Hotel Senigallia in Skopje, North Macedonia

Hotel Senigallia Skopje Review: Stay on a Unique Boat Hotel in North Macedonia

Once we booked our flights to Skopje, the next thing on our to-do list was finding a hotel. And when Hotel Senigallia popped up, the decision was pretty much made. I mean, you can stay on a ship while still being right in the heart of Skopje? Penguin, yes, from us! So, of course, we booked it. In this post, we share our experience staying at Hotel Senigallia, what you can expect, what we liked, what we didn’t, and whether we think this unique ship hotel in Skopje is actually worth staying at.

Hotel Senigallia is not your typical hotel, and there is actually a story behind those ships sitting in the Vardar River. The three galleon-style structures were built between 2012 and 2014 as part of the controversial Skopje 2014 project, which aimed to completely reshape the city center with new monuments, bridges, and grand neoclassical-style buildings while also attracting more visitors. Despite how convincing they look, these are not real floating ships; the Vardar isn’t navigable here, so the structures are permanently anchored into the riverbed.

There were three ships built along the Vardar, but today Hotel Senigallia is the only one still functioning, while the other two are unused and in poor condition. The Senigallia ship became a boutique hotel with 18 rooms, a restaurant, and an outdoor deck right in the center of Skopje. Even its name has a little story: according to the hotel staff, the owners had worked in Senigallia, Italy, before returning to North Macedonia to open the hotel.

Visiting Skopje: Travel Tips, Interesting Facts & Things to Know

Location and Accessibility

📍 Address:  Кеј 13-ти Ноември, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia

One of the main reasons we chose Hotel Senigallia was its location. The ship sits on the Vardar River, right in the heart of Skopje, so you really couldn’t ask for a much better base for exploring the city. Macedonia Square, the Stone Bridge, the Old Bazaar and many of Skopje’s main sights are all within easy walking distance. We loved being able to leave the hotel and start exploring without thinking about buses, taxis or getting the car. And, of course, staying directly on the river gives you something a little different from a regular city-center hotel.

We arrived from Skopje International Airport by taxi, which was the easiest option. Since Hotel Senigallia sits in a pedestrian zone, the taxi couldn’t take us directly to the entrance and instead dropped us off about 100 meters from the hotel. From there, it was just a short waddle to the ship.

When it comes to accessibility, however, there are a few things to keep in mind. There is an elevator inside the hotel, but we wouldn’t describe the property as particularly wheelchair-friendly. It is a ship, after all, so you have narrower spaces, different levels, and a layout that isn’t quite as straightforward as a regular modern hotel. If you have limited mobility, it’s definitely worth checking directly with the hotel before booking to make sure the room and facilities will work for you.

Check-In Experience

Check-in starts at 2:00 PM, while check-out is until 11:00 AM. One practical thing we really appreciated is that the reception is open 24 hours a day, so arriving late isn’t something to stress about. However, the hotel does ask guests to provide their expected arrival time in advance. The reception can also help with practical things such as luggage storage, airport transfers and general information during your stay.

We arrived in Skopje a little before the official check-in time, but that wasn’t a problem at all. We headed to the reception on the right-hand side as you enter the ship and asked if we could leave our backpacks there while we started exploring the city. Luckily, they were happy to store them for us, which we were very grateful for; there’s nothing quite like waddling around a new city with your backpack still attached to you! The whole process was quick and smooth, and the staff member at reception was friendly and did his best to answer all the questions we naturally arrived with. He gave us the information we needed, we dropped off our backpacks, and off we went for our first waddle around Skopje.

Even though we pretty much dropped our backpacks and headed straight out to explore Skopje, our first impression was already a good one. From the moment we stepped inside, it actually felt like being on a real ship rather than simply a hotel designed to look like one from the outside: the narrow corridors, wooden details, and little maritime touches added to the experience. We hadn’t even seen our room yet, and we were already excited to waddle back later and see what staying the night on a ship was actually going to be like.

