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Hotel Lion

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  • 60 Maria Luiza Blvd.
     Sofia
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Praskipark
Praskipark
First Reviewer
3 out of 5
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1
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A Bed in the Lion's Den For a Night

  • February 16, 2009
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Praskipark from Warsaw, Poland
A Bed in the Lion's Den For a Night

During our trip to Bulgaria we decided to catch a bus from Veliko Tornovo to Sofia. The bus station is very easy to find in Veliko as it is on a street at the back of the Bingo Hall as you approach the main shopping street. A ticket can be purchased from the office at the bus station.

As usual we hadn't booked a room in advance so we had to find one once we arrived in the city. Although the front of the Lion Hotel is very grand with a mellow yellow facade we actually found the hotel on a back street and went through the back entrance which was a bit narrow and dingy.

Arriving in the foyer we were grumpily welcomed by a security guard posing with his mobile phone and a young girl on the reception desk. Perched high on the front of the desk was a bank of TV monitors which made me feel a little uneasy to say the least. I did think at the time that the level of security was a bit over the top. After taking our passports we were given the key fob and told the room number.

The decor of the room was very pleasant with lemon walls and all acessories in a dark shade of blue. There were two single beds both with headboards and side tables with reading lamps.

The wardrobes were full length and built into the walls with sliding doors. Being lazy I never unpack if just staying for one night so the wardrobes are generally wasted on me. What I do like in a hotel is a writing desk and we were lucky to have one in this room which was equpped with writing paper, pens and envelopes bearing the name of the hotel.

A mini bar was available with the list so you could tick off any of the items. We were very tempted but that time didn't actually drink the fridge dry.

I did switch the TV on to see what channels were available and the first programme I tuned into was Eastenders which made me giggle for some silly reason. It was actually Cable TV covering 60 channels although mot of the channels were unwatchable.

Internet connection was available in all of the rooms but on this particular trip I didn't take my laptop which is unusual for me. There are other services available in reception like a fax and photocopier.

All rooms have en-suite bathrooms which were of a high standard and spotlessly clean with lots of free shampoos and the usual hair net and shoe cleaning polish.

Unfortunately we had a room situated at the back of the hotel so the view wasn't very stunning but the rooms at the front of the hotel would be good value as you would be able to see the central railway station and the boulevard which is always busy with people buzzing around.

On the ground floor is a pizza bar which belongs to the hotel and serves a huge variety of pizzas, salads and other culinary delights. We didn't eat there in the evening because we wanted to walk around the city and we chose to find an Indian restauarant for our evening meal. However, we ate breakfast in this restaurant which was pleasant enough. If you sit next to the huge windows you can see all the street activity of people walking to work and street sellers haggling with customers over the prices of anything from flowers, socks, dictionaries, copied CD's and DVD's. You could possibly purchase any strange or exotic item on this street.

Breakfast consisted of the usual Bulgarian fare which is a plate of cold meat, feta cheese and a boiled egg served with a basket of fresh bread, a glass of artificial orange juice and a cup of black coffee which is so strong it will definitely put hairs on your chest.

We paid 50 euros for a double room in 2007 but I believe the price is now 68 euros which isn't bad for a hotel situated in the city centre, near the main railway station and not far from the main shopping boulevard. The hotel is also within walking distance to the main historical attractions.

So what did I think of the hotel overall? I thought it was very clean and cosy and the access to the city sights was excellent. It's situation on the corner of the Lion's Bridge is a good spot for people watching. However, I thought the security guard was too officious and it narked me that he didn't believe us when we said that we hadn't taken anything from the mini bar. He actually sent a maid upstairs into the room to open the fridge and check. We could see this on his monitors. I thought this was a bit cheeky.

For an overnight stay or for businessmen I think the hotel Lion is adequate. I think I would probably use it again when next in Sophia.

From journal Bulgarian Rhapsody

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