Holidaying In The Bulgarian Sea Resort Of Borovets

By Josh Taylor

The climate here is mild in winter with snow cover from December to April but there is plenty of snow around. The Bulgarian government has recently committed to developing the resort further under a scheme called 'Super Borovets', with the aim of turning it into a world-class, year-round resort.

Skiing in Borovets
Although a well established resort, Borovets has all the facilities and comforts of a modern winter sports centre. The resort has hosted the Alpine ski World Cup twice and offers visitors a wide range of world-class ski runs to suit all abilities from novice to expert. Skiers here can also take part in cross-country skiing, ski-doo, ice skating, snowboarding, biathlons and ski jumping. The biathlon track here is held to be one of the best in Europe.

The resort's ski facilities are excellent and will be improved further during the 'Super Borovets' initiative. The resort has around 19 ski runs split into three areas (Sitniakoyo, Markoudzhik and Yastrebets). International signs and markings are used across the resort which well maintained and serviced. There are a range of lifts including a gondola, chair lifts, drag lifts and baby drag lifts.

Accommodation in Borovets
The resort offers a full range of accommodation both for people who wish to go self-catering and for people who wish to stay in hotels. The hotels in Borovets include high-quality luxury hotels and mid-range and smaller options. There are plenty of hotels here due to the size and popularity of the resort. People looking to rent accommodation are also given plenty of choice. Self-catering options include chalets, bungalows, houses, villas and apartments. Visitors can choose to rent new properties or older, traditional homes and there are options available for all size of party.

Entertainment in Borovets
The resort offers all kind of options for eating-out and night-life. There are many restaurants, bars, cafes, discos and clubs in the town to suit all tastes. Many visitors like to try out local cuisine but restaurants also offer a full range of other options here from simple snacks through to classic modern European cooking.

Local attractions
Many visitors describe Borovets as being like a big friendly village. Although the town isn't large it is still full of local charm and tradition. The countryside in the area is lovely in both winter and summer and many people choose to spend their spare time walking and hiking and horse riding is also available. Taking a trip up Mount Musala is a popular option for many. Visitors should also make sure to visit the Bistrista Palace. This old royal hunting lodge is worth a trip in itself but make sure to take a look at the local woodcarvings there which are a local tradition.

Those looking for attractions further afield can visit Sofia which is around an hour's drive away. There are a lot of museums and churches worth a look here including the National History Museum and the St Nikolai Church.

Conclusion
It's not surprising that so many people choose to return to Borovets after their first ski trip. The resort offers high quality skiing and facilities, the locals are friendly and there is plenty to do in the town. Although the most popular resort in the country, costs are still relatively low compared to the UK which makes it even easier to enjoy a stay in Borovets!

Josh Taylor writes regularly on real estate and business topics.

Find further regional information and a variety of both full and self-catering accommodation in Borovets, Bulgaria ranging from hotels to apartments and ski chalets at Sunny Rentals.

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort - Hilton Head Island, SC

By Richard Neste

World Class Sports and Activities
Fifty four holes of championship golf wind through the Palmetto Dunes community in Hilton Head Island. Spread over three courses, golfers enjoy these challenging links designed by George Fazio, Arthur Hills, and Robert Trent Jones.

The Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center boasts 25 courts. 23 are clay and two are prime Nova ProBounce; eight of the courts are lighted at night, and instructors offer private lessons and adult/junior clinics. Since 1975, Tennis Magazine has ranked the center among the top 50 in the nation.

Over 11 miles of connecting lagoon systems are great for kayaking through Palmetto Dunes. Guided tours are offered on a complementary basis by the community's naturalist. These lagoons are also a great place to do a little fishing and crabbing!

Shelter Cove Harbour, bordering Palmetto Dunes to the west, offers canoeing, deep-sea fishing and sailing charters, and other water sports. The deepwater marina on Broad Creek is accessible from the Atlantic; its 15.5 acres contain 170 boat slips for 120-ft boats. Shopping, dining, entertainment and bike paths create many diversions for residents and vacationers alike.

Luxury Vacation Rentals and Resorts:
If you are planning a vacation for your family this summer and still are not sure where to go, I recommend going to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The first thing I would do is look to book one of the beautiful Hilton Head Island Vacation Home, Condo or Villa Rentals online. This luxury getaway is just forty five minutes away from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

Befitting a resort-residential combination community, Palmetto Dunes contains numerous upscale vacation facilities including the Marriott, Hilton and Disney resorts and several oceanfront luxury hotels in Hilton Head Island.

Highly popular is the Hilton Head Disney Resort, which offers over 120 villas/studio units occupying 20 three-story buildings on its own island in Shelter Cove. The main resort building has a uniquely-shaped heated swimming pool, a waterslide, a wading pool, and a large whirlpool spa. It also has a shuffleboard court, horseshoe pits, and bocce games. Part of the island's Disney Resort is its 13,000 square foot Beach House, covering 3.5 acres of oceanfront land, complete with a temperature-controlled, 50-foot-long swimming pool, a children's soft-floored pool/play facility, arcade games, dressing rooms, covered parking, and a poolside bar.

The Marriott at the oceanfront has more than 500 recently restored guestrooms with a balcony for every accommodation and wireless high-speed Internet. Its popular pool deck features a picturesque two-part swimming pool.

The Hilton at Palmetto Dunes also has balconies attached to each room, as well as separate adult-only and family swimming pools, Hi-Speed Internet, and the Ocean Tides Spa.

Oceanfront and Golf Oriented Real Estate:

Housing options in Palmetto Dunes include private real estate as well as houses and villas ("Villas" is the local term for condominiums.) that are marketed for rental. As a distinctive feature Palmetto Dunes has two security gates manned 24 hours a day. Access into the private residential areas, as well as the resort areas, is strictly controlled. Views include woods, golf course, lagoon, or oceanfront.

Home prices range from $600,000 to $6.5 million, making this plantation one of the island's most exclusive. Villas are priced between $150,000 and $4.5 million. Complexes include Windsor Court, Captain's Walk, Somerset, Hampton Place, Villamare and the Townhomes at South Shore, among others. A few home sites are available for sale in Palmetto Dunes. Lot prices range from the $400,000s upward, as high as $7 million for an oceanfront parcel.

Short History:

The Hilton Head Agricultural Company owned the only 1,900 acres of hunting land left on Hilton Head not already owned by developers Hack, Fraser, or McIntosh,. The tract finally sold in 1967 to the Palmetto Dunes Corporation (outbidding Fraser) for $1,000 per acre.

The Palmetto Dunes community was intended to outshine any previous island projects as a much more intense vacation experience. While other plantations were either major resort destinations or private residential areas, Palmetto Dunes' founders incorporated both ideas by building a second internal gate separating its private residential sector from the ritzy vacation areas.

Later, in 1971, Phipps Land Company and Trans International Properties Corporation of New York together purchased and incorporated the resort. (PLC had earned a success as the first major financial provider for Sea Pines Plantation). Palmetto Dunes was subsequently sold to Greenwood Development Corporation (formed in 1978 by Jim Self of Greenwood Mills) in 1979. Ownership and management of the community was finally conveyed to the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association on January 1, 2006.

Whether you are looking to spend your vacation, to celebrate your wedding in Hilton Head Island or to live here, you will enjoy exclusive and preferred tennis, golf and amenity privileges unique to this piece of paradise called Palmetto Dunes - Hilton Head Island.

For more information about Palmetto Dunes Resort and Hilton Head Island please visit:

Hilton Head Vacation, Travel, Real Estate Portal

Hilton Head Island Vacation Rentals

Hilton Head Island SC Real Estate