Front of property

Reviews of Hotel California

3 out of 5
Hotel California
Biglastr. 30, Sofia

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 19 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 37 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 15 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 76 reviews" "

7.8/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

9.0/10

Amenities

7.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

7.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Katya

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
OK for one night stay
OK for one night stay. Staff was polite and helpful. Bed was comfortable. Very outdated room in need of total renovation. Hairs all over the bed and towels.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Zhan

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Traytcho

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Violeta

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Janne

Quiet area near underground station and wonderful hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

8/10 Good

NickR, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quirky, but not a bad choice
Somewhat old fashioned, but the room had plenty of charm. Close to James Bourchier metro station, not much more than 5 minutes walk. Next to the hotel is a small supermarket, useful for supplies and snacks etc (hotel restaurant is only open at breakfast time). The room had many lights, with a total of 16 switches and 2 dimmers to control them all... There was a jacuzzi-style bath, rather ancient, in need of refurbishment and incredibly complicated to operate.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018

8/10 Good

nor

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A good short stay
We had a late check-in at 3am in the morning. The person at reception was helpful speeding things up so that we can go straight to our rooms to rest. We booked two triple beds rooms. We had a good short stay at this hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Great Value - Good Location - Thoughtful Service
First off, this is a smoking hotel where guests can smoke in their rooms. If the smell of cigarette smoke really bothers you, this hotel might not be your best choice. Otherwise, we had a spacious room with a small sitting area and 2 big windows - that opened! - looking onto the back courtyard. The room was quiet, the bed comfortable, and the air conditioning was excellent, keeping us cool even during 30°+ days. The wifi was great, too: fast and reliable. Service was lovely. We asked to look at 3 different rooms and the front desk clerk was amenable. One evening, we asked to sit in the pretty seating in the courtyard, and the front desk gentleman intuited that we wanted to have our evening meal there - we had a bag of take-away groceries from the 24-hour supermarket next door - so offered us plates, cutlery, and even glasses for our beers! The room itself might not be the cleanest - walls need a good wiping as do lightswitches and such - but bed linens and the bath were spotless. The location of the hotel is excellent: a 7 minute walk from Bourchier Metro, a cheerful outdoor beer garden at the top of the street as you exit the Metro, and the hotel itself is next to a well-stocked 24-hour supermarket. This hotel is excellent value for money. I'd return.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2017

6/10 Okay

James

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Tired Hotel
Hotel is a bit tired and my jacuzzi bath was in a poor state. Not much in area but it was only a quick stop over for me.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort

8/10 Good

Mariya

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The bathtub was French style and it was impossible not to spill water given that there were no curtains and the tub was only 3 feet tall.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
When I knew the price I was not expecting the stars but still I did get disappointed as the rooms did smell and everything was really old. Even though they did clean the rooms still you get the filling of dirt inside those rooms. I would suggest it just as the last resource given the affordable price and the possibility for a 24-hour check-in.

6/10 Okay

Blueeve, Kent UK

Liked: Staff & service
Hotel in the town centre
Nice experience, only stayed for a night. The staff are very helpful

10/10 Excellent

William, Bartow, Florida

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful hotel. Staff was incredible. The included breakfast was one of the best on our trip, and the lady that ran the breakfast room and the lovely patio restaurant was wonderful. Also, we wanted to arrange a trip to the mountains and the staff arranged a driver for us. Convenient to public transportation for city sightseeing.

8/10 Good

Harleen

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

6/10 Okay

J, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Ok hotel
Decadent. Looks like it is in slow decline, but the location was good, so I stayed 2 nights. Large room. Internet worked.

8/10 Good

charles, malta

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
good value for money
rooms very clean and comfortable beds ,reception very help full, the only dissapointment was in the breakfast as had to pay for the water . location good just 5 min walk to the nearest metro or tram no10 which takes you direct to the center .

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great rooms but no garden.
The room was very nice and the staff in general were very friendly. Although a garden or open space would have made a considerable difference to the experience - especially during the summer when it would be nice to have a place to relax outdoors. The hotel itself is spacious and well established but it's based on a narrow road in a rather built up closed in area. The rooms were very clean and were very well maintained, the air conditioning however was somewhat noisy and ineffective, furthermore the fridge for the minibar is very small so keeping personal chilled goods is almost impossible.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Budget hotel- decor in the bedrooms is outdated but very clean and the bed was very comfortable. only complaint we had was the heat in the bedroom. we turned off the thermostate but still the room was very warm. Breakfast is typical Bulgarian and not to our european taste but otherwise a clean and comfortable budget hotel and you get what you pay for. would stay here again.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Good hotel in residential area
The hotel is situated in a reasonably quiet residential area. The taxi from the airport cost about £6, but make sure you use 'OK' taxi service, desk in arrivals lounge, The reception girl was very pleasant, other staff more aloof. The hotel is very clean and bedrooms a good size, certainly larger than most hotels I have stayed in. There are no tea/coffee making facilities in the room and during our stay there were no English channels on the TV. The jacuzzi in our room did not work and the bath leaked onto the floor. The Jacuzzi controls were obviously damaged and had been for some time, however this was not pointed out to us when booking in. We were then upgraded to another room, same size but jacuzzi did work. However again some of the controls were obviously damaged. I think it is fair to say that the jacuzzi etc had seen better days. The breakfast was just about adequate. We stayed for four nights and there was little variation. There is a very good supermarket and shopping complex about 20 minutes walk away. The city centre is a good 30 minutes walk downhill. However if walking isnt your thing then the 'OK' taxi's are very cheap. Beware some taxi companys have a logo very similar to OK but they will rip you off. The safest way is to get the reception to get a taxi for you. If you do go out walking be careful of the very uneven, broken pavements and be aware cars will not stop for you unless they have too! crossing the roads is quite an experience

