Empire Beach Resort

The setting is beautiful, and the hotel is thoughtfully designed. The rooms are comfortable and well equipped, while the restaurants, pool, and beach areas all offer excellent quality. Breakfast was especially enjoyable because of the wide choice of options. The staff, though, often seemed unfriendly and as if they were doing only the minimum. That may be more common culturally in Albania, but at a hotel of this level, I expected a warmer welcome. There were also some smaller issues. The curtains let a lot of balcony light into the room, which isn’t ideal for sleeping. Around the pool, the mostly electronic music was played far too loudly, and it didn’t fit the relaxing natural setting.

I’ve been coming here for four years now, and the peaceful setting is a big reason I return. It’s somewhat removed from the main beach areas, so weekdays are quiet and relaxing. I haven’t stayed during the weekends when they have parties, so I can’t comment on that. The hotel remains clean and well maintained, with a beautiful setting. The beach is small, but the two large sea areas and the generous spacing between umbrellas keep it from feeling crowded. The beach bar and restaurant are both very good, with quality food and drinks. Prices are fairly high, more like what you’d see in Europe, and the cocktails are excellent but not cheap. That’s to be expected at a hotel that isn’t budget priced. My one disappointment this year was the removal of the beach massage area. It had been a wonderfully relaxing luxury, and I hope they bring it back. This is still one of my favorite places for a quiet, scenic beach break.

We had a real last-minute emergency and couldn’t travel, but when we asked to cancel, the hotel only repeated its policy about no refunds within 14 days. They refused every request and showed no flexibility or understanding. Another hotel we had booked for the same trip cancelled on the same day and handled the situation with professionalism and empathy. This hotel didn’t even offer credit toward a future stay. Once they had the payment, it felt like they stopped caring. Calling this hospitality is difficult. To me, it was daylight robbery hidden behind a policy. They seemed to care about our money, not their guests.

The private beach and pool were lovely, with service provided by the hotel, and the facilities themselves were beautiful. Breakfast was really tasty too. We missed lunch at the restaurant on our first day, but eating by the sea on the beach worked out well. Since the hotel is away from the main line of hotels, having a car seems necessary.