Garmen Hills — Hotel in Garmen

We spent 9 wonderful days in July at Garmen Hills. This is our 2nd visit actually and we intend to spend even a longer vacation next summer. The place is fantastic - the main house and the 2 chalets are in a very well maintained garden, surrounded from all sides by trees. You enjoy tranquility and silence. In the garden, apart from the pool, which is carefully cleaned every day and warmed-up if needed, you can enjoy also table tennis, volleyball, basketball, pétanque; can play badminton, or skip a rope. We played ping pong every day, since early morning; the table is so located that the noise from the falling ball does not disturb the piece of those people still sleeping. At the pool there are all fun floating stuff like inflated balls, inflated volleyball net, a mattress, etc.; if anything punctures, the owner replaces in no time.||There are tables nicely located in the garden, so that several companies can have dinner at the same time and do not feel disturbed. ||Actually we met just polite and intersteng people at Garmen Hills - all coming to explore the beauty of the mountain. There were families with kids, young couples, elder couples, friends... All people were tolerant and I enjoyed the meetings in the common kitchen at the house - people are cooking and sharing their story, impressions from the region and plans for the day - a wonderful social gathering. The kitchen is very well equipped in terms of furniture, but also basic things like salt, sugar, oil, herbs, detergents, garbage bags, etc. At the end of the next village we found a local farm and we enjoyed fresh and crispy fruit and vegetables every day. Cooking was very easy:)||You can easily spend an entire day at Garmen Hills. At the same time there is a lot to see and do in the area: we visited the restored old villages of Leshten and Kovatchevitsa, did Gradishte trail (an EU-financed several-hour eco path with a high-rope garden at the beginning), enjoyed 3 days in a row the zoo of Hadjidimovo village where animals - deers and does, goats, rabbits, peacocks, gooses are set free in a large forest area and you can feed them if you bring fruit and vegetables with you; there is also a white kangaroo; the zoo entry is free of charge. In Hadjidimovo there is also a well re-built old monastery witha beautiful garden. We enjoyed very much the warm spring water pools in Ognyanovo where you can swim all day even if the the temperatures are not so high. In Garmen village you can see the restored Roman settlement of Nicopolis ad Nestum. A nice place is also the village park - with a fountain and a small zoo. Garmen hills (around the propery) are also picturesque and accessible for kids and elder people as well. ||Mr Lamaire is a very diligent and caring host. He was present always when needed - providing directions, fixing things in the house, watering the flowers and cleaning the pool. Thank you for making our holiday so relaxing!||Iva, Alex,...

While the houses look good in pictures, there are several issues, especially for families with small children. The houses Blue view and Green view are built from wood and stone, which makes them quite cold during the winter. Although the host provided one convector heater per house, their broken base made them unsafe to place on the wooden floors and we could use them only in one of the bedrooms. The other one kept 17 degrees during the night. Despite the heaters, areas like the hall and bathroom remained cold, with the bathroom temperature being no more than 18°C. The two villas we stayed in also felt worn out. The floors and stairs squeaked loudly, which was a big problem since we were traveling with a baby and a toddler. Some of the sliding windows and doors were broken and couldn’t close properly, worsening the temperature issues during the winter. We had ordered breakfast for one of the mornings and were told it would be delivered by 9am. Nothing was there at that time and when we called it seemed he had no idea of whether the breakfast was made or delivered. He made us walk between the two houses couple of times to check before the delivery was finally made - with cold mekitsi. On top of that, the host was quite rude. He said he’d come for checkout within 5-10 minutes but showed up 30 minutes late. We had to wait outside in the cold with our kids. Instead of apologizing, he denied saying 5-10 minutes and even made dismissive comments, claiming that "Bulgarians are too strict" (the owner isn’t a native) There were also some smaller problems, like missing soap in some bathrooms and stink bugs in the kitchen. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend staying in these houses during the colder months. They might be better in the summer, especially with the pool...

Our stay at this guesthouse in the picturesque village of Garmen was nothing short of exceptional. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warmth and hospitality that made us feel right at home. The host was incredibly attentive, ensuring that every detail of our stay was perfect. The house itself is a true gem—spacious, beautifully decorated, and equipped with all the modern comforts while still preserving its authentic charm. The outdoor space was equally impressive, offering stunning views, a peaceful atmosphere, and plenty of areas to relax and unwind. Whether we were enjoying a morning coffee on the terrace or gathering with friends for an evening under the stars, every moment felt special. The location is ideal for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in nature. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, sightseeing, and exploring the rich cultural heritage of the region. Overall, this was one of the best guesthouse experiences we’ve ever had. If you’re looking for a place that combines comfort, hospitality, and breathtaking surroundings, this is it. Highly recommended!

PS: did not take many pictures of anything in general just because we were so very busy with having an...