If you’re heading to the cosmopolitan capital city of Albania, one of the first things to do, is booking your accommodation. There are some amazing hotels in Tirana, Albania, so I thought I’d write a guide to help you decide where to stay during your trip!
Tirana is an amazing city to visit, and it totally took me by surprise. There is so much to do and see.
If you love history, you’re in for a real treat because there are some great museums dotted all around Tirana. The country itself has a rich and long history too.
Along with history and culture, it’s a great scene for foodies. Albania has a lot of Italian influences, and this is reflected in the food. Expect to eat some amazing dishes here. The local food is also amazing, and some of the best I have tried in the Balkans.
My favourite thing about my time spent in Tirana, which was just over one month, was the amazing atmosphere. It’s a country that thrives on café culture, and I just loved enjoying a coffee in the sun in the morning with the locals. There is a café on every corner!
Albania as a whole is a very affordable country. A lower budget will get you quite far in Tirana, and you’ll live like a king on a luxury budget.
So, hopefully I’ve convinced you to come to Tirana, now let’s look at where you should stay.
Here are the best hotels in Tirana, Albania.
1. Art Hotel Tirana
I love this hotel because it’s really modern and clean. All rooms come with a desk and seating area, which is an added bonus for those who are travelling for work or for digital nomads.
In terms of location, it’s located in the 21 Dhjetori neighbourhood, which you can read more about below, so it is close to the main attractions in Tirana.
There is an option to have breakfast included in the price of the room. The breakfast is European buffet style, so you’ll find all the usual suspects which will set you up for a day of exploring the city!
This hotel also has a great bar, where the staff are super friendly and welcoming. It’s a great place for a nightcap.
In terms of price, this is a mid-range hotel and rooms will cost anywhere between £40-£70 ($45-$80) depending on the type of room, and time of year you go.
You can click here to read more about this cool hotel.
2. Prime Hotel
You’ll struggle to find a more centrally located hotel than Prime. It’s just meters from Skanderbeg Square and other main attractions in the Tregu Cam neighbourhood. If you love being right in the middle of things, you’ll love it here.
It’s a great option for budget travellers as it is one of the cheap hotels in Tirana. Prices range between £20-£40 ($22-$45) per night, depending on the type of room and time of your visit.
The rooms are basic, but if you’re looking for somewhere simple to get a good night’s sleep, this cheap hotel in Tirana is a great option.
You can read more about it here.
3. Xheko Imperial Luxury Hotel
If you’re visiting Tirana for a special occasion or a romantic weekend away, then you have to check out Xheko Imperial Luxury Hotel. It’s one of the best hotels in Tirana, Albania. The architecture is beautiful and the interiors are so luxurious and it’s also based in the lively area of Blokku.
There’s also an incredible rooftop bar which serves amazing, local food in a great atmosphere, and there’s also a sushi bar for something a little different.
It’s one of the few hotels in Tirana with a pool, and it’s as amazing as the rest of the hotel, complete with columns and Roman statues. There’s also a spa complete with a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi which is included in your room price. You just pay extra for any treatments.
There’s a fully equipped gym, which is also available to use free of charge.
It’s an incredible 4-star hotel which prides itself on being luxurious yet traditional. Prices are between £100-£200 ($110-$225) a night, depending on the room you select and the time of your visit. Whilst it is certainly not suitable for budget travellers, it’s good value for what is included.
You can read more about the Xheko Imperial Luxury Boutique Hotel and view the photos here!
4. Moncafe Boutique Hotel & Spa
Based right in the centre of the Komuna i Parisit neighbourhood, just outside of Blloku lies one of the most trendy hotels in Tirana, Albania, the Moncafe.
The rooms are spacious and have a large comfy bed, desk and lounge area so it feels very spacious. The rooms also have little balconies to enjoy a morning coffee or tea.
There is a lovely spa and wellness centre which you can use for an additional charge of around €10. There are a number of different massages and treatments on offer and a hammam, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room inside for you to relax in. However, what it doesn’t have is a pool.
As a boutique hotel, in terms of price it’s edging on the more expensive side at around £80 ($90) per night.
You can read more about this lovely hotel here.