Room and Amenities

Hotel Senigallia is a small boutique hotel, which makes sense considering you’re staying on a ship rather than in a huge hotel building. The hotel has 18 rooms spread across its different levels, connected by stairs and an elevator. The rooms are built into the ship-style structure, so expect something a little different from your standard rectangular hotel room. There are several room categories available, including double and twin rooms, some of which offer direct views of the Vardar River. The smaller size of the hotel was something we liked; it added to that feeling of staying aboard a ship rather than in another big city hotel.

Our Room

Getting to our room was already part of the fun. We headed down into the lower deck of the ship, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, and it genuinely felt like we were waddling down into a real ship. Everything around us was wooden, the corridor was quite narrow, and our room was almost at the very end.

We had one of the hotel’s standard double rooms, which is around 20 m², so it wasn’t huge, but for two people and a city break, we found it perfectly fine. The wooden decor continued inside, keeping that old-fashioned maritime feeling. Our room had a large double bed, a small table and chair, a TV, a decent-sized wardrobe, and an ensuite bathroom. There was enough space for us and our things without the room feeling overly cramped.

The bed itself was comfortable, and the pillows were fine, but there was one little thing we weren’t fans of: one huge duvet for both of us. We are definitely team two-duvets, especially when one of the hoomans tends to wrap themselves up like a sushi roll during the night. 😂 Not exactly a deal-breaker, but something we personally would have preferred differently.

We also had a small coffee and tea station with an electric kettle and complimentary coffee and tea, as well as a mini bar for an extra charge. Inside the wardrobe, we found complimentary slippers and a safe for valuables, while the room also included air conditioning, a minibar/fridge, and free Wi-Fi. Overall, it wasn’t the biggest hotel room we’ve stayed in, but it had everything we needed, and the fact that we were sleeping below deck on a ship in the middle of Skopje made it much more memorable than another standard hotel room.

One small detail we really appreciated was the mosquito net on the window. Considering you’re basically sleeping right on the water and there were quite a few mosquitoes around, it definitely came in handy. There were a few quirks, though. Our room faced the road rather than the river so we could hear loud music from outside, especially later in the evening. The power sockets were also strangely positioned behind the pillows, which wasn’t exactly the most practical setup when we wanted to charge our phones overnight. The biggest downside for us, however, was the door. We could close the room, but there was no way to properly lock it from the inside at night, either with a latch or by turning the key. That felt a little strange and is definitely something we would have preferred to be different.

The Bathroom

The ensuite bathroom was on the smaller side, but it had everything we needed for our stay. There was a shower, a toilet, a hairdryer and a sink, with fresh towels waiting for us, along with complimentary shampoo and toiletries. Nothing particularly fancy or spacious, but perfectly practical for a few nights in Skopje.

There was, however, one thing we definitely noticed: the water pressure in the shower was incredibly strong. And by strong, we mean almost painfully strong! 😂 We usually appreciate good water pressure in a hotel, but this was taking it to another level. It could definitely have been toned down a little. Apart from that, though, the bathroom did its job and had everything we needed.

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Culinary Experiences

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Breakfast

Breakfast is served in the hotel’s restaurant on the upper deck of the ship, so you get to start the morning in the same nautical setting rather than in a separate breakfast room. During our stay, breakfast was available from 7:30 AM until 11:00 AM, giving us plenty of time to eat before heading out for another day of waddling around Skopje.

Of course, we were at breakfast at around 7:28 AM, basically waiting for it to start. 😂 We wanted to get an early start on our Skopje adventures, so 7:30 AM felt a little late for us; we would happily vote for 7:00, but it was manageable. The upside of being among the first ones there was getting a quiet start to the morning on the upper deck, with views across the river and Skopje’s architecture around us.

At first, the breakfast selection might look a little small because there is only a small buffet table, which they change a little each day with what they offer, but that’s not the whole breakfast. You can also order prepared dishes from the breakfast menu, including omelets, fried or scrambled eggs, tomatoes, chicken soup, and pancakes with different toppings. Coffee and tea are brought directly to your table, and we have to mention the presentation too; the food came on really cute plates, which was a small detail but made everything feel a little more special.

The biggest plus for us, though, was the service. One of our humans was celebrating his birthday, and without us mentioning anything, the staff surprised him with a small birthday cake and wished him all the best. 🥹 It was such a thoughtful touch and something we definitely didn’t expect. Overall, breakfast might look small at first glance, but with the made-to-order options, there was plenty to choose from. The food was good, but what really stood out was how friendly, welcoming, and accommodating the staff was.

