Avel - Guest House

Bulgaria , Sofia
SOFIA , Letostrui Street, 40
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50 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2025

Niki

Wonderful

Great little guesthouse near airport. Jordan was amazing I had a very early 3.30am check in and he had no problems driving me there. Highly recommended

Self

2/10

Poor

11 Mar 2024

Verified traveler

Better take another hotel or hostel

Please do not stay here when you arrive Sofia at night. You will not find it and if find it there is nó reception welcome you. Room is very basic. Toilette smelled bad and not have a really shower. Except private room, hostels may be much better and cheaper. Far away from center and not easy get to by public transportation. Communication is difficult. Please do not stay here if you are looking for cheap hotel. Overall is bad so it is expensive for everything .

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2023

Eldo

Good place to stay. Very helpful manager.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 Sep 2023

Austin

Clean room with a helpful host!

Room was spacious and clean, the host was easily contacted and was helpful with changing plans.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jan 2023

Mark

I spent a short night here between flights. You can not get better service.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

30 Nov 2021

Dessislava

Perfect airport location for a short stay

A clean place, perfect for a short stay. The hosts were very nice, pleasant, and accommodating. Would definitely stay there again.

Self

8/10

Excellent

16 Feb 2020

Miroslava

Outstanding hospitality

Great place to stay for an early flight. Hospitality is beyond any expectations. Jordan was so kind and offered his help organising taxi in the morning.

Self

8/10

Excellent

02 Feb 2020

Shuai

A kind man a cozy house

Jordan is a kind man, picked me from the airport to the house. The house is not too large but has all the facilities.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Oct 2018

Piotr

Great hotel close to the airport

great hotel close to airport. Great service. I will stay there again.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Sep 2018

Louie

Incredibly helpful!

Yordan was incredibly helpful and friendly towards us.
Hope to book again soon!
Thanks to you!

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2018

Patrick

Great bargain for the price

Super friendly owner and manager. Responsive. Goes out of his way to be helpful. Will stay here again.

2/10

Poor

31 May 2018

Verified traveler

Not good. Noisy place.

8/10

Excellent

12 Oct 2017

Brenda

great value for short stay

I wasn't given the best room, ground floor so a lot of traffic noise but comfy bed. Absolutely fine for an overnight stay. Yordan was not there but phoned to make sure everything was alright. I pointed out that there wasn't a microwave in the shared kitchen and intended to cook my own food. Within half an hour a microwave appeared so I can't fault the customer service. The booked taxi arrived on time next morning.
I've stayed here before and would certainly book again and recommend. It's close to the airport and great value.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Aug 2017

Pedro

Friendly staff, nice room, spacious, air conditioning, public transport nearby

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jul 2017

Kent

Fantastic Stay

Amazing all around. Yordan was the most accommodating and helpful person we've ever met. He went above and beyond to provide us with the most amazing experience. Thank you Yordan!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 May 2017

Gareth

PERFECT FOR MY SHORT TRIP!!!

Yordan the owner pick me up at 1:30am with a smile and very helpful. Room was perfect, clean, comfy with everything I needed for my short stay. I would recommend this guest house to all my friends.

6/10

Pleasant

13 Apr 2017

Verified traveler

The room was very basic but clean with a reasonably comfortable bed. The owner was great very accommodating and helpful and collected me from airport and delivered me to bus station next morning, helping me get the correct ticket. He was very pleasant courteous & helpful. The only worry for me was that where I was staying appeared to be a converted garage / storeroom. Which had a shower room and a window. But I was the only person in that building there were neighbors ( with a noisy dog) up an outside stair and owners stayed some undefined distance away. As I am a woman on my own with no Bulgarian language, staying in a not very nice area this was a bit of a worry. It was Ok for the one night I was there and perhaps for students it would be fine but not for a single female on her own. It was an inexpensive, basic, one night stopover and as that was fine.

4/10

Poor

19 Sep 2016

Paul

Noisy Hotel Close to a busy road!

