I love staying in hostels when I travel. It’s a great way to keep accommodation costs low, and meet new people on the road! On my trip to the Balkans this summer, I stayed in hostels for the entire trip, including my time in Shkoder. I stayed at Shkodra Backpackers (Mi Casa Es Tu Casa) for my three nights—here is my full review!

Location

Shkodra Backpackers has an excellent location, just off the main street in the center of Shkoder. The hostel was within walking distance to pretty much everything in the city center, and easy for arriving/departing by bus. It was a fantastic location for the hostel.

Room

I stayed in a 10-bed dorm room for my three nights in Shkoder. The room was large and spacious, and didn’t feel cramped at all! The ceilings were really high, which again made the room feel huge. Each bed had privacy curtains, individual reading lights, and outlets (my favorite things in dorms!). Best of all, the air conditioning worked perfectly in our room—a must in the summer months!

Price

I paid €10 per person, per night for my dorm at Shkodra Backpackers. This is a pretty similar price to most of the other hostels in Shkoder. Overall, I thought this was excellent value for money, and some of the cheapest accommodation during my trip in the Balkans! Especially considering that this included air conditioning! The hostel offers so much more than just a bed, so this was a great bargain.

Bathrooms

There are several different bathrooms at the hostel—my dorm was on the ground floor, so I only used the ground floor bathrooms. There were some rooms with toilets and showers, and some with just showers or just toilets. I never had to wait for a bathroom, and when the main bathrooms were being cleaned, you can still use the bathroom outside (connected to the bar).

Staff

All of the staff were amazing at Shkodra Backpackers. Alma and Ani were both so welcoming, and really made me feel at home in the hostel. They were also very helpful in arranging our daytrip to Blini Park and Lake Koman, and I know they can offer loads of hiking advice if you’re planning to do hiking. The Theth to Valbona (or vice versa) hike is one of the main reasons people pass through Shkoder, and they can book transport for you. There are also multiple dogs and cats that live in the hostel!!

Common Areas

One of my favorite parts of my stay at this hostel was the outdoor common area/bar. I hung out here most evenings and it was really easy to chat with people. This would have been a great hostel to stay at if I had been traveling solo. The bar operates on a cashless basis, as you buy a drinks card for 1000 lek, and whatever you don’t use by check-out you get refunded. The happy hour is not to be missed! They also have a large indoor common room, with lots of comfy couches. Additionally, there is a big kitchen and an outdoor eating area (breakfast room).

Amenities

Shkodra Backpackers put on an amazing breakfast in the morning. There were so much different types of food, I didn’t even know where to start! Everything was homemade and there was loads of traditional Albanian food, cheeses, bread, fruit, cereals, etc. It was a great way to start the day! The hostel also offered bike rental (370 ALL for 4 hours), which was perfect for us to bike out to the lake, do some swimming, and return back. The wifi was a bit slow at times—especially in the evenings, when most people are hanging around on the wifi at the hostel. But I suppose that can be true of any wifi network. Laundry costs 370 ALL for a load, and they have a huge outdoor area to hang-dry clothes. If you’re going hiking, they also have a secure luggage storage where you can store your bags (I think it’s about €1 per bag per day). This would be great so that you don’t have to hike with all of your main gear!

Security

I felt that security was good at the hostel. There is a gate to the main street that requires a keycode to get in. I didn’t end up usually locking the door to my dorm room, as there were so many people coming and going, but I didn’t feel unsafe at all. There are pretty large lockers for storing some of your luggage/your valuables. The entire atmosphere makes you feel like being part of a family, and there were always staff members around. Overall I felt really safe!

Verdict: Would I Return?

Absolutely. Shkodra Backpackers is an amazing hostel—the kind of place you instantly regret leaving when you only have a set number of nights. The staff are so helpful and friendly, the breakfast is amazing, and it’s so easy to meet people and make friends. The only reason I wouldn’t return was if I needed an excellent wifi speed to do high priority work at my accommodation—but even then, I’d rather stay here and find a café with good wifi somewhere else. Hiking from Theth to Valbona is definitely on my bucket list, so I hope I will return! I can’t recommend Shkodra Backpackers enough! You can check out their website here.

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I was not compensated in any way by this hostel—my opinions are always my own.

What do you look for in hostels when you travel? What things do you like or dislike?

You might like my other Albania posts:

Why You Should Visit Shkoder, Albania

A Daytrip From Shkoder To Blini Park And Lake Koman: The Craziest Day In Albania!

13 Things You Must See In Tirana, Albania

The 8 Best Bars In Tirana, Albania

Visiting Berat As A Daytrip From Tirana

Hostel Review: Tirana Backpacker Hostel, Tirana