"Vintage Boutique Hotel"/ Tradition that lives in the heart of Korça

2025-06-16 11:53:00, Qyteti im CNA

"Vintage Boutique Hotel"/ Tradition that lives in the heart of

In one of the most characteristic neighborhoods of the city of Korça, where the cobblestones and old facades tell silent stories, a new hotel, but with a lot of soul, has begun to write its own story.

“Vintage Boutique Hotel” is one of the newest buildings in the hotel sector in the city of serenades, but what makes it special is not simply the fact that it is new, but the way it has chosen to be, with deep roots in tradition and with an eye towards quality hospitality. The hotel is located in a building from 1915, a historic object that has been restored with precision and love for detail.

The stone, wood, and brick have been fanatically preserved, respecting the former Korça architecture and giving the building new life, without stripping it of its memory.

Every element, from the hand-painted walls to the century-old style doors and windows, is a testament to the care and passion behind this project. This and much more, the hotel's administrator, Panajot Nastu, tells CNA TV.

"Vintage Boutique Hotel"/ Tradition that lives in the heart of

"'Vintage Hotel' has been part of Korça's hotel industry for ten months. The building dates back to 1915, which has been restored in detail. We have tried to preserve every characteristic of it, especially in the stone, wood and brick parts. The hotel contains eight rooms which are furnished in the most traditional way, while the restaurant and bar part are also attached to this building. All the walls have been restored, painted and some of the room doors are 100 years old, that is, the original doors of the building. We have also tried to make the windows new, but to be the same style as 100 years ago. Everything is made of wood."

What makes this place stand out is its approach to authenticity. Nothing is built to imitate the old, everything is real, inherited or carefully restored. The name “Vintage” was not chosen by chance. This name represents the hotel’s philosophy of preserving the past and offering it as a unique experience for visitors.

"The name 'Vintage' is because the old has been preserved. Tradition is what characterizes us and that we have preserved with fanaticism. Absolutely nothing has been interfered with, we have preserved every detail of this hotel. The location is in a characteristic Korça neighborhood, a cobblestone neighborhood, near the Mitropolis, which is a characteristic area of ??Korça."

The cuisine is another strong point of the hotel. It combines traditional Albanian dishes with elements of French and Italian cuisine, giving the menu a distinctly international character. The head chef, Artan Larti, tells us that this combination is not only a culinary choice, but also a response to the foreign clientele that frequents the hotel. French, Italian and other European visitors find here a blend of their tastes with Albanian tradition.

"At 'Vintage' we have tried to combine our traditional cuisine with French and Italian cuisine due to the frequentation of the hotel. I have tried to introduce products that are even a little popular in France and Italy, gradually moving up to what we can call luxury. We adapted to this because mainly the clientele that comes, foreign tourists, we have tried to approach them in tradition, trying to combine both the traditional and modern of their countries."

One of the most unique elements on the menu is the snail, a product that in Albania is often associated with folk tradition, but which in this case has been reimagined in various forms, both in grandmother's recipes and in more modern versions. This product has proven to be very popular with tourists, especially French ones, for whom snails are a part of their traditional cuisine.

"In our traditional dishes, I was actually surprised by the owners of the house, we have snails. It is very interesting and they ask for it a lot. We have tried to adapt it in different forms, even in our traditional form that we call grandmother's cooking. Snails are also very popular in France."

The hotel's occupancy has been satisfactory since the first months. Most of the clients are foreigners, but there is also no shortage of Albanian visitors. Tourists are of all nationalities, and many of them have returned, leaving positive comments and high ratings on online platforms such as 'Booking'. This shows not only the quality of service, but also the dedication to making visitors feel at home.

"The hotel has been doing very well. I can say that most of the clients are foreigners, but there are also Albanians. In ten months there has been a mixed clientele. We have our own traditional cuisine, Italian and French. The clients have also been French, Italian, as well as Dutch, German, almost from all over Europe. The fact that our cuisine suits them is a greater attraction for our restaurant and hotel. The impressions of the clients can be verified very well on 'Booking', they are among the best. The moment they leave, they tell us that we will return and a good part of the clients have returned. We feel good when they come to us again. The 'Vintage' hotel also consists of a very pleasant courtyard and I believe that in July we will have 'live' music on the weekend that will accompany us."

In a city where every alley tells a story and every window holds a memory, “Vintage Boutique Hotel” is more than a place to stay. It is an experience that invites you to stop, take a deep breath, and feel the slow pace of a life that we often forget in modern daily life.

Carefully restored from time, but embraced by contemporary hospitality, this new hotel in the heart of Korça is an example of how tradition can be lovingly preserved, grown with style, and lived with dignity.

With walls that speak, flavors that connect cultures, and quiet nights, “Vintage” offers a slice of authenticity for anyone looking for more than a stay. And while tourists leave, a part of them always remains there, among the stones, wood, and the taste of a hospitality that is not easily forgotten./ CNA