Hotels near National Library, Sofia

This is a great hotel with an excellent location, just a 15-minute drive from the airport and right by the highway. Parking is convenient and free. The front desk service during check-in was good, and the room rate included two meals (dinner and breakfast), which was fantastic, and the dishes are highly recommended. The room was spacious, bright, clean, and well-equipped with all facilities. It's a really good choice when visiting Sofia.

The Junior Suite was wonderful, essentially a studio apartment with a well-equipped kitchen and dining area, large windows, a private balcony seating area and extensive shelf space. The bathroom was very modern with a very nice tall shower. The beds were very comfortable and the room was large, with a couch. Definitely a great place for both short and long stays. There were a few small inconveniences in the room, but nothing that affected our stay (water seemed to leak over the door of the shower onto the shower mat; toilet seat was very stiff and loud to open/close; closets were very wide but oddly short to accommodate extra drawers, so too small to hang dresses in full length; the automatic lighting inside the closets did not turn off correctly; and our key card stopped working in the middle of our stay and had to be fixed at the reception). The hotel is very close to a tram stop, so it's easy to get into the city center, and it's also very close to the Cultural Center. It is a bit more of a trek to walk into the city, but still possible in 20 minutes or so. The hotel is located on a small street off the main road and the sidewalk leading up to it is very narrow and in disrepair. You would not guess that the inside of the hotel is so sleek and modern based on the older surrounding area.

The hotel overall is ok, clean and spacious . The night driver shuttle service guy who picked us up on 30 April is great. Very caring , called us to ensure we reach the airport. However this stay take the crown of the worst receptionist award . The lady is dark skin, with curly hair tied up hair and was on duty on 1 May between 8.30-9.40 am. We booked the shuttle service at 8.30 am but since we will be running late we called reception to cancel the booking. Her reply was it cannot be cancelled you need to take a taxi to airport. When we reached the reception at 8.55 am and asked again where is airport shuffle she said in a stern voice without any smile you must book via QRcode. we decided to wait at the main entrance for shuttle which did not show up. I went back to reception at 9.05 am and ask why did i missed the bus even though I was there at 8.55 am and she replied with a straight face it left at 9 am . I decided to book the shuttle bus via QR code at 9.30 am and waited at the main door. At 9.28 am there was no sign of bus, I went back to reception and she said wait for a few minutes. At 9.35 am , she was on the phone chatting but i saw 2 hotel guests going up the bus with their luggage on the side door(not main door) . I run to round up 4 other hotel guests to inform them the pick up is at side door and we quickly went up the bus. We found out that the receptionist told them to wait at the main entrance instead of the side entrance. so in the end we waited since 8.55 am till 9.35 am and missed the 9am shuttle bus and almost missed the 9.30am bus due to an extremely unhelpful receptionist who should not be in that role of hospitality if she feels that every query posed to her is a chore. Management of the office please review your service quality standards. This attitude is simply not acceptable and it is not a cheap hotel.

Hotel was nice, glad that I’ve found it online, it’s hard to find a good hotel to book online due to tons of negative feedbacks, but this one has a great feedback so I booked it. And it did not disappoint me. Hotel is clean with good fragrance that you can smell the moment that you’ll enter the lobby / reception. Service is great, friendly and accommodating staff. The room is spacious, seems like a 4 star room for me. They serve breakfast, with tons of seats where you can relax after check in while waiting for your next trip or flight. I forgot my bag in their lounge area / lobby before I went to their restaurant to take coffee. Then was in a hurry to go to the car service I booked outside when it was already time to go to the bus station going to Romania. After arriving at the bus station, I noticed that my bag is not in my possession, when I was about to get my other phone. Because I have other luggages to carry and was in hurry. I was worried sick that it will be lost, my bag, glad that it was there. The staff handed it over, they kept it, and nothing was missing. After getting it, I got an email from the booking app where I booked the hotel, telling me that Amar Design Hotel contacted them saying that I left my bag at the hotel. And they were asking for my contact number to reach me, they were to kind to do that right immediately. But I already got the bag. Still thankful and grateful to their staff. I would definitely check in here again when I get back to Sofia, and will recommend it to friends who are traveling here. Thank you. It was a nice stay, and their service made it even great!

Very Disappointing Service – Not Worth the Price I recently stayed at Hotel COOP Sofia and had an unpleasant experience with one of the receptionists, Mariana. When I called the reception to request some ice for my room, she informed me ,in a rather rude tone ! That the hotel does not deliver ice to rooms and that I had to come downstairs to collect it myself. As I tried to explain that I had received ice in my room the previous evening, she abruptly hung up the phone. When I went down to the lobby to clarify the situation, I told her that her behavior was unacceptable and that an apology would be appropriate. Instead of apologizing, she claimed she was “too busy” and that there were “too many guests,” although the lobby was completely empty at the time. She then asked, again in a dismissive way, whether I still wanted the ice. I requested to speak with her supervisor, but she pretended not to understand what I meant. Eventually, she brought me a small amount of ice in a paper cup. Only after I insisted did she return with an ice bucket and tongs. This level of service is far below what one would expect from a four starts hotel of this category. The experience left a very negative impression, and I will certainly not stay here again. Aside from this, the hotel’s facilities are average at best and do not justify the price. The only real advantage is the availability of parking, which also comes with an additional charge of €12 per day.

