Tirana Backpacker Hostel

A Vegetarian hostel they don't allow cooking meat in the kitchen. The hostel looks like it would be good in the summer with a large outdoor space, but in the winter it seemed a little out of sorts with the common area either behind the reception or downstairs next to the kitchen. Some people working there were very friendly, others didn't like to talk to new people. The breakfast was good, rooms were ok although no curtains on the beds and the storage space needs your own lock so not quite as good as other hostels. I had some interesting philosophy conversations there.

We spent a lovely one night in a private room here. The bed was huge and fairly comfortable. The room was very clean and the shared bathroom was always in a very good state. The room did get very hot at night; the floor was wooden floorboards and there was no AC, however the host provided a fan which did help. The area was quiet so we slept easily, but we did need eye masks as the curtains let through a lot of light. What really made this hostel for us was the great vibes. A lot of thought and effort has clearly gone into curating beautiful and super functional communal spaces, such as the huge garden which has so much communal seating, lighting and art work. The kitchen was also really good and we liked how the hostel had a ‘take and give’ box where you could leave things you no longer needed and take what you wanted. Finally, the breakfast was really nutritious; there was lots of fresh fruit (like nectarine, melon, apple, pear, plum) and tea. The location of the hostel is perfect. It’s a 10 minute walk to the main square. The hostel workers are also so nice. In particular, the bar staff and Alfie were super friendly and welcoming. The price was 50 euros for us for the private room for 1 night. This was slightly more expensive than we had paid elsewhere in Albania. However, we have no regrets at all staying there and would love to come in.

One of the best hostels I've stayed in, (I'm a musician and I travel on a tiny budget a lot). The building itself has large airy rooms and good toilet & shower facilities, but the best feature is the massive garden which has room to be social, or to just be alone and quiet. The staff are fantastic and the hostel is very well run. My compliments to Ilir and the team, I shall definitely be back.