🌍 Setting the scene
Bulgaria is not just a hotel-country for summer tourists. It is a country of Black Sea resorts, old towns, spa destinations with mineral water, ski areas, mountain huts, family guesthouses, and weekend city breaks. If you understand accommodation vocabulary, you understand a surprisingly large part of how modern Bulgaria moves.
According to Bulgaria's National Statistical Institute, in July 2025 the country recorded about 2.0 million visits by non-residents, while in the fourth quarter of 2024 most Bulgarian residents who made tourist trips travelled only inside Bulgaria. That combination matters: Bulgaria is both a visitor destination and a country whose own people travel actively around it.
So this lesson is not only about asking for a room key. It is also about understanding why Bulgarians talk about the seaside, mountain huts, parking in old centres, family hotels, and spa weekends with the same ease that other countries talk about chain hotels and airports.
Section 1
Accommodation types and hotel vocabulary
From five-star hotels to mountain huts.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Notes | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| хотел | hotel | hotel | All star ratings exist | |
| хостел | hostel | hostel | Common in larger cities and budget travel | |
| квартира | kvartira | apartment / flat (rented) | Most common long-term option | |
| стаи под наем | stai pod naem | rooms to let | Family-run and very common at the seaside | |
| вила | vila | villa | Private holiday rental | |
| хижа | hizha | mountain hut | Part of Bulgaria's hiking culture | |
| рецепция | retseptsiya | reception desk | Front desk in a hotel | |
| рецепционист | retseptsionist | receptionist | Fem: рецепционистка | |
| резервация | rezervatsiya | reservation / booking | Core travel word | |
| настаняване | nastanyavane | check-in | Literally accommodation / settling in | |
| напускане | napuskane | check-out | Literally leaving | |
| стая | staya | room | Feminine noun | |
| апартамент | apartament | suite / apartment room | Larger or more premium room | |
| единична стая | edinichna staya | single room | One bed, one guest | |
| двойна стая | dvoyna staya | double room | Usually for two guests | |
| стая с две легла | staya s dve legla | twin room | Two separate beds |
Section 2
Room features and facilities
What to look for and ask about.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| баня | banya | bathroom | |
| тоалетна | toaletna | toilet | |
| душ | dush | shower | |
| вана | vana | bath / bathtub | |
| легло | leglo | bed | |
| двойно легло | dvoyno leglo | double bed | |
| единично легло | edinichno leglo | single bed | |
| балкон | balkon | balcony | |
| изглед | izgled | view | |
| климатик | klimatik | air conditioning | |
| отопление | otoplenie | heating | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi | |
| телевизор | televizor | television | |
| минибар | minibar | minibar | |
| сейф | seyf | safe | |
| закуска | zakuska | breakfast | |
| включена закуска | vklyuchena zakuska | breakfast included |
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Имате ли стая с балкон? | Imate li staya s balkon? | Do you have a room with a balcony? | |
| Има ли собствена баня? | Ima li sobstvena banya? | Is there a private bathroom? | |
| Има ли включена закуска? | Ima li vklyuchena zakuska? | Is breakfast included? | |
| Wi-Fi безплатен ли е? | Wi-Fi bezplaten li e? | Is the Wi-Fi free? |
Section 3
Checking in and out
The full check-in and check-out process.
At reception, Bulgarian often sounds more natural if you state the reservation first, then the number of nights, and then any practical questions about breakfast, parking, or Wi-Fi.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Имам резервация на името... | Imam rezervatsiya na imeto... | I have a reservation under the name... | |
| Искам да направя резервация. | Iskam da napravya rezervatsiya. | I would like to make a reservation. | |
| Имате ли свободни стаи? | Imate li svobodni stai? | Do you have any free rooms? | |
| За колко нощи? | Za kolko noshti? | For how many nights? | |
| За две нощи — от петък до неделя. | Za dve noshti — ot petak do nedelya. | For two nights, from Friday to Sunday. | |
| Колко струва на нощ? | Kolko struva na nosht? | How much is it per night? | |
| В колко часа е настаняването? | V kolko chasa e nastanyavaneto? | What time is check-in? | |
| В колко часа е напускането? | V kolko chasa e napuskaneto? | What time is check-out? | |
| Ключа за стаята, моля. | Klyucha za stayata, molya. | The room key, please. | |
| Искам да напусна днес. | Iskam da napusna dnes. | I would like to check out today. |
Section 4
Making requests and handling problems
When things need fixing.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Можете ли да смените чаршафите? | Mozhete li da smenite charshafite? | Could you change the bed linen? | |
| Кърпи, моля. | Karpi, molya. | Towels, please. | |
| Климатикът не работи. | Klimatikat ne raboti. | The air conditioning is not working. | |
| Имам проблем с... | Imam problem s... | I have a problem with... | |
| Горещата вода не тече. | Goreshtata voda ne teche. | The hot water is not running. | |
| Стаята не е почистена. | Stayata ne e pochistena. | The room has not been cleaned. | |
| Много е шумно. | Mnogo e shumno. | It is very noisy. | |
| Можете ли да ме преместите в друга стая? | Mozhete li da me premestite v druga staya? | Could you move me to another room? | |
| Искам да говоря с мениджъра. | Iskam da govorya s menidzhara. | I would like to speak to the manager. |
Section 5
Bulgarian stay culture and local detail
Useful things many visitors do not know before they arrive.
Accommodation in Bulgaria tells you a lot about the country itself. In Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna, you will see everything from modern city hotels to small family guesthouses. On the Black Sea coast, стаи под наем are still a very Bulgarian experience: simple family-run rooms, often cheaper than large hotels, and usually much more personal.
🌞 Seaside Bulgaria
Along the coast, many Bulgarians still prefer smaller family accommodation over anonymous resort blocks. If you stay in стаи под наем, expect a more direct human style: the owner may greet you personally, show you the room, and tell you where to eat, park, or avoid traffic.
| Bulgarian | Romanised | English | Why it matters | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| къща за гости | kashta za gosti | guesthouse | Common in villages, mountain towns, and smaller tourist areas | |
| семеен хотел | semeen hotel | family hotel | Usually smaller, more personal, and often owner-run | |
| стар град | star grad | old town | Useful for cities like Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, and Nessebar | |
| минерален басейн | mineralen baseyn | mineral pool | Bulgaria has many spa towns and hot-mineral-water hotels | |
| СПА хотел | spa hotel | spa hotel | Very common in places like Velingrad, Hisarya, and Devin | |
| паркомясто | parkomyasto | parking space | Important in older city centres where parking is limited |
💡 Bulgaria detail that surprises visitors
Many foreigners discover Bulgaria first through beaches or ski resorts, but Bulgarians themselves often value weekend stays in mountain towns, monastery areas, old revival towns, and spa regions with mineral water. If you know words like къща за гости, стар град, and СПА хотел, you suddenly understand a much more local Bulgaria.
Section 6
Useful hotel phrases
Short chunks that are easy to reuse at reception.
Section 7
Dialogue — checking into a hotel
A complete hotel check-in conversation.
Добър вечер! Добре дошли.
Dobar vecher! Dobre doshli.
Good evening. Welcome.
Добър вечер. Имам резервация на името Смит.
Dobar vecher. Imam rezervatsiya na imeto Smit.
Good evening. I have a reservation under the name Smith.
Момент, моля. Да, г-н Смит. Двойна стая за три нощи.
Moment, molya. Da, g-n Smit. Dvoyna staya za tri noshti.
One moment, please. Yes, Mr Smith. A double room for three nights.
Точно така. Включена ли е закуската?
Tochno taka. Vklyuchena li e zakuskata?
That is right. Is breakfast included?
Да, закуската е включена. От седем до десет сутринта в ресторанта.
Da, zakuskata e vklyuchena. Ot sedem do deset sutrinta v restoranta.
Yes, breakfast is included. From seven to ten in the morning in the restaurant.
Перфектно. Имате ли паркинг?
Perfektno. Imate li parking?
Perfect. Do you have parking?
Да, има безплатен паркинг зад хотела. Ето ключа ви — стая двеста и осем, на втория етаж.
Da, ima bezplaten parking zad hotela. Eto klyucha vi — staya dvesta i osem, na vtoriya etazh.
Yes, there is free parking behind the hotel. Here is your key: room 208, on the second floor.
Благодаря. Каква е паролата за Wi-Fi?
Blagodarya. Kakva e parolata za Wi-Fi?
Thank you. What is the Wi-Fi password?
Паролата е на картата в стаята. Ако имате нужда от нещо, обадете се на рецепцията.
Parolata e na kartata v stayata. Ako imate nuzhda ot neshto, obadete se na retseptsiyata.
The password is on the card in the room. If you need anything, call reception.
Section 8
Writing task
✏️ Writing task — Day 28
- Write a hotel booking enquiry: you want a double room for 4 nights with breakfast, and need to know the price.
- Translate: "The shower is not working and the room is very noisy. Could you give me a different room?"
- What is the difference between хотел, квартира, къща за гости and хижа?
- Write check-in phrases for: reservation name, number of nights, check-in time, Wi-Fi password request.
- You are going to Plovdiv for a weekend. Write 4-5 sentences about the kind of accommodation you want and why.
Show answers
1. E.g. Искам да направя резервация. Двойна стая за четири нощи с включена закуска. Колко струва на нощ?
2. Душът не работи и стаята е много шумна. Можете ли да ми дадете друга стая?
3. хотел = commercial hotel. квартира = rented flat/apartment. къща за гости = guesthouse, often smaller and more personal. хижа = mountain hut for hikers.
4. Имам резервация на името... · За X нощи. · В колко часа е настаняването? · Каква е паролата за Wi-Fi?
5. E.g. Искам малък семеен хотел близо до стария град. Искам стая с баня и добра закуска. Ако има паркомясто, още по-добре.
Day 28 Quiz
8 questions · score 6+ to mark day complete
Question 1 of 8
"I have a reservation" in Bulgarian:
Question 2 of 8
"How much is it per night?" in Bulgarian:
Question 3 of 8
"Breakfast included" in Bulgarian:
Question 4 of 8
"The air conditioning is not working":
Question 5 of 8
"For two nights — from Friday to Sunday":
Question 6 of 8
"Good night!" in Bulgarian:
Question 7 of 8
What is a "хижа"?
Question 8 of 8
"Could you move me to another room?":
Day 28 Recap
Review before Day 29. Every point builds on the last.
| Topic | Key point | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | хотел · хостел · квартира · стаи под наем · вила · хижа | Know all 6 types |
| Room types | единична стая · двойна стая · стая с две легла · апартамент | |
| Check-in | Имам резервация на името... · За X нощи · В колко часа е настаняването? | Always state name and nights |
| Facilities | баня · душ · балкон · климатик · Wi-Fi · включена закуска | Включена закуска = breakfast included |
| Problems | не работи · не тече · не е почистена · шумно е | State problem + можете ли да...? |
| Лека нощ | "Good night" — the standard farewell at bedtime or when leaving someone for the night. | More natural than Добра нощ |
| 🌎 Culture | Bulgaria has Black Sea resorts, old towns, mineral spa hotels, ski areas, mountain хижи, and family guesthouses — Bulgarians themselves travel actively around the country | ~2 million foreign visits per month in peak summer |