Intercontinental Hotel, Sofia.

I think we can establish that I’m not particularly brand loyal when it comes to travel.  In fact, I’m much more likely to try a boutique hotel, or book an Airbnb than I am to build points or nights with any one chain.  While Hubs and I do travel on a frequent basis, for many of the places we go, I never feel like I want to be tied to a specific brand.

Enter, the Intercontinental Sofia.

To start, we were fortunate to make the booking via our friend Dan (who you might know from the Emireati).  He also happens to be the Ambassador level with the brand.  For more of the perks, read here (and no, this is not an affiliate link).

So, how did the hotel wow me?

• Double upgrade.  Of the (many) benefits that being a certain level of Ambassador with the brand gets you, for certain stays, a double upgrade.  Thus, we both went from what I assume was the base level category to the best suites in the hotel.  Not to mention a lovely welcome amenity (much-needed fruit, sweets, meat and cheese, bath salths, along with a bottle of local wine).
  • Free minibar.  Guys, I might never go back to another way of staying at a hotel.  A minibar that’s replaced every day?  Are you kidding?  We didn’t even max it out, but just knowing I could have whatever I wanted and not get charged was enough to keep me happy.
• Views for days.  Let’s face it, we all want to stay in places that make our friends jealous when we’re on holiday, right?  From our top floor suite, we had a center view of some of the magnificent buildings in Sofia’s city center.  I would even go so far as to say that the quality of our rooms and view significantly brought up the level of my enjoyment during our stay.  If you’re going to travel, why not go where you’re going to have the most memorable view, right?
• Seamless assistance.  From even before our stay, the concierge reached out in a timely matter to see if we needed transportation to and from the airport, would we like to arrange a tour, and reservations at restaurants where I failed.  When our flight was delayed (the joy of flying with WizzAir), they were even considerate enough to call the airline on our behalf to determine if we had to go to the airport at the regular time (we did).
• An excellent club lounge.  Just off the main lobby was the Club Intercontinental, which was our home for wonderful breakfast (including mimosas) and late afternoon snacks.  The room was beautifully decorated, stocked with plenty of drinks, and I’m only sorry we didn’t get to visit for canapes and wine!

Anything to improve on?

• The ‘tourist’ tax on some of our requests was really a bit too much.  While I understand every property has to make money, the upcharge on our initial ride from the airport to the hotel was nothing short of extortion.
• More F&B options.  With nearly 200 keys, having only one restaurant seems a bit of an oversight.  Especially with high menu prices against the market.  A grab and go option, or something a bit more casual would be a welcome addition.  Alternatively, we wondered why the rooftop wasn’t in play — it would be a stunning location to see the city from.  Perhaps a nice steakhouse?  (Guests won’t have to go far for similar views — we enjoyed drinks at the nearby Sense Hotel rooftop bar).

Would I go back to the Intercontinental in Sofia?  Yes, definitely.

Who is the Intercontinental best for? Those looking for a brand they can trust, delivering to high international standards.

Where’s your favorite place to stay in Sofia?