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HOTEL MAESTRAL SARANDA FREE
The main benefits of this hotel were the location as it was just on the edge of the main town and so you called walk to the main restaurant area in 10 minutes and it also had access directly from the hotel to a small (stony) beach which had free umbrellas and beds. The breakfast was a traditional style buffet but was limited in terms of choices but it included cereal, yoghurt, egg, feta cheese, tomato and bread and there was one item which appeared to change on a daily basis. When we initially checked in there wasn’t a controller for the air con so we had to ask for this. We stayed at this hotel for 5 nights and the room was clean but basic in terms of the furnishings and a little cramped as although we had booked a double it also had a single bed. After looking around, someone appeared and so we could check in! The staff spoke good English. When we arrived, we were a little concerned initially as there was no one on reception. Maybe it was just a language problem, but a little more concern would have been nice. We told the management and they were quite dismissive, no apology, and the toilet was left for anyone else to lock themselves in. Take advantage of recreation opportunities such as a private beach or take in the view from a terrace and a garden.
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This beach hotel is 7.9 mi (12.7 km) from Ksamil Islands and 1.2 mi (1.9 km) from Mango Beach. It wasn't a nice experience, and if I'd been on my own I could have been stuck for even longer. Located in Sarandë, Hotel Maestral is within a 5-minute drive of Museum of Archaeology and Synagogue of Saranda. Eventually, my daughter, wondering where I had got to, came and let me out. I tried to open it and banged on the door and shouted out. I got changed and then realized the door wouldn't open, in fact there wasn't a handle on the inside. We had wanted to stay on the beach after our check-out time, but they couldn't let us stay any later in the room, and they didn't have any shower facilities for us to use, so when I came off the beach I went into the toilet on the first floor. We walked into Sarande each evening and were so pleased we weren't staying right in the centre, it was manic. The hotel's restaurant was down by the beach and didn't stay open in the evening. This area was closed for the rest of the day, which seems odd, as I'm sure people would love a drink or coffee there during the day. Breakfast was served on a lovey veranda overlooking the sea. The sea was beautiful first thing in the morning, as it was so calm, and uncrowded. When we said we were staying at the hotel we didn't have to pay, but it did mean the beach was crowded. However the beach isn't for the exclusive use of hotel guests, it is also available to anyone using the restaurant, or willing to pay for sunbeds.
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There was a beach, with sun beds, set in a bay. The room was very spacious with a lovely shaded terrace. We stayed for three nights in a triple room.
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