Koprivshtitsa
Address: 35 Hadzhi Nencho Palaveev Street
Tel.: 07184 2032, 07184 2703
Tel./Fax: 02 944 05 45
GSM: 0888 841 256, 0888 224 788, 0899 164 707
Official Rating: 3 stars
Single/Double/Triple: 36/50/65 leva

The town of Koprivshtitsa is a little gem in central Bulgaria, ideal for a weekend escape from Sofia or Plovdiv. It is nestled in the mountains, making the air delightfully fresh. Koprivshtitsa is a popular destination among Bulgarians, but it has yet to be inundated with foreign tourists.

Consequently, there is a decent supply of accommodation, all reasonably priced. While the Tourist Information Centre can make placements in private homes for about 25 leva, it is not much more to splurge and stay in the town’s nicest hotel: the three-star Hotel Kalina.

If you arrive by bus or train, you will end up at the town’s bus station. Coming by train (4.65 leva from Sofia), you must take a 15-minute bus ride (one lev) from the station the reach the town. Driving in, you should see Hotel Kalina on your left before reaching the bus’ terminus. It is only a 400m walk north once you get off.

If you arrive by car, you will also easily spot the hotel, but keep in mind that Hadzhi Nencho Palaveev Street, which follows the Topolnitsa River, is one-way headed south on the west side of the river, and one-way headed north on the east side of the river.

Hotel Kalina is 200m walk from the central town square, where you can find Tourist Information, purchase a combined ticket for visiting Koprivshtitsa’s six wonderful house museums, or simply enjoy a pleasant meal. The hotel is next to the Karavelov House, and has perhaps a more beautiful exterior than this museum, and an unquestionably superior garden.

The Hotel Kalina has a beautifully painted exterior, following the style of the National Revival architecture. The rooms are also decorated in this same style, and with tastefully typical paint jobs.

I did not have a reservation when I arrived, but this was not a problem, as I was quickly brought upstairs to a very nice room overlooking the garden. Reservations are advisable, however, if you go later in the year when there are more visitors. I would also suggest paying in advance if you need to leave on an early bus or train, as Hotel Kalina is a family hotel, and the owners can be difficult (if not impossible) to find at an early hour.

The prices (single/double/triple - 36/50/65 leva) include breakfast in the pleasant downstairs dining room, but this does not begin until 8 or 9am. They also have a small menu for the dining area, which includes some drinks and a few small food items. Moreover, the rooms are all equipped with a tolerably stocked minibar.

The rooms themselves are very clean, bright, and spacious. In addition to the minibar, they also have a television and telephone. The en suite bathrooms, however, are the typical Bulgarian fare - a hole in the floor and only a curtain to protect the wood door, not to keep the water from splashing everywhere. My bathroom was very clean, despite some small traces of mould beginning to accumulate on the ceiling.

Hotel Kalina can accommodate about 12 people, and it did not appear to be inundated with many other travellers, but the acoustics of my room were such that I could certainly hear them when they were in the hall. Fortunately, the walls were thick enough that I could not hear anyone in adjacent rooms, and therefore slept peacefully-although the beds and bedding certainly could have been much more comfortable.

Although Koprivshtitsa is a tiny town, and thus very quiet at night, Hotel Kalina’s location makes it even more so because it is insulated from the street by a very large courtyard garden. As I came in and out of the courtyard, I was constantly greeted with smiles from the owners, who were playing with their child on the grass. Although they were nowhere to be found early in the morning, I was very pleased with the staff - who were pleasant, welcoming, and spoke decent English.

For the price, the hotel is superb value - certainly not to be beaten by any other location in Koprivshtitsa. If you want somewhere to recharge over the weekend, or even during the week, this is the right place to go. Forget the polluted air and car-packed streets of the city, this miniature town offers peace, quiet, and beautiful views.