Royal Hotel

It does the job if you’re looking for a cheap motel, and it costs quite a bit less than most nearby hotels. The name suggests something much grander, though. Our toilet wouldn’t flush, there was no duvet cover, and the sofa was dirty. The receptionist suggested a local mall as a tourist sight, and the Wi-Fi was horrendous, even while I was writing this review.

The friendly staff and parking were the only good parts. I paid 27€ a night at this 2-star motel, after the clerk promised me the “nicest room”. In capital Skopje, I’d found a better-quality hotel for 12€ a night. Here, hallway light came through gaps above and below the door. The shower door was broken and left a small lake in the bathroom after one shower. The minibar fridge was so noisy I had to unplug it to sleep. There wasn’t even a small lamp, kettle, hanger, or chair, all of which the €12 hotel in Skopje had. For that price, the quality is way off. I wouldn’t stay again or recommend it. If this was the “nicest room”, I dread to think what the others look like.

We left at midnight because we couldn’t sleep in the room. The towels and bedding were dirty, and the bedding smelled terrible. The duvet had no cover and wasn’t clean. We both had trouble breathing, perhaps because of dust and what looked like mold outside the bathroom. There was mold on one wall too. Earlier, a friendly staff member had shown us the room, turned on the heating because it was cold, pointed out a broken light, and explained the bathroom, including that hot water took 5 to 6 minutes. At that point, things didn’t seem too bad. After dinner in the city, we found all the problems above. We explained them to the receptionist and agreed to sort out the financial side later. I contacted the hotel by email, booking.com, and whatsapp, but got no reply. A few days later I called, and the staff member was very rude and unwilling to help or refund us. I usually only post positive reviews, but I have to share this terrible experience to warn others.

The staff were really nice and helpful. The hotel itself felt small, worn out, and outdated, with nothing royal about it. Events also played very loud music until late in the evening.