A stretch of southwestern Bulgaria has two castle-shaped hotels rising out of the landscape between two villages, visible from far enough away that drivers on the road to Leshten tend to do a double-take. Neither building is old. Both are heated and filled by water that comes out of the ground at 43°C (109°F), and one of them, Royal Valentina Castle, has built its entire reason for being around that fact.
Location
Royal Valentina Castle sits in the village of Ognyanovo, in the foothills of the Rhodope Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, with the Pirin range visible from the property. The wider area is ringed by four mountain ranges - Pirin, the Rhodopes, Slavyanka and Stargach - and the village itself has built its identity around the mineral springs that run beneath it. It's roughly a three-hour drive from Sofia, and the town of Gotse Delchev, along with its view of the Pirin peaks, is close by.
From Roman Baths To Castle Towers
Ognyanovo's mineral water isn't a modern discovery. Balneological structures from the Roman settlement of Nicopolis ad Nestum, once located nearby, point to the springs having been used for bathing in antiquity, and a bathhouse building from a more recent era still stands in the village.
Royal Valentina Castle and its sister property, Valentina Castle, were built later as a way of giving visitors to Ognyanovo something more distinctive than a standard spa hotel, without straying from what makes the village worth visiting in the first place: the water.
The two hotels, along with several eco-houses set in the grove between them, form one complex, though each operates with its own restaurant and spa center.
The Restaurant
The restaurant seats around 100 people in a room with a view toward Gotse Delchev and the Pirin Mountains, and serves a menu that leans on European and Mediterranean dishes alongside Bulgarian specialties, including baked goat cheese with honey and walnuts. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.
There's a garden used for dining in warmer months, with its own view over the valley, and a lobby bar built around a fireplace that doubles as an informal meeting point between the restaurant and the spa area.
The Rooms
Between the two towers and the main building, Royal Valentina Castle has 14 rooms, two suites and four attic rooms, plus separate eco-houses on the grounds.
Rooms vary considerably in size and character: some have round beds set into the towers, others have sloped ceilings and forest views, and several of the higher-tier rooms come with their own hot tub. All rooms include breakfast and access to the spa facilities.
Double Rooms
• The standard double room runs around 20 sqm (215 sq ft) and includes a balcony looking out over the village. • The deluxe double is larger, at 25 sqm (269 sq ft), with room for two adults and two children, and some come with round beds and bathtubs rather than showers alone.
• A step up from that is the deluxe double with a hot tub, at 35 sqm (377 sq ft), where the bathroom holds a hydromassage tub filled with the same thermal water used in the pools rather than a shower.
Royal Suite
Royal Suite
The Royal Suite sits on the top floor of one of the towers, at 38 sqm (409 sq ft), with a balcony view toward the Pirin Mountains and the rooftops of Ognyanovo below. It has its own hot tub, a small dining area, and sleeps two adults and one child.
President Suite
President Suite
The largest of the rooms, at 50 sqm (538 sq ft), the Presidential Suite is on the third floor and includes a separate bedroom, a dining area, a study nook, and a double hydromassage tub.
It also has a decorative fireplace and a view at night over the lit-up village and the silhouette of Pirin beyond it.
The Pools
The indoor pool measures 6 by 12 m (19.7 by 39.4 ft), with a depth of 140-150 cm (55-59 in), and holds thermal water kept at around 33°C (92°F) in winter and 30°C (87°F) in summer. A separate indoor children's pool, 3.5 m (11.5 ft) in diameter and 60 cm (24 in) deep, stays at a warmer 35°C (96°F) year-round.
There's also an indoor jacuzzi, a sauna and a steam room, and a relaxation area with heated stone loungers.
The outdoor pool, open in the warmer months, is 10 by 8 m (32.8 by 26.2 ft), with the same 140-150 cm (55-59 in) depth, and sits at around 30°C (86°F) in summer, with a view toward Gotse Delchev and the Pirin peaks.
Things To Do Around
If you want to try the source water without the hotel pools attached, there's a public mineral spring in the village that anyone can use for free.
From Ognyanovo, the village of Leshten is about 7 km (4.3 mi) away, and Kovachevitsa, known for its stone houses, is around 15 km (9.3 mi) further along the same road. Delchevo, a village set higher in the mountains with wide views over the valley, is roughly 30 km (18.6 mi) away, about 20 minutes from Gotse Delchev.
In winter, the ski slopes of Bansko are close enough to make a reasonable day trip from the hotel.
Royal Valentina Castle, 2947 Marchevo, Bulgaria
