The Starosel Wine & SPA Complex lies at the foot of the Sredna Gora mountains, an hour away from Plovdiv and two hours from Sofia, close to the Thracian cult complexes of the area. Opened in 2005 on 10 hectares, the complex has four accommodation areas - Hotel Starosel, the Starosel Deluxe Wing, the Thracian Residence and guest apartments - with 268 rooms in total. There is also a bowling alley with a games room and a small petting zoo, a nice extra for families with children.
Restaurants and bars
Thracian Residence Restaurant - 350 seats inside and 100 on the terrace; breakfast 08:00-10:30, lunch 12:30-14:30, dinner 19:00-22:00; meat, vegetarian and fish dishes, buffet for guests staying in the Thracian Residence.
Starosel Restaurant - 100 seats on the ground floor, 60 on the first floor and 90 on the terrace; open 08:00-23:30; cosy traditional style with Bulgarian cuisine in a modern take and a glazed terrace open all year.
Terroir Restaurant - 20 seats on the ground floor, 30 upstairs and 30 on the terrace; until 23:00 by prior arrangement; a stylish setting for private six-course gourmet dinners for groups of 20 to 40, also suitable for family celebrations and small weddings.
Orpheus Hall - a multifunctional hall with over 600 seats on two floors and a professionally equipped stage, for gala dinners, award ceremonies and parties, available for exclusive use.
Piano Bar - a night venue for 250 guests, open 23:00-04:00 by prior arrangement, with a stage, professional sound and lighting and a wide choice of premium drinks.
Lobby Bar - 40 seats in the inner courtyard, 60 in the lobby bar and 52 by the pool; open 07:00-02:00; cocktails, lemonades, fresh juices and food between breakfast and dinner.
Pool Bar - seasonal, at the Starosel spa centre, open 08:00-20:00.
Spa and pools
The complex has two spa centres with a total area of over 10,000 sq m, fed by thermal mineral water. Starosel SPA offers three outdoor mineral pools (38°C in winter, 32°C in summer), an outdoor jacuzzi (40°C), a 25-metre indoor panoramic mineral pool (32°C), a small relaxation pool (37°C), an indoor jacuzzi (38°C), two Finnish saunas, an aroma sauna, two steam baths (45°C), warm hammams and an outdoor gym in the open air.
Thracian Residence SPA includes a large 25-metre mineral pool (32°C), a small pool with a 180-degree slide, the "Treasures" pool, a plunge pool, a salt pool with hydromassage jets (36°C), four outdoor jacuzzis (38°C), a Finnish sauna with a panoramic forest view (85-90°C), a soft sauna, a steam bath, a salt cave, a sun room, a snow room for contrast therapy, an open-air solarium and a professional fitness centre.
The complex's own line of premium cosmetics based on grape-seed oil, scrub and wine lees is used in its exclusive wine therapies - the only wine-therapy massage rooms of their kind in Bulgaria, including a VIP room for private treatments and the "Wine Barrel of the God Dionysus" ritual in a barrel-shaped bath.
Events and conference halls
Ten conference halls for 12 to 1,000 guests with high-speed wireless internet - for corporate events, gala dinners and private celebrations, with catering, DJ and entertainment options and a dedicated event coordinator.
Winery
The complex's own winery processes 1,200 tonnes of grapes a year and produces premium wines and rakia. Guided wine tastings and wine team-building activities are offered for groups, and the wines can be bought in the shops on site.
Tastings
Hotel guests receive a complimentary introductory wine tour. The winery also offers guided tastings of 3 wines for €15 (with bread crackers and water), 5 wines for €19 (with bread crackers and water) or 7 wines for €25 (with mixed bites and water), as well as a tasting of 3 Bulgarian rakias for €19 (with salad and water). For something different there is "Winemaking" for €25 - creating your own wine, ideal for company events or group visits.
