Brilliant Hotel & SPA

We chose this hotel for our babymoon and unfortunately ended up regretting our choice. The biggest issue for us was the amount of smoking throughout the outdoor areas and the lack of consideration for non-smokers. While the indoor areas are officially smoke-free, smoke still comes inside through the doors because almost all of the sitting areas around the entrance have ashtrays and people are smoking there. It became impossible for us to comfortably sit outside. Even while having a meal, we could smell cigarette smoke coming into the dining area, which made it very uncomfortable to enjoy our food. Heavy Smoking was also happening along the main pathways, around the swimming pool and even right next to the juice/drinks machines. We spoke to management about this and were told that outdoor smoking is allowed in Albania. We understand that, but we feel the hotel could still do more to accommodate non-smokers for example, having some completely smoke-free seating areas, or even one of the pools where smoking isn't allowed. That would make a huge difference. Unfortunately, this affected almost every part of our six-night stay. I am pregnant and very sensitive to cigarette smoke, and I had to wear a mask throughout our entire stay, even in the hot weather, simply to avoid breathing in the smoke. We ended up not using the swimming pool and couldn't sit in many of the outdoor areas or easily get drinks because we were constantly trying to move away from the smoke. We often had to walk further towards the beach just to find an area where we could breathe comfortably. What was also disappointing was the hotel's response to our feedback. Rather than feeling that our concerns were understood, we found the response defensive, and it left us with the impression that there is little willingness to make reasonable accommodations for non-smokers. We understand that outdoor smoking may be permitted by law, but we believe a hotel can still choose to create designated smoke-free spaces for guests who need or prefer them. It was especially disappointing because this was supposed to be a relaxing babymoon. Instead, we spent a lot of our time trying to avoid cigarette smoke. The hotel may suit people who don't mind smoking, but based on our experience, we would not recommend it to non-smokers, pregnant guests, families with children, or people with respiratory issues or sensitivity to cigarette smoke. Having clearly designated smoke-free areas would make a huge difference and allow everyone to enjoy the hotel more comfortably.

We recently stayed here on an all-inclusive package for 4 nights (Saturday to Wednesday). While there were some positives, overall we were disappointed and didn’t feel the experience reflected the price we paid. When we arrived at 1:50 pm, we were told the lunch buffet was closing in just 10 minutes. The meal times are quite limited: breakfast is 7:30–10:00 am, lunch 12:00–2:00 pm, the snack bar only opens from 4:00–5:00 pm, and dinner is 7:00–9:00 pm. There are no snacks available between these times. The buffet food was also very repetitive throughout our stay, and there was very little information about ingredients, which could be a concern for guests with allergies or dietary requirements. The à la carte restaurant is not included in the all-inclusive package and requires an additional charge. The room minibar is also chargeable. The main bar closes at 10:00 pm, the drink selection is very limited, and there wasn’t even a cocktail menu. The cocktails we tried were unfortunately not very enjoyable. We chose this hotel partly because it advertised a kids’ club, but it only operates two days a week, which was disappointing. Evening entertainment consisted only of singers each night, so after a few evenings it became quite repetitive. There are also several unexpected extra charges. If you want to use the indoor pool, it’s €10 per person. If you’d like access to the nicer pool and bar area featured in many of the promotional photos, it’s €22 per person, and drinks there are not included either. We appreciate that Albania is still developing as an all-inclusive destination, but this wasn’t what we expected from an all-inclusive holiday. Compared with our experiences in destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and the Canary Islands, there were far fewer inclusions and many additional costs. We paid around £700 per person for 4 nights, and unfortunately we don’t feel the stay offered good value for money. It was also my sister’s birthday during our stay. We had to purchase a birthday cake for €15, and there was no small complimentary gesture such as a slice of cake or a glass of wine, which would have been a thoughtful touch. A small detail, but the wall-mounted body wash dispenser in our bathroom was never refilled. Instead, we were given several small travel-sized bottles of shower gel. On a positive note, the reception staff, the barman, and the housekeeping team were all friendly, welcoming, and hardworking. They were the highlight of our stay and deserve recognition for their excellent service. Overall, while the staff made us feel welcome, we left feeling disappointed by the limited all-inclusive offering, the number of additional charges, and the overall value for money.

If you decide to come to this hotel, you have to be aware that you are joining techno and electro music festival that lasts on the beach 8-20, you will not be able to sit in silence and relax or read a book on the beach, because there is loud music and base beat that is uneascapable wherever you go on the beach, which is exhausting and irritating for the nervous system. There is no single quiet spot in the hotel where you can hide from the music to read a book or relax in silence. It is impossible to talk to the manager as front staff is blocking it and some of the staff at the reception is dismissive and rude (e.g. Reifa). They don’t try to understand a basic human need to rest on holidays and to be able to choose whether you want to listen to the techno / electro music all day long on your holidays or not. I tried to attach the video but it is impossible here. We asked the staff to take the music down on the beach but they refused. Spending your holidays here is like a torture in Guantanamo when they will not let you sleep or relax but force you to listen to the music all the time. I am writing this because nobody respects our need and there is no senior person who would talk to us and help us find a solution. It is a warning for anybody who is considering this place - if you want to listen to electro beat 8-20 on the beach, go for it. Otherwise - dont consider it.

Beautiful hotel with very friendly and polite stuff.

Everything was wonderful.the service was great also the weather. A storm happend but the hotel was very good to spend time even with the storm.