Frequently Asked Questions

General
  • How to book accommodation?

    Please read "How to make a reservation?"

  • General Terms and Conditions

    Before making a reservation make sure to read the General Terms and Conditions by clicking on the link with the same name at the bottom of the page. You will be required to accept the terms when making payment.

  • Where to find useful information on Albania?

    Find out about Albania by clicking on the “About Albania” menu at the top right hand corner of the website.

  • Which travel documents are required to enter Albania?

    For all entry document-related issues, please visit our visa info section at the ”About Albania” menu at the top right hand corner of the website or the foreign ministry’s official website www.mfa.gov.al

  • How are prices stated in balkan-hotel.com’s offer?

    Prices in this page are per room per night in Euro.

Hotels
  • When can we check in at the hotels?

    Check in times are set by the suppliers and will show on the information for each hotel.

  • What is a "no show" and a “late check out”?

    A "no show" is a term used in cases when you have made a reservation but never checked in, and did not inform the hotel or us of your intention to cancel. As per hotel cancellation policy, there are no refunds for "no shows."

    read more Late check out is when you vacate your room and give back the room key after the official times a hotel requests its guests to do so. If you are checking out late talk to the hotel staff to agree to this or you maybe charged extra fees. “Late check out” fees vary from hotel to hotel.

  • What is your cancellation policy?

    The cancellation policy is set by each hotel and is clearly shown on the hotel information page, the booking form and also on your pre paid accommodation voucher.

  • Where can I find directions to the hotel?

    At each hotel’s page, you will find the map button. Should there not be a street map, please change the view to satellite to locate your hotel. You can also print the map by clicking with the right button of your mouse.

  • Is there parking available?

    Parking service differs from hotel to hotel and for hotels where parking is available the parking spaces are distributed on the first come first serve principle. You can request a parking space on the comments box of the reservation form.

  • Who should we contact in case we have a problem with the hotel reservation?

    You should contact the hotel or the agency through which the accommodation was booked. read more In the highly unlikely event that the hotel cannot find your reservation, please be sure to present them your Booking Reservation document. If problems persist, call at our company.  Emergency Customer Service line, available 7 days a week, from 08:00 till 23:00 at the number +355692081113.

  • Are hotel taxes included in hotel price?

    Yes all applicable taxes are included in the price you see at our page.

  • Why can certain hotels only be booked for a minimum number of nights?

    During the summer season many beach hotels can only be booked for minimum number of nights (mostly 7 ore 10), as these are conditions set by the hotels themselves.

  • How can I change or cancel my reservation?

    All electronic Booking Reservations and Booking Orders you will receive from our site have a booking ID number and a link at the bottom page where you can cancel your reservation. read more If you click on “cancel your reservation” link you will be taken to a page where you have to click a “cancel” button and this automatically cancels your reservation. You will receive a cancellation notice by e-mail. Once you have completed a reservation you cannot change it. If you want to change it you have to cancel it and start the booking process over.

  • What is the Booking Reservation Document, and how do I get the contact information of the hotel

    The Booking Reservation Document shows that your reservation has been booked and confirmed. read more We recommend that you print and keep this document as you will need to present it at the time of check-in. The Booking Reservation Document also holds important reservation information, including your confirmation number and hotel contact information. This document will be sent to you by e-mail, upon receipt of a partial payment for the reservation also called a deposit. read more

  • How long will it take for my reservation request to be answered to?

    There are two categories of reservation requests possible: Instant bookings for “Available” hotels and bookings on request for hotels which are not instantly available and are classified as “Confirmation required” in our website. read more
    In the first case when hotels have “Available” status everything is straight forward and instant. After completing payment you will receive an automatic Booking Reservation document from our company confirming your reservation as definite.
    For hotels with “Confirmation required” status you will receive a Booking Order via email informing you that your reservation is pending and will be confirmed or declined within maximum 48 hours depending on availability.
     If the property has availability you will receive an e-mail from us confirming availability. Then you should click on the link on the top of the Booking Order you had previously received and proceed to payment.  After completing payment you will receive from our system an automatic Booking Reservation’ which states the deposit amount you have paid and the sum remaining to be paid at the hotel.
    If the property has not availability you will receive an email explaining there is not availability at the requested hotel. You should then cancel this original request as explained in the section 9 which deals with how to cancel your reservation. We then invite you to go on to our website to make a new reservation at an alternative hotel.

  • How important is that my e-mail address is correct and in function?

    In order to receive confirmations via e-mail make sure that the address you enter when sending your booking request is correct. read more If you enter an incorrect e-mail address you will not be able to receive a reply and this could lead to communication problems and misunderstandings. Therefore, it is crucial that you make sure all data is correct.

  • Why did I not get a confirmation of my reservation by e-mail

    Our e-mail might have gone to your junk or spam mail box, so please check your junk mail. read more If our e-mail has been sent to your Junk or Spam mail folder, please open it and click on the 'this is not spam' button to prevent it from happening again. If the e-mail cannot be found please contact us at sales@albania-hotel.com with details of your booking, and if you do not get a reply within 2 hours please call us at the number provided.

  • Can I make a booking for tonight on your website?

    Yes you can, only by selecting hotels available for instant booking. Please ensure that you enter your credit card details correctly as there is very limited time for us or the hotel to contact you.

  • Can I make a reservation by phone?

    Yes you can if you have a valid credit card. While our website was designed to give customers an easy way to reserve hotel rooms online, we understand some customers prefer a more personal touch. Our customer service staff will be pleased to guide you through and complete the reservation over the phone.

Transfers
  • Can transfer from the airport to the hotel (or vice versa) be arranged?

    Yes, you can book a transfer after you have chosen a hotel at the end of your booking, for these Albanian cities: read more Tirana, Durres, Shkodra, Elbasan, Vlora, Fier and Berat. After you book this transfer, a SMS goes to the mobile phone of our office and driver who will pick you up with an “Albania Holidays” sign. This is confirmed in your transfer voucher. For transfers to all other towns you have to contact us via e-mail at sales@balkan-hotel.com. For transfers you have to prepay in full in advance by credit card.

  • Can I book and pay for a transfer without a hotel reservation?

    No, at this moment this cannot be done automatically. To book a “transfer only” service please contact us via e-mail at sales@balkan-hotel.com

  • How far in advance do I have to book a transfer?

    Latest you can book a transfer is the same day of your scheduled arrival, if this is done within our working ours.

Payment methods
  • Do I need to pay and if so what do I pay to make a reservation?

    To confirm and guarantee a reservation you need to pay a partial amount of the total reservation price. read more This amount paid varies on the individual agreements we have with different hotels or car rental companies and might be different for each of them. To give you an indication this amount is approximately 10-20% of the total amount of the booking in majority of cases.  The remaining difference from the total reservation amount is then paid at the service provider upon your arrival and obtaining of services. These amounts will show when you make the payment and be reflected in the Booking Reservation document you receive upon completion of payment.

  • What are the payment methods and currency?

    Through our partner Moneybookers (Skrill) Ltd. one of the major online credit card processors based in the UK read more we offer you the possibility to pay by debit or credit card. Payment is made in Euro however Moneybookers offers the possibility to pay in your own currency. For more info on the cards accepted and currencies you can pay please visit their official site www.moneybookers.com. You can also pay by bank transfer if the reservation is made at least 4 days prior to check in date.

  • Are there any processing fees and when will my card be charged for a booking?

    NO. There are not any additional or hidden processing fees applied when making a payment in our site. read more You pay the price you see for the hotel in total but will pay by credit card only the deposit amount requested at the time you book. The rest of the payment is made directly with the hotel or service provider. After paying the deposit you will automatically receive the Booking Reservation document which confirms that the booking has been made.

  • Why do I have to pay in advance?

    By paying in advance a small deposit, you are guaranteed the accommodation unit you have reserved on our web pages, since your advance payment is immediately forwarded to the hotel.

    Please read our Terms and Conditions for further information.

  • Is there an amount limit I can pay by credit or debit card?

    Please note that in some cases your credit or debit card payments may be limited to sums of up to 1000 Euro without verification completed. Those limits are applicable for a 60 days period. read more If you would like to process a payment above the mentioned amount you'll need to complete account verification with Moneybookers. The other option for paying higher amounts would be to use the bank wire option.

  • Why am I asked for a password when trying to make a payment?

    In general if a customer has used the Moneybookers payment gateway 3 times, on the 4th time the system will simply ask the user to log in with a previously chosen password.

    read more Moneybookers consider all users who are using their payment gateway solution more than 3 times a regular user and therefore you may be asked to log in. In case you do not remember to have chosen a password please contact Moneybookers client support.

  • Who is responsible for bank fees?

    In case of bank transfer payments the client is responsible for all bank transfer charges. Our company must receive the exact amount stated on the invoice.

  • Why are bank fees sometimes higher than expected

    Bank fees should and do not exceed 40 Euro in total. One of the reasons may be that your bank does not have a contract with read more Intesa San Paolo Bank of Albania (Albania Holidays bank), meaning that the payment is made through a third bank known as an intermediary. Since each bank charges transaction fees, your bank fees may be higher.

  • Do I have to be the holder of the credit card I am using for payment?

    No, the booking can be paid by credit card whose holder is not necessarily the holder of the booking. However the credit card holder should make the payment or have authorized you to do so.

  • What are the payment deadlines?

    By credit card payment is made instantly, while by bank must be made until the payment option expires.

  • If I do not have a Credit card can I pay the hotel upon arrival?

    You must pre-pay the deposit. Only the difference between total amount and deposit can be made cash on arrival at the hotel read more and only after having prepaid the deposit. This platform has been created with the intention of facilitating the booking process for both the client and the property. As such prepayment of a deposit at least offers a guarantee to both parties.

  • When and how will I receive the documents regarding the booking?

    Documents will be sent to you by e-mail, upon receipt of payment of the deposit amount.

Car rentals
  • What's covered by the insurance?

    The insurance package includes CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) and TP (Theft Protection) coverage. Please note: the client is liable to pay 10% damage costs if found to be at fault in an accident.

  • Will there be some restrictions on mileage?

    No, unlimited mileage is included in the price.

  • What's acriss vehicle categorization?

    Acriss categorization is international vehicle categorization according to which rent-a-car companies conduct business. Each vehicle rental service provider can only guarantee the vehicle's category, but not a specific vehicle.

  • What if I don't return the vehicle at the time stated on the voucher?

    1-day extra rental charge applies. The payment is taken out of the deposit

  • What if I return the vehicle with less fuel than when I picked the vehicle up?

    Fuel charges apply, increased by the fuel filling cost. The payment is taken out of the deposit.

  • Can I pick up the vehicle at one location and drop it off at another?

    Yes, this is possible for the locations listed on the website. Extra charges are added for all locations other than Tirana.

  • Can the rented vehicle be taken across the Albanian border?s

    Yes, provided that notice of this is given when making the enquiry. International insurance is a must and comes at extra cost.

  • Is an International Driving Licence a requirement?

    No.

  • Can the vehicle be driven by multiple drivers?

    Yes, two drivers can be designated. Other guests can also drive the vehicle, provided one of the designated drivers is present in the vehicle.

  • Why do I need to have a credit card upon collection of vehicle?

    A credit card is necessary for one-way rentals. The credit card is authorised to be used by the rental agency in the amount of the deposit left by the guest, to cover for any damages to the vehicle, caused due to driver fault.

  • Is there a possibility of having a baby seat in the vehicle?

    This varies between companies. In some is available with a surcharge. Please inform us of the child's age and weight when making the booking, so we could provide you with a suitable seat.