Melesin Distillery

By the time we arrived here we had been travelling around Albania for 3 weeks. We had high expectations but the reality is very different from what is promised. I fail to see how this place has been identified by Time as one of the top destinations to visit. In comparison with the quality of service, hospitality and food we received throughout our stay in Albania, Melesin Brewery ranks as the lowest - and yet, the most expensive. The only positives are the interior design and the whole concept which are great. That’s where the positives end. Very poor service - at dinner the staff were more interested in sitting together (with their friends) on the sofas reserved for hotel guests, drinking coffee etc. hardly a 4 star attitude to their jobs or their guests. The food was mediocre and choice was limited. Essentially, I ended up with chicken and chips, albeit served on a wooden platter to make it appear more special than it was. We asked for bread. It was stale. Wine is not served by the glass. As I drink white and my husband drinks red this was not helpful. My husband therefore had beer and as a non-beer drinker I opted for a bottle of white with a view to taking it away with me after dinner. Two options were presented. Surprise surprise, the one I chose (the cheapest) was not available. I declined the offer of the (expensive) alternative and stuck with water. Things went from bad to worse at breakfast. Juice (not fresh) was accompanied by bread (at least it was not stale) and donuts (quite nice) and we were asked if we wanted eggs. I declined as I don’t eat eggs. My husband said yes and had eggs and sausage and a small piece of cheese. I was not offered an alternative to eggs and sausage (unlike everywhere else we had stayed). Unbelievably however, someone in the kitchen plus the manager /waiter thought it perfectly ok to serve me a (small) piece of cheese on a plate, on its own. We were incredulous. Burst into laughter and took a photo! Attached to this review. At this point I asked if it was possible to have some yoghurt. This eventually arrived. The Melesin Brewery has great potential but it must up its game considerably when it comes to quality of service, food and professionalism. Otherwise, it will just be somewhere that looks the part but …. well, looks the part.

Stopped off here for lunch, a beautiful drive to get here , an impressive building from both the outside and inside. I had a beer , sausage and baked potato followed by Bakclava. The Sausages were delicious, you get 3 very tasty Sausages. What I cannot understand is you can't buy a glass of wine you have to buy a bottle, why not have taster glasses , makes more sense. Good service, toilets spotlessly clean.

This was a pleasant stay for the night. Food was good, mainly and the room was a high standard. The staff were nice but the manager really stood out - giving an efficient and impressive service from beginning to end. It was interesting having a walk around the village and fun being in the surroundings of the distillery. I think in winter it would be great. There weren't many other guests but the manager did such a great job of making us feel relaxed and worked so hard we felt very welcome all the same. This place had a slightly more international vibe than the other places we stayed.

The food is terrible , i found hair in the food and I returned it and they brought me the same one , the staff was very unpleasant and very rude i don't recommend to go there and spend any of your money expect the rooms that are very good and clean but its not worth it

We stopped in this town during our drive to Korce. The staff was very friendly and welcoming and gave us information about the distillery. We tasted (and bought) the gin that is produced here. The ambiance in the restaurant is great, since you’re literally inside the distillery. The food tasted amazing. There was a small mistake with the things we ordered, but we still received the dish we did order on the house. Some of the staff were eating inside as well, so we were offered a taste of the red wine and received some watermelon for free. Great experience, would defenitely visit again!

It's an amazing find in the middle of the mountains, a luxury you don't expect to bump into out there. The rooms ,really modern, nice historic photos along the hallway. The restaurant was something else, really amazing food, dined with some good Albanian wine, topped / tried some gin from the distillery, and the local Raki (not sure of the spelling). Friendly staff. All in all it was a beautiful worth stop over in Melisin.

You arrive here driving through beautiful scenery and end up in a design boutique hotel with super comfortable rooms built over a gin distillery that uses local herbs for gin. The food with local flavors is great and the staff very friendly.

The hostess was as amazing as the red and black decor of this very modern hotel. We enjoyed our meals there as well and it was a most pleasant stop in our exploration of the Balkans. While roadworks in the area are still underway, driving was manageable.