Planning two weeks in Albania was daunting as it was a new country for me. We knew we wanted time by the sea and staying away from Durres seemed wise given its proximity to Tirana and the ferry from Italy. We chose Himare but then it proved challenging to determine the quality of the hotels from the resources online. Rapo’s turned out to be an excellent choice. The hotel is perched on a hillside up from the beach, affording unobstructed views of the sea, protection from beach noise, while only a five minute walk to the shore (they offer golf cart service, which is only necessary if you struggle to walk). We stayed in the presidential suite, a duplex unit on the top floor (sixth, seventh for Americans). The room sleeps five and has two bathrooms and a terrace. It is sparsely decorated, but comfortable. None of the amenities in the room are very recent additions, but all worked very well. Daily housekeeping was thorough as all the staff we met were friendly and useful. The breakfasts were the only dim-spot. The buffet is easily overrun by the guests and the offerings were not of the same quality encountered elsewhere, but there was enough fruit to keep me happy. The coffee machines worked, but seemed to run out of water in their reservoirs with alarming frequency, meaning the queues were long. The restaurant and beach cafe had food for purchase, but better options were available nearby. The beach itself was lovely. Shaded loungers were always available, the water was clean and gentle, and the service was slow but present. We stayed nearly a week at the hotel and explored both sides of Himare well-enough to conclude that this was the place to stay. We will return.
