I’ve stayed in Himarë twice, the first time I visited Albania 2018 when there seemed to be barely any hotels in Himare and it wasn’t on the popular tourist trail yet. Then again in summer 2025 when I was amazed to see how much it had changed and how many more options there were for hotels in Himarë.
Of course the Albanian Riviera has become much more well-known in recent years, but you do still find a lot of people gravitate towards Ksamil, which of course is beautiful and a lot of fun.
But I preferred Himarë because it’s a bit more laidback, less party vibes compared to Ksamil and more of a welcoming beach town on Albania’s coast.
So I’m going to share where I think are the best areas to stay in Himare and the places I considered booking in Himare before deciding on the Himare hotel that I stayed at during my recent visit.
Read my 7 day South Albania itinerary here.
Himare beach
The best area to stay in Himarë
Himare is not a big town, you can get to most places on foot easily including the beaches, restaurants and main town area.
On my first trip to Himare, I stayed in a hotel that directly overlooks Potami beach. I preferred this beach over Himare Beach just because it’s further from the town centre so you don’t get the noise of the cafes and boardwalk so we ended up spending most of our time on Potami Beach in Himare anyway.
Still now, I would recommend staying close to Potami Beach if you’re a family with young kids, if you’re travelling without a car or if you’re only in town for 1 night and want a convenient location.
Himare Old Town
The best places to stay in Himare, Albania
There are a range of hotels in Himare to suit your budget, there’s even camping spots for those looking to stay budget-friendly and there are stunning traditional villas that are suitable for big family gatherings.
I don’t want to overwhelm you with options so I’m going to share the places that I shortlisted for our own trip last summer and then share the actual place we ended up staying.
Best hotels in Himare close to Potami Beach
Himare Beach
If you’re looking for beachfront hotels in Himare, my top choice is Emily’s Hotel and this is the place that I almost booked for our trip. Rooms are modern and functional but it’s the direct beach access from the hotel and private beach area that really sold me!
It’s further down Potami Beach with incredible views of Himare town and the mountain range, plus the sunsets from here will be incredible too.
Rapo’s Resort Hotel is located in a similar area but set a bit further back from the beach - around 50 metres. The perks are that this is a more family orientated resort with a pool, bar, onsite restaurant but still with beach access.
If you’re looking for a hotel close to Potami Beach but a bit more removed from the sounds of the beach and restaurants, Stonevilla Buta looks like a great option, situated just a bit further around the bay with modern rooms and a stunning traditional interior. The views from the balconies are BEAUTIFUL!
For another great beachfront location on Potami Beach, Potami Seashell is a small hotel with beautifully updated rooms and a lovely, friendly host. With private beach access and surrounded by several food options, this is a great location for couples or anyone who is only in Himare for a couple of nights.
Best hotels in Himare Town
If you’d prefer to be closer to the action of Himare Beach and the town centre, Sea View Hotel is in the centre on on cusp of both beaches, not quite in the centre of town so you’ve still got a nice quiet area to stay but walking in both directions either to town or Potami Beach is very easy! Plus modern rooms, a great pool - this hotel is a great option and was another top contender for us.
If you want to stay in the centre of Himare Town but don’t want to sacrifice a beautiful location, Acta 1939 is absolutely spectacular. With stunning exposed stone work, minimal modern interiors and even a free-standing bath tub! This is located right in the heart of Himare town, just steps from the beach and with sea views.
Stefaneli Studios is another great option for families or groups with rooms that have kitchenettes but you’re still just a short walk to the beach and located pretty centrally to the town. Rooms are modern and updated and an aparthotel gives you plenty of options if you prefer to make your own meals.
Himare Hotels
Luxury hotel in Himare
I really wanted to stay at Rea Boutique Hotel in Himare on our trip but it was already fully booked. Located on the other side of the bay, overlooking Himare beach and town, the rooms here offer private terraces, spa baths and stunning sea views. There’s also a fitness centre, massage services, a hot tub, onsite terrace bar and restaurant and Spille Beach is right next to the hotel.
Where we stayed in Himare, Albania
Our hotel balcony view
Livadhi Beach
This is a bit of a curveball and I definitely didn’t set out to stay a bit further outside of Himare but we stayed at Aphrodite’s Garden which is tucked away on the hillside below Himare Old Town and Himare Castle.
We had a rental car so I know we needed to find a hotel with car parking which somewhat limited our options. But as I was researching, I had pinned a restaurant called Fig and Olive which was highly recommended and perched on the hillside just outside Himare with stunning views and I realised they also had an onsite hotel (which gets you priority access to book a table at the restaurant).
The hotel is Aphrodite’s Garden and it comes with breathtaking sea views, the most gorgeous restaurant terrace, free car parking, included breakfast, the friendliest, warmest staff I think I’ve ever encountered at a hotel and rooms were only £52 per night.
Aphrodite’s Garden is only a 5 minute drive from Himare Beach so that was no issue for us, but at the bottom of the hillside where the hotel is, you have Livadhi Beach which is much bigger, stunning turquoise water, loads of beach bar options and we found it far less busy and crowded than Himare Beaches.
So Livadhi Beach actually became our favourite beach while we were in Himare - but you do need to drive down there, the walk downhill takes around 30 minutes but I’d imagine the steep uphill climb back would take much longer!
The hotel restaurant isn’t cheap, we paid between £50-60 per night for two of us which obviously is still cheaper than what we’d get at home for a 3-course meal and 4 beers but you can definitely find cheaper in Albania. However the food was stunning, absolutely the best meal we had in Albania, so much so that we ate there two nights in a row.
The restaurant is popular and you can dine there even if you’re not a hotel guest but I would highly recommend making a reservation in advance as the restaurant was full both nights.
On weekends they have live music from local singers and performers. Sitting on the terrace with beautiful music, as the sun set overlooking the sea, it was without a doubt one of the most memorable places I’ve ever stayed and you really cant’ go wrong with the price either!
Aphrodites Garden restaurant Himare
View from our Himare hotel
Summary: best places to stay in Himare, Albania
Whether you stay in Himare itself or decide to go for Aphrodite’s Garden, I hope this guide gives you plenty of options and hopefully some good inspiration for your stay in Himarë.
Enjoy your trip!
