VourtaréaPotami · Himarë · Est. 1999
The sun setting over Potami beach and the bay of Himarë, with the Ceraunian mountains behind

Potami, Himarë — Est. 1999

Twenty metres
from the water

A family house in Potami letting rooms and apartments since 1999 — stone walls, a citrus garden, and the pebbles of Potami beach at the end of the path.

Check availabilitySee the rooms
9.0
Wonderfulon Booking.com
0 m

Metres to the water

0.0/10

Guest rating

0

Letting rooms since

The cream façade of Vourtaréa Guesthouse with its navy entrance awning and stone base

The house

A family house in Potami, on the quiet northern edge of Himarë, letting rooms and apartments since 1999. Old stone walls, walnut floors and a citrus garden on one side; light, self-catering apartments with balconies on the other. The pebbles of Potami beach are twenty metres from the door.

There are two halves to the place. The old one is stone: walls stripped back to the bare rock the house was built from, walnut floors, iron beds, showers cut straight into the masonry. The other is a set of light self-catering apartments with balconies, kitchens and washing machines — the practical half, for the families who come for a week.
Direct beachfront accessGarden & terraceGreek · English · Albanian
A limestone arch over the steps that lead up into the garden

The arch on the way up from the road

An iron bed and a round mirror against the original stone wall of the old house

Walls left as they were built

The covered terrace of the stone house, with a long table under a tiled roof

The covered terrace, where breakfast happens if you make it

Bunches of green grapes hanging from the vine trained over the terrace

The vine over the table, in July

The wooded cliff and pebble shoreline of the cove at Potami, in evening light

The coast

Potami, then everything else

Potami is the quiet end of Himarë — a pebble bay with a handful of beach bars, the mountains dropping straight into the water behind it. Walk south and the coves keep coming: Prinos, Maracit, Filikuri. Walk twenty-odd minutes along the shore road the other way and you are in Himarë town, at the harbour and the tavernas.

50 m

Potami beach

450 m

Prinos beach

850 m

Maracit beach

850 m

Filikuri beach

1.3 km

Spille beach, Himarë

84 km

Vlora International Airport

What’s here

Small house, everything you need

Direct beachfront access

Potami beach, twenty metres away

Free private parking

On site, no reservation needed

Free Wi-Fi

Throughout the property

Air conditioning

In the rooms and apartments

Kitchenette

Fridge, hob and dining area

Balcony or terrace

Sea, garden or mountain views

Private bathroom

Walk-in shower; a bath in some units

Flat-screen TV

In every unit

Washing machine

Useful on a long stay

Garden & terrace

Citrus, olives and a vine

Family rooms

Two-bedroom apartments sleep six

Pets welcome

Free of charge

No pool is listed among the property’s facilities — the sea is twenty metres away instead. Payment at the house is cash only.

Around Himarë

Beaches, a castle and a canyon

Himarë is a bilingual Greek-Albanian town on the wildest stretch of the Riviera. Most of what you would drive here for is within half an hour.
Sunbeds and thatched umbrellas on the pebbles of Potami beach, Himarë50 m

Potami Beach

The pebble bay the house opens onto — clear water, a handful of beach bars, and the long curve of Himarë behind it.

The wooded headland and open Ionian sea south of Potami450 m

Prinos Beach

The next cove south — a five-minute walk down the coast road, quieter than Potami on an August afternoon.

Aerial view of Himarë town and its turquoise bay from the northAlong the bay

Himarë Town & Harbour

Spile beach, the working harbour and the promenade where the town gathers each evening for tavernas and a walk.

The arched stone gateway of Himarë Castle in the old townAbove the old town

Himarë Castle

The hilltop Kastro — stone lanes, Byzantine churches and a view that takes in the whole coastline at once.

Porto Palermo Castle seen from the air on its wooded peninsulaSouth of Himarë

Porto Palermo Castle

Ali Pasha's triangular fortress on its own peninsula, ringed by two of the calmest bays on the Riviera.

Gjipe beach at the mouth of its canyon, between white cliffsNorth, by boat or on foot

Gjipe Beach & Canyon

A hidden cove where a limestone canyon meets the sea — reached down a steep path or, easier, by boat from Himarë.

Gallery

A look around

See all photos

Guest ratings

9.0 out of 10

Verified guest scores from Booking.com

Staff9.4
Location9.4
Cleanliness9.2
Comfort9.1
Value for money9.1
Facilities8.9

Where to find us

On the SH8, in Potami

The coast road runs past the door on the northern edge of Himarë. Free parking on site, and the beach directly below.
SH8, Potam, 9425 Himarë, Vlorë County, Albania
Check-in 15:00 – 23:30 · Check-out 07:00 – 10:30
3QV4+6C Himarë, Albania

Good to know

Questions, answered

Where exactly is Vourtaréa Guesthouse?+

On the SH8 coast road in Potam (Potami), on the northern edge of Himarë in Vlorë County, Albania. The coordinates are 40.0931° N, 19.7561° E, and the Google Plus Code is 3QV4+6C Himarë.

How far is the guesthouse from the beach?+

The property states it is twenty metres from the water, and Booking.com measures Potami beach at 50 m — either way, a walk of well under a minute. Prinos beach is 450 m south, Maracit and Filikuri around 850 m, and Spille beach in Himarë town 1.3 km away.

How do I get to Himarë from Tirana, Corfu or Sarandë?+

Vlora International Airport is the closest at 84 km. From Tirana Airport it is roughly 3.5–4 hours by car down the coast road over the Llogara pass; Sarandë, the nearest ferry port for Corfu, is about two hours south. Free private parking is on site if you drive.

Does the guesthouse have Wi-Fi, air conditioning and a kitchen?+

Yes — free Wi-Fi throughout, air conditioning, and a kitchenette with a fridge and dining area in the apartments and studios. There is also a washing machine, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom in every unit.

Do the rooms have a balcony or a sea view?+

Many units have a balcony or terrace, and several look out over the sea; others face the garden or the mountains behind. The room types named 'Sea View' on Booking.com are the ones that face the water, so choose by name when you book.

How do I book a room?+

Every booking button on this site opens the guesthouse's verified Booking.com page, where you can see live availability, current rates and the cancellation terms for each unit.

What are the check-in and check-out times?+

Check-in is from 15:00 to 23:30 and check-out from 07:00 to 10:30. Please let the property know your expected arrival time in advance. Payment is cash only.

Are children and pets welcome?+

Children of all ages are welcome, though children aged three and over are charged as adults, and cots and extra beds are not available. Pets are welcome free of charge.

Is there a swimming pool?+

No pool is listed among the property's facilities — the sea is twenty metres from the door instead. Guests can also use the garden and the shaded terrace.

What are the house rules?+

Smoking is not allowed indoors, parties and events are not permitted, and quiet hours run from midnight to 08:00. Payment is cash only.

What language do the hosts speak?+

Greek, English and Albanian — Himarë is a bilingual Greek-Albanian town, and the family speaks all three.

How is the guesthouse rated?+

9.0 out of 10 — 'Wonderful' — on Booking.com, with 9.4 for both staff and location, 9.2 for cleanliness and 9.1 for value for money.

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