8/10 Good

TERRY, DERBY UNITED KINGDOM

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
VALUE FOR MONEY IN SOFIA
HOTEL VERY CLEAN AND STAFF FIRST CLASS FAIR WALK TO CITY CENTER BUT STAFF HAPPY TO CALL A TAXI FOR YOU NEIGHBOURHOOD A BIT DODGY BUT STAY HERE AGAIN FOR SHORT BREAK

8/10 Good

Bart, Denver

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Not a bad place, but . . .
I might stay again, due to the location and price, but the amenities listed are not even close to accurate.

8/10 Good

Alfredo, Seattle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Sofia on the cheap but well-appointed
Not a bad little hotel in a suburb south of the center. Not the most exciting or convenient location -- it's in a residential neighborhood about 10 minutes from the center by taxi, but if you want cheap, clean, quiet and a hearty Bulgarian breakfast in the morning, this is the spot. Staff was nice too, helped us avoid the usual taxi problems common to this part of the world. Food in the in-house restaurant was delicious and the woman who served us was delightful. Rooms were large by European standards, new-looking, very clean and comfortable.

8/10 Good

Gary, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A nice hotel, quiet location
This is a very nice base for a stay in Sofia, the centre of the city is easily reached by tram (a short walk away) or by taxi (about GBP 3 from centre). The staff were helpful and friendly and I would definately stay again if I travel back to Sofia in the future.

10/10 Excellent

David, Israel

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good hotel to stay in Sofia
q

6/10 Okay

r, manchester

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Cleanliness
Great staff nice room shame about the unclean bath
Arrived and was greated by a great female meber of staff who was polite helpful and friendly. was allocated a room which although we asked for a non smoking there was obvious signs of smoke smell. the room overall was nice large and confortable. the bathroom was nice and with a big jacuzzi bath I was looking forward to a long soak i filled the bath, i then noticed what looked like maggots coming out of the bubble vents suggesting that the bath had not been cleaned properly. Not a nice experience

8/10 Good

Keith, Reno

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
a bit hard to find
A little hard to find, buried in a residential neighborhood with scarce street signs but a great little hotel for the price. Cut stone tile on floors and walls, spa tub and variety of lighting and gadgets in the room, internet, balcony, free breakfast included. Great food in the pub across the street, little market around the corner, primative but off-street parking.

8/10 Good

D, London

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
OK but too far out
A huge distance from the train station and still rather far from the centre (30 minute walk at least), although trams go from the end of the street (5 minute walk). Staff are extremely friendly and helpful. However, upon entering our rooms (we are 3 thirtysomething guys travelling together), we immediately had the impression that this could have been a sex hotel - red decor, sofa and bed linen, heart-shaped cushions and a myriad of soft lights on the ceiling! We only stayed 3 nights and never saw anything untoward so we put the rooms furnishings down to bad taste! ;o) At breakfast they played hard-core club music - not great if you're a family. The food in the restaurant is also below average. Overall, it served our needs but I wouldn't recommend it as a good place to stay.

8/10 Good

J, Northampton

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
friendly hotel
Lovely hotel with very helpful staff. Excellent evening meal but poor breakfast.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good room for the $$$
Overall pretty good. Location: surounding area is petty good plently of places to grab a meal. A pretty good walk to get to the Center of the city. Staff: Great Room: small but in comparison to other area hotels about the same. Okay for 3 people. Cafe: Teachers Ivans House Good traditional Bulgarian Food

10/10 Excellent

Neil, Manchester

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
First decent nights sleep i've had in Sofia
As it is situated in a residential area it is nice and peaceful. There are not the trams rumbling past at all hours or perpetual traffic of some of the more central hotels. It is comfortable and has free internet in each room. You never get the feeling you are missing out on anything! The city centre is about half an hour's walk away (downhill!!!) or the staff will happily ring you a taxi. Also, South Park is only a short walk away for catching some sun. There are some very nice bars and restaurants nearby and the bar opposite does very cheap Zagorka!! What more could you ask for?? The only downside is the breakfast - not the best! You are better going to Pizza Troll for an 'English Breakfast' instead (Vitoshi Boulevard) All in all I would definately go again - if for nothing more than the peaceful nights sleep!