5. Hotel Boka
This hotel is located in my favourite area of Tirana, Zona 1/Pazari i Ri. In terms of interiors, it isn’t as grand or modern as some of the other options on this list. It’s far more traditional in its decoration and architecture, but still features sparkling gold features and gilded marble walls. So, it’s not exactly basic!
The location of this hotel makes it one of the best hotels in Tirana Albania. It is right next to the Old Bazaar, a market selling local produce and wares. Around it are some amazing restaurants, bars and cafés to test out.
Hotel Boka also has an on-site restaurant which feels very elegant, with an aquarium built into one of the walls, chandeliers and gilded chairs. It’s a lovely place for dinner.
One of the best things about this hotel, is that it has a tour desk. The staff are really friendly and helpful in assisting you to book day trips or onward transfers.
It’s a mid-range hotels with rooms varying between £50-£70 ($55-$79) per night. You can check availability and find out more information here. I think this is one of the best hotels in Tirana, Albania for location.
6. Hotel Europa
Hotel Europa is based right in the heart of Tirana, with Skanderbeg Square just 400 m away. It’s a really modern and comfortable hotel, with spacious bathrooms equipped with waterfall showers.
The front desk is open 24 hours a day, so you needn’t worry about your time of arrival, and there is always someone to assist you with your trip.
This is a great option for those travelling on more of a budget as rooms ranger between £30-£50 ($35-$55) a night, and breakfast and free wifi is included. It’s a really great hotel in an even better location.
If you’re renting a car, there’s private parking on site, which is a real bonus given its central location. There is also a bar in the hotel where you can grab a couple of drinks before retiring to your room.
Click here to read more about this modern hotel.
7. Rogner Hotel Tirana
The Rogner Hotel Tirana is one of the few resort like hotels in Tirana center. It is based on the main boulevard in the centre of the city amongst beautiful Mediterranean gardens.
There is a tasty buffet breakfast served every morning, and the restaurant has a great à la carte menu featuring Austrian, Mediterranean and local cuisine.
The hotel has a lovely pool set amongst palm trees, which is great in the summer when the heat exceeds 35 degrees! There is also a tennis court and an excellent spa and hammam centre. You’ll definitely forget you’re in a city at this hotel.
The great facilities mean that this hotel is more of a luxury option, with prices around £110 – £130 ($125-$145) per night. Again, this varies depending on the time of your visit.
Read more about the Rogner Hotel here!
8. Vila Ada Hotel
Vila Ada is situated in the 21 Dhjetori neighbourhood. It’s a great little family-run hotel which has spacious rooms, a 24-hour front desk along with a minibar for relaxing evenings after a long day of exploring.
Breakfast, hot drinks and water are included in the price of this hotel which makes it a good value option. Depending on which room you select, it costs around £35-45 ($40-$50) a night to stay here.
You can check availability at Vila Ada here.
9. Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana
You can see the hotel plaza Tirana from many different neighbourhoods, because visually it is very different from the usual architecture in the city.
It’s one of those hotels where you have everything you need right on the doorstep – you’d barely need to leave (but of course, you absolutely should!).
Hotel Plaza boast three bar and restaurants, all serving different cuisines and have different feels.
The jewel in their crown is their beautiful spa and wellness centre, Oblivion Spa where you can relax in the salt room, steam room, Mediterranean bath amongst many other relaxation rooms. I’d also recommend you treat yourself to a spa to really top off your trip to Tirana.
The rooms are contemporary and elegant, yet cosy, which is exactly what you’d expect from a 5-star hotel.
As one of the few 5-star hotels in Tirana Albania, the price reflect this. The room only rate starts at £120/€136/$135 and bed and breakfast at £128/€146/$145 per night.
You can review the different price, room and package options here.
10. Hotel Palma
If you want to be close to the park, Hotel Palma is a great option as it is just 100m away. Hotel Palmas is located in the Paris Neighbourhood (Komuna i Parisit), which is between the park and the Blloku neighbourhood.
It’s a basic, no frills hotel, but is comfortable and clean. If you’re looking for a cheap hotel in Tirana, it’s a great option.
Prices are anywhere between £20-50 ($25-$55) depending on the room and time of year that you visit. £50 ($55) per night will likely get you a family room that sleeps 5 people, which is a bit of a bargain. All prices include breakfast too, so it’s great value.
