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Kosovo, a village in Bulgaria (not to be confused with the more famous Kosovo in the Balkans) is a small, picturesque Rhodope mountain town that Diana and I visited during our journey through Bulgaria. We found an authentic Bulgarian accommodation at the Complex Kosovo Houses, a group of family-run houses designed, built, and renovated in a typical Rodopi architectural style. The complex is located approximately one hour away from Plovdiv by car and less than three hours from Sofia, but alternatively, guests can bus to Narechenski Bani from Plovdiv and get picked up there by the friendly staff at Kosovo Houses. If you’re looking for an authentic Bulgarian accommodation in the Rhodope mountains, look no further than Complex Kosovo Houses.

Kosovo Houses
Overview of Complex Kosovo Houses
The complex consists of three houses and one restaurant, and is located within a 10 minute walk to the chapel and central village of Kosovo. Our room was in the Hadjiyska House, the main house located right next to the restaurant. The other two houses are located on different hills, a short walk from the main restaurant/guesthouse area. Even though we went during the off-season, we encountered plenty of other guests (mostly families and couples) staying in the rooms, as well as local dogs who greeted us with warm Bulgarian hospitality.
Hospitable Service and Staff
Diana and I were awestruck by the level of hospitality shown to us at Kosovo Houses. Upon arriving at the main house, Svetlana, the wife in the husband-wife duo that owns Complex Kosovo Houses, came out to greet us with the warmest welcome and immediately offered us coffee, tea, and other refreshments. She then showed us to our room on the second floor of the main house and asked us if we needed help with our bags. We had rented a tiny, manual car and hadn’t been able to make it up the hill, so we explained that we had left our bags in our car parked at the bottom of the hill. Upon hearing this, Svetlana’s son offered to either drive our car up or drive his car down to help us pick up our bags. Even though the walk down the hill wasn’t long, he insisted and we happily obliged – we had done enough hiking for the day at that point!

Front of Hadjiyska House
All of this happened in the first five minutes of our arrival, and although I didn’t think it possible, the quality of service only increased from here. Svetlana or another member of the staff was always available in the restaurant for any questions or concerns, and we found them very approachable and helpful. We conversed the most with Svetlana, presumably because of a language barrier with some of the other staff, and loved hearing about her life and the story behind how Kosovo Houses started.
Homemade, Authentic, and Delicious Food
We had read tons of reviews from guests who raved about the food at Kosovo Houses before arriving, and we’re incredibly happy to say that we were far from disappointed. The restaurant at Kosovo Houses was open the entire time we were there – and we were there during times ranging from 8:30 AM to 10:30 PM. At Complex Kosovo Houses, you will be fed homemade, authentic, and delicious Bulgarian food, specifically food that is commonly found in the Rhodopes.

Balcony of the restaurant
We had three meals/snacks at the restaurant – dinner, late-night dessert and tea, and breakfast. For dinner, Diana and I ordered Patatnik and Klopanitsa. Patatnik is a potato dish native to Bulgaria made with onions and Gyosum – it is arguably one of the most famous dishes in the Rhodopes and is a must-try for anyone travelling to the region. The Klopanitsa that we ordered was made with pork, cooked peppers, etc., and topped with a layer of cheese. We would later come to find that Bulgarians use some form of dairy product, usually yogurt or cheese, in essentially every dish they make. Unfortunately, I am lactose intolerant, but the food was too good to resist and I had a full bottle of Lactaid pills on hand.

ALL OF THE CHEESE

Dish #1: Patanik

Dish #2: Klopanitsa
After the walk Diana and I took to digest our dinner, we returned to the restaurant for tea and dessert. Among our options for dessert were various types of yogurt, cake, baklava, and what Svetlana calls ‘Grandma’s Dessert’. She explained that it was a dessert that her grandmother had made for her as a child, and of course, we couldn’t resist trying it for ourselves. The dessert, a chocolate and nutty mixture served with whipped cream, was paired with our tea and served as the perfect way to wind down after a long and tiring day. We were there on a day when another family was having a large reunion, and they had invited a group of traditional bagpipe playing Bulgarian musicians to perform at the restaurant. Unfortunately, we were too exhausted and ended up going back to our room before the bagpipe players arrived, but we heard a sneak preview of their music through our window while they walked from their car into the restaurant.

Grandma’s Dessert
In the morning, the kitchen was up and running at 8:30 AM. We arrived at the restaurant and Svetlana immediately informed us that our Rodopi breakfast was in the works and would be ready soon. Our breakfast, as authentically Rodopi as our other meals had been, was Banitsa – a Bulgarian-style pancake made with eggs and cheese and served with jam and feta cheese. I was initially skeptical when Svetlana told us that we could mix the feta and jam together on the pancake, but after trying it, I am completely sold and trust that it is impossible for Rhodope food not to be delicious.

Breakfast Banitsa
Beautiful Location in the Heart of the Rhodope Mountains
Complex Kosovo Houses has the most magnificent location in the heart of the Rhodope mountains. It is completely surrounded by the Rhodopes, and sitting on the balcony of the restaurant gazing out at the mountains was simultaneously calming and thrilling. For nature lovers and hikers alike, there are tons of trails located near Kosovo Houses. Svetlana informed us that most of the hikes nearby were quite steep, and we had already hiked vigorously that day – so we opted out of additional intense hiking and took a walk around the village instead.