Air con does not work; dogs keep barking outside; traffic is noisy (cars and motorbikes going up and down all night and you can hear people talking outside as they walk buy. You can hear other guests at the hotel making noise as they come and go. I was woken up about 3 or 4 times in the early morning by guests leaving and talking loudly outside my room! Why I paid their high fees to not be able to sleep because of all the noise - I do not know? Bathroom is damp and smells. I would not stay in this hotel again even if it was free. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone!!!!

8/10

Excellent

05 Jul 2015

Brendan

Amazed by the Hospitality, Tired by the Walk

While the Avel guest house is a decent trip from the heart of Sofia (don't walk, and don't let the taxi drivers swindle you--it shouldn't be more than 7 leva, but I was charged 25), the distance is really more than made up for by the hospitality and helpfulness of the staff. Jordan, who I believe runs Avel now, brought me a map, made me some tea, explained his favorite sites, and taught me a little Bulgarian and would have helped me more and more if I'd asked, I'm sure of it. He was really a model of hotel service and for him alone I would recommend Avel. That, and the very reasonable price.

6/10

Pleasant

12 Dec 2014

Verified traveler

not the best .. but for the cost it is a great dea

not the best but fr the cost it is a great deal and the owner and manager was a great help

2/10

Poor

22 Sep 2014

george

do not have it in hotel .com list

It was wrong address, then I found it 200 m away but was closed, nobody there , when i have arrived at midnight, i called the tel no and the guy said in bad english that i booked late and he did not see the booking and he was far away at his home, i was speaking with roaming for 15 minutes, taxi driver waiting and charging but i could not undersatnd each other with the owner of Avel. The area and the establishment look abandoned and unlighted. I did not stay there because nobody was there to open to me. I wonder why you have this guest house still in your list.
Note i arrived midnight as stopover and I wanted to rest only 5 hours and fly again, i have send such a message with my booking but the owner said he did not read it!
Very bad experience,

8/10

Excellent

28 May 2014

Early traveler

Happy with the service

Very clean, nice room size, all new. Quality is exceptional. The owner does all to make you stay comfortable. If you are catching early flight from Sofia Airport, you can use with not regrets. Not so much to see around. So for one night stay was just right.

10/10

Exceptional

21 May 2014

Verified traveler

Outstanding

My family was very pleased with the room and the services provided. Pick up and drop off from and to the airport were offered on a minimal cost. I am highly recommending this guesthouse.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Aug 2013

Furkan

Superb Service

Avel is cosy guesthouse, conveniently located for the airport. It's excellent value for money, comfortable and everything you'd expect from a guesthouse if you just want a clean place with good basic facilities. What makes Avel so special though is the owner Yordan. I have stayed in many family owned motels/guest houses/B&Bs and many have friendly owners. But Yordan is truly special. He treats his customers as guests, is extremely helpful with directions and ready with all sorts of info. In my case I had a completely unexpected change of plan and Yordan bent over backwards to accommodate my changed schedule on 13 August. I've never had a more helpful service than that provided by Yordan. Highly Recommend

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2013

Verified traveler

Ideal for airport

Ideal for airport,and bus station which I needed

10/10

Exceptional

23 Dec 2012

Verified traveler

very good accomodation

arrived early and they advised that because they were not expecting me early then my room was not warm yet, however they offered to give me an extra heater. staff very friendly and accommodating. arranged a taxi for me back to the airport.

room very clean and comfortable.

will be recommending this guest house

10/10

Exceptional

17 Oct 2012

Estill

Excellent value

This place is clean and everything works. It is well maintained. The owners go out of their way to meet guest needs. Alone in a strange country I felt safe and comfortable. I stopped there twice. One taxi driver had a little difficulty finding it at night. I'd stay again.

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jul 2012

Verified traveler

Nice, especially the owners

If you are looking for a cheap ho(s)tel just to sleep, but tour around during the day, or have a night stopover (7 mins from SOF airport), you are in the right place. Its a very basic place, but have free wifi and very nice owners.

