 | Flytrippers cofounder |
Caroline and I have been spending 1 to 2 months in Bansko, Bulgaria, most summers since 2022. It’s an affordable mountain town at the foot of Pirin National Park in the southwest of the country. We had a 35,000-point Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate that was about to expire, so we decided to go test out the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko for you.
I already wrote about why I choose Bansko over the Alps in the summer. And every Canadian traveler should have both amazing Marriott Bonvoy free night certificates every year (or even 4 in 2-player mode as we do).
I’m sharing my review here, and also the rewards math from that night. Flytrippers aims to help you travel for less through our 3 types of content, namely flight deals, travel rewards, and tips/inspiration/news.
Here’s my review of the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko.
What is it like to stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko?
It’s a very nice hotel with a clear mountain feel. The elite treatment was great, the upgraded room we got was beautiful, the bed was comfortable, and the location at the top of the walking street is excellent.
The spa and pool area is very extensive for a Four Points by Sheraton. This brand’s hotels can be pretty different depending on the country, and this one was on the nicer side. Indeed, many of Marriott’s midscale brands are way more upscale in Europe and Asia.
What is the price of the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko?
I booked the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko with a Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate.
It was the annual 35,000-point certificate from my Marriott cards. The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card and the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card (no incorporated business required) each give you one of these every year after the first renewal.
It’s one of the best benefits of any Canadian credit card! Now is the best time to get the cards if you don’t already have both, with the record-high Marriott Bonvoy welcome bonus deals back until September 22, 2026.
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Caroline and I have those 4 cards between us (we both have both cards), which is what all Canadian couples who like to travel should do as well. We have at least 8 Marriott certificates per year if you count those we get from our US-issued credit cards.
It makes no sense to close these cards since it’s usually pretty easy to find great value for each certificate. Your free night will easily be worth more than the annual fee paid. Think of it as prepaying a much more expensive night.
During the peak winter season, the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko often costs around 31,000 points or 245 EUR per night, making it a great certificate redemption.
During the summer, it’s actually better to pay in cash. The month we were there, it cost between 59 EUR and 150 EUR a night or 27,000 points. For July 2027, the prices are still similar. That’s very poor value. The value can vary a lot.
At those low cash prices, the hotel is a great option for a short stay in Bansko. I would not redeem points or certificates here in the summer, nor stay for a long time (our apartment was 460 EUR for the whole month, and the view was better).
The downside of traveling full-time as we do is that you always think you can find a better redemption for certificates, and sometimes you don’t, and it’s too late. This time, it was a terrible redemption: a 35,000-point certificate for a night that cost 59 EUR in cash.
You’ve got the whole year to redeem these on a higher cash price. We try to get more than the 120 CAD annual fee out of these certificates, and here we failed. That rarely happens, as it’s actually very hard to fail, since almost all hotels will be priced higher than that.
For contrast, we redeemed the same 35,000-point certificate at The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty where the cash price was over 600 USD a night (detailed review soon). That’s how you maximize them: high cash price. That great redemption made up for this one here.
Where is the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko located?
The Four Points by Sheraton Bansko hotel is right at the top of the walking street, a great location. It’s close to the gondola, which makes it an even better location for the wintertime.
It’s across from Pirin 75, a popular bar in town, and close to Black Honey, an even more popular coffee shop. The whole city is very walkable, and great hikes are close by.
How was the check-in experience at the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko?
The hotel looks very nice from the outside, and the lobby has that mountain-hotel feel. Check-in was easy.
We walked over around noon on a hot summer day so we could use the gym and the pool.
Thanks to our Marriott elite status, we got quite a few privileges. First, they let us check in early.
They also automatically upgraded us to their best room, a 1-bedroom suite (with a king bed and a sofa bed), instead of the standard room we booked.
We asked for a late checkout too and left at 4 PM the next day, so we had almost 2 full days to take advantage of the facilities, as we often do.
There’s no VIP hotel lounge here, and breakfast is included for everyone anyway (the Four Points brand doesn’t require this, so this hotel is more generous), so those great elite benefits weren’t used this time.
With my US-issued Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, I get automatic Platinum elite status, and that’s the best tier to reach. With the Canadian Marriott Bonvoy Amex Cards, you get automatic Silver elite status… but you get a shortcut to Platinum elite status.
You need to stay 35 nights (instead of 50), which is what I used to do every year. But there’s also usually a double-night promo in the winter that you can plan a trip around to get Platinum status with as little as 18 nights.
What is the room like at the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko?
I never saw the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko’s standard room we had booked, but the suite we were upgraded to was a nice big room with 2 balconies and a separate living room area.
There was a sofa bed, a separate chair, a decent desk to get work done, and the 1st balcony.
The bedroom had a king bed and the other balcony.
The bed was very comfy, and the room had blackout curtains.
There was a fridge (no minibar) and a coffee machine.
The air conditioning didn’t really work that well, but the nights were still cool so it was fine for our stay.
The 2 balconies overlooked the hotel’s pretty courtyard.
That was a great view even from inside the room.
There were chairs and a small table.
The bathroom was stylish and had a shower with great water pressure.
The Wi-Fi was good, and it was peaceful and quiet.
There was also plenty of storage space.
What amenities are offered at the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko?
The spa and pool area is very extensive.
There’s a nice outdoor pool.
And also an indoor pool.
I didn’t use these amenities, but Caroline spent both days there and enjoyed them. The hotel also sells day passes if you’re already in town and just want to use the facilities. We saw them discounted to 10 EUR during Bansko Nomad Fest; they usually are 20 EUR. Caroline actually went back another time on a day pass.
The gym was good, and it was nice to have a real one for 2 days in the summer. It isn’t the best hotel gym I’ve seen, but you’ve got all the essentials.
I walked past the spa, and it looked fine, but I didn’t use it.
Finally, as a nice common area, the hotel had a courtyard. There were rabbits, turtles, and cats.
How are the food and beverage at the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko?
Breakfast was included at the Four Points by Sheraton Bansko, and it was good. The best thing I tried was the Bulgarian banitsa. There was indoor or outdoor seating, and the restaurant was pretty full.
We didn’t eat at the hotel restaurants otherwise, but they looked good. There’s also a ton of good cheap food around town near the hotel. We went to Focaccia, a new sandwich place that opened very close by this year, and it was good.
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Summary
The Four Points by Sheraton Bansko is a beautiful hotel in a great location, and the suite and the bed were great. Using a 35,000-point Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate on a 59 EUR summer night was a terrible redemption, but it can be a very good one in the winter. I’d consider staying here in cash for a very short visit at that price, but our apartment is 460 EUR for the whole month was better.
What would you like to know about this Four Points by Sheraton Bansko hotel review? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Four Points by Sheraton Bansko (photo credit: Kevin Gagnon/Flytrippers)
