Llogara Tourist Village

I tried to post the following review for a hotel in the Llogara National Park, but got a message that the property is not eligible for a listing. I checked the criteria, and as far as I could tell, it met them. Nonetheless, I am posting the review here.

This is definitely one of the most interesting hotels in Albania. It consists of

wooden bungalows surrounding a very pleasant lawn. There also is a new hotel

building offering more traditional rooms. The setting is beautiful, surrounded with

trees - and in the summer it may be one of the few places in Albania where one can

be comfortable without air conditioning. This is because it is located near the top

of a mountain, which in turn is very near the sea.

Each bungalow has two bedrooms with two single beds. There is also a living room and

a bathroom, as well as a veranda. The whole setting is quite rustic. There is no

furniture in the bedrooms other than the beds. The living room has a sofa, table

and some cabinets. The television gets a few channels. In the past, these included

some foreign stations, but on my most recent visit it was all in Albanian. Living

rooms also have refrigerators, but unfortunately mine did not work.

Bathrooms are also quite basic. There is a toilet, sink and shower, but little space

to place anything. Four people would have some difficulty placing everything on the

only surface that can hold anything - the top of the boiler. That brings us to the

biggest problem. The boilers are quite small. There is barely enough hot water for

one or two persons. If three or four occupy the place, each would have to limit

himself or herself to a very, very short shower - otherwise subsequent users would

have only cold water.

I did not see the rooms in what is now the main building (though it is a new

addition). The bar and restaurant areas are quite nice by Albanian standards.

Breakfast, however, was very basic for a place that tries to sell itself as

luxurious. There was rather stale bread, rather suspect looking sausages, and some

thin juice. Tea and coffee were not included - though they could be ordered from the

nearby bar (and paid for). The main building also has a swimming pool - though use

requires payment of a modest fee.

The most unusual part of this place is the deer wandering freely on the territory of

the complex. They are quite tame, and sometimes even allow themselves to be fed and

petted.

With a few minor improvements, this would be a truly excellent hotel compound.

Because of the flaws, I am torn between rating it neutral and giving it an %26quot;above

average%26quot;. By international standards, a neutral is more appropriate. In Albania, it

is well above average!

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May 2008

Agree with above post. In addition, no phones, no Internet, no shower curtains in a relatively modern bathroom in the main building. Yes, the bathroom gets flooded during your shower.

The compound is just that. Nothing to do. Interior swimming pool is extra cost. No hiking trails nearby, and if you walk on the main road to the compound, there are no shoulders or areas to walk on and the neighborhood dogs are not friendly. Great for reading, puzzles, and other in-room activities.

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