Apartments Susanna

19-21/9/19 We three British middle aged guys were making a quick two night visit to Ulcinj between Albania and Kosovo/Macedonia. We booked this reasonably priced apartment ahead (ignoring some negative reviews) from the Hotel Shkodra L and took a €25 taxi all the way (taking 90 minutes including half an hour at the border) to be dropped off at the upper castle entrance ramp. Through convoluted paths and steps keeping to the coast we eventually found the apartment complex which was between to the restaurant Antigona and Sunset Bar. We saw the big covered terrace and were greeted by the proprietress who checked us in and took us down the outside steps into the 'basement' floor. She showed us into the second room 2 which proved to be large and airy with a well equipped kitchenette and a picture window to a lovely balcony overlooking the sea and another door leading to steps down into the garden. The large bed and single bed were made up with fresh linen (albeit slightly threadbare but not a problem as reminded us of home) and clean towels. The kitchen had a kettle, small fridge with freezing compartment, full sets for four of utensils, crockery, glassware, serving plates and cutlery. The sink had washing up liquid, scouring sponges, tea towels and a washing bowl included. The nearest supermarket was IDEA on the main road out of town only ten minutes walk away). The preparation space was small and the lightbulb in the ceiling too weak to see what one was doing as always in shadow. I always bring my own plug-in LED lamp for these occasions (and bathroom shaving). Luckily there was a socket over the preparation surface so I could plug it in! The shower room was nicely designed with a proper divided off shower with curtain (plenty of hot water). There was a light over the sink mirror and the water pressure was good enough to jet my razor out. A lined bin was in the corner. The balcony had a table with a tablecloth, chairs with cushions and had wonderful views towards sunset (just avoid looking to the left to see the unfinished monstrosity next door - that story later). We had a bottle of wine at sunset on our first evening which was lovely. The garden below was wonderful but we did have a problem with flies and mosquitoes coming inside (we were told later that they came from stagnant water pools in the unfinished building next door) so bring spray or a fly swat if sensitive! The TV had a digital satellite box with more Russian TV channels (5) than English speaking channels (3) but no BBC unfortunately. As it was off season the castle appeared to be a dead town most of the time. Reading reviews it is completely packed and overwhelmed with foreign tourists in peak season so the restaurateurs were having a break either closing down (Sunset Beach) or staying open almost empty. The nearby Hari's Fisherman seemed to be the busiest as Hari or his son would haul passers-by into the restaurant with tales of his getting up at 5am every morning to go fishing for the day's offerings. We did not eat there despite the £10/litre of 'homemade' wine. The neighbouring restaurant, Antigona, next door restaurant played western MOR music quietly through the day and evening. No loud music (other reviewers complain about the volume) at night thankfully as only a few diners off season. One group were heard cheering as drinking rounds of shots (we were told that the restaurant is keen for diners to get drunk and lose track of consumption and spending). We did not eat there either as instead we ate at the quite cheap and simple 'Tradita' on the town beach road instead as self catering in general. The kitchen proved useful and eating on the terrace table was lovely. A German couple in room 1 were friendly too and advised swimming at Copa Cabanna on the long beach. We actually swam on the town beach as perfectly good enough, saving a €20 round trip taxi fare! On our second morning we had to pay and I approached the owner (Johnny/Jannis) who invited us to our belated 'welcome' drink on his terrace overlooking the sea. He spoke good English, was very friendly, talkative and a descendant of a very old local family on that plot. He told us of the trauma of the Russians who had built in the public outdoor theatre space (once his childhood playground) by his garden (stealing a few metres too) and how the German tourists (as guests - see reviews - fed up with the noise and dust and outrageous blatancy of this carbuncle that somehow got planning permission) had contacted the German Embassy who managed to stop it in its tracks! He had paid vast sums of money to lawyers to stop it himself (he was in England whilst it was being built) and had a stroke as a result of the pressures, almost killing him. By chance there was the fifth annual film competition 'Seanema' in town and we met the very friendly Director of the Castle Museum (surprisingly unlisted on TA!) who told us all sort of things about politics and the local issues. He gave me a book about sustainable development of the old city which was a result of a research project of a collaboration with the University of Vienna. It was all very interesting as it was an attempt to avoid 'Sveti Stephan'ying and I advised him on some ways to get monies for infrastructure improvement from the rampant private development that was going on (S106/CIL for those of us Brits in the know but this would be a Montenegrin Government Law to be encouraged). I later visited the museum (€2.50) which was well worth it as it is the last undeveloped (but restored) part of the whole castle, the tower being a temporary art gallery space too as well as a display of historical photos of the castle and its seafaring Albanian people. The archeological museum in the church/mosque was full of interesting artefacts from the Illyrian days. For our last Ulcinj meal the apartments' owner recommended a local family restaurant just up the hill to have lunch (another review) and offered to drive us to the bus station as we had to register (at his expense as was included in the cost anyway) with the tourist agency before we could cross the border to Kosovo or Macedonia. We took up his generous offer and got to the bus station in time (although the lunch took ages to arrive). All together this is a very nice, comfortable and spectacular place to stay with friendly, amenable and helpful owners. They pay attention to detail to make your stay memorable.