Tirana Budget Retreat Hotel

We were quoted €19 in the app, but reception charged €25 and gave no proper explanation, just excuses. The staff were rude and completely unprofessional. The whole place was filthy, from the room and bathroom to the floors and yard, and there was a bad smell everywhere. The bathroom was a disaster, with water all over the floor that made it dangerously slippery. Furniture was old and damaged, and the conditions were terrible. I absolutely do not recommend staying here. There are cleaner, more honest places. Never again!

The hotel is only five minutes from the city center and was excellent value for money. Staff kindly took my luggage to my room and gave me useful directions to some of Tirana’s best restaurants and popular places to visit. It was a very pleasant experience.

The location was central, about a 22-minute walk from the American Embassy, and it was a very good deal. The studio was bigger than most, with a full eat-in kitchen, stove, oven, apartment-size fridge, and a table with chairs. The living and sleeping areas were separated by a divider. There was a large balcony and a smaller, narrow one where the cleaning supplies were kept. It came with three towels, a kettle, kitchen tools and other basics for cooking, plus full bedding and an extra comforter. The large smart TV was nice, and the mini-split AC and heater warmed the apartment well. The toilet was jerry-rigged, but I figured it out.

The apartment was enormous and incredible value, right in the heart of Tirana near the square, museums, cafes and restaurants. Communication from staff was really poor. We struggled to find the place and couldn’t reach anyone there for help. After we finally checked in, the cleaner still hadn’t finished the room, so we had to wait outside on the ground for 20 minutes. They need to communicate better with each other and with guests.