Bansko is well known as one of the cheaper places to ski in Europe. This Bulgarian town isn’t just a popular ski resort though, as it is increasingly popular as a digital nomad hub and is also a lovely place to spend the summer months.
Explore Bansko Chalets are a group of apartments a short walk from the old town and the ski resort gondola. If you’re planning a visit to Bulgaria there are lots of options for cheap hotels and apartments in Bansko. But is Explore Bansko Chalets a good option for you?
Welcome to Bansko!
The town of Bansko is situated in Bulgaria’s Pirin National Park. The main reason most people visit Bansko is due to the ski resort based here, which earned a reputation as one of Europe’s cheapest ski resorts. However, Bansko is a thriving local town in it’s own right, with a lively nightlife, great food, loads of natural scenery and access to thermal spas in nearby Baniya too.
In short, there is a lot to see and do in Bansko, which is probably why it’s also now on the radar for the digital nomad set. As well as a good work/life balance, the town of Bansko is very affordable and hosts plenty of co-working spots and events year round.
Explore Bansko Chalets
Run by two friendly Brits, Martin and Leanne, Explore Bansko Chalets are three separate apartment blocks offering self-contained and catered accommodation. These are:
- Snow pine chalet
- River pine chalet
- Ginchini chalet
Each of the apartment blocks house between 16-25 guests in comfortable ensuite rooms. The decor of all of the chalets is very much in the traditional Bulgarian rustic style, with wooden panelling and floorboards and upcycled furtniture. In fact, many of the fixtures and fittings in the chalets are made from old ski or snowboarding equipment, offering a unique interior and a fun experience as you spot repurposed skis here and there.
They offer catered deals, which include breakfast and an evening meal as well as drinks, fast WiFi, a hot tub, a BBQ area (mostly for use during summer but sometimes in the winter too) and a shuttle bus to the ski gondola. They also offer airport shuttle services from Sofia airport to Bansko all for a very affordable price.
While the apartments are designed to house large groups, the self-contained rooms do offer a good degree of privacy and solitude. In fact, due to their location you can enjoy a very peaceful stay, right in the heart of Bansko.
The chalets are often pitched as suitable for large groups, such as families, friends, corporate getaways or schools. But they do also take bookings for smaller groups and couples too. In fact during the Bansko Nomad Fest, they often house digital nomads from around the world making the chalets a good place to hang out and meet fellow visitors to Bansko.
Where are Explore Bansko Chalets?
The apartments run by Explore Bansko Chalets sit just off the old town high street, a five-ten minute walk from the ski station. This makes them perfectly placed to explore all the sights of Bansko, including the iconic church and most of the shopping, bars and restaurants.
During the ski season, it can get very snowy and icy in the streets around the chalets. So the hosts can often organise a shuttle bus to the ski gondola, and sometimes during high season, or for larger parties, all the way to the mountain.
What kind of food is included in the catered packages at Explore Bansko Chalets?
The team pride themselves on providing a high quality menu of freshly prepared food, and we were very pleasantly surprised at the standard of catering here. Very little comes out of a packet and Martin the owner freshly prepares dinner every evening as well as cakes and snacks. In terms of the food, Martin and his team turn out some Bulgarian classics as well as British crowd pleasers such as roast dinners. They even provide a kiddie friendly menu, because as we know it can be hard getting kids to eat even the most delicious dishes.
Meals are provided in the communal dining spaces in each of the chalet areas. Each of the chalets does have its own kitchen area too, so guests are free to prepare their own snacks and food outside of meal times if they wanted.
They also provide free drinks including local beers and wines – so you can be assured of a nice relaxing apres ski drink in the chalets.
What is Bansko like?
The town of Bansko is a lovely town, quite spread out but still very walkable. From the Explore Bansko Chalets, there is the main drag, Pirin Street, which connects the old town to the new town and the ski resort area. Along Pirin Street you’ll find a mixture of bars, shops and mehanas, or traditional tavernas. Mehanas are popular for their traditional food such as slow cooked meats, hearty salads and delicious soups and stews.
While Pirin street and the main drag are usually priced at tourists, therefore a little more pricey than you might expect, a short walk into the UNESCO old town provides some much more traditional and affordable food.
Bansko is also famous for it’s very lively nightlife. There are several clubs and bars, such as Amigo’s on the high street, Queen’s Bar and Pirin 75. There are also numerous clubs such as Flash Club and The Club which offer late night dancing, usually to the sounds of house music DJs.
If you’re after some culture, you’ll find the old town offers museums and places to visit such as the iconic church. For kids there are playgrounds to play on, and if you want to soak in a thermal spa, its a short drive to the town of Baniya where you can enjoy a hot soak in mineral baths.
Of course, Bansko’s main draw is the skiing – check out our Bansko ski review over at our partner site.
All in all, we thought Explore Bansko Chalets offered a fantastic experience in the heart of Bansko. And with their incredibly affordable prices it’s pretty much a no-brainer… Be advised though, they do book up fast, especially in high season such as Christmas, New Year and during holidays. If you’re looking for excellent family or group friendly accommodation in Bansko, get in touch with the team an Explore Bansko Chalets.
Contact Explore Bansko Chalets
