During our four-night trip to Kosovo, we based ourselves in Prizren at the centrally located “Hotel Kaçinari”:http://hotelkacinari.com/.
It was a relatively large, modern hotel with ornate burgundy carpets covered in yellow swirls in the public areas and lots of wall art – many included nude blue women which we assume was a reference to the communist era, when nudes would be ‘blued out’.
Our first-floor room was up a short flight of steps. Our door simply said ‘Privata’, rather than bearing a number, so we guessed it may be the hotel’s suite as it was a good size. Unfortunately, the large double bed had only a thin duvet which just about touched the edges of the bed and there was only one pillow. We therefore rolled up a second duvet we found in the cupboard as a bolster which was dismantled each day by housekeeping. However, there were two bedside tables and lights, space to keep our two suitcases open, a wardrobe (containing one pair of slippers), desk with TV, mini bar stocked with alcoholic, non-alcoholic drinks and sweets, two arms chairs and a footstool. The window looked out onto an apartment block and a small road leading to the scaffold-clad Cathedral. There was no safe either in the room, or at reception, but were told things would be secure. As in many Balkan countries there was no tea or coffee making facilities.
The bathroom was tiny and there were a few ‘issues’. To get into the shower, we had to move the wastepaper bin and toilet brush stand out of the bathroom. The rectangular shower cubicle was a good size, but there were three buttons in a line with no instructions but we found one switched the water on and off and regulated the temperature, another managed the flow of water and the third, switched on lights and determined which of the various shower heads the water spurted from. On arrival, the towels were laid out on the bed, which was not surprising bearing in mind there was only one small hook which was unsuitable for large towels. Therefore, towels were replaced daily. The wall mounted hairdryer had five speeds described as soft wind to strong wind, but all were ineffectual. The hairdryer also came on automatically when we returned to the room and inserted the key card into a power activating socket.
Breakfast was served from 8am to 10pm in a large ground floor restaurant. During our three-night stay, we saw very few other guests apart from ladies who appeared to be having coffee before cleaning the rooms. There was a good selection: orange juice, two cereals but no muesli, yoghurts in pots, watermelon and uncut fruit (e.g. apples), fried eggs, pieces of omelette, cold meats and cheeses, tomato and cucumber, cakes and breads. Although there was instant coffee, we both indulged in a large macchiato for €1 each.
However, despite its quirks, the hotel was in a good position and within a walk of bars, shops and restaurants.
