Despite being one of North Macedonia’s larger cities, few tourists base themselves in Prilep, and there aren’t a whole lot of accommodation options – especially for budget travelers.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly private room, the most popular place in town is called Guest House Antika.
This is where I ended up staying. And while I had a good experience overall, I’m a bit baffled by the 9.8 score on Booking at the time of writing.
I paid 10 euro a night and the manager was incredibly helpful and communicative. But having just stayed at Domestika Hostel in Bitola for the same price, Antika felt like a big downgrade. In Bitola, I had a private bathroom and aircon, but in Prilep I had neither.
Annoyingly, the shared bathroom near my room was often in use and it also got rather dirty by evening.
And for whatever reason, around a dozen children would gather each night at the house next door, running down the streets and shouting in the courtyard. This would go on until around 23:00. Without air conditioning, you’ll want to open a window, but that only makes everything louder.
There was also a very strange and rude local guy who seemed to be living or working at the place, and he was often sitting in the outdoor area chain smoking. I don’t want to go into details, but he’s best to be avoided and his attitude brings down the overall vibe of the guest house.
Strangely, none of these issues have been mentioned on Booking, but other guests I spoke to in person were definitely bothered by the same things. It just goes to show how you often have to be skeptical of online ratings.
Again, while I had an OK stay overall, I wouldn’t stay at Antika again. Considering the number of times I visited the bus terminal, I would look for some place closer to there instead.
Booking.com