Mazarine Hotel Vlora

Mazarine Hotel Vlora is the design address on Vlora Bay — a five-star seafront property whose architecture, interiors and service culture set the tone for the new Albanian Riviera. The building is a study in restraint: long horizontal lines, deep terraces, a palette of stone and pale timber, and an infinity edge that dissolves into the sea itself.

Rooms and suites are among the largest in the city, all with sea-facing balconies or terraces. Interiors are quietly luxurious — hand-tufted rugs, custom joinery, ambient lighting and marble bathrooms with walk-in rain showers and deep soaking tubs in the upper categories. Suites offer separate lounges and, in the top tiers, private plunge pools overlooking the bay.

The heart of the property is its rooftop and pool level: an infinity pool that appears to spill into the Ionian, cabanas, a shaded lounge and a signature cocktail bar that becomes one of Vlora's most refined evening destinations. A second pool sits at ground level closer to the beach club, and the hotel's private beach section is attended throughout the season with premium loungers, cabanas and dedicated service.

The spa is a serious operation — hammam, sauna, indoor pool, treatment suites and a small but well-equipped fitness centre — and works closely with the resident wellness team on longer programmes. Dining spans a rooftop fine-dining restaurant, an all-day Mediterranean brasserie and a beach club menu, with an emphasis on Adriatic seafood, Albanian olive oils and a wine list that quietly champions the country's best small producers.

Location is central and calm: the Lungomare and Vlora's old fishing quarter are within walking distance, while the Karaburun boat pier, the Riviera drive south, and day trips to Berat, Apollonia and the Blue Eye are all easily arranged.