Hotel is good, service leaves much to be desired. We arrived at the hotel at 2 p.m. and asked on reception if the room is ready (normal check-in at 3 p.m.). The answer was that the room will be ready by check-in time (3 p.m.). We came to the reception at 3 p.m., our room was not ready. The reception lady asked ask to wait 10-15 min. We came to the reception at 15:30, the room was not ready. The lady apologised and asked us to wait 15-20 min maximum. We came at 16:10 - the room was not ready. On my question “when will it be ready?” I’ve got the answer “I don’t know”. I asked the lady to call to the floor responsible/cleaning supervisor and clarify. The answer was “ I already called them, they also don’t know”. I got angry as nobody could tell me when we can expect the room ready. After I applied to their manager, the key was provided to us in 5 min. The room was not so bad, but in the bathroom there was strong sewage smell that stayed in the room for the whole night.

Having stayed in many 5 star hotels across the world, I had high hopes for the Sofia Balkan Palace, that unfortunately were only partially met. First let’s cover the good points! It feels historic without being old, and you feel like you’re really in Sofia. The best thing about the property is easily the location; it’s close to all the main tourist attractions, and there are good transport links right by the hotel, as well as access to some fantastic restaurants, coffee shops, and stores. The hotel rooms are modern and relatively clean, with the usual amenities. However, I was disappointed that housekeeping kept forgetting to replenish the complimentary daily water, as well as pay attention to the ‘Do Not Disturb’ light that I had selected for my room on a few days during my visit. I would say that one of the downsides is the customer service; although staff aren’t rude, I wouldn’t say they’re polite or overly helpful. The hotel has average soundproofing, and I was far too aware of the music outside, my neighbouring guests talking or listening to music in their rooms, as well as guests in the hallway (which is in part due to the layout of my room, which did not have an additional door between the bedroom and front door into the room). The noise outside does lessen and stop by about 11:00 PM, and sometimes by 10:00 PM (depending on the day). Overall, I’d still say it’s a good choice for your stay in Sofia. Especially if your priority is staying in a historical boutique hotel in a good location.

Use it as a hotel if you are a solo traveler. I aarived late at night and there’s a shuttle bus on call, that’s greatest advantage. In the morning the shuttle bus is less frequent but that’s still fine, you can easily find the transportation around to the main city.

The beds are designed to offer a good sense of personal space, with overhead storage and additional lockers, which is convenient (though some lockers were broken and couldn't be locked). However, it seems a cleaning staff's family lives on-site. Their children would study in the shared kitchen, leaving it messy, or even sleep there. They also used the showers and toilets regularly, which initially made me uncomfortable as I didn't know who they were.

📍 Location & Pricing • Location: Sofia, Bulgaria. Strategically located near the main transport hubs. • The metro station (coming from the airport) is very close.  • Tram stops are on the corner, and the main bus/train station is just a couple of blocks away.  • The city center is about 1.5 km away.  • Price Range: 79€/d. 🛏️ The Room Experience • Room Type: Twin room on the 11th floor.  • Size & Cleanliness: Adequate size and clean.  • Bed: 110cm firm mattress, reported to be very comfortable, with two soft pillows.  • Amenities: Flat-screen TV, coffee maker, fridge, and hairdryer included.  • Drawbacks: No major issues mentioned. 🚽 Bathroom Details • Cleanliness & Setup: The bathroom was clean.  • Shower/Bath: High and slippery bathtub. Water pressure was very good.  • Products & Towels: Basic amenities were provided. Some towels showed signs of wear with frayed edges.  🍳 Food & Beverage • Included: Yes, breakfast was included.  • Variety & Quality: A very complete breakfast buffet, offering both hot and cold, sweet and savory options, including some local specialties.  • Negative Point: The only drawback was the juice, which tasted artificial, like a powdered mix.  🏊 Common Areas & Facilities • Facilities: The hotel features a spa, sauna, indoor pool, a restaurant, a cocktail bar, and a casino.  👨💼 Service Evaluation • Reception: Morning staff was serious. Evening staff seemed bothered by questions regarding the spa.  • Cocktail Bar: Staff here was very kind and friendly.  • Spa Staff: Described as serious, speaking only the bare minimum of words.  • Daily Housekeeping: Room cleaning was minimal; they only straightened the duvet, leaving the pillows as they were. Coffee and tea amenities were not replenished.  🚗 Transport & Access • Public Transport: Excellent connection. Very close to the metro line from the airport, with tram stops nearby and the main stations within walking distance.  🔐 Security • Access Control: Access is managed via a key card.  • Safe: There is no safe deposit box in the room.  Final Verdict: ✔ Top Strength: The super comfortable bed combined with the excellent location near major transport links (metro, bus, train). ❌ Main Drawback: The service was inconsistent, particularly the minimal housekeeping (no coffee/tea refill) and the unenthusiastic staff at reception and the spa.