Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko

Hotel in a great location, right on the slope. Exceptional breakfast / dinner. Friendly and helpful staff.

The hotel sold us a VIP ski pass, which is significantly more expensive than the regular one, with those who have it having direct access to the gondola without waiting in line. Regardless of the fact that we had a VIP ski pass, we had to wait in line without being warned about it when selling the ski pass. Not a single day of the stay, the room was not thoroughly cleaned, and on the penultimate day of the stay, the maids did not replace the towels that were on the floor, but only raised them on the holders. Considering the rating of this hotel, these things are quite omissions and you should pay attention to that.

Spa was great, spacious, clean, the water was hot and clean. The room was quite big and nicely done. The bed was probably the most comfortable we have ever slept on, huge soft pillows were amazing as well. Staff were very polite and helpful.

The only thing that could have been better is the quality of certain foods that were available for breakfast. For example the all of the jams ( strawberry, blueberry etc.) were very much on the sugary sides which is a sign of them being not high quality. The typical for Bulgaria white cheese also could have been way better, more so such prestigious hotel chain must have its own food source which will guarantee more high quality, "home made" taste of certain foods.

The spa area is amazing ! the breakfast is very good and the rooms are very clean The location is the best in town next to the Gondola and restaurants

the walls are very thin so you hear everything from the next rooms and the hallway. in the last day our ride back was at 15:00 so we wanted to go and spent the 3 hours between the checkout in the spa area and they made us pay extra 100 bgn (after we stayed for 5 nights and paid 2700 bgn) that was very disappointing especially that the spa was empty almost completely at this time.

Great hotel with a wonderful setting, clean rooms, excellent pools, nice staff, and a good breakfast. We had an issue with the way that the balcony is built. We thought it wasn't so safe for our baby. The staff sent a special team that fixed this issue quickly and we were very satisfied with the service. The check-in and out were quick.

No one greeted/attended us when we entered the hotel after a long drive and heavy luggage. True, June isn't exactly a high season in Bansko. However, first impressions can make or break a guest’s experience, and the way in which you are greeting guests is very important as it's the first point of onsite contact. Greeting is the best way of making a hotel guest feel at home right away.

The beds were comfortable, and the rooms were spacious and well-equipped. The pool was great for relaxing after a long day of exploring, and the views of the mountains were simply breathtaking. The breakfast buffet was excellent, with a wide variety of delicious dishes to choose from. The hotel is also located in a great location.

Disappointed half board dinner menu at this hotel. The selection of dishes was very limited, and the flavors were bland. The prices were also very high, and many of the dishes were for additional charge. I strongly advise against paying for dinner at this hotel. You can get much better food for half the price at the restaurants nearby.

We've been in the hotel several times and I find it hard to imagine how anyone would rate it less than 10/10. Check-in and check-out are like a breeze; the rooms are perfect (note, despite the age of the hotel, everything is perfectly maintained); the breakfasts are 6 stars. We had taken half board accommodation for the first time this summer and were delighted with the suppers. They offer BBQ in the weekends, which is superb. The hotel is pet-friendly. This is a bonus for us because we can take the doggie with us. I can't give an assessment for the SPA-part, since my partner and I are more of a hiking lovers, but regarding the latter, the conditions are great. You can take the gondola (2 min away from the hotel) to Banderishka Polyana and from there, walk around the Pirin.

It's not much, but in other luxury hotels they offer a bed and pans for the doggie, when the owner has declared that they are traveling with a pet. I'm just suggesting :)

The room was really clean and spacious, the beds were comfortable and the bathroom organized. The balcony view was breathtaking. All the staff were kind and always helpful. The spa had many options and all the pools were clean.

So much NOISE… we couldn’t stay calm for long cause every minute you’d hear the kid’s screaming and shouting, kids were splashing on us even when we were outside the pool!!!! I think it’s both the parents and the hotels fault! The parents wouldn’t try to control the kids and the hotel wouldn’t move a finger about it

This was an amazing experience from start to finish and we can’t wait to visit again! We celebrated our anniversary and the hotel staff had left a beautiful cake in the room for us - not only did we appreciate the gesture, but the cake was absolutely delicious! Next, the room had a stunning view to the mountain and the gondola, it was a pleasure just to be in the room. Everything else, from pillows to bathroom facilities and from design to noise isolation, was perfect. We slept so well on the bed, it is of exceptional quality. We were also very pleasantly suprised by the breakfast variety - there was literally nothing we could think of that wasn’t available. They had many options for lactose free and plant based milks, made pancakes and omlettes on the spot for you and there were fresh juicing stations…This breakfast was exceptional! The SPA facilities are excellent and we really enjoyed everything! Finally, we were really happy with the attention of all staff; everyone was very caring and kind.

The snow room was not open due to maintainance, but well that happens and there was so much more to enjoy in the SPA!

The check-in receptionist (23 Sept 2022), the parking valet, the turndown service was great. The view from the room towards mountains is the best you can expect. During winter the location next to the ski gondola station is perfect, but outside this period you are quite far from the city centre. Breakfast is great (both buffet and a la carte). Valet parking available with 2 options: outside or underground. Very professional breakfast staff (in the morning of 24 September 2022).

At the checkout in the morning of 24 Sept 2022 the receptionist (a guy with few extra lbs. - I mention this just to be recognized among his colleagues) did not give us the gift prepared for the clients who were leaving (a small jar with jam branded with hotel name). In fact, his entire attitude was little arrogant reminding of old "school of life" training and not appropriate to the employee behaviour you expect from a chain like Kempinski. Sink partly clogged, shower cabin not watertight (leaking a lot of water between glass and wall)

Everything a person expects of a 5 star hotel, they have it. And not just to meet the standards, but to really make you enjoy the experience - valet parking, choice of restaurants, amazing breakfast including a long list of a la carte options (Eggs Benedict recommended and they bring them to your table in 2-3 minutes) and last but not least, an amazing and renovated wellness center with indoor and outdoor heated pool and jacuzzi as well as hot area that exceeds any expectations.

The hotel was full at 100% capacity this weekend, so the breakfast was a bit too loud to my taste, although there was always a choice of free tables. The free WiFi login process was not organised in the best way and could be improved.