13 Best Hotels in Bulgaria

A 5-star hotel in our $$ price range? Yes, you did read that right. The modern Anel is situated half a mile west of the main sights and has large, modern, well-appointed guestrooms decorated in warming shades and containing original artwork. The bathrooms are filled with gleaming marble and have bathtubs. The restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine and guests have access to the hotel's Health & Spa Club, which has an indoor swimming pool, steam bath, sauna, hot tub, infrared cabin, and gym. Massage and beauty treatments are offered at extra cost.

Less than 50 meters from the Danube River is this landmark building, a Turkish bathouse turned boutique hotel. The formal lobby has a coffered ceiling, oil paintings on the walls, and dark wainscoting. There's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Even though some of its 21 rooms look slightly dated, all have flat-screen TVs and proper toiletries, and the beds are plenty comfortable. The hotel's best amenity is its outdoor pool surrounded by enough loungers and umbrellas that you won't have to fight for a seat. The poolside restaurant serves good-quality food, including grilled meats and seafood, salads, and some snacks like French fries. Anna-Kristina is a 10-minute walk from Baba Vida Fortress.

This friendly 3-star art hotel—it is full of paintings and drawings by Bulgarian artists—enjoys a convenient location just a few hundred yards north of the main sights. Rooms are simply furnished but are modern, clean, and perfectly comfortable. The basic rooms are quite small, but an upgrade will only set you back a few dollars. The only criticism occasionally made is that the beds may be too soft. There's a small restaurant on-site serving Italian and Bulgarian food.

This welcoming, modern, and great value mid-size hotel is a 10 minute walk from the downtown area and makes the perfect base from which to explore the city. There's a lobby bar, and the restaurant serves both local and Hungarian food (although the hotel's connection to that nation only derives from the name of the street). Rooms are clean, modern and well-equipped, and the staff is extremely helpful and friendly.

If large hotels are not your thing, this small, family-run B&B, conveniently close to the downtown sights, could be for you. This cozy home-from-home is furnished with early 20th century Italian pieces. There are only three bedrooms, named the Yellow, Blue and Pink rooms—you can probably hazard a guess as to their color schemes. All are homely and comfortable and have en suite facilities. They also have air-conditioning and are non-smoking. The friendly owners can help provide tips and maps to guide you on your city tour.

Just 50 meters from the city's Fortress is this delightful five-room cottage, where the rooms are outfitted with simple but comfortable traditional wooden furniture. The owner, Zoya, speaks English well and is a wonderful hostess, offering sightseeing recommendations and restaurants. The included breakfast is delicious and includes Bulgarian yogurt with honey alongside muffins, French toast, and eggs. The real treats are the amenities: there's a Jacuzzi on the top floor, a terrace from which you can take in panoramic views of the city and Belogradchick Rocks, and a cozy bar where guests can sit by the fire and sip rakija, cognac, and domestic wine.

The two maisonettes can each accommodate a family with up to three children.

Fancy some 5-star pampering in the heart of Sofia at 3-star prices? Hotels in Bulgaria can offer fabulous value to visitors from the U.S. and Western Europe, and the Grand is living proof of this. Each of its rooms covers a minimum 500 square feet, all are sumptuously appointed with luxuriant furnishings, and all of its marble-filled bathrooms have a separate shower and bathtub. If you don't want to step outside, there are four restaurants and two bars to choose from, as well as spa and fitness facilities featuring a sauna, steam bath, Jacuzzi, solarium, and beauty parlor. If you do choose to go out, you will find you are also only steps from the main downtown sights.

If you prefer to base yourself in a beach resort, the Arabella on Golden Sands is one of several that were purpose-built on the Black Sea Coast during the Communist era. Like most other places here, this operates on an all-inclusive basis, meaning the rate includes 3 meals a day, plus snacks, and most drinks. There are 5 restaurants (serving Bulgarian, Italian or Asian cuisine), plus a couple of bars, so enough to maintain the interest. There's also an in-house spa, no less than 3 swimming pools (2 of them outdoor, one with a Jacuzzi), and various sports facilities to keep kids occupied. Rooms are bright and clean, and an ongoing rolling room refurbishment program is upping their chic factor by a couple of notches.

One block from the Danube, one block from the railway station, and 10 minutes' walk from Baba Vida fortress is this simple but comfortable hotel. A number of room configurations, including triples and family rooms, makes this a good bet for groups and those traveling with kids. The fair price is a big plus too. There's free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, a restaurant that serves hearty local fare, and a handful of outside tables where you can people-watch. Breakfast is not included in the room rate but costs just four leva per person: it's a decent spread that includes fresh fruit, yogurt, and cheese.

This is an excellent value-for-money hotel a stone's throw from the Danube and 10 minutes' walk from Baba Vida Fortress. Neptun is a good option for families, with a four-person family room and duplex flats. Rooms are basic but very clean, though some may find the mattresses too firm. Rooms facing the river look out onto the water and at Romania just on the other side. The hotel's indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, and steam room are open to non-guests for a small fee (6–8 leva per person).

Varna is the biggest city on the Black Sea Coast and the country's third-largest urban center, and the mOdus makes the perfect base from which to explore the whole region. In the heart of downtown, yet only a few hundred yards from the beach, this luxurious hotel enjoys a lofty perch with sweeping views over the famous Sea Garden and the Black Sea beyond. The emphasis here is on stylish and contemporary, with spacious rooms containing all of the modern conveniences. The hotel will also lend you a free bike if you want to get around using pedal power. Guests can enjoy a 10% discount in the hotel's in-house restaurant, which serves good local and international dishes; you can then burn off the calories in the gym or the sauna. Another offer worth considering in the off-season: book two nights and the hotel will offer you a third night free.

This small, friendly hotel enjoys a prime spot in the heart of Old Nessebar, just 25 yards from the coast, and is surrounded by a tangle of atmospheric, narrow streets filled with historic buildings and some Roman remains. Rooms are furnished in period style with heavy wooden fittings, as befits the setting, but they are also exceedingly comfortable. Some rooms have sea views. The hotel's restaurant serves seafood and is recommended. If driving, limited free parking is available at the hotel (reserve in advance), or use the public car park at the entrance to the old town, about 200 yards away.

Located right on the coast, yet also close to the centre of historic Balchik, this lovely hotel was voted best in its class in the 2011 Bulgarian Hotel Industry awards. It is easy to see why. All the rooms have balconies with sea views, and while the coastline is rocky and therefore lacks a beach, there is both an indoor and an outdoor pool if you feel the urge to swim. Other facilities include a sauna, steam bath, and fitness room. Rooms are large, modern, and individually furnished in bright shades, and the bathrooms are spotless.