When I was searching for hotels to stay at within Sofia, Hotel Anel immediately caught my eye for its quirky design, alongside traveller pictures of amazing art work and sculptures throughout the hotel. Hotel Anel is a 5* Art hotel located near the Centre of Sofia with great metro links to popular tourist attractions, as well as the airport.
After arriving in Sofia and quickly making our way through passport control, we made our way to the metro which is located just outside the airport. I was surprised with how cheap the travel ticket was, which took us to the centre of Sofia. There are lots of metro stations by the hotel which are very easily accessible. However, the most difficult part of the journey was ensuring that we were on the correct side of the road, whilst walking from the metro station to the hotel. In Sofia, it is difficult to cross roads due to the bustling traffic and the large barriers so, we found that the metro underpasses were the most convenient and safest way to get across to where we needed to be. After a short walk from the metro and finally understanding which side of the underpass we were required to be on, we eventually arrived at the beautiful Hotel Anel.
As soon as we stepped into the hotel, I immediately fell in love. The reception area welcomes you with unique pieces of art work alongside a massive fish tank full of exotic fish. Check-in was very efficient and we were soon making our way to our room which was located on the second floor. There are lots of lifts throughout the hotel so the rooms are easily accessible. On our way to our room, we were greeted by lots more art work and sculptures and when we entered our room, I was particularly surprised with how spacious and well decorated it was. There was a decent sized balcony alongside 2 large wardrobes, a spacious walkway and a luxurious bathroom which was beautifully decorated in marble. There were lots of amenities in the room including slippers, creams and body washes, bottled water and a variety of tea and coffee facilities, as well as a fully stocked fridge. The room was also equipped with two sofas, a TV and a table (which came in very handy on the last night when we decided to order room service). The room highlighted that this hotel is a 5* accommodation, which made us even more eager to visit the rest of the hotel. However due to having a wine tasting booked, we didn't have too long to explore before we had to leave, so we decided to leave the majority of the hotel exploring until the next day which also happened to be my birthday!
We woke up the next morning feeling very refreshed and energised after sleeping in possibly one of the comfiest beds that I have had the pleasure to stay in. Our stay included breakfast so we quickly got ready and made our way downstairs to the breakfast hall which was a large room with a unique sculpture placed outside, so you're sure that you're headed the right way. Breakfast is one of my favourite parts of a hotel stay so I was very excited to see what Hotel Anel had to offer and I can assure you that it did not disappoint! There was a great variety of food with a mixture of hot and cold dishes including some fish and cheese dishes that I personally had never come across before and they were absolutely delicious. There was also a good selection of yoghurts, pastries and fresh fruit, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We left the hotel to do a bit more exploring of Sofia in the morning and my breakfast set me up nicely for the day and gave me energy to see all the incredible sights, before returning to the hotel and spending the end part of my birthday enjoying the luxurious hotel.
We spent a lot of our time in the games room, which included a pool table, dart boards, table tennis tables and a foosball table. It was 10 Bulgarian Lev each, to hire the pool and table tennis equipment which gives you an hour of fun, however they were very relaxed with the timings and were happy for us to stay until we had finished everything that we wanted to do. The games room was spacious and the staff showed us how to work the television and put on any music channel of our choice which made for a very chilled and fun atmosphere whilst we enjoyed playing all the different games. The room was also filled with bean bags, a bar and digital games which added to the enjoyable vibe. My only critique here would be that 10 Bulgarian lev per game table, felt a little bit steep as I personally felt that everything in the room should have been included for the time that you spend in the room, rather than paying per game table. Although the hotel was reasonably priced for all other amenities so the value for money quickly evens itself out. Once we were all gamed out, we made our way down to the pool area, which had a beautifully structured bridge and a decent sized pool. I went for a quick swim whilst Chris had a massage (which was also very reasonably priced, particularly compared to here in the UK). I then relaxed on the loungers next to the pool whilst reading a book and Chris met me shortly after. After we had swam in the stunning pool, we headed back to the hotel room where we relaxed and decided to order room service.
The food arrived very quickly and we paired the incredible food with a wine that we had purchased the night before from our wine tour,. We truly felt like we were living as Sofia royalty in our luxurious hotel room, with the most gorgeous white wine that we have ever had, alongside some absolutely delicious cuisine. For our dinner, Chris and I shared a baked camembert in a blackcurrant sauce for starters which was delightful. Chris then had duck breast in a plum sauce with cooked apple rings, which he stated was the best duck that he has ever had! I also enjoyed my tomato pasta mixed with vegetables and cheese and then for dessert we shared a gorgeous homemade vanilla cheesecake, that had the the most delicious biscuit crumb that I'm still craving now! It's hard to find the words to describe how delicious the food was, so instead I will let you know that the next day, instead of leaving early for the airport, we opted for having lunch in the hotel restaurant. Chris had the same meal for lunch that he had for dinner the night before and he still stands by his point of it being the tastiest duck that he has ever had. I went for an avocado smash which was a mixture of vegetables served on toasted bread and we paired it with a beer each and a shot of Raki to properly cheers to our amazing stay in this wonderful hotel.
We were very sad to leave Hotel Anel and I honestly cannot recommend this hotel enough. The variety of art work located throughout the hotel makes Hotel Anel particularly special and will be enjoyed by art enthusiast as well as those who enjoy a unique hotel located in walking distance to the main sights. The hotel is extremely reasonably priced with luxurious amenities and if you are fortunate to stay in this hotel, make sure that you visit the restaurant for some of the most delicious food that you will ever taste.
Follow the link below to book your stay at this gorgeous 5* hotel:
