Hotel Seadel

Hotel Seadel is a Ksamil property for visitors who want the beach at their feet. The village offers calm water, small islands and open skies, and it is a natural choice for people who want to swim often and sightsee in short bursts. Many guests choose Ksamil precisely to avoid the bustle of Saranda, and a hotel in the village means you can combine the quiet with a short drive to the main sights.

Think about the type of stay you want. If your priority is swimming, look for a room within a short walk of the beach and check how the hotel handles sunbeds and umbrellas. If your priority is sightseeing, a quiet room with strong air conditioning matters more, as you will be out all day and want to sleep well.

The pace is slower than in Saranda. Days revolve around swimming, snorkelling and lunch by the water, with seafood restaurants and mussel farms close by, and the evenings are quiet apart from the occasional beach bar. For nightlife and variety you can take a taxi or a local minibus into Saranda, which takes around half an hour. A car or a regular taxi is useful if you plan to explore beyond the village.

Ksamil restaurants serve seafood, grilled meat, salads and local cheeses, often on terraces over the water, and prices are modest compared with nearby Greece. Mussels from the Butrint lagoon are a local speciality, as is fresh fish. Dinner is late in summer, and it is worth reserving a table at sunset in July and August.

The village is small, so you do not need much transport once you arrive, but you may want a taxi for Butrint, the Blue Eye or Saranda. Some hotels arrange pick-ups for tours, and many local drivers offer private transfers and day trips at reasonable prices. Ask the hotel for recommendations and agree prices in advance.

Plan to stay at least three nights if you want to see Butrint, swim in the islands and take at least one boat trip without rushing.

Staying in Ksamil also puts you ahead of the crowds at Butrint. If you take a taxi at opening time, you can have the ruins nearly to yourself for the first hour, with soft light and birdsong. After the visit you are back at the hotel before the heat and the tour buses arrive, which is a considerable advantage in July and August.

If you travel with a car, ask about parking in the village, where narrow streets can fill up in July and August. Check whether breakfast is served on a terrace, because a morning coffee with a sea view sets up the day well.