10/10 Excellent

p, London, UK

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Clean friendly and helpful
Stayed here 4-8 April 2009. Very modern, clean and tidy with marble all over the place. Most staff spoke good English and were very helpful. Booking for 3 people was followed to the letter and we had a nice room with balcony. Room was spotless. Gripes would be that sofa bed was a bit ricketty and no cable TV but these are very minor quibbles. Hotel is about 15 mins from town on very frequent trams or 5 mins in a taxi. Some good bars and restaurants locally though so we rarely went back into town in evening. Half hour to Mt Vitosha for skiing and walking too. Should I return to Sofia I will stay here without hesitation.

2/10 Terrible

Barbara Anna

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotel poco pulito
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Alles war sehr gut, nur Frühstück war nicht so wie mein Wünsch
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Hotel reicht fuer 1 Nacht mehr aber nicht , Fruehstueck hatte zu wenig Auswahll , Kaffe aus der Thermokanne was gar nicht geht !
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Jefferson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Estadia tranquila e agradável
Hotel fica uns 10 min do metrô, tem um mercado Ho na esquina que fica aberto 24h. Pessoal da recepção foi bem simpático e prestativo.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

6/10 Okay

Marcus Vinicius Soares

Liked: Staff & service
Pode melhorar
Pode melhorar
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2018

8/10 Good

Lello, Lainate

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lo consiglio vivamente a tutti. Pulizie della stanza tutti i giorni. Colazione con buffet abbondante e vario. Vicino a stazione metropolitana.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2018

6/10 Okay

Liz

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
2~3일 현지인 지인이 있다면 괜찮음. 욕실상태, 조식 안좋음
2주이상 현지 지인과 동행할 곳이 많아 지인 가까운 이곳에 머물렀는데, 특히 욕실 냄새와 배수가 문제였어요. 조식도 무성의 했고.(마지막 이틀은 먹고 싶지 않았음) 하지만 Reception하는 Villy라는 여성은 친절하고 착해서 평가를 좀 올렸어요. 이후 Sofia 중심가로 이동했는데 너무 좋네요.
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2018

8/10 Good

Erik, Nederland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Oud hotel, prima onderhouden!
Zeer aangenaam, goede service etc. als je hier overnacht ga dan ook eens uit eten bij beer cross
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

2/10 Terrible

Fabiola, Milano

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Hotel 3 stelle per modo di dire
La camera è piccola; la porta della stanza si apriva con difficoltà; la vasca idromassaggio non aveva il tappo quindi niente idromassaggio; la colazione è secondo me la cosa peggiore di questo hotel...il personale è gentile ma non conosce bene l'Inglese quindi fai prima a imparare il Bulgaro per avere qualche informazione. Onestamente, non lo consiglio affatto!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017

8/10 Good

EMMANOUIL

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2017

2/10 Terrible

Jacques

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A éviter absolument
A éviter absolument ! Le propriétaire surbooke son établissement. Je me suis retrouvé sans chambre disponible. J'ai dû me réfugier dans un appartement à moitié prix 4 heures après ... Le comble c'est que le propriétaire de l'hotel a encaissé la réservation sans que je ne dorme dans l'hotel!

8/10 Good

Silvana, Lanciano (Ch)

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Buon albergo ben collegato con il centro storico.
La nostra esperienza in questo albergo è stata buona. Abbastanza pulito, personale molto gentile e disponibile. Ci hanno cambiato gli asciugamani tutti i giorni. Il primo giorno siamo usciti e rientrati due volte e tutte e due le volte sono passati a sistemare la camera. Il frigo in stanza non funzionava, ma ci hanno messo a disposizione quello della reception. La colazione non aveva una grande scelta, però tutto sommato andava bene. Una sera abbiamo cenato al ristorante dell'albergo, la fatica fatta per ordinare (visto che il cuoco/cameriere conosceva solo il bulgaro, cmq abbiamo apprezzato gentilezza e impegno) è stata ripagata da un ottimo e abbondante pasto a basso prezzo. A poche centinaia di metri c'è sia la fermata della metro (che non abbiamo mai preso) che una postazione dei taxi consigliati perché economici, con 4/6 lev bulgari (circa 2/3 €) si arrivava al centro storico che si gira facilmente a piedi. Valutazione complessiva buona, (a parte qualche piccolo dettaglio di non molta importanza, visti i bassi costi di pernottamento) l'albergo lo consigliamo.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Buen Hotel
Buen hotel en barrio residencial. A cinco minutos caminando de transporte público y parada de taxis. Habitación amplia tipo estudió con cama, sofá, mesa y una pequeña terraza. Centro comercial a una parada de metro y centro de ciudad a tres paradas de metro.

10/10 Excellent

KT, Gentofte, Denmark

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not excellent but a nice hotel
It's a little bit far from city centre but not impossible to get there by walking. The room was old but clean. I found some stains in bathroom. Clerks were really nice. It's not perfect but definitely a nice place to stay.

8/10 Good

Angelo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
ottimo, la camera era ampia, riscaldata e pulita.

6/10 Okay

Carlo, Nord Italia

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Non ci tornerei

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort