TWMC2010 was 100% about it being smokey. If you are sensitive to cigarette smoke do not book at this hotel. I was asleep a few hours when I was woken up by the cigarette smell from my next door neighbor. IT WAS DISGUSTING. Called downstairs right away to get moved. They wanted to send housekeeping up to spray. Said no I needed a new room, my neighbor was smoking carton after carton in there. Every where you walk in the hotel you smell smoke. The hotel was probably great back when it opened years ago but it is old and antiquated. Would never return to this hotel.

The first impression you get when you enter the hotel is the overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke, make no mistake this is a smoking hotel. Even if you book a non smoking room all that means is that you will not be smoking in there. We stayed here twice, both times in non smoking rooms which smelt of smoke; the second room even had used cigarette buts outside the window from the previous guests, even the ‘fresh’ bed linen smelt of smoke.

The hotel does have no smoking areas in its restaurants but the separation is hardly effective, all of the floors have public smoking areas so as soon as you leave your room you are hit with the smell of smoke.

The 5th floor panoramic bar is a no smoking area but as we were apparently the only non smoking guests they were not bothering to open it. If you have the slightest aversion to the smell of smoke or you suffer with asthma or any other breathing difficulties this is not the place for you, that said smoking seems to be endemic in Plovdiv so you may not find anywhere better.

Breakfast is served in a no smoking environment but there is no effective separation between the breakfast area and the lobby which smells of smoke so you need to head right to the far end of the breakfast area to escape the smell.

On the plus side the hotel is well maintained, the rooms are very spacious and the staff are generally very helpful and friendly. There was a large and varied spread for breakfast including both local and international food which sets you up for the day.

If you have the time, take a walk out to the old town and the roman amphitheatre which you can see from the 5th floor panorama lounge.

This property tries very hard to be the landmark hotel of Plovdiv, and in many ways, it does manage to do so. It has a huge private parking area and it commands a whole block on itself in the centre which lends it an aura of grandeur. Service across the board is very professional, attentive and courteous, which is a true godsend in Bulgaria.

The common areas are indeed impressive, but the rooms are somewhat disappointingly bland (except for the bathrooms) when compared to the rest of the hotel. The rooms have parquet which although a nice touch can be of a nuisance if you come in later and try not to wake up your sleeping pals in the room (lots of creaking). Also, I would NOT recommend the Trimontium restaurant. It is overpriced by Bulgarian standards and the fillet steak I ordered was disappointingly dry.

Big hotel with casino in basement. Rooms were big and nice, there was nice swimming pool area in the backyard of hotel with view on the mountains south of Plovdiv. The location is just on the border of city center, where you can have a walk and check the beauties of Plovdiv (very interesting city center - if cared better, would be definitely in UNESCO)