It’s nice to visit Bononia Estate, but for a maximum of 2 nights. One reason is that there isn’t much unless you seriously need to catch up on rest. The second reason is that it’s quite expensive – EUR 247 for a double room without a river view on weekends, plus an extra 50 euros if you want a view. Breakfast is included, and there’s also a spa zone available.

To find out if it’s worth making the trip to the surroundings of Vidin, you’ll find out as you continue reading the post.

April 2024

Rating for Bononia Estate by the 5D Sensograph: 4.2 out of 5.

(click on the 5 sense icons to fast jump to the details about the experiences associated with each)

        

         

         

          

          

 

Experience accents as per the 5D Sensograph:

See the rooms facing the Danube River- they truly have a wonderful view. Even in the bathroom, you have a bathtub from which you can enjoy it if you slightly raise yourself up.

Feel good service.

Hear the silence at night, only the faint sound of a passing ship breaks it.

Smell the aromas of Istar Cabernet Franc, 2021 and Istar Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon, 2021 from the reds, and Dimyat from the whites.

Taste delicious cuisine, the menu is crafted by Philip Zahariev.

Reading time: 5 min

You don’t have 5 min to read? Then try the fast mode, go only through bold and colored text: 3 мин.

You don’t feel like reading? See the short movie further below: 2:09 min.

See in Bononia Estate …

… Spacious rooms with pleasant design: both the hotel and the tourist section of the winery are lavishly and stylishly designed.

 … Impressive extras and compliments in the rooms: Illy coffee capsules, tea, still and sparkling mineral water, and more. Read on to find out what else you get as a gift.

 … Stunning views of the river from the more expensive rooms: the greenery and the river in springtime soothe the eyes and transport you into blissful dolce far niente (pleasant idleness). Add a glass of complimentary Sauvignon Blanc wine, and everything is just right!

… In the bathroom, there is a window that unfortunately lacks a curtain, making it uneasy to enter during the evening when the light is on. Here, I believe serious consideration should be given to covering it.

… Numerous artificial plants and flowers: I don’t even know if there were any natural ones anywhere. It creates a sense of falseness and kitsch, especially against the backdrop of the surrounding luxury.

Feel  in Bononia Estate …

… Everyone, from the manager to the waitstaff, is very kind and smiling: you feel pampered from the moment you arrive. Upon check-in at the reception, you receive a small ampoule of your choice wtih fragrance from Doterra, which you place in the room diffuser. A small bottle of white wine awaits you to start your wine weekend without delay.

… Opportunity for a tour of the winery with tasting and other wine-related activities: there are 3 wine tasting packages available: tasting of 3, 4 wines, and an option with 4 wines plus rakia. You can also arrange for a tasting amidst the vineyards, on a yacht, and so on.

… The spa area includes 3 saunas and hot air benches. We were only two, but they turned it on especially for us. The aquarium there is impressive, but the rest not so much.

… The hotel has a cigar bar with a record player that plays vinyl records, but its speaker is decorative- it lacks any bass frequencies. However, the atmosphere there is very pleasant, and there are even board games available.

Hear in Bononia Estate …

… Russian language music in the restaurant in the evening: It hadn’t happened to us before, but we heard quite interesting pieces by Azerbaijani and Ukrainian performers. A pleasant difference from the standard in other establishments.

… Smooth jazz on online radio during breakfast – wonderful!

… Interesting information about the restoration of the building and its cellar during the tasting. There used to be a brewery, and practically, the underground rooms where the temperature remains constant throughout the year have been preserved, which is wonderful for storing and aging wine.

Movie-watching time: 2:09 min.

Smell in Bononia Estate …

… The aromas of the wines: Going to Bononia Estate without being a wine enthusiast is a bit pointless, so needless to say, tasting or at least trying wines from the Gomotartsi, Istar, and First Vintage series is mandatory. You’ll definitely discover new favorites among the Bulgarian representatives of this industry. I was particularly impressed by Dimyat, Cabernet Franc, and the blend of Cabernet Franc and Syrah from the Istar series.

… Some of the sauces in the evening menu had stronger flavors, which I didn’t like.

… There were no aromas in the steam bath at the SPA, which I consider to be a drawback.

Taste  in Bononia Estate …

… The food in the restaurant is delicious: the menu is crafted by Philip Zahariev. We focused on the fish – sturgeon and catfish, which I really enjoyed. The beef was also wonderful, but the pasta was quite heavy, presumably due to the cream.

… Something I hadn’t tried before and enjoyed was the burrata salad with vanilla. The hint of vanilla aroma was just enough to make it a bit more interesting. Homemade bread served with miso butter was also very intriguing.

What we liked the most was Philip Zahariev’s version of tutmanik – it’s definitely worth a try.

Tutmanik is a traditional dough pie with cheese.

The milk banitsa was interesting because it’s a deconstructed version of the original, but you can do without it if you’re not into culinary experiments.

… Breakfast was not bad, but the Eggs Benedict were served with raw bacon. When I expressed my dissatisfaction, they immediately offered to make them with cooked bacon. However, there was no hollandaise sauce. So, these were not Eggs Benedict in any way.

… Various types of coffee are offered, plus sparkling wine, but when my daughter asked for iced tea, we were charged for it. It’s normal, but at these prices, I feel they could have offered the option of complimentary tea, especially since there were no other guests at the hotel.

In such a type and class of hotel, you expect everything to be very polished, and the smallest mistake stands out.

We liked the wine, the food, and the hotel at Bononia Estate, but it won’t become a regular destination for us. I don’t know if I would come back but I would definitely buy their wines again.

Otherwise, the place is convenient for events, with conference rooms, and you could easily host a wedding there, but with a pretty serious budget.

How to get to Bononia Estate?

Just use the Google map here by clicking on the red pin of its location and then select directions:

A: Koshava village, Vidin, Bulgaria

T: +359 882362623

How to book your stay?

I recommend that you check the packages that the hotel offers on their website because they are very affordable. But for your convenience, I have also put a box on booking.com. Compare the prices and choose an option.

Booking.com

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Do you ever wonder how some places differ so much from others in service, environment, and overall experience? This means you are also interested like me in The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore. I constantly add to my collection reviews about those of them, which practice its principles, regardless of whether intentionally or accidentally. If you are curious to understand which they are, explore the category The Experience Economy.

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