Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Scotty's Boutique Hotel
It's not really a hotel let alone boutique, but step
inside what appears to be a pretty residence—freshly painted in a fetching red—and
you've found yourself a really good value B&B/guesthouse (and gay-friendly) with a
funky offbeat character. And—as it's diagonally opposite the Old Synagogue—it's right
on the walking tour. Rooms are cheaply furnished but with more imagination than
anything comparable in this price category. The six double deluxe rooms (75
€
/$96),
named after famous cities, all have balconies with Synagogue views (Sydney and San
Francisco are particularly appealing). Double rooms are quite a bit smaller; ask for the
one with a balcony. The two singles are predictably tiny, but come with balconies. Bath-
rooms for all the rooms are appropriately billed as “shower cubicles.” There are no real
public spaces, and the reception area is up a flight of stairs. Note that breakfast (served
only on request, and delivered to the room) costs an additional 5
€
($6); better to head
to Zhanski Bazar (this is what it's called) and pick up a banitsa.
11 Ekzarh Iossif St., Sofia, 1000.
&
02/983 6777
or 088/983 6777. Fax 02/983 3229. www.geocities.com/scottys
boutiquehotel. 16 units. 55
($70-$96) double. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Fitness facilities nearby; guided
tours; car rental and pickup service on request. In room:A/C, TV, minibar, Internet connection, tea- and coffeemaking
facilities.
-75
€
€
INEXPENSIVE
Red B&B
If you're looking to meet the city's intelligentsia rather than foreign
hostel dwellers, this B&B is without a doubt the top budget option in Sofia. Once
home to one of Bulgaria's most famous sculptors, Andrey Nikolov, it was for 3 decades
a meeting place for Bulgarian bohemians, and in the autumn of 2004 again opened
its doors as a Centre for Culture and Debate (www.redhouse-sofia.org for informa-
tion). Accommodations are basic—red-walled rooms have quirky furniture pieces
(room nos. 4 and 6 have queen-size beds; nos. 1 and 2 have double beds; the rest are
single) but are pretty bare, and none are en-suite. Rooms on the first floor (three bed-
rooms) share a toilet and bathroom, while those on the third floor (three bedrooms)
share two toilets and a shower. Friends traveling together should look at the three-bed-
room apartment (sleeps five) for 100
Finds
($125). The Centre also hosts fascinating
debates, dance performances, film screenings, and “freely improvised music experi-
ment.” There are shared kitchen facilities and a rooftop terrace where you could eat,
but right next door are two cafe/restaurants.
15 Ljuben Karavelov St., Sofia, 1000.
&
/fax
02/988 8188.
www.RedBandB.com. 7 units. 40
€
-50
€
($51-$64) dou-
ble. No credit cards.
Amenities:
Centre for Culture and Debate.
WHERE TO DINE
Sofia's dining scene is wonderful. You can choose between the fine-dining atmosphere
of evocative-sounding places like Beyond the Alley, Behind the Cupboard (Sofia's best
restaurant; see below) and House with the Clock (located in the pretty 19th-c. villa at
15 Moskovska St., right next to the British Embassy). Or, if you're in a more laid-back
mood, hang out in trendy bar-restaurants like Motto (reviewed below) and watch the
city's media and model types schmooze, or go rustic and eat your fill for around 5
€
€
($6.25) at any number of unpretentious places that fill up in the evenings with stu-
dents and office workers.
Restaurants that serve Bulgarian food are generally speaking superior to “foreign”
cuisine types (with the exception of Turkish, Greek, or Armenian restaurants, like the
excellent Egur Egur, where cuisine is very similar to Bulgarian). If you feel like Italian,
La Capaninna,
on Narodno Subranie square (next door to Radisson SAS, with same
lovely parliament views;
&
02/980 4438
), is a very good alfresco option, as is the
