The InterContinental Hotel in Sofia is nicely located in the capital. As you would expect from a well known chain, it is very well kept, modern and up to date. It has some excellent features which I found really interesting.
I was sent abroad on a work trip, so for a change I wasn’t paying for it. Happily, it is not all that long a drive from the airport, though the traffic in the city centre can be quite hectic at peak times.
Check-In
On arrival, I waited for another guest to be seen, then attempted to check-in. Unfortunately, they could not find my booking, until I found the reference number. Turns out, my name had been drastically altered from what it actually is. Anyway, once found I was handed a key and took the lift up to my room on the first floor.
Since it was summer, with temperatures around 30c daily, I immediately went for the air conditioning. This did not work, so it was back downstairs to see about another room. Some time passed and the agent eventually gave me a new key, to a room on one of the highest floors.
The Twin Room
Having spend only about 10 minutes in my first room, I still took pictures, as I like to get them before I settle in. As this is the room I didn’t stay in, I can’t really comment much on the comfort, but one assumes it’s similar to all the others.
My Room At The InterContinental
From a twin room to a triple. The new room featured what looked like a King size bed, had plenty of wardrobe space, and inexplicably had the couch pulled out as a bed. It remained so throughout my stay, and you can see that lurking in the top image in this artlcle.
Room Service
There is no room service menu and you order by making your selections on the TV. Once you have chosen your meal, the hotel staff will telephone you to confirm your order, pretty much immediately. Quite efficient! Food also was quick to arrive, which I appreciated as I dislike room service taking forever to arrive. When you’re hungry, you’re hungry!
Overall Thoughts
The InterContinental Sofia is a really nice place to stay when you’re in the city. Each night I would have a couple of beers on the small outdoor deck beside the bar, which is great for watching people in the street nearby. My colleague had been there many times and remarked on how safe the entire city is to get around.
All in all, I would probably stay here again, given half a chance. When you’re working all day, you need a quiet and comfortable place to rest your head and this fit the bill admirably.
What do you think of the InterContinental Sofia? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Sounds quite nice. I’ve been considering a first time visit to Sofia for a while and possibly the Black Sea in Bulgaria and this provides a little context. How well can you get by with English in Bulgaria? My Bulgarian is a little rusty.
Well, I work for a company that is English speaking, so all the people I met were quite able to speak that language well. In the hotel, people did too, but again, you would expect that. Otherwise, it was certainly a mixed bag. Regardless, I wouldn’t avoid a country based on the level of English spoken there 🙂
Sorry, I was pretty unclear as to where I was going by asking about language. While I won’t avoid a country because of linguistic difficulties (Korea has surprisingly few English speakers outside the usual industries and is wonderful) I try to prepare myself for the extra effort and knowledge required, particularly if there’s a different alphabet as well. Between being prepared and Google Translate you can get surprisingly far.
I hear you on that!