Sofia Princess Hotel

Nicer hotel near the bus & train stations

I booked the Dedeman Sofia Princess Hotel because of it's location near the bus station and because it had a pool, the rate turned out to be very reasonable for the hotel and it's amentities. Dedeman is a primarily Turkey based hotel chain. I booked it on booking.com for 110E for 3 nights, 37E per night which was a good rate

Unique Quality: The pool area was quite nice, it's attached to a spa and the use of it is free for hotel guests. It was a good size pool, adequate for doing lap swimming.

Pleasant hotel near central bus station

Sofia Princess Hotel
Sofia, Bulgaria
131 Maria Luisa Blvd.
Phone 35-9293-38888
Fax 35-9293-38777

This business class hotel with attached casino is located several blocks from the train and bus stations. It is a 20 minute walk to the town center (farther to the Nevsky Church).

The guest rooms are average in size, with ikea-style furniture and windows that open for fresh air when the weather is good.

The large lobby has musical entertainment (violin and piano) in the evenings. There is an ATM in the lobby near the casino entrance. There is a fitness center with a swimming pool at no extra charge to guests, although a swim cap is mandatory (and available for sale).

The evening and breakfast buffets prepared for our tour group were ample and good. Similar buffets are presumably available to all guests.

Diagonally across the street from the main entrance is an internet and international telephone service that is very cheap (open about 9am-9pm).

Since I traveled with a pre-paid tour group, I cannot comment on price or value. The front desk staff was helpful. I enjoyed my stay.

Don't Book Direct!!

I see that this hotel gets some very bad reviews here and elsewhere but personally I found it friendly, welcoming, comfortable and overall very good value for money for a hotel with 4 star standards.

The main thing though is not to book direct as the best deals seem to be available through third parties. For online booking Hotelclub.net has, at the time of writing, the best prices, or if you are arriving at the hotel "on spec" go to the SixT Tourist Services office across the road which will give you a better rate than the hotel reception can. This is quite bizarre seeing as the intermediary must make some commision on their sale but perhaps the hotel management don't trust their staff to offer deals!

Having booked and paid through the SixT office, checking-in merely required handing my passport over for them to take its number along with my reservation voucher and without even being asked for a credit card swipe I was given my passport back, my keycard and the porter (the very helpful porter who immediately we were in the lift offered to arrange some female company for me) whisked my bags onto his trolley and showed me to my room.

The room was fine, spacious, well furnished and immaculately clean and my 65 Euro room rate also included use of the gym & sauna facilities as well as breakfast. I think that also included was membership of the hotel's own casino where by all accounts there is a freebie self-service buffet and free drinks but seeing as I was on a budget I gave that a miss (rather than giving in to temptation).

The hotel doesn't advertise a Wi-Fi connection but I found that my room did pick up the lobby's connection, though that was sometimes a little patchy but there is a dial-up connection through the phone which was a quite reasonable 3 Leva per hour. (UPDATE 2010 - I do believe the hotel now has WiFi throughout.)

The only thing to watch out for, in my experience, is that prices in the bar, mini-bar and for pay-TV etc. are 4-star prices but are perfectly well displayed.

I'd certainly stay here again if there wasn't a cheaper option.

Unique Quality: Breakfast is certainly well worth getting up for with a huge buffet on offer with pretty much everything an international visitor would want including local specialities such as bourek and sirene - about the only thing missing was Champagne!

The hotel is situated at the north end of the city centre which is maybe 15 minutes walk and is literally just across the road from the train and bus stations.

Also useful is the shop in the lobby, where instead of paying hotel (or mini-bar) prices you can get a beer for 1.10 Leva and also stocks a range of wines, spirits, soft drinks, snacks and various other bits and bobs at about street prices.

• Opinion of Price: less expensive than average
• Related to: Beer Tasting, Luxury Travel, Food and Dining

Sofia Princess Hotel Photo: Hotel from across the road

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Sofia s best Hotel.

This hotel is just across from railway station and bus station. Luxury standard . Comfort. Good breakfast. Casino, and swimming pool. 189 Lev [ £66] The centre of town is about 400 m down the main road from the hotel.

