This hotel’s ultra large lobby is a black-on-white extravaganza so glitzy it could make Donatella Versace do a double take. Dominated by shiny surfaces and bold geometric patterns (a combination both breathtaking and almost blinding), it has an unexpected look for a Balkans hotel—especially one occupied by a restrained building designed by famed Metabolist architect Kisho Kurokawa. What isn’t surprising is the type of guest you’ll find milling around inside it, most of them business travelers who come for conferences and stay on-site for the myriad dining and drinking options. 

The hotel, situated in the southern Lozenets district, is about a 25-minute walk from the city center; thankfully, the closet metro station is a mere four minutes away on foot. If you’re not a fan of public transport, rental vehicles, car-and-driver combos, plus free parking are all available on-site. It’s an eight-minute car ride to Vitosha Boulevard, the city’s main commercial strip. Getting to popular tourist sites, like the imposing Alexander Nevsky Cathedral or 4th-century St. George Rotunda, will take about twice the time; ditto for Business Park Sofia, reputedly the largest facility of its kind in Central and Eastern Europe. An in-house travel agency can assist guest wishing to go farther afield.  

• Four-minute walk to James Bourchier Metro Station
• Eight-minute drive to Vitosha Boulevard 
• 11-minute drive to Alexander Nevsky Cathedral 
• 13-minute drive to the National Historical Museum
• 14-minute drive to St. George Rotunda 
• 14-minute drive to Business Park Sofia
• 15-minute drive to Ivan Vazov National Theater
• 17-minute drive to Boyna Church 
• 17-minute drive to Sofia Airport
• 18-minute drive to Banya Bashi Mosque
• 19-minute drive to Sofia Central Station
• 30-minute drive to the Vitosha ski slopes

Rooms covering 323-square feet are supplemented by assorted suites boasting separate living rooms and, in some cases, kitchens. The largest of the lot—The Presidential, which has hosted celebs like Enrique Iglesias and Lady Gaga—has a plush antique look that extends right into the marble master bathroom. Don’t get too excited, though, because most accommodations are far less grand: in fact, some look like they haven’t been touched since the hotel first opened in 1979 (picture laminate furnishings, beds topped with brocade-style spreads and tired tiled bathrooms with combination shower/tubs). In comparison, the updated versions with contemporary blond-wood appointments that are often offset by bold carpeting are a vast improvement. As with the decor, amenities are offered on an ascending scale. All choices come with air conditioners, minibars, safes, TVs, and free Wi-Fi, but niceties like tea/coffee-making equipment, magnifying mirrors, USB ports, and even flat-screen TVs (as opposed to old-school tube ones) only become standard as you work your way up through the categories. 

Aimed largely at business travelers, this hotel has a whopping 48,395-square feet of event and exhibition space available indoors or out. Factored into that number is a ground-floor conference center with its own entrance; the city’s largest ballroom/banquet hall, which can accommodate up to 700 people; more than a dozen board- and break-out rooms; as well as a staffed business center that can provide anything from audio-visual equipment and technical support to translation services. The downside is that, like the guest rooms, the quality is uneven in terms of decor: some are bling-y but some look like bunkers and others are just plain bland. 

The equally broad range of leisure facilities includes a 20-meter indoor pool backed by a bank of windows that let natural light flood in; a spacious pool-view fitness center outfitted with modern Technogym equipment; and a rather pedestrian looking spa-slash-salon which offers the usual treatments. There are ample eateries throughout the hotel as well, with top honors going to the nautical-themed Captain Cook Restaurant specializing (surprise) in seafood; the more eclectic Marionette, focussed on international fare; and Umami, a classic-meets-contemporary Asian spot that opens onto the tranquil Japanese garden. After dining, guests can retreat to a broody British-inspired cigar bar or opt for something more raucous at one of the in-house clubs. 

Among the other features are a 24-hour reception desk with multilingual staff; concierge, currency exchange and laundry/dry-cleaning services; room service; a luxe shopping arcade; add-on airport transfers; and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. Note that because dental tourism is a big deal in Bulgaria, there’s an on-site dentist, too.