37 B Glazne Str, Bansko , Bulgaria, 2770

NYT columnist Matt Gross's latest expedition has been a skiing holiday in, of all places, Bulgaria. In particular, he set out to figure out whether the ski resort area of Bansko, the biggest in the country, was about to make skiing in Bulgaria famous.

The answer: possibly not. Amidst tales of queue jumpers in the lines for the ski lifts, and resort staff who groom away all the good powdered snow, Gross did manage to get in some good snowboarding, but it didn't sound all that great. What did look cute was the hotel he stayed in, the Villa Roka, all modern and trendy-looking and with a spa center including solarium, sauna and steam bath.

The best part is that Bulgaria is still cheap. Rooms during peak season (either summer or winter) at Villa Roka start from 42 Euros ($61) for a double, or 27 Euros ($40) per person in a larger maisonette room, all prices including breakfast. The NY Times also quotes a rate of 72 Euros ($105) per double, including dinner as well, presumably for the extra nice rooms.

Apparently there's a lot more development and hotel building going on in Bansko, as it tries to become the ski resort capital of eastern Europe, so stay tuned for other accommodation alternatives; we'll try to find out, too, if they work out a better system for the ski lifts.

[Photo: NY Times]

Related Stories:
· Is Bulgaria Really Skiing's Next Hot Spot? [NY Times]
· Hotels in Bulgaria [HotelChatter]
· Travel Stories in Bulgaria [HotelChatter]