Albania is still virgin territory for most tourists, so it is nice to know there are things that you can rely on if you visit. One of them is Adriatik Hotel, a historically prestigious property in the coastal city of Durres.
Durres is the port and beach town closest both to the capital city of Tirana and Mother Theresa International Airport, the country’s major air artery. It is also the site of significant Roman ruins worth seeing.
Truth be told, it is worth a visit just to spend some quality rest and recreation time at the Adriatik, an institution with a notable 65-year history of hospitality that was refurbished as recently as 2021. The hotel can even arrange a convenient airport transfer.
There is no official rating system for hotels in Albania, so any reasonable looking property can claim it has four or five stars. Fortunately, the Adriatik — a member of the Best Western Premier collection — has earned its five-star valuation honestly.
From the moment one enters the hotel via its sweeping, dual curved staircases and spies the elaborate displays of colorful fresh flowers, one knows the Adriatik is a property with class. Proceeding through the lobby, one is then greeted by an expansive view of the Adriatic Sea, with the hotel’s spacious quasi-private beach in the foreground.
The beach with inviting sea is just one of three water-centric attractions at guests’ disposal. There is also a giant swimming pool, for adults and children, complete with waterslides. In fact, the water park is part of a kid’s club and marvelous playground, making the Adriatik an ideal place for vacationing families.
The third water component, meanwhile, is meant purely for the pleasure of adults: the Queen Teuta Wellness and Thalasso Spa, whose saltwater heated indoor pool and whirlpool tub are two central components of the upscale spa complex. The high-end spa is easily one of the most comprehensive in the country, with talented practitioners offering pampering treatments for both individuals and couples – including an authentic Turkish hamam experience that is highly recommended.
There are additional aspects to the wellness offerings at Adriatik as well, such as organized yoga classes and a fitness room with modern equipment. Interestingly, the relaxing spa surroundings are decorated practically like a museum, with priceless archaeological artifacts recovered from the seabed.
With its pampering massage menu, it is not surprising that the Queen Teuta Spa is also equipped to provide couples delights. The hotel as a whole has a reputation for being a romantic getaway – and the staff know not only how to decorate guest rooms with the appropriate hearts and flowers, but also to prepare private candlelight dinners for two.
Whether the special meal is served on the beach or in the hotel’s premises proper, the kitchen at the Adriatik has you covered. The Apollonia Restaurant is fine dining at Durres’s best, specializing in international cuisine that ranges from Italian to Turkish to traditional Albanian. The property’s proximity to the water guarantees the freshest fish and seafood, and the chef’s specialty of baking this bounty in rock salt that is brought flaming to the table is a gastronomic treat that is not to be missed.
The kitchen’s expertise extends beyond dinner, moreover, to the hotel’s daily complimentary breakfast buffet – which is among the most artistically presented one can imagine. Still, one might well consider skipping the buffet extravaganza one morning, in favor of a room service breakfast: as long as we are talking in superlatives, the breakfast delivered to your door is an equally amazing sight to behold, s well as a culinary joy.
In any event, enjoying the fresh fruits and homemade confitures that are brought to your room along with the hotel’s addictive airy fritters is yet another reason to stay put in the comfort of your guest quarters. The Adriatik comprises 70 welcoming units classified in no fewer than four categories of rooms plus two categories of suites, any of which assures a memorable stay.
Even the standard rooms come fully equipped with user-friendly central air conditioning, electric kettle and mini-refrigerator, flat screen satellite TV, small safe for personal valuables and hypo-allergenic pillows. Free WiFi is available in all rooms, as well public areas.
Superior rooms come with sofas and a sitting area, while executive superior rooms have the added dimension of private terraces – complete with chaises longues and sun umbrellas – overlooking the sea. The green marble bathrooms are similarly upgraded, to include whirlpool bathtubs, as well as plush bathrobes and slippers.
Finally, this only BW Premiere collection property in the entire country is also the local home of sister company Adriatik Tours, a Virtuoso member tour operator that can handle all your needs for an unforgettable holiday in Albania — from private tours in the immediate environs to trips throughout the length and breadth of this fascinating country, with its breathtaking scenery, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and gorgeous, affordable riviera where the Ionian and Adriatic Seas meet. At the minimum, the tour experts can make arrangements with similar caliber hotels and restaurants in other Balkan cities – and for those wishing to plan everything out in advance, the US headquarters in Connecticut is your one-stop shop for everything Albania.
Published rates: Double rooms start at $90 per night, suites from $199. In high season, the range is $149 to $310. The price includes daily lavish breakfast buffet, parking, free sunbeds at the beach, and access to the fitness room, as well as the sauna and indoor seawater pool. You can also check rates on Hotels.com, Expedia, or other hotel booking sites. (Note: There may be slight fluctuations depending on the exchange rate from the local currency, either Euro or Albanian lek.)
Text and photos by Buzzy Gordon, who was a guest of the hotel for purposes of review. Additional photos courtesy of Adriatik Hotel.