Visiting Bansko soon? Maybe heading to Bansko Nomad Fest in 2024? In any case, the most commonly asked question is the same – how and where to find accommodation for digital nomads in Bansko.
The information online is definitely picking up but there’s still lots of options that deserve more attention.
Besides major websites like Booking and Airbnb, here’s an honest overview of the accommodation scene in Bansko you can use during your research.
And remember, this is just my opinion and experience – always do your own research from different resources.
Areas to stay in Bansko
There’s two main areas you will see in any listing online – Old Town and Gondola.
Keep in mind, that Bansko is not so big so wherever you stay, you’ll find yourself in walking distance from most main hubs. Old Town is where most of the coworking spaces are located, the main square with some open air events mostly in summer, some stores and restaurants. Supermarket Billa is closer to the Old Town.
The Gondola area is mostly convenient during the winter months. Landlords use this as a “selling point” for their apartments. The Gondola is where you get the lift to the ski resort, where all the apres-ski is happening, and where most bars and restaurants operate during winter. The Gondola area is also famous for having more clean air during winter, as many old town houses burn wood and coal for heating which makes the air somehow polluted. In summer, that doesn’t matter. During the warmer months, that area becomes a bit more quiet as many shops and restaurants are closed. The Gondola area is closer to the woods in case you are interested in quick access to nice nature walks.
My personal preference is the Old Town area. The Gondola area for me is “a bit far away” from the coworking hubs and the digital nomad communities.
Here’s a map of Bansko I created with my favourite locations in town:
Shared or private accommodation
As you’re going to meet digital nomads in Bansko everywhere all the time, there’s no specific need to rent a shared accommodation. The town is so small, the community is very tight and you’re going to meet people anyway as long as you join a coworking space or follow group chats and events. This makes Bansko a perfect digital nomad location – it’s super easy to hang out with people. Unlike some bigger cities, having your own private accommodation doesn’t mean less social life. It actually may be a good idea if you want to wind down after a full day of socializing.
Coliving Spaces in Bansko
Coliving Bansko by Coworking Bansko
Website: www.colivingbansko.com
Prices: from 499 Euro/month for a studio
Includes: Accommodation, shared kitchen, share working area, outdoor area, access to all coworking locations of Coworking Bansko.
Pros: Dedicated working space, access to other office locations, vibrant community, huge building.
Cons: Location is a bit far from everything – I personally love the area but some people might want to be closer to the Gondola / mountain.
Coliving Bansko just opened in 2024 and is the new hot coliving in town, owned by the original Coworking Bansko – the first digital nomad office in town. After the big sale in the end of last year, Coworking Bansko was bought by Networking Premium (a Sofia-based company in the shared office space), the new owners decided to make a big move and open a big coliving space.
It’s located in the lower part of town, next to the river and the Billa supermarket. It’s a former hotel building and has different room types as well as shared spaces – a coworking area, shared kitchen, a techno club in the basement, a bbq outside area. Prices are super competitive – rooms start from just 499 Euro/month for accommodaiton and access to all coworking locations of Coworking Bansko. There’s also regular community events. It’s a good deal!
Coliving Valentina Bansko
Website: https://colivingvalentina.book.page/
Price: From 550 Euro/month for a studio (single ocuppancy)
Includes: Accommodation, coworking area with call rooms, communal and private kitchen, outdoor space with bbq, bike rental.
Pros: Amazing location, dedicated working space, community events (for now), bikes for rent. They just started the community part so there’s a lot of excitement and effort involved.
Cons: It just started operating as a coliving space with community events – no idea how long they will keep working on the community part.
Valentina Heights has recently rebranded from a small hotel to a coliving space in 2024. They are building a shared working area and a community vibe with events and workshops. There are studio and 1-bedroom apartments, there’s a lovely outdoor area with few tables, hammocks and bbq. Apartments have private kitchenettes and bathrooms. There’s also a shared jacuzzi area. There are laundry machines and bikes for rent.
Avalon Coliving
Website: www.avalonhotelbansko.com/avalon-coliving-coworking-bansko
Price: From 456 Euro/month for a single room or 654 Euro for an apartment for one person
Pros: Trusted community and staff, great location in the middle of Bansko, big shared space with tables and fireplace, office chairs and desk in rooms. Dogs on site.
Cons: No office chairs in the shared space, it’s pretty popular so it gets full quickly in high season. Dogs on site (if you’re allergic). The hotel is listed for sale so not sure how long the coliving will exist for.
Avalon Hotel operates as a shared living space among digital nomads for several years – it’s probably the OG coliving space of Bansko. It’s a cosy and friendly place, the staff is super cool and the atmosphere is chill and relaxed. Sometimes they organise food events (famous Curry Nights and Ribs!) open for outside visitors too.
