Kempinski Hotel Bansko: The Luxury Ski Capital of the Balkans

The picturesque town of Bansko is located 95 miles away from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, at the foot of the majestic Pirin Mountain, a Unesco World Natural Heritage site.

Bansko is the fastest-developing winter resort in the Balkans and the prime location for winter sports in Bulgaria. The mountain climate and the alpine nature of the scenery provide excellent conditions for skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and hiking.

Naturally, the snow is there from December until April. There are over 45 miles of perfectly groomed ski runs, split into sections for beginners, intermediates and advanced skiers. Professional ski and snowboard instructors, speaking multiple foreign languages, are taking care of the ski training for all visitors, from kids and beginners to advanced.

The local region also offers plenty of options for all-season activities, such as hiking, rafting, fishing, biking, horse riding, mountaineering and golf, which makes Bansko a sought-after destination all year round.

Being the only ski-in and ski-out hotel in the town, Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko is located in the very heart of the mountain resort, ideally positioned right across from the Gondola lift station.

During the winter season, the hotel provides VIP ski passes to its guests, which guarantees direct and quick access to the Gondola. The five-star luxury hotel is the only international brand hotel and is open year-round. It features 157 Alpine-style rooms, including 26 suites and an exclusive Presidential Suite, the fully renovated Kempinski The Spa with unique thermal facilities, four conference rooms and dining rooms with spectacular views of the majestic Pirin Mountains.

The hotel has five bars and three restaurants, including the fine-dining Mediterranean restaurant, Come Prima. The exotic Sushi Bar & Teppanyaki Grill is the only place in Bansko that offers authentic sushi and Japanese grill specialties prepared by skilled Asian chefs.

The spa center of Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko was renovated in 2018 and features thermal facilities of the world-leading Germany company Klafs, including an authentic Finnish dry sauna, a last-generation herbal sauna, an innovative sanarium, an infrared cabin and a tailor-made aroma steam bath. The new thermal area also consists of two experience showers for heat-cold contrast, a deep digital detox area, a self-heating laconium wellness bench and a unique snow room.

The state-of-the-art Kempinski The Spa further features one indoor and two outdoor swimming pools, a kids’ outdoor swimming pool, an indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi and a 24-hour fitness center equipped with the latest Technogym appliances.

The spa center also offers the world-renowned NORMATEC technology – a legs recovery system used by professional athletes after sport to speed recovery. It also offers the new BEMER technology – the secret of Marc Girardelliʼs good shape. With almost 13,000 sq ft of space, the new-generation spa center is one of the biggest and best equipped in the country, offering a variety of seasonal treatments, exclusive cosmetics and authentic healing techniques from the Far East.

Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko has earned worldwide recognition and multiple international awards. The hotel has been awarded as Bulgaria’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel by World Travel Awards for 2019, Bulgaria’s Best Ski Hotel by World Ski Awards for 2019 and Bulgaria’s Best Hotel Spa by World Spa Awards 2019.

Honored with the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the last nine years, the hotel was also featured in the Travelers’ Choice Awards for Hotels in Bulgaria for 2019, ranking first among the Top 25 Hotels, Top 25 Luxury Hotels and Top 25 Hotels for Service.

So far, Bansko has hosted 10 FIS World Cup alpine ski and snowboard races and welcomed the world ski elite in the FIS Women’s Ski World Cup in January 2020.

More info: kempinski.com