A welcoming hotel in the heart of Gjirokastër's UNESCO old town, with air-conditioned rooms, mountain and garden views, a daily breakfast and free WiFi throughout.
See prices and availability
Old Town Hotel is a small, family-run hotel on Rruga Shezai Como, in the Lagjia Partizani quarter of Gjirokastër — the UNESCO-listed “city of stone” in southern Albania. It sits on a quiet street inside the old town, within walking distance of the castle, the Old Bazaar and the Ottoman tower houses, and guests reward it with a 9.5 “Superb” rating across 501 reviews.
The four room types are air-conditioned, with private en-suite bathrooms, flat-screen TVs with cable channels, seating areas and mountain, garden or landmark views. They range from compact doubles for two to a 28-square-metre family room that sleeps four, and several open onto a terrace or patio.
A highly rated breakfast is served daily, with homemade dishes, fresh fruit and pastries often brought out on the terrace. There is a bar and snack bar, a shared kitchen with dining table and refrigerator, a shared lounge, a garden, luggage storage and a 24-hour front desk, while free WiFi — rated a perfect 10 by guests — reaches every area of the property.
Old Town Hotel has four room types, between 18 and 28 square metres, from compact doubles for two to a family room that sleeps four. They share the same core: air conditioning, a private en-suite bathroom with bath and shower, free toiletries, a hairdryer and slippers, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a seating area and heating for the cooler months.
What sets them apart is the outdoor space and the bed layout. The two terrace doubles open onto a private terrace and balcony with garden and city views; the family room adds a washing machine and sleeps up to four; the standard double is the cosiest, with a patio and mountain and landmark views. Most beds can be arranged as twins or a double.
For a small hotel, Old Town Hotel is well equipped. Free WiFi reaches every area and earns the property's best score, a perfect 10; all rooms are air-conditioned, with private en-suite bathrooms that include a bath and shower, free toiletries, a hairdryer and slippers. Heating and a flat-screen TV with cable channels come as standard.
The extras are what guests remember: a daily breakfast that can be brought to the room, a bar and snack bar, a shared kitchen with dining table and refrigerator, a shared lounge, a garden and terrace, and outdoor dining. Reception runs a 24-hour front desk with luggage storage, room service, laundry and babysitting, and a paid shuttle service helps with transfers. Worth knowing before you book: there is no parking on site.
Old Town Hotel is on Rruga Shezai Como, in the old town of Gjirokastër in southern Albania, about 2 to 3 hours from the coast at Sarandë and roughly 3 to 4 hours from Tirana. There is no train, so most travellers arrive by bus or car along the SH4 highway: intercity coaches from Tirana, Sarandë and Berat stop at the terminal in the newer lower town, from where a short taxi ride is the easiest way up to the old quarter, since the historic streets are steep and cobbled. The nearest airport is Ioannina in Greece, about 70 km away and a little over an hour and a half by road across the border, while Tirana's airport is the main gateway for international flights. The hotel has no parking, so if you drive it is worth asking the front desk in advance about where to leave a car; once you are settled, the old town is best explored entirely on foot.
The old town itself is the sight: a UNESCO World Heritage “city of stone” of slate-roofed Ottoman houses climbing the hillside below the fortress. Start at Gjirokastër Castle, one of the largest in the Balkans, with its ridge-top ramparts, the military museum and wide views over the Drino valley. Just below, the cobbled Old Bazaar is lined with craft shops and cafes and is the natural place to eat and wander. Don't miss the grand Ottoman tower houses — the Zekate and Skenduli houses — and the Ethnographic Museum in the Palorto quarter. Under the bazaar, the Cold War Tunnel gives a glimpse of the communist era. Spring and early autumn bring the mildest weather for walking the slopes; summer days are hot, and winters can be cold with occasional snow, so pack accordingly.