Nomadico Coliving
Website: www.nomadico.io/bansko-coliving
Price: From 630 Euro/month for a private room with shared bathroom
Pros: Good location – between Old Town and Gondola.
Cons: No community feeling, price is higher than what you can find in Bansko. No shared working area on location. Access to a coworking space only 2 days a week. Only operates in summer months.
The Nomadico brand finds local guesthouses / hotels and turns them into coliving spaces in low seasons. The house they use in Bansko has 13 rooms and they have a deal with a local coworking space so the tenants can work there. To be honest, since they opened I haven’t heard any news or reviews of this space so I don’t have any first-hand experience to share. I’d prefer if they were more active on social media and the local nomad scene.
Private Accommodation for Digital Nomads in Bansko
Flataway – Private Apartments & Subscription Living
Website: https://flataway.com/properties/Bansko
Prices:
• Apartments starting from 18 EUR / night;
• Bundles including Bansko start from 913 USD / month
Pros: Only verified apartment hosts, top-tier accommodation, remote-friendly apartments
Cons: Might be more pricey than what you can find directly. Bundles require commitment in advance to several months of accommodation and destinations. Doesn’t include access to coworking spaces.
Flataway offers rental apartments in Bansko specifically catered towards remote workers – with dedicated working area. They are verified, cosy, top-tier accommodation options. Besides booking a private apartment, Flataway also offers a new concept – subscription living. The platform is created by a Bulgarian startup team so supporting a local endeavour is a plus.
What is Subscription Living: Flataway introduces a new concept of Subscription Living – it allows you to pay a fixed monthly rent, but live in different locations around the world. Unlike traditional renting where costs can fluctuate and require hours of searching, negotiations, and hefty deposit fees, Subscription Living offers a fixed monthly rent for your entire stay and the ability to change destinations. This provides budgeting stability and eliminates researching and negotiating fees. You can spend from a few weeks to months in a destination before switching to the next one.
Accommodation Bundles including Bansko: You can create your own bundle that includes Bansko and other desired destinations. I’ve created my own adventure bundle – Work & Play, that includes Ericeira (Portugal), Bansko and Varna (Bulgaria). This is related to surfing, snowboarding or mountain biking and wakeboarding activities you can do in those destinations.
Flatio – platform digital nomad apartments
Website: www.flatio.com/i/apartments-for-rent-bansko
Prices: From 480 Euro/month for a studio
Pros: Trusted rental contract, dedicated work-from-home setup.
Cons: Limited listings in Bansko – only 2 by the time of writing this article, no access to a coworking space.
Flatio specializes in digital nomad accommodation – with apartments that are verified and suitable for remote work. They have offerings all over the world and recently included Bulgaria in their portfolio of destinations. Their listings are trusted and verified.
BanskoNomadApartments.com
Website: www.banskonomadapartments.com
Prices: From 250 Euro/month for a studio
Pros: Affordable accommodation, you can see the location of each listing.
Cons: You don’t know who is the landlord (not public information); payment is done outside the platform – via bank details/wired transfer not via a trusted platform.
Bansko Nomad Apartments is a simple website offering listings from accommodation providers in Bansko. It was made a few years ago as there were more and more requests for information about nomad accommodation in Bansko. It’s not very elaborate website but it has all the information needed. It is normal for landlords to require payment of deposit in advance – however, the payment is made usually via bank transfer, and not via the platform so some people find that a bit scary although this is a normal practice in Bulgaria. It’s a good place to find very cheap accommodation.
NomadStays – platform for remote-friendly apartments
Website: https://www.nomadstays.com/country/Bulgaria
Prices: from $611/month
Pros: Shows internet speed in each listing, remote-friendly accommodation.
Cons: At the time of this article, there’s only one available accommodation building offering 40 apartments.
NomadStays is a marketplace for remote-friendly accommodation around the world. You can find plenty of apartments and houses everywhere. In Bulgaria, they have locations in Bansko and in Rhodope mountains.
Local Facebook groups
Links: Bansko Owners Renting and Bansko Apartment Rental
Pros: Quick response, offers that might not be available online, more affordable options. If you publish a post looking for accommodation options, you’ll most likely receive tens of offers.
Cons: Booking is not made through a trusted platform – no guarantees.
Sometimes you can find accommodation via Facebook groups for renting out apartments. Lots of landlords have accommodation that is not listed anywhere as they rely on word of mouth, don’t have the technical skills to use online platforms, or just prefer to give lower price for direct booking rather than going through big websites. You can find really good deals that way but be wary of scams – always check who is sending you an offer and see their online history (that can easily be done on Facebook). And always communicate for a bit before booking an apartment – you will sense if the person is respectful and trustworthy in a few messages.
The Facebook group for that is called Bansko Owners Renting – and here’s an example of a good listing from a trusted contact.
Do you have anything to add? Share your experience in the comments, or share this article with a friend.