2/10

Poor

16 May 2012

Tasha

Bad experience

The Hotel is not accomodating to International travelers. There is not an around the clock staff on duty, no parking, and the rooms are small and sparse. It is close to the airport but on the 2nd time we stayed for my departure, the room was horrible, service terrible and when you flushed the toilet, you smelled sewage all night. The owner was even a little rude when he knew that we were doing a motor cycle tour through four countries and required a late check in time which we paid for with no problem. If there was around the clock staff, this wouldn't have been an issue. My husband came in on the Harley from another country which took several hours through a mountain terrain and I flew in fromt he U.S. There is also no shuttle service from the airport which is listed as 1.24 miles on the web site. This is not true and my husband had to pay the owner to bring him to pick me up. This would not be a place that I recommend anyone stay. If you have a late check in time, you will be left standing outside the gate possibly in the cold or inclement weather waiting until the owner decides to come check you in.

10/10

Exceptional

31 Mar 2012

Julia

AVEL Guest House - a lovely welcome in Bulgaria

I would recommend AVEL Guest House. It is a lovely guest house in a residential area in the suburbs of Sofia. It is just 10 minutes drive from the airport so very convenient for late or early flights.
The value for money is second to none. This welcoming guest house offers a clean, comfortable, safe place to stay. The staff are also very friendly and helpful. They picked me up from the airport and arranged a lovely breakfast for me. It is family run business and is certainly a nice guest house with all the facilities you need. It also has TV in the rooms and free WIFI.

I was impressed and would certainly use AVEL again for future trips to Bulgaria.

6/10

Pleasant

22 Sep 2011

Verified traveler

Avel Guest House

I would recommend this if you want to stay near the airport - very clean, air conditioning, etc. A taxi to the airport is about 6 min and not expensive. However, there is no breakfast and not much around in the neighbourhood. We didn't see the owners really, so didn't really have a welcome to comment on.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Aug 2011

Verified traveler

The Guesthouse is in the outskirts of Sofia in a slightly sketchy area next to the airport. It is is easy to get public transportation there or a taxi. The guesthouse is very nice and the owners are some of the best. Overall no problems at all.

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jun 2011

Annita

I will go back when in Bulgaria

This hotel has a good price/quality ratio. It is close to the airport, and the tram will take you downtown. The room is clean and adequate. The people are friendly and willing to help. You can sit outside on the porche. The quality of the matrasses is poor.

6/10

Pleasant

20 Apr 2011

Steve

AVEL guest house,

I wanted a cheap one night stop over near the airport and the Avel was ideal.
It was clean and the owner was very nice and helpful.
Obviously if you want a more up market stay then pay more.
I thought the Avel was good value and was clean basic accomodation.

10/10

Exceptional

17 Apr 2011

Jacob

Avel Guest House - comfortable, cheap, helpful

To begin with, I was an idiot. I made reservations for Tuesday, but needed them for Monday. When I arrived at Avel Guest House with my wife, daughter, and mother-in-law, nobody was there to check us in. After fuming for a couple hours, I realized that it was because the management was not expecting me. Once I realized that error, I called Hotels.com via Skype (using Avel's free Wi-Fi) and got the home phone number for the owners.
As soon the owners learned about the error that I had made, they came over within 5 minutes. The owners were young, professional, and accomodating. When we asked about someplace to eat, they got in their car and led us to a restaurant. Try that restaurant (a pizza place)...it is awesome. They advertise in the Avel's kitchen area.
The room itself was clean and comfortable. I thought that the shower was a bit odd (the hose was connected to the sink), but that seems to be on par with houses in Bulgaria. For the most part, though, Avel Guest House exceeded my expectations.
One thing to note is that parking is a little difficult. You have to park on the street. When you do park, it is easier to park on the block across the street from the hotel and around the corner.
FINDING IT. GPS gets you close, but drops you off next to the place. What you see with GPS is a place with barbed wire on top of the fence. Its not that one...it is the home next door. Look for #40. The sign is hand-painted in rather faded letters on the security wall (note to hotel...I recommend a second coat of paint on the lettering). The building itself is a typical three-story Bulgarian home, which house been converted into a 6-room lodge. I'm inclined to say that it is painted pumpkin orange.
For convenience to the airport, price, and comfort, it is hard to pass up this place. I was expecting someplace scary...but instead had a very nice stay. I will happily have my family stay there with me again!

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2011

Poli

Poli

Great place! I was surprised of the quality of the room compared to the price asked for it. The place is very close to the airport, but since it is in a residential neighborhood, it is a bit tricky to get to the city center. Anyhow the owners were very helpful...

