Traveler Hostel 2

★★★½ The owner and staff here are so genuinely warm and kind that I extended my stay despite having real reservations about the condition of the place after the first night. That says everything about them — and I want to be fair to both sides of that. The outdoor area and pool are a genuine highlight — an absolute godsend in the Albanian summer heat. The AC is efficient and works well. On those fronts, top marks. The 3½ stars reflects the condition of the place rather than the people running it, who deserve far more. With a bit of investment and attention to the basics, this could easily be a 4½ star stay. I hope they get there — they've certainly got the heart for it. Good to know: no lockable lockers — keep valuables somewhere secure. Kitchen is functional but missing basics like tea towels. Pool and AC are excellent. The people here are wonderful.

The hostel itself needs some work. It's only been open a year but appears to be an older building — possibly converted — and feels as though it was handed over complete with its existing contents, which is particularly noticeable in the kitchen. There's an eclectic collection of odds and ends in there rather than a considered setup, and it's missing basics like tea towels or paper towels. The bathroom in the dorm I stayed in needed a thorough clean, particularly the toilet. Worth noting too: the lockers aren't lockable — which reflects the local culture of trust, and I completely understand the spirit of it. In practice though, when you don't know your bunkmates, somewhere secure for passports and valuables would be reassuring. As it happened, my fellow guests were lovely — but it's worth being prepared.

Cette auberge de jeunesse est un petit paradis à 10 minutes à pied du centre-ville. La piscine, plein d'arbres fruitiers dans le jardin... C'est hyper calme, hyper propre. Les volontaires sont adorables et giulio, le boss est super arrangeant !

-la climatisation de la chambre était en panne mais ils m'ont vite fourni un ventilateur. D'ailleurs il m'avaient proposé de changer de chambre mais c'est moi qui ai préféré garder la même.

The staff were the highlight. So welcoming, kind, and genuinely made me feel right at home. A special thanks to Dory for giving me plenty of great recommendations for exploring Albania. The facilities are excellent: the pool is refreshing, the bikes are great to rent, and the common areas have a really nice chill vibe. The location is also perfect and super walkable from the bus station.

Honestly, nothing major comes to mind, I had a fantastic stay.

Lovely outdoor common space and pool! Even a little espresso bar at reception. My double room was very comfy, nice to have my own fridge and sink, and I appreciated the little table by the window. AC was good, WiFi worked fine for video calls. Staff were super friendly and helpful! Got the shuttle to Theth with them and they also have bike rentals and other day trips.