I stayed two nights at this hotel during the last weekend November. When I booked, I immediately emailed the Concierge asking that the hotel car meet me at the airport. I also said I would confirm, and as the time of arrival got closer, I emailed the hotel on Friday, two days before my arrival reconfirming my prepaid two night stay and pickup at the airport. When I arrived at the modern Sofia airport on another Malev arrival and was the first through customs, I could not locate the Hotel driver. I looked inside, outside, and finally went to information looking for both the driver and an ATM. The ATM was located directly across the hall from the info desk, but during the 20 minutes I looked for the hotel car, I could not find it. The info desk referred me to the cab stand and I took a small taxi directly to the hotel. Upon describing my plight at the airport, the hotel desk agent called the Concierge at home, and found that he did not read his Friday emails, and did not work on Saturday or Sunday, so my confirmation email went unnoticed. Many apologies from the hotel. I was upgraded to a a nonsmoking room on the 5th floor (527) which was a Junior suite. On the hotel room chart on the back of the door, it appeared there were larger rooms and suites available, but I was unable to snag one despite my assumption that the hotel was at best, 50% full.
The room was hot and stuffy, despite the temperature outside dipping at night to below freezing, making sleeping for me difficult as I like my sleeping room cold. The lounge on the second floor has a continental breakfast that is laid out in advance of the room opening. Three pitchers of juice, an upscale coffee machine, a number of pasteries and some hot eggs etc were available for breakfast,but the person manning the room was a waitress who would venture in and out every 30-45 minutes to check on the food.
The hotel is a classic communist hotel built in the prime years of Russian rule in Bulgaria. The room was outfitted in classic communist furniture and bedding despite Fretta sheets. I chose the 500 point ammenty so I did nto receive wine or food that others have received. The hotel has a very central location, and in my view is the best located of all the hotels in Sofia.
Without question I would stay at this property again, only because it is the only SPG property in the town.
Sofia is a lovely town, being the former site of outposts by Romans, Turks, Russians, and currently a free society. The landscape reflects the previous rulers, as digging down into the earth, one will come upon civilizations from each of these societies that have ruled this town. The principal tourist destinations include churches, mosques, and temples from almost 2000 years, and lots of communist buildings from the 1950s. A must do activity is to take the Free Sofia tour that lasts 2.5 hours and leaves at 11 AM and 6 PM from the Hall of Justice up the street from the hotel.
Another point of interest is that the hotel was the least luxurious Luxury property I had stayed in, probably as it was Sheraton. Overall, a fun city and I stayed at the best hotel in town.