Arka

Amazing location. Great breakfast. All is fine, large room. But our shower floods everywhere - not sure you can do much about that. Rooftop terrace with drinks etc.

Short version: If you’re booking this hotel because of the pool… don’t. Hotel Arka feels like it peaked sometime in the late 80s and has been waiting patiently ever since for a retro revival that hasn’t quite arrived. The styling is a mix of brown, green, and yellow... like a living room from a TV show where everyone still smokes indoors. To be fair, parts of it are almost cool again. But the years have left their mark: carpets are tired, wallpaper is starting to peel off in places, the plants clearly dream of better days, and the corners of the rooms look like they’ve been in a long-term fight with people’s suitcases. The view from our room? A glorious brick wall. Now, credit where credit is due: the staff are lovely, the rooftop bar really does have a great view, and the location is as central as it get. Plus, you’ll always have a parking spot. But then there’s…the pool. We specifically switched to Arka because of the 40+°C heatwave in Skopje, thinking, “At least we’ll have a pool!” When we arrived, we were informed it was broken. Happens, no big deal. We were told it would be fixed in three days: which was also, coincidentally, our last day in Skopje. Fine. But on our last day, when we eagerly headed up to the 7th floor to cool down, the staff asked if we had a reservation for the pool. A reservation. For a pool. At a hotel we were already staying in. We didn’t. Because who on earth reserves a hotel pool?! Back down to reception we went. They showed us a handwritten reservation sheet and, with the most apologetic look, told us Wednesday was fully booked… but hey, good news, Friday still had openings! Fantastic, except we were leaving Thursday morning. Our dream of a 5-minute cool-down each day turned into a fantasy. Skopje was at 40°C. We were melting. Pro tip for fellow overheated travelers, personally tested by us: – River Treska: ~18°C and free (just in front of Matka Canyon). – Military Pool Aerodrom: 400 MKD/person, clean, and a nice vibe. – New Star Pool: I didn’t love it, but my partner found it… let’s call it “a local cultural experience.” 300 MKD/person And finally, my absolute favorite feature of Hotel Arka: the elevator TV. It plays a video in loop of Umberto Tozzi’s “Ti Amo” at Sanremo 2020. Every day. Every hour. Forever. By the end of our stay, I was humming along like a backup singer.

Disappointing Stay – Not Worth the Price This hotel is not up to five-star standards – false advertising at its finest. The rooms are dark, making the place feel dreary and uninviting. The carpet on the floor doesn't look hygienic at all. The breakfast is mediocre at best, definitely not more than three-star quality. You can't even enjoy your meal on the open terrace. There is no separate shower in the bathroom, which is highly inconvenient. To access the hotel, you need to pass through an old gate that doesn't give off a five-star impression. The sauna was not working during our stay, which was another letdown. The only positive aspect is the location. I stayed one night with my partner, and I do not recommend this place. It is totally not worth the price.