CHARLES WADEPALMER finds a budget skiing destination that ticks all boxes

FLANKED by a pair of tail-wagging stray dogs charging through the snow, we found ourselves shooting up ski resort Bansko's playground of a mountain rather than heading downhill.

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After a day sketching miles and miles of Bulgarian white stuff with our skis, it was time for a thrill kinder on our bodies but no less thrilling.

After a brief instruction on how to start and stop our Ski-Doo snowmobiles, we headed onwards and upwards through a remarkable number of stragglers still enjoying the piste who had to make way for our James Bond-esque machines.

The no-nonsense waving aside from our leader to clear our path probably left them regretting their laid back descent. Fortunately I had no such run-in with him, keeping my machine on the straight and narrow.

That is until the overwhelming urge for a zoom saw me perhaps unwisely going full throttle to clock up 34mph on my way to our recently refurbished four-star hotel.

The Four Points by Sheraton Bansko lies in between the old town and new. And it looked so good I'd already booked it for another trip taking place one month later.

Relaxing in one of the spa's several saunas that evening felt like a major pat on the back. As if the food and calming atmosphere of the hotel wasn’t enough confirmation that I'd made the right choice.

With cosy Mehanas - traditional Bulgarian restaurants - at one end and bars catering for boozy Brits at the other, Bansko’s collision of two worlds was summed up on our final night, which ended with a game of pool, having entered a pub through red telephone boxes.

When eating somewhere new I always take a sneaky peak at what other diners in the restaurant have chosen, to see what looks good.