You can check out the available options at Hotel Palma here.
Where to Stay in Tirana, Albania
Here’s a little summary of the best areas to stay in Tirana, along with whom these areas are best for and what you’ll find in them.
It’s worth noting that Tirana City Center is located around 20 km from Tirana International Airport, no no matter which neighbourhood you opt to stay in, it’s very close.
Blloku
Blloku is the neighbourhood where the elite of Tirana used to live in communist times. During the communist era, it was closed off to the ‘normal’ folk like you and I. As such, it’s still the most expensive place to stay in Tirana, even more so than the centre which is unusual!
Blloku is my second favourite neighbourhood in Tirana, after Pizari i Ri/Zona 1. If you love food, it’s here that you’ll find all the best restaurants in Tirana. Some of my favourites include Era for local food with a contemporary twist and Artigiano for the tastiest homemade pasta ever!
Blloku is also home to some of the best bars in Tirana. It’s Blloku that you’ll head to if you want to enjoy a few drinks into the small hours. Radio Bar is one of my favourites for cocktails, and Komiteti for their incredible selection of Rakia and cool atmosphere (it doubles as a small museum!).
It’s around a 15-minute walk to Skenderbeg Square and the main attractions which surround it, but Blloku has some attractions of its own. You’ll see the former villa of the ex-communist leader, Enver Hoxha and his right-hand man, and former prime minister of Albania Mehmet Shehu.
Blloku also backs on to the Grand Park of Tirana, so you can enjoy some green space too.
Tregu Cam
Tregu Cam is the most central of the neighbourhoods in this list. It’s right next to Skanderbeg Square and the other main tourist attractions in the city centre. If you like to be right in the centre, this is the neighbourhood for you.
It’s also just a short walk to the Old Bazaar (around 10 minutes) and around a 20-minute walk to Blloku where all the best restaurants in Tirana are located. You won’t need to use any public transport to get around Tirana if you’re based in Tregu Cam.
You’ll also find Hemingway Bar, one of my favourite bars in Tirana just on the outskirts of Tregu Cam. If you love jazz music, you’ll not want to miss this epic bar in Tirana.
21 Dhjetori
21 Dhjetori is the historic name for the neighbourhood. It is named after the birthday of Josef Stalin during the communist era in Albania.
It has since been renamed after the Turkish president, but is it most commonly referred to as 21 Dhjetori and that is what it’s called on Google Maps!
It’s the perfect place for those travelling on a budget as there are some amazing yet affordable hostels and hotels in Tirana, Albania.
The best thing about this neighbourhood is that it is also close to the main tourist attractions in Tirana so it’s ideal for exploring on foot.
There are lots of cool and local bars, restaurants and cafés which are much cheaper to eat and drink at than those in the Blokku area.
Zona 1/Pazari i Ri
Zona 1 is my favourite place to stay in Tirana. I’ve coupled it with Pazari i Ri which is a very small neighbourhood right next to Zona 1.
Pazari i Ri, or the New Bazaar, is one of the oldest areas in Tirana. Right in the middle of the area is the market, where you’ll find locals selling fresh fruits and vegetables which are grown in the surrounding areas, as well as fish, meat, raki, wine and homewares.
The area around the market is beautiful, and a very sociable place to be in Tirana. It’s full of cheerful colourful buildings, and lined with a great range of bars, restaurants and cafés, both traditional and international.
In the summer, they often have festivals and music playing here so it’s a great place to grab a drink and relax.
Both are very central neighbourhoods, within 5-10 minutes walking distance of the main square, Skanderbeg Square. The Museum BunkArt’2, the National History Museum, Et’hem Bey Mosque and the Opera House are all within 5 minutes walking distance. Blloku is around a 20-25 minute walk, so it’s not too far.
Now It’s Time to Book!
There are some truly spectacular hotels in Tirana, Albania. Some in grandiosity but some in the amazing value you get for money. There is something for everyone, no matter your budget.
The best thing about Tirana, is that it’s a very walkable city. So, no matter the neighbourhood you decide to go for, you’ll still be able to explore the others on foot.
I hope this post helps you plan your trip and book somewhere incredible!
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