Planning a ski trip to Bansko? Browse our collection of visitor-generated reviews that rank the mountain and ski town on a scale of one to five stars in the following categories: Overall Rating, All-Mountain Terrain, Nightlife, Terrain Park and Family Friendly. See how Bansko stacks up to others in terms of skiing and après, and read up on pros, cons and comments from fellow skiers and snowboarders. Don't forget to submit your own Bansko review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your ski area experience.
Skier & Snowboarder-Submitted Reviews for Bansko
Total (2.9)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
Honest Review of Bansko Ski Resort
So a review of my first day skiing in Bansko – I am disabled, (paraplegic), and use a mono sit ski. I have been skiing for 24 yrs.
So skiing in Bansko in February 2025; the snow and pistes are great. Powder top, middle and bottom, great long blue and red runs, absolutely ideal for disabled skiers.
Lift access isn’t bad. There is a 6ish person gondola from the town up to the main Bansko ski area. You need to be able to transfer from your wheelchair to the gondola which will stop for you. At the the top of the gondola I transferred into my sit ski – you are then onto your usual chairlifts up to the mountain top, and can go up and down the slopes easily. At the end of the day you have an 8 mile run to the gondola station on either red or blues – absolutely fantastic!
We found out you could take a taxi or bus to the top of the gondola as well if you preferred, although you would miss out on the several miles of wonderful fast blue runs down to Bansko at days end.
Now onto the negative parts …. Well don’t expect a discount on the lift pass. Although Bulgaria advertises at least 50% off for you and your helper; and Bansko in particular even more – you will not get a reduction. Even in my wheelchair and with 3 proofs of disability the response is stoned silence, brusk attitude …. Basically nada… don’t call me here because of reduced ski passes.
So having paid full price for you and your helper (I managed 2 runs to the top each day), you will then have to go to the gondola station to retrieve your wheelchair. Then you will have to send your helper, (wife in my case) to retrieve your wheelchair. However after 30mins your helper will return in a rage as they wont allow entry to get your wheelchair. You can try Bulgarian, English, French and the ample security will laugh and point at your helper. You can draw pictures of a wheelchair, a person without legs and show photos of you in your sit-ski – and they will ….. laugh
Klaudia
This is not begginer friendly, as all runs might be difficult at some point, if you try from the top using 3 or 11 as there are coded blue, as soon as you get there they are coded as red.
Gondola from the bottom is horrible, you are wasting your time in queue for min 1-2hours. Tried before 8 and after 10, around 12 all same, enormous queue. Is definitely not for me, and I wouldn't recommend.
Amie Bridge
Went whilst there was only 1 slope open but all staff were friendly and done their best considering the snow conditions.
Tigran Aroutounian
I visited Bansko 5 times since 2009 for between 7 to 12 days vacations.
It’s an amazing and unique place, affordable for any budget, perfect for new skiers, and advanced. The most delicious food! Great night life, the Bulgarian warm and welcoming culture with a great overall vibe, makes you fall in love with this place! Highly recommended!!!
lucinda
Loved the friendliness ,, great modern installations ,,, mountain restaurants great food and prices !! Above all no crazy posers ,, who think that buying the latest ski gear means they can ski !! Very little pushing and shoving !
anonymous
Town very good and lots of good restaurants
slopes get way too busy and runs a mess by lunch time
anonymous
Town very good and lots of good restaurants
slopes get way too busy and runs a mess by lunch time
Phil England
If you want cheap beer and don’t want to ski much and spend your time in a queue then Bansko is the place for you!
It’s not set up to cope with the amount of punters. Ski passes and rental is cheap enough if booked before you get here, however no 7 day pass for instance, you need to book a 4 and a 3 but they don’t tell you that. Ski school for my family was pretty poor, getting them to a decent stage took them 3 days to what I would expect a day. Overcrowded lessons with 15 persons is not conducive to quick learning. 95% of people here are learning to ski so pretty poor manners and etiquette.Overcrowded learning area with only one food area for beginners to access means this is also overcowded. You can do all the runs in half a day so not a big resort, most of it was artificial so not ideal for beginners either, nice snow at the top where there had been snow, rocks and mud showing at lunch. Pistes poorly marked and no side markers. I saw 3 people blood wagoned off just below a rocky area which wasn’t hazard marked on a blue(easy) slope. Restaurant staff generally pretty rude, some females are ok, slow service. Many places claim they don’t take credit cards but they actually do, I think the staff a skimming the takings here. Many places also claim they can’t split a credit card bill, again absolute BS as you just type the amount you want to pay in. Beer was cheap around £3 in expensive apres area but wander away from the lights and it’s £1-2 or less! Food is decent and cheap. Go for the ‘BBQ’ meats or massive shared kebab platters. Our accommodation was ‘Mountain View’ which was good, cheap, spacious, small bar and restaurant and across the road 100m through the woods to the piste, not quite ski in/ski out. Perhaps with more snow. So cheap yes, first time maybe come here, but if you can already ski look elsewhere!
anonymous
It was a fun trip away, spent 90% of our time off the main runs as by midday were moguled. The off piste was exceptional with decent snow and tree runs were incredible.
Rachael Maughan
Such a shame that tbis resort has been so heavily developed. It is now over booked and populated and can not cope with this pressure.
Access to mountain takes hours of queuing, runs are dangerous busy, ski school groups ratio to instructor are scary.
Transport is hard to prebook.
I would not come back. Avoid school holidays as you are wasting your time and money
Rate this Resort
Share your experience at resort Bansko to help other skiers.
