An interview with Kleoniki Georgiadou, Executive Director of Icon Borovets, the company owner of Euphoria Club Hotel & Resorts, Borovets.
In 2025, Borovets Euphoria Club Hotel & Resort was awarded the ‘V – Verified by Guests’ quality mark for excellence in hotel service. In your view, what are the key factors behind this high level of guest recognition?
In 2025, guests recognize a hotel as ‘the best’ not solely because of its luxury, but due to a specific set of emotional touchpoints. At Euphoria Club Hotel & Resort, emotional loyalty is of paramount importance. By this, we mean that guests remain loyal because they feel genuinely valued, not because of discounts or transactional incentives. We strive to anticipate guests’ needs proactively—this is where they perceive true excellence. Our visitors enjoy personalized hospitality, with a team that consistently offers something extra, something beyond standard service. Personalization has evolved from a ‘nice-to-have’ into a fundamental expectation.
Our guests appreciate what we describe as ‘meaningful luxury’: high-quality beds and linens, carefully selected materials and fabrics, and details that provide comfort—elements that are felt rather than merely seen. They value the combination of thoughtfully designed and well-maintained amenities with a close, direct connection to nature.
Another important factor is our commitment to Authentic Sustainability. Today’s travelers seek brands that align with their values. Recognition comes from visible, honest efforts such as a zero‑waste kitchen, locally sourced produce (within 50 km), effective waste management, and the elimination of single-use plastics in favor of high-quality refillable dispensers. This approach is particularly impactful in an environment where nature is the dominant and central attraction.
Tell us more about the hotel itself. What would you say are the most distinctive features that set Borovets Euphoria apart from other hotels in Borovets?
What differentiates Euphoria from other hotels in Borovets is that we are a family‑oriented mountain hotel. While many establishments focus on individual luxury, we emphasize shared luxury. We don’t simply provide rooms—we provide spaces where families can reconnect. In the mountains, nature naturally brings people closer together; it acts as a form of emotional detox.
Our family apartments offer spacious living areas with private bathrooms, ensuring both togetherness and privacy. Hotel amenities support a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities that encourage communication and interaction. The combination of breathtaking scenery, pristine surroundings, comfortable accommodations, and attentive yet discreet service creates ideal conditions for calmness, presence, and meaningful family experiences.
How do you use guest feedback to consistently maintain a high standard of service?
We collect feedback through both in‑stay and post‑stay surveys, and we actively monitor online platforms and OTAs to assess our digital reputation. All feedback—positive or negative—is shared with relevant departments and serves as a valuable source of ideas and motivation. Positive comments are used to acknowledge and reward high-performing team members.
We also maintain active online communication with our guests. Endless debates or generic responses such as “thank you for your kind words” add little value. Our goal is structured, meaningful, and service‑oriented communication, which we consider an extension of our hospitality.
What management values and leadership approaches guide you when it comes to recruiting, training, and motivating your team?
The hospitality labor market, both in Bulgaria and globally, has fundamentally shifted. To attract and retain top talent, management must offer more than a competitive salary. We provide additional benefits such as flexible working hours and improved work–life balance. We also see our location not only as an advantage for guests but as a benefit for our staff.
We offer “Mountain Wellness” days off, during which employees may use hotel equipment such as bikes, skis, and gym facilities. Staff members also enjoy high-quality accommodation and healthy, locally sourced meals in the staff canteen. Extra effort, creativity, care for guests, and respect for the property are recognized and rewarded. We believe that every team member must clearly understand their responsibilities, yet feel cared for in the same way we care for our guests.
We take care of our people so that they can take care of our guests. By offering a workplace that supports mental well‑being, professional growth, and connection with the natural surroundings, we ensure that our service is delivered with genuine happiness—not mere obligation.
Your hotel’s philosophy speaks about turning ‘euphoria’ into a real experience. How does the combination of understated luxury and a natural mountain setting translate into a memorable stay for your guests?
We define ‘Euphoria’ as the moment a guest feels fully ‘in sync’ with their environment. Understated luxury means removing the “noise” of traditional high‑end service—overly formal gestures or excessive attention—and replacing it with space, calmness, and silence. Even the hotel’s architecture, blending stone and wood, green and white, grass and pine, is designed so that the building becomes a natural extension of the mountain.
Euphoria begins when guests stop ‘noticing’ the hotel and start experiencing the air, the light, and the silence of the peaks. In today’s world, true euphoria is the ability to disconnect from screens and reconnect with one’s family.
Euphoria is not something we manufacture; it is something we enable. By setting aside the pretentiousness of conventional luxury and allowing the majesty of the mountains to take center stage, we create a rare opportunity for quiet, authentic joy.
How does Borovets Euphoria develop and enhance its offerings across the winter and summer seasons in order to position itself as a truly year‑round destination?
Providing year‑round hospitality in a mountain resort is a significant challenge when public infrastructure and government regulations lag behind private investment. It is not enough for hotels alone to operate year‑round; the entire mountain infrastructure and tourism ecosystem—lifts, trails, transportation—must operate in harmony to position Bulgaria as a competitive four‑season destination.
Infrastructure is the catalyst for transforming Bulgarian mountain tourism from a winter‑only activity into a year‑round industry. Investments are required in energy and water supply networks, lift facility upgrades, and the expansion of ski areas. Nearby towns and villages should develop complementary activities and points of interest. Finally, well‑organised and targeted marketing campaigns are essential. There is still much work ahead.
Based on your experience, what message or advice would you share with colleagues managing mountain hotels in Bulgaria?
Managing a mountain hotel in Bulgaria is exceptionally challenging. It requires not only professional expertise but deep personal commitment. Managerial skills alone are often insufficient to handle unexpected and extraordinary situations. It may sound like a cliché, but without a strong emotional attachment to the work and the environment, even the most professional efforts may not lead to lasting satisfaction.
See the Borovets Euphoria Club Hotel & Resort profile at BestHotels.bg here.
