A holiday by the sea or up in the mountains, but instead of a hotel at a guest house, where visitors feel almost as if they are in their own homes. This summer Bulgarian and foreign tourists have been rediscovering the small joys of living surrounded by nature, far from the noise of the crowded tourist resorts. Even though prices have gone up, the demand for a holiday of this kind has been growing.

The tendency now is to rent out whole houses or summer villas. If, for example, two families or a group of friends want to rent the house it is good value for money, with the average cost per person per night at around 30-32 Leva (approximately EUR 15-16), indicates a survey by a leading rural tourism and guest house platform in Bulgaria - bgvacancia.com. Demand is highest this summer for guest houses in small towns or villages a few kilometres from the seashore. But as prices have been going up, so have the demands of the holidaymakers have, and this, on its part, has been boosting competition and improving services in the tourist industry.

“Until about 10 years ago or so, guest houses in this country were perceived as a place to rent a room, spend the night and continue on your way. It was a rare thing for such houses to be rented out for longer periods, and people didn’t have high expectations,” says Velizar Gotsev from the online platform for rural tourism and guest houses in Bulgaria. “At guest houses tourists would be welcomed by their hosts, would have a chat with them in the evening and have breakfast in the morning, or go to pick something to eat from the garden. But now people are much more interested in renting whole houses – a home from home. And the requirements now include every kind of convenience. And the more extras, the better.”

One extra that is an absolute must in summer is a swimming pool in the garden. Yet, the survey shows that no more than 30% of all guest houses on the Bulgarian market have swimming pools, and only 5% have indoor swimming pools that would attract tourists during the cold months of the year. Another important requirement is a kitchen to be used for cooking by the guests, as well as a barbecue. And also, if the guests have young children a kid’s corner is very welcome, says Velizar Gotsev. A gym, a jacuzzi or a sauna are not all that important, but having them in the house could tip the scales. As yet, only 20% of all houses offer one of the above services. Of course, air conditioning and fast internet are no longer considered a luxury. Mount Strandzha and the towns and villages along the Danube River have the fewest number of guest houses – they are regions as yet unpopular for mass tourism, the survey indicates. Where do we find the biggest concentration of guest houses?

“The biggest concentration is definitely in the vicinity of Elena in the Balkan Range, and in the Central Balkan Range – the towns of Apriltsi, Troyan and other towns or villages like them. People often take their pets with them when they rent guest houses. There are guest house owners now who have special pet corners in their garden – a dog house or a corner that has been fenced off where the animal can be left. So that owners can bring their pets along without worrying,” says Velizar Gotsev.

More:

• An inflow of holidaymakers to the mountains in the unbearable heat

Translated and posted by Milena Daynova

Photos: BGNES, Radio vidin-BNR