We review Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana, a skyline icon in Albania’s modern capital

Albania is shaping up to be one of 2025’s hottest tourist destinations, and we’ve found just the hotel base to explore it. Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana is universally hailed as the capital’s number one hotel, not just as an overnight but also as a social space. It boasts some of the city’s most sought-after hangouts, including three distinct restaurants and a rooftop bar.

While this stay was complimentary, all thoughts and opinions are our own

Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana review

The location

Located in the heart of downtown, this towering hotel offers both business and leisure travellers a five-star experience  that you wouldn’t expect from an under-the-radar destination whose neighbours, Greece and Montenegro, claim summer attention. 

You’re in the most convenient address for Tirana’s top stay. We’re talking mere minutes’ walk from the House of Parliament, the National Art Gallery, the Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the Ensemble Theatre. In addition, being at the centre of the business and shopping district means a stroll or at most, a short taxi ride, is all that’s required when traversing the area.

Rooms and suites

Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana has 190 design-appointed rooms and suites spread across 23 floors. We checked into room 2012 on floor 20, beautifully outfitted in modern decor and a neutral grey and white palette. This evoked a calm, particularly thanks to the natural light flowing through the floor-to-ceiling windows during the day. The views were observatory-like, however, due to the exterior design being partially obstructed. Perhaps the panels help block the excess sun.

Glass and mirrors elongated the interior space, although the glass partition for the bathroom doesn’t allow for complete privacy. You’d best be travelling with someone you feel extremely comfortable with. Twin rooms have a similar configuration but with frosted glass and are better for friends and acquaintances.

The bathroom is attractive in its glass encase. Designed in a clean, minimalist style, there’s good functionality across all facets. Products were courtesy of Etro. These were in miniature format, not necessarily our favourite for eco reasons, but the room did encourage energy saving elsewhere. For example, power is activated by room key that switches everything off when you exit the space.

Robes and slippers, and plenty of towels are provided which we liked. They were clean and of durable quality, but we found them rather scratchy (and we have strong feelings on hotel robes). We also wish there was more storage space or hooks in the bathroom to stow them away, to keep the space as tidy as the design.

Other perks in our accommodation included a flat-screen smart TV that was compatible with our phones for streaming, a fully-stocked minibar with items for purchase, a safe, and the Wi-Fi and bottled water were complimentary. 

There were tea and coffee making facilities but we were surprised that the coffee was in instant packets. You can get an artisanal coffee included with breakfast downstairs, so we simply waited until morning.

Overall the room was spacious with unparalleled views, and great value for an emerging hotspot. We’d book this again.

Food and drink

As mentioned, this is as much a hotel for tourists as it is a hangout for the locals. The Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana has three different restaurants each with its own character and style.

We dined at Convivium, a sushi restaurant that echos a minimalist aesthetic but this time in Japanese Zen style. The menu features wagyu steaks, gyoza dumplings, and tempura, but since the focus is on fresh seafood cuts, you must sample the sushi. Go for the rolls and makis to best experience the greats; the team will arrange it on a presentation plate for you.

The other half of the menu is Mediterranean, which was great, though, we’re told locals come here for the restaurant’s stellar Japanese offerings over its Med delights. If you’re in the mood, then end on their Tiramisu, otherwise, we recommend sticking to the best sushi in town.

Savor Restaurant is the hotel’s daytime dining destination. This is where the breakfast buffet is served, which at our time of visit, featured eggs, cream-filled croissants, and Albanian sausages. There’s an orange juice machine which squeezes a glass fresh for you, and staff can assist with your coffee order (a must since you don’t want to have the instant in the room).

For wine o’clock, congregate at The View Lounge, a swanky 23rd-floor rooftop bar that boasts an unrivalled view across the city. View’s menu spans cocktails, wines, and bites – we didn’t eat here but spied the menu was very similar to that of Convivium, so guests can do tasty sushi rolls with their cocktails.

The gym and spa

Plaza’s got wellness waiting in its 5th and 6th floors. A fully equipped gym carries Technogym equipment, and there’s a studio with ARKE tools for functional training. 

When the sweat’s complete, head to the 600 sq-m Oblivion Spa, the hotel’s sanctuary of advanced beauty and health-enhancing treatments. As well as menu selections, the spa has a whirlpool, a salt room, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, a Mediterranean bath, a Kneipp path, and a dedicated lounge for rest and relaxation. 

One thing to note is that during busy times the sound carries, despite the sign reminding guests to keep quiet, though once the chatterers exited we were able to rest in the salt room in peace.

Things to do

Tirana is packed with excellent attractions, from museums and theatres, not to mention the bubbling gastronomic scene and nightlife. The downtown core was walkable, and we especially enjoyed jogging up the Pyramid of Tirana for views over the city (note: we could also see this impressive structure from our hotel room).

As for day trips, we hopped on our trusted GetYourGuide app and booked a trip to Bovilla Lake. This was absolutely worth it, as you’re not able to get to the lookout on public transport, and the rough off-road route requires skill and local knowledge. Our guide navigated us through the safest most scenic routes where we got beautiful aqua sights over Lake Bovilla. It had been snowing the night before, a rarity for the region, so our photos were snow-capped, albeit freezing to get up to.

We had also planned to up our country count with a visit to North Macedonia, after seeing a tour on GetYourGuide, however with torrential rain forecast as the day approached we decided to stay in town and do a two-hour walking tour instead with the local visitor centre, finishing with a taste of Quofte (a local sandwich) and super strong Raki beverage. Hopefully, in the summer we can come back and do North Macedonia trip alongside Tirana.

Getting there

Most UK travellers will arrive via Tirana International Airport (TIA). In London, we took the Stansted Express from Liverpool Street to London Stansted (book online in advance for the best rates), and when we landed, used the hotel shuttle service to reach Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana. The journey took around 30 minutes, and was easier than trying to hail a ride late in the evening. You can, however, take a taxi to the hotel in Tirana centre, or take a bus which departs every hour to the National Museum, around 500 metres from the hotel.

Find out more about Maritim Hotel Plaza Tirana 

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