Hotel Iliria is a hotel property that is located in the city of Sarandë, which is central to what is known as the Albanian Riviera along the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, which sounded nice — so I booked a reservation for one night there.
Hotel Iliria in Sarandë in Albania. Hotel Review.
After I parked the rental car in one of the few spaces that are available outside the front of the hotel property…
…I walked inside to what is the dining area for breakfast, with the tables set for the next morning.
The dining area is a part of the lobby area, which includes the front desk or reception area.
A bar is located on the other side of the ground floor. As I do not drink alcoholic beverages or had a need for a drink of any type, I am not sure what are the operating hours of the bar.
Once I was checked in and given a key to the room, I went upstairs — which could be accessed by either an elevator or the stairs.
The Room.
The bed was actually rather comfortable.
A couch was included in what was a fairly spacious room — but I did not check to see if it opened up as a sofa bed.
A counter, an armoire, and a built-in luggage rest was between the entrance to the room and the bathroom. On the counter were spare towels and a glass; and hanging on the wall was a mirror.
The only items that were in the armoire were a spare blanket and five hangers; but plenty of room was available to store items.
A small table with two chairs was in the corner of the room between the couch and the glass doors to the balcony. Mounted to the wall above the table was an air conditioning unit and a flat screen television. Underneath the counter inside of the small cabinet was a miniature refrigerator.
The Bathroom
A simple sink with amenities on it was in the bathroom. A mirror, a soap dish, a glass, and an electric hair drying all were mounted onto the wall.
I had never heard of 100 percent pure argan oil extract; but that is what was in the small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, and hand cream. Three small round bars of soap that were wrapped in paper were also provided on the sink.
The bathroom has its own water heater for hot water to be available almost instantly.
The View.
The room included glass doors which led to a balcony outside — and I could already tell that the view was spectacular.
Two chairs awaited us on the large balcony..
The entrance to the hotel property — along with nine very narrow parking spaces — was below the balcony.
The street and a building were under construction when facing southwest; but the view was better facing northwest.
The best view was of the Ionian Sea straight ahead, with the Greek island of Corfu in the distance.
The Food.
The elevator is located between the front desk and the counter where beverages for breakfast are located in the morning.
In addition to milk, a variety of juices and drinks were available — including orange, multifruit, blueberry, and sour cherry.
Mustard, honey, and butter were some of the condiments that were offered — and a red toaster was available as well.
A coffee machine and everything else that is needed for a cup of coffee was available.
As with the VH Belmondo Durres Hotel & Beach in Durrës, breakfast was served without ordering — which I was recognizing as a custom of southeastern Europe. The eggs were somewhat underdone to my liking; but they were perfectly prepared for the tastes of many other people.
Also served were sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, sliced cheese, olives, and sausage bites.
Sliced bread was served in a basket…
…as well as slices of cake, which I was unable to identify. Fresh apples were also served in a basket.
Final Boarding Call
I recommend staying at Hotel Iliria for a variety of reasons — including the warm and friendly welcome and service by the couple who operate the hotel property; the low room rate; the cleanliness and comfort; and the breathtaking view from the balcony. Staying here was a pleasure.
The total cost for the room for one night was $35.00 in United States dollars — including breakfast and all taxes and fees — which was an amazing deal.
This hotel property is located off of Highway SH81 in Sarandë in Albania.
Hotel Iliria
Rruga Nacionale Sarande – Butrint Km 1
9701 Sarandë
Albania
+355 (0) 69 238 6412
Limited free parking is available on site.
All photographs ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
