Newly renovated Hilton Sofia: Points deducted for breakfast

The Hilton Hotel Sofia, located in the heart of the Bulgarian capital, is one of the most famous international hotel brands in the region. With a strategic location in the immediate vicinity of the National Palace of Culture and the city park "South Park", the hotel combines luxury, business functionality and a touch of modernity. Nevertheless, some aspects of the offer and the quality of service are in tension between the high expectations of international guests and the regional reality.

The hotel's location has its advantages and disadvantages. The accommodation is easy to reach from the airport and numerous sights in the city center can be reached in just a few minutes on foot. However, there are very busy roads on two sides of the building. Due to the soundproof glazing, you don't really notice this in the hotel, but it is still worth mentioning. The Hilton Sofia is easy to reach by public transport, as there is a bus stop in the immediate vicinity, for example.

On the other hand, an exhibition on a pedestrian bridge diagonally opposite the hotel - on the way to the local branch of a fast food chain - seems a bit odd. It is sponsored by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China and deals with the Chinese space program. It defies all logic why it is located on a pedestrian overpass on a motorway-like road.

Modernly equipped rooms

Hilton Sofia offers a wide range of amenities tailored to both business and leisure travelers. Recently renovated and decorated in warm colors, rooms feature modern technologies such as 40-inch LED TVs, Smart TVs and work desks for business travelers. Other features include a minibar, tea and coffee making facilities and panoramic windows offering impressive views of the city or Vitosha Mountain.

An interesting gimmick is that if you need to go to the toilet in the night, you don't have to look for a light switch. The beds have a kind of "underfloor lighting with motion detector". As soon as you put one foot out of bed, it switches on and then switches off again after a predefined time. Practical, but you can't deactivate the function.

For some travelers, the bathroom's equipment is a deciding factor. They are spacious, clean and like new. The showers are at ground level and have a few gimmicks, but whether you really need them is another matter. Everything else that might be needed, such as a hairdryer, is there and provided in sufficient quantities. In general, there is nothing to criticize about the cleanliness of the entire hotel. It is impeccably clean and the cleaning staff do their job discreetly and almost unnoticed.

glass bottles for free water

There are water dispensers in various places in the hotel where you can get room-temperature or chilled still water for free. The Hilton Sofia also provides two high-quality glass bottles per room. These can also be taken on excursions etc. Apart from tea bags and instant coffee, the "free accessories" in the rooms are extremely limited, which is unusual for a hotel in this category.

For guests seeking extra comfort, the hotel offers executive rooms with additional amenities such as a daily food and beverage credit. The main pedestrian area, Vitosha Boulevard, is just a few minutes' walk away, making the hotel particularly attractive for tourists. With a distance of 25 minutes to the airport via the neighboring "European Union" metro station, accessibility is also a plus.

To the left of the reception there is a kind of "serviced minibar" where guests can get a small basic selection of drinks and snacks around the clock. The price level is not exactly cheap at the equivalent of 2,50 euros for a 0,33 liter glass bottle of Coca Cola, but in direct comparison with other hotels in this category it is still on the lower end. You can get cheaper prices in a supermarket that is about two minutes' walk away and is open around the clock.

Breakfast buffet with comparatively little choice

The Hilton Sofia requires guests to provide a security deposit during the check-in process. This is quite common in hotels of this category, but the amount that is temporarily blocked on the credit or debit card is rather low at the equivalent of 25 euros. It is also possible to use cash, but this will cost the equivalent of around 50 euros. If you don't have a debit or credit card with you, you can deposit it in euros or use an ATM to the right of reception. This has a pleasant surprise: it is not operated by "independent providers" known for exorbitantly high "direct customer fees", but by the Bulgarian Postbank. The advantage: there is no direct customer fee and so-called DCC is not offered in a pushy manner. As long as you use a card that does not charge a foreign currency or cash fee to withdraw money, using this ATM is free of charge.

The breakfast offering, which is not included in many rates and can therefore be subject to an additional charge, is disappointing. The selection is not particularly extensive for a hotel in this category and the quality is rather average, but not exceptionally convincing. Coffee and tea drinkers can, however, be pleased that to-go cups are provided so that you can take something with you.

The fact that the Hilton Hotel can do much better in terms of gastronomy was evident in the catering for the major Aviation Event SOF. An extensive, high-quality buffet that was always attractive and fresh. A pretty stark contrast in direct comparison with breakfast. The only drawback: the replenishment of non-alcoholic drinks was slow, sluggish and sometimes only after repeated requests to the staff.

Focus on conferences and seminars

The Hilton Sofia's conference and event rooms are aimed at business travelers and organizations. The rooms are modernly equipped and can accommodate international conferences and weddings. Guests praise the functional equipment, but occasionally criticize the service at large events.

The Aviation Event Sofia recently took place in this hotel. It was a large aviation conference attended by representatives from almost all parts of Europe. The hotel's infrastructure was ideally suited for this, as the largest hall has state-of-the-art equipment including oversized screens. The audio technology also gave the impression of being state-of-the-art.

Good hotel that is weak at breakfast

There are always critical reviews on the Internet that say that the Hilton Sofia is showing its age. That may have been the case until recently, but the hotel has since been completely renovated from top to bottom and therefore looks modern and as good as new. The renovation was a success and has made the Hilton Sofia a state-of-the-art hotel again.

To give an example: In the rooms there are not only numerous sockets, but also many USB-A and USB-C charging sockets. The latter even have a quick-charge function. This is by no means a general standard even in five-star hotels.

Collectors of free items with the hotel logo, such as shower gel, will definitely not get their money's worth. The Hilton Sofia only provides what is absolutely necessary, otherwise, to stay with the shower gel, they rely on large dispensers directly in the shower. This is probably the cheaper option for the hotel in terms of sustainability, but also in terms of avoiding waste.

The wireless LAN internet is fast and free. The one-time registration using a code that you receive from reception is a little confusing, but you only have to do it once per device. The huge flat-screen TV in the room offers many functions, including Chromecast-based streaming directly from your smartphone, so that you can use Netflix and the like. If you don't have one and would rather use YouTube, you can do so directly via the remote control in the ad-free version. All in all, the Hilton Sofia is a recommendable hotel. There is room for improvement in the breakfast area and the staff could be a little quicker in one or two things. Otherwise, it would simply be unfair or not neutral if you were to look for the proverbial fly in the ointment. There are fewer inclusive services than in comparable hotels in this category, but this is put into perspective a little, because, for example, the free drinking water is a plus point that should not be underestimated, as you are not dependent on the hotel bar, mini-shop or minibar if you arrive late in the evening, for example. There is a supermarket nearby that is open 24 hours a day, but who wants to deal with that after a long journey?