“We spent more than 15 years in Venezuela. During one of our holidays in Bulgaria, we discovered the Rhodope village of Kosovo, and it captivated us forever – with its silence and tranquility, its cobblestone streets, and the old houses scattered on the hillsides. When we decided to return to Bulgaria, we had no doubts about where we wanted to live”.
This is what Hristo and Svetlana Ralevi share. Together with their partners, they own the “Kosovo Houses” complex. In 2002, they bought the home of the great Revival-era master builder Usta Hadzhi Georgi Stanchovski – the most prominent building in Kosovo, declared a cultural monument.
Their idea was to restore it and welcome guests there. The couple admits that finalizing the deal with the 66 heirs was difficult – negotiations lasted nearly a year and a half. The restoration took just as long, and in 2005 they began hosting tourists. Interest was high, and the Ralevi decided to expand their business. They applied for the SAPARD program in order to purchase and reconstruct two more beautiful houses in the village – the Gavatovska and Elinovska houses.
“At the end of 2006, we signed the contract with the State Agriculture Fund and started looking for a loan. The Bulgarian Development Bank offered us the best conditions – in terms of grace period and interest. The following year we took out BGN 700,000 with a 10-year repayment term,” Svetlana explains. According to her, the loan was approved quickly and without problems. The credit line was opened just in time – in April 2007, when construction work had to begin. Within 18 months, master builders from the Rhodope region restored the Gavatovska and Elinovska houses to their former glory. Both are located in Kosovo’s so-called “Turkish quarter.”
“In practice, we had to rebuild them from scratch, since only the walls were left. Before we began, architects came to take photos so we could restore the buildings in their original style – with stone slabs, chimneys, hearths, built-in cupboards, and wooden ceilings. This type of construction is very complex and expensive. Materials had to be carried up by horses due to the steep terrain,” the Ralevi explain. Their goal was for the houses not to resemble museums. Each has a room with traditional divans, but guest bedrooms are equipped with modern amenities.
The Gavatovska House is located in one of the highest spots in Kosovo and can only be reached on foot via a path. Luggage is carried up by lift – as are meals for the guests.
“The house has a wonderful panoramic view of the village. On the lowest level, there is a separate tavern with a fireplace, a kitchenette, and a bathroom. On the upper floors, there are nine guest rooms, and in the yard – a barbecue,” Svetlana describes.
The second house, the Elinovska – once Kosovo’s church school – was also restored with SAPARD funding and a loan from the Bulgarian Development Bank. It, too, cannot be reached by car. Guests must climb about 120 meters along a cobblestone path.
“People who come here love walking and aren’t afraid of hills. They even enjoy it – it’s part of the place’s romance,” say the Ralevi. The Elinovska House offers three maisonettes with 12 beds and stunning views. Most guests prefer to cook their meals outdoors on the barbecue, but they can also order food delivered from the Hadjiyska House, where the restaurant is located.
Today, the complex of three houses enjoys strong interest from Bulgarians and foreigners alike. However, in 2008, when the financial crisis hit, the Ralevi and their partners went through a difficult time.
“We had just opened the Elinovska and Gavatovska houses when stagnation set in. The first thing people give up in such situations is holidays,” they recall. They had to renegotiate their loan with the Bulgarian Development Bank and are grateful for the understanding they received.
They emphasize that they, too, were correct clients – never missing a single payment. Next year, they will repay the loan in full. They are considering taking another one to further develop their business.
“The Ralevi revived our village, which was on the brink of disappearing. Now people constantly come, enjoy nature, stroll around, voices and laughter can be heard – there is life again,” say the local residents, who number only eight.
A large part of the Ralevi’s guests are foreigners – Belgians, Dutch, French, Israelis, and Germans. Svetlana and Hristo have worked with tour operators for 10 years and maintain a strong online presence. Recently, a representative of Lonely Planet visited Kosovo on an exploratory tour of Bulgaria and was amazed.
“We will include the Kosovo Houses in our guidebook as one of the most beautiful places in Bulgaria,” she assured them.
Visitors are also delighted by the food offered there – Rhodope specialties such as patatnik (potato dish), monk’s bean soup, katmi (thick pancakes), klin (cheese pastry), dishes cooked on clay pans, and oven-baked lamb.
All products are locally sourced. Bread is baked in Hvoyna – yeast-free, with homemade sourdough. Dairy products come from dairies in Chepelare and Zabardo, and vegetables from the Asenovgrad region. The wines and spirits served are exclusively Bulgarian.
“We also take guests mushroom-picking in the forest. We know about 20 edible types. Many foreigners also want to pick herbs,” Svetlana and Hristo add. For tourists, there are maps with day routes, leading to the Slivodolsko waterfall, Bachkovo Monastery, Asen’s Fortress, the Devil’s Throat and Yagodina caves, or the so-called energy triangle of Thracian sanctuaries – Krastova Gora, Belintash, and Karadzhov Kamak.
“We welcome not only many foreigners but also Bulgarians, which makes us very happy,” the couple emphasizes. According to them, the houses don’t need air conditioning, as the walls are 60 cm thick and evening breezes cool the rooms. In winter, they are heated by central heating. The road to Kosovo – just 45 km from Plovdiv Airport and 190 km from Sofia – is always cleared in winter.
“Despite the difficult years during the crisis, we do not regret creating guesthouses,” the Ralevi affirm.
24 Chasa Daily
