hotel reviews by travellers:

+ by Alejo Carracedo
26.12.2008 12:57

Decent enough room even though decor was really outdated. Bathroom was a bit peculiar as the wash-basin was at the level of my knees, so anybody above 5 feet tall would struggle.
Breakfast was extremely disappointing; on one occasion a dish consisting of two slices of some sausage-like product, a bit of cheese and some honey was presented for breakfast. When I complained I was told that there were only 10 guests at the hotel and therefore they were not going to cook breakfast.
Staff was friendly and helpful, but the feeling was that they were running a youth hostel rather than a 4 star hotel. On many occasions they would just go away leaving you to wait or search for service.

+ by Goldie Mercy
29.07.2008 09:57

The Sofia Plaza is literally about 10 yards from one of the subway exits for the dimly lit 1970s railway station, so is perfectly located if you are planning a lot of day trips in Bulgaria. The bus station is next to the train station and outside the hotel is a a bus and tram stop and it is about 20 minutes walk into town so the hotel is very well located. The reception staff were very friendly and spoke some English. The room was the usual orangey/brown that is so beloved of Eastern European hotels and was a decent size. The bed was huge and very comfortable. The air conditioning worked - although it took a while to kick in - and the minibar worked once we turned it up a bit. The TV had about 70 channels - several in English - with decent reception.The sink had plenty of room on either sides for our toiletries but there was no rack for soap or shampoo in the shower. The trams were noisy if the window was open but were inaudible when shut and apart from the bleeping of other people's electronic doorlocks, we heard nothing from our fellow guests. The main problem with the room was a mysterious and irregular clicking sound. The first night may have been the dripping under the sink but it continued all week. we never found out what it was but it was probably the ac unit.

+ by Chris Taner
05.10.2007 05:51

I stayed at the Sofia Plaza two nights. If you're arriving to Sofia by bus or train, the hotel is very convenient. About 250 meters from central bus station and 100 meters from train station. Room was okay, nothing special, fairly clean, average size. Cable TV has around 70 channels, including many foreign ones. There's a small bar next to the reception, but I didn't go there during my stay. From the hotel it's about a 20-25 minute walk to the center of the city, where the government buildings and major tourist attractions are, but only a couple blocks from Maria Luisa Blvd, a main street leading to the center. The outdoor market is only aoubt 15 minutes away.
The breakfast consisted of a few slices of turkey or chicken (couldn't tell) with cheap sliced white bread that can be toasted. Out of the dozens of hotels with breakfast I've stayed at in the past few years, this was the absolute worst breakfast. They had instant coffee and tea in jugs that was usually lukewarm. I think they budget about 50 cents per person or less for the breakfast. I had to have an early lunch with decent coffee elsewhere both days. Up the street away from the train station there's a good grocery store that also offers ready-to-eat dishes like musaka and other Bulgarian cuisine.
If you're flying into Sofia, you can probably find a better hotel. If arriving by land, it's a good location for dropping off your bags right away and seeing the city. Trams and buses available nearby and receptionist can arrange a taxi.