Pascal Doychev is an entrepreneur with nearly 20 years of experience in the fields of construction, services and tourism. He is the founder and owner of Pulse Fitness & SPA, the largest lifestyle fitness chain in Bulgaria and a leading importer of fitness equipment.

He has successfully built and developed Grand Hotel Sveti Vlas, Grand Hotel Bansko, Emirates Residence and the Ring Tower business centre. He has successfully completed projects of hotels, residential and office buildings and his latest venture is a holiday complex in the village of Banya, Razlog municipality.

– Mr. Doychev, tell us more about your latest project – a hotel complex in the village of Banya, Bansko municipality, which you have been working on for the last few months? What is its concept?

For several months I have been closely involved in the implementation of the project, which is over 27 thousand square meters of total built-up area. It consists of 160 rooms hotel part, 19 houses and 3 three-storey buildings with apartments for sale with hot connection.

A 5,000 sqm spa is also under construction by the Pulse fitness & Spa chain, which will cater to external customers and residents in the area and will also be connected to the hotel’s spa area.

The concept of the complex is an environmentally friendly life in mountain apartments with all the extras created for the comfort of visitors – a spa center with steam bath, sauna and massages, a swimming pool with mineral water, a large fitness again from the Pulse fitness & Spa chain, a restaurant with healthy cuisine, the possibility of outings and organized hikes in the mountains. An incomparable place with pure energy, organized to be the source of a comfortable, active and wonderful life.

– What materials do you use and what style are the interior and exterior?

Our aim is to preserve as much green space as possible. Overall, the density of the development is low given that the entire site is 42 thousand sqm. We have relied mainly on natural materials – stone, wood and leather – to be in harmony with our surroundings. The roof has wooden trusses and glazing to provide as much sunlight as possible in the central part of the building, where there is a large atrium.

The hotel’s lobby bar has direct access to the outdoor panoramic pool, which will have mineral water. The area is mountainous so it was only logical that we decided to give the complex an alpine look, which gives the project an overall finish.

– One of the distinguishing features of your hotels and facilities are the large spa areas, and you have built quite a few of these at other hotels. You have concessioned the town pool of the village, which is famous for its spas, what are your plans in this direction?

We are currently developing the existing Olympic-sized pool and, as I mentioned, we are building a large spa on the site of the city pool, which does not yet exist in Bulgaria.

Of course, all the facilities have mineral water that springs there at 56 degrees.

– Why did you choose to invest in the village of Banya?

In 2009 we opened the Grand Hotel Bansko. Back then I was considering the idea of investing in Banya, where we could build a hotel complex, but at that time there was a serious influx of English tourists, which determined my choice at that time and I decided on the option in Bansko. We subsequently built the Royal Spa Hotel in Velingrad, which was quite successful and in the third year we got a good offer and sold it. Now the time has come to realise this long delayed but very desirable project in Banya, because I am convinced that the place is extremely suitable for spa and tourism.

The area is characterised by certain natural features that set it apart. It is located between three mountains, has a thousand-year tradition of healing mineral springs and, unlike other spa destinations, has a ski season. We will also focus on the development of fitness tourism. These components create the possibility of full occupancy of the hotel during the week as well as in the months of January and February unlike Velingrad for example.

What are the consumer trends and attitudes ?

Every investment decision we make is based on in-depth analyses of user behaviour and needs. The habits and preferences of the Bulgarian tourist show that they like to travel during the weekend to nearby destinations that do not take more than two hours. We put the wishes of our clients at the centre of every endeavour, striving to meet their expectations so they can have the fulfilling holiday they hope for.

source: investor.bg