• Opinion of Price: about average

Sofia Princess Hotel Photo: Princess Hotel

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sofia

this hotel in the heart of sofia was called novotel and now princess hotel
i stay in this hotel last year when i visite sofia for the 3 time , in maria loiusa street u can reach for the bus station , just cross the road and u will be wherever u want in bulgaria or balkan or more....not oply the location is great , but this hotel have everything u need during ur stay...if u came for biz or tourist or even if u are a passenger for a couple of nights....in the huge lobby u find a casino, but i never went into this place just one time when i need to change money....u can reach to the main destination and down town by feet, u do not nedd a taxi....princess is a v good palce to stay in sofia

• Opinion of Price: about average
• Related to: Museum Visits, Seniors, Romantic Travel and Honeymoons

Sofia Princess Hotel Photo: the comfortable hotel

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The Big thing?

Princess Hotel (Sofia) is part of the Turkish-owned chain spreading all the way from Belize to several holiday resorts in Turkey. With more than 530 rooms, it is the largest hotel in Bulgarian capital.
With 90euro for a single, and approx.120 euro for a double-room it is probably the most expensive accomodation you'll find in Sofia.

Princess Hotel is located very close to Sofia railway and bus station respectively, although it is quite unlikely you'll use those means of transport if you're staying at PH. :) The hotel is roughly 25 minutes (by car) away from the airport.

It is also couple of kilometres away from the city center (roughly 2-3 lv. cab drive) You won't find too many nice things in the vicinity (fairly run-down residential zone from era of social-realism). We've noticed an Greek tavern (Athens) with live Bulgarian/gypsy/Serbian folk music, working late hours. You'll also meet plenty of beggars, street-kids, dodgy salesmen and prossies wandering about the infamous Lion bridge.
Lovely view, innit?

Facilities inside are adequate for a hotel of this category. However, you might suffer in the bath if you're anything taller than 190cm.
We also got impression management is badly trying to scrap some money on peripheral things (like the toilet-paper, for instance).

Our precious advice - Sofia is reasonably cheap city, but please check ALL prices inside the Hotel before you do anything. For example, TV card (with limited 24h usage) stands at 10 euro. For 10 MINUTES (!) of internet you'll have to pay 2 lv. Pay special attention to your room phone bills as hotel rates are dozen or so times higher than regular ones!!!

Don't expect to receive any "small" change from the staff and in case you're around without your spouse expect to be approached by people offering "nice ladies/good time" at least couple of times per day.

Conclusion generale: Definitely not worth the money. Consider your options more carefully in case somebody else's not paying for your trip :)

Unique Quality: Definite Hi-points of rincess Hotel are delicious Turkish cousine (especially - lovely baklava served after lunch - possiblty the best I've ate in my life) and superb Casino facilities.

Membership and bevvy are for free (you'd obtain card in matter of minutes), atmosphere is generally quite good and laid-back. Can be excellent crack at late hours.

The Closest hotel to the Railway and bus station

What I know about the hotel is not much besides it states to have the biggest casino on the balkans.
I need to find out more info....

Unique Quality: It is OFF CENTER , and not in a good area of Sofia

• Opinion of Price: most expensive
• Related to: Casino and Gambling, Business Travel

Sofia Princess Hotel Photo: Princess Hotel Casino

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Hotel 'Princess'

• Opinion of Price: about average

Sofia Princess Hotel Photo: Hotel 'Princess'

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Princess Hotel Sofia - 4-star hotel

Once known as Novotel Sofia, now the hotel is member of the Turkish hotel chain PRINCESS.

The location of the hotel is good both for business and pleasure trips.

There is a nice sport centre opened seven days a week from 7,00 to 21,00 h. I especially like the Turkish bath. What I don't like about the pool is that the water is a bit cold for my taste. As a whole the sport centre is good but a bit expensive.

I haven't seen the rooms, so I can't tell if theya re good or not. If the picture I found on he net is realistc, it seems decent.

Discounts for long stay are offered.

I had to check for a price of a conference hall there once, they gave me the price and I said that I m9ight get back to them. On the next day they called and offered something like 30% dicount. So, bear in mind that there is a slight chance to bargon upon the price :)

Unique Quality: - spacious bathrooms and toilets,
- satellite TV,
- mini-bar,
- pets allowed,
- casino,
- in-door swiming pool (25 m),
- Turkish vapour-bath
- fitness,
- sauna (2 separate for men and women),
- medical centre,
- business centre with Internet access and various communication services.

All rooms and suites have telephone in the bathroom, hair-dryer and most of them have safe deposit boxes.

The suites (apartments) have Jacuzzi and douche cubicle.

• Opinion of Price: about average

Sofia Princess Hotel Photo: The room

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