Senigallia Hotel Bar & Restaurant

On our last evening, we also managed to squeeze in a little visit to the Senigallia Bar & Restaurant. We had already eaten quite a lot during the day, so calling it dinner might be a bit generous; it was more of an evening snack. 😂 The restaurant is located on the upper deck, in the same area where breakfast is served, with huge windows all around. We really loved the atmosphere, especially in the evening when we could sit back, enjoy the views, and have a quieter end to another full day in Skopje.

We kept our order simple and went for a cheese platter, which turned out to be pretty generous, with plenty of different cheeses to share. Price-wise, we found the restaurant quite reasonable and in line with what we experienced elsewhere in central Skopje. Once again, though, one thing that stood out was the service. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and even when it came to paying, splitting the bill between cash and card wasn’t a problem at all- a small thing, but definitely convenient when traveling. Overall, we enjoyed our little evening stop here, especially for the relaxed atmosphere and views from the ship.

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Facilities and Services

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The Lobby

The lobby and common areas were another part of Hotel Senigallia that we really liked. Everything fits the ship theme, with lots of dark wood, traditional furniture, and maritime-style details, so even when you’re just waddling through the hotel, it still feels like you’re aboard an old ship. Next to the reception, there is also a cozy lounge with seating, where you can sit, relax, or wait before heading out. The hotel also has two open terraces along the Vardar, giving you even more space to enjoy the setting.

Our only regret was that we didn’t really have enough time to use these spaces. We were so busy exploring Skopje that we mostly waddled through the lobby on our way in and out. It would have been nice to have an hour with absolutely nothing planned, grab a drink, sit down, and enjoy the fact that you’re staying on a ship in the middle of the city. The whole interior had that cozy, slightly old-fashioned ship atmosphere, and we felt they did a really good job of carrying the theme beyond just the exterior and the rooms.

Facilities & Amenities

Hotel Senigallia is more of a small boutique ship hotel than a full-service resort, so don’t expect a long list of leisure facilities. Still, it covers the practical things you need for a city break, and the restaurant, terraces and ship setting are really the main attractions.

• Free reliable Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and in the rooms.
• 24-hour reception, which is useful if you’re arriving late or need help during your stay.
• Elevator, although, as mentioned, the ship layout means accessibility can still have some limitations.
• Senigallia Bar & Restaurant serving breakfast as well as other meals and drinks.
• Two outdoor terraces overlooking the Vardar River—definitely one of the nicest features of the hotel.
• Room service is available.
• Luggage storage, which we personally found useful when we arrived before check-in.
• Airport shuttle and local shuttle services can be arranged for an additional charge.
• Laundry and dry-cleaning services are available.
• Daily housekeeping is provided.
• Meeting room and coworking space are listed among the hotel’s business facilities.
• No on-site parking, which is worth knowing if you’re arriving by car.
• No swimming pool or spa is listed among the hotel’s facilities.
• No gym or fitness center is listed either, so if working out during your trip is important, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
• No pets are allowed.

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Value For Money

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For our stay at Hotel Senigallia from 8 May to 11 May 2026, we paid 19,071 MKD (€309.48) for two people, including breakfast. For three nights in a five-star hotel right in the center of Skopje, we found that a pretty reasonable price, especially considering that you’re not just booking a regular hotel room but getting the whole experience of staying on a ship.

Of course, Hotel Senigallia doesn’t offer all the facilities you might normally associate with a five-star hotel. Still, for us, the central location, included breakfast, unique atmosphere, comfortable room and great service made up for that. At just over €100 per night for two people, we felt we got good value for money, particularly for such a memorable and unusual stay.

All Ratings

Category	Rating
Location and Accessibility	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Cleanliness	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Comfort	⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Staff and Service	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Value for Money	⭐⭐⭐☆☆
Dining and Food Quality	⭐⭐☆☆☆
Amenities	⭐⭐☆☆☆
Check-In/Check-Out	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
WiFi and Connectivity	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
Overall Experience	⭐⭐⭐☆☆

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Official Penguin Rating

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