An abandoned house in the village
Diana and I both had a preconceived notion about the village that turned out to be completely false. We knew that Kosovo was small and assumed that there wouldn’t be many shops around. However, we still thought that there would be a central street with some houses and stores. We circled up and down the mountain looking for the village, and were mind-boggled by the fact that we kept missing it when the map said we were there. We found out later that we had, in fact, reached the village, but instead of a street with stores, it was merely a few houses scattered throughout the hills. The hike was serene and refreshing, and we were able to see some stunning views of the mountains and Kosovo Houses along the way.

Rhodopean mountains surrounding Kosovo
Comfortable Rodopi Style Rooms
The rooms at Complex Kosovo Houses included everything we could have needed. There were sets of pillows and blankets, as well as extra blankets in case it got cold at night. Additionally, space heaters were included in each room, so being cold is a non-issue at Kosovo Houses.
In addition to bedding, there was a television, full-length mirror, luggage table, and chair in our room. The bathrooms were equipped with shampoo, body wash, soap, hand and body towels, and glass cups.
Although there isn’t a desk inside the room, there is a large common area right outside the room with tables and colourfully decorated benches. This room is surrounded by long glass windows and is an excellent place to relax, chat, and bask in the natural light.

Common sitting area
Overall, we couldn’t have asked for more from our stay at the Complex Kosovo Houses. From the beginning to the end, we were confident that we had found an authentic Bulgarian accommodation at Complex Kosovo Houses from the hospitality, to the architecture, to the food, and beyond. Everything was impeccable and made our time in Kosovo all the more enjoyable. Book your stay with the Complex Kosovo Houses today!
Complex Kosovo Houses
Website
Book now
Email: info@selokosovo.com
Phone: +359 (0)3342 2333
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A big thank you to Complex Kosovo Houses for making our stay possible. As always, all opinions are 100% our own.
Hope this place looks special. The meal? Delicious! Delish looking at least LOL. I spoke to friends who traveled through Bulgaria for a few months. Loved it. Warm folks, gorgeous land and inspired food too. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ryan
Thanks Ryan!! The food was definitely one of many highlights ?And totally agree, your friends were right about all those things!
Wow ? what an experience. A great post giving all the details and the photos compliments it. I love the cheese and the pancakes. The place looks unique and one I would love to visit some day. Thanks for sharing.
100% worth visiting! It’s the most authentic accommodation you’ll get in Bulgaria and is a fabulous way to learn more about the country. Thanks for reading!
I enjoyed reading your experience. Sometimes the road less travelled and authentic experiences like this make for the lifelong memory. I would love to try this little countryside sometime.
They immerse you in the culture and country to a much deeper level than most traditional hotels! Thanks for the comment 🙂
This is a great way to experience some local cuisine and culture. I loved the location of the place and the hiking trails around it. Pity you could not stay awake for the Bulgarian Bagpipes. But it is nice to know that it is around for you to experience. The food spread is quite interesting.
This place looks very cozy and warm. I have visited Bulgaria years ago and even though our hotel was fine, we had a funny characteristics in our room. The restroom was so small that you were not able to sit on the toilet with the door closed. So they had cut a piece out of the door. Basically, you would sit in the toilet, close the door and your feet were still outside… ha ha.
I definitely remember those clay pots they used for food.
I actually had no idea Bulgaria is so green and beautiful! Kosovo Houses seems like a perfect place to stay while traveling over there with being located basically in the middle of no-one, so you had enjoy the nature! Hotel itself is also very pretty! And wow the food looks so delicious! The kitchen seems a bit similar to a polish kitchen so I would defiantly love it. Great photos!
This authentic Bulgarian stay looks interesting and beautiful as it is surrounded by mountains and situated in small village. Kosvo village is beautiful with small houses and hikes along Rhodopean mountains. Oh! you missed the live music .. I love places with live music with authentic local cuisine.
This authentic Bulgarian stay looks so very charming and nice. I love that it is surrounded by mountains. I love the Breakfast Banitsa that looks and sound so yummy. I just love your room too and the common area. This is definitely the type of place I would love to stay in.
I’m always a big fan of unusual accommodations. Such authentic ones, that are so true to the local region is such a special way to enjoy any place.
Ha, 3 houses in 3 different hills?!! That’s a type of hotel that I’ve never heard of! Its just in the heart of nature.
Your stay at the Kosovo Houses sounds like such a wonderful experience. I love that you experience a very warm and humble hospitality when you stay here which makes the world of difference. The food does sounds so delicious, no wonder people have raves about it. I totally would love to try the Patanik!
Wow, this looks like such a cool place. I would love to travel more around Eastern Europe and I think this place is really good on any Bulgaria itinerary. It looks very authentic and I love how it’s located in a tiny mountain village (even if you couldn’t find the village at first). I would love to walk in between the houses and go for a longer hike through the mountains.
Also, the food looks absolutely delicious. That picture in which the cheese gets longer and longer? Just by looking at it I got extremely hungry. I love cuisines which are based on cheese and other dairy products, so I am sure I would enjoy the Bulgarian dishes from that region a lot. I’d probably insist that my boyfriend and I order two separate dishes and share so we can make the most of it. And I would totally go for Grandmother’s Dessert afterwards!