33 years old (in body if not mind), and living in Edinburgh. A keen interest in cycling, cars, spor...
33 years old (in body if not mind), and living in Edinburgh. A keen interest in cycling, cars, sport, design, writing and movies. And marzipan. Can't get enough of that stuff...
Member since:03.11.2003
Reviews:64
Members who trust:6
I can't say I was looking forward to working for three weeks in Kosovo all that much. I'd been told that, save for the good restaurants (yes, really) there wasn't that much to do, and I couldn't find that much information save for what people who worked for the UN had to say.
However, the guy I was going to be working with assured me that the hotel was a good one and there, at least, I'd be perfectly comfortable.
Arriving at night I didn't quite appreciate how much the hotel stuck out like a sore thumb. Situated on a slight rise, just across the road from the SwissEmbassy, this bright blue building strikes you as a slight oddity in the surrounding greyness. But it's a welcome splash of colour.
Inside the marbled floor and wood panelling of the reception and bar have been sourced from all over Europe (an evening drinking with the owner saw us find out just how much money had been spent on this venture). It certainly has the feel of somewhere trying very very hard to appeal to western traveller tastes.
My room was large, with a substantial double bed, large shower room, ample wardrobe space and plenty of storage. Oh, and the soft drinks out of the mini-bar are free. The television captures a multitude of channels, including some from the UK, US, France, Germany and so on, and some Albanian movie channels showing English language movies in their original language.
The bar downstairs at reception serves great coffee, and the local beer, Peja, especially good in the warm summer, drunk after a day in the office in the comfortable leather sofas watching the world go by outside.
And if you want more relaxation, further downstairs is the sauna, with a couple of personal steam rooms and changing facilities.
Oh, and there is an excellent quality wireless internet connection throughout the hotel (which is free to use). An absolute boon meaning I could chat on Skype to home without any cost worries for the connection or the call.
The breakfast, unfortunately, wasn't quite up to the standard of other aspects, and quite often I skipped it in favour of some pastries from the bakery just round the corner from our office. The selection of meats and cheeses were just a little uninspired.
On the biggest upside the staff are absolutely brilliant. Every single one of them speaks good English, enough to have a good conversation, with some absolutely fluent (just as well because my Albanian is shaky) and will stop and chat, always remembering your room number, and able to guide you to wherever you want to go (and not taking offence at using the laundry down the street rather than the more expensive hotel option).
Overall this is the quality of hotel that is going to get people coming to Kosovo, a country in which lurks the ability to become a destination but which you just feel needs the right impetus to get there. For the time being, if you're going to Pristina on business, this hotel is fast becoming a favourite choice for many, and I'd have no hesitation in staying there again.
Rooms come in at around €70 a night.
(you can read more about my time in Kosovo, and at the hotel at: http://www.citycycling.co.uk/kosovo/kosovodiary.html).
Pictures of Hotel Ambasador, Pristina
Hotel Ambasador
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful by (100%):