6/10

Pleasant

16 Oct 2023

Ibrahim

Das Zimmer war um 16 uhr bei Ankunft leider nicht vorbereitet, musste denn 1 std auf die Reinigung vorort warten, schlechte Vorbereitung.

Business_and_leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

03 Jun 2019

Natalia

Удобно!!!

Вполне комфортно! Нет ни претензий, ни нареканий. Не стыдно рекомендовать этот отель тем, кто имеет ночные авиа-вылеты, т.к. хозяин отеля очень любезен и сам отвозит своих гостей в аэропорт, что особенно удобно.

6/10

Pleasant

06 Nov 2018

Arnim

Am Flughafen holte uns trotz Verabredung keiner ab, dann wilde Taxifahrt quer duch die Stadt, abgeladen im völligen Dunkeln um Mitternacht in einem nicht ganz so tollen Stadtviertel, nach einigen Telefonaten bekamen wir telefonisch mitgeteilt, wie wir ins Zimmer kommen- ohne persönliche Begrüßung. Zimmer war einfach, etwas hellhörig, für eine Nacht noch erträglich. Am nächsten Tag hat uns dann der Chef wieder zum Flughafen gebracht auch als Wiedergutmachung für den verpatzten nächtlichen Transfer, das war in Ordnung. Nur für Puristen und Abenteurer!

8/10

Excellent

04 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Near Sofia airport, 15mn, useful in case of a very

The choice was made only on the near location of Sofia airport and price. Not to pay too much for a very short night!

2/10

Poor

08 Nov 2016

Lillian

Never ever again

totalt uanstændigt som jeg skrev til jer den 16.6, hvorfor skal jeg starte forfra nu med en klage, halllooooo ?

8/10

Excellent

07 Oct 2016

YURIY

Удобный уголок для улетающих из Софии.

Можно пожить рядом с простым народом Болгарии.Район позволяет.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Dec 2015

Gérald

Une soirée memorable' avec visite des monuments historique du centre Sofia, des hôtes très sympathiques et un plus, yordan parle couramment le français. Nous reviendrons. C'est sur!!!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Nov 2014

cyril

Chaleureux, bon rapport qualité/prix, mais bruyant

L'hôte nous a reçus chaleureusement, il a été flexible sur les horaires, il est allé nous chercher à minuit à l'aéroport. En plus, il nous a donné quelques conseils sur la ville, il parle français assez couramment.
Le côté moins concerne la chambre, celle qui donne sur la rue, elle est assez bruyante du fait de la circulation, il y a beaucoup de passages à partir de 6h-7h du matin.
Confort de la chambre ok : bonne literie, douche & wc dans une petite pièce étroite, tv, possibilité de faire tisane, café soluble.
A 15 mn en bus du centre-ville.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Nov 2014

christophe

Avel

Best opportunity for this price !

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2014

domenico

comodissimo

perfetto ci tornero tra un mese

8/10

Excellent

09 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

空港から近いエリアで、Sofia中心地からトローリーバスで7駅の郊外ゲストハウス

フライトの遅延で一日目の宿泊をキャンセルにしたにもかかわらず、終始気持ちのいい対応でした。ゲストハウスのご主人は英語、フランス語、イタリア語も少し話せ色々な要望に快く答えてくれる方です。

10/10

Exceptional

12 Nov 2013

Nora

Le Gérant de l'hôtel Monsieur yordan Nous a très bien reçu Il a été très avenant à notre égard je conseil Vivement cette Maison hôte !!!!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2013

Verified traveler

Sehr nette Pension

Das Avel-Guesthouse wird von sehr netten Leuten betrieben, die sich unglaublich gut um ihre Gäste kümmer. Die Zimmer sind recht einfach, aber absolut ausreichend und sauber. Die Umgebung ist ruhig und man ist mit dem Stadtbus in 20 min im Zentrum.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Aug 2012

Verified traveler

Nahe dem Flughafen

Wurde vom Busbahnhof in Sofia abgeholt und ein Taxi wurde für mich am nächsten Tag bestellt.Alles perfekt gelaufen.Sie war sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit.Gerne wieder.