When we spent three days in Macedonia last summer, it was our intention to stay in Bitola (about 14 kilometers to the north of the Greek border). Upon arriving at the motel we had booked, Ingrid and I immediately disliked it; the reception was dusty, the restaurant greasy and the rooms very small and beyond disgusting. We fled and found an alternative thanks to one of our Lonely Planet: Villa Dihovo in Dihovo.
Dihovo is less than kilometers away from Bitola. Instead of a busy town with frantic traffic, we found ourselves at the idyllic countryside. The Villa was built in 1928, but was recently renovated. There are three rooms with each a double bed, two single beds and a bathroom with all amenities.
What we liked:
- The rooms are modern and rustic at the same time, spacious and airy.
- WiFi is available and free.
- You can choose to eat outside or inside.
- The owner has a lot of information of what to do and see in the region.
- You can fix the price of the rooms and the meals yourself. Only the drinks have a fixed price.
- Try the homemade beer, wine and brandy! And the meals!
- It can be very hot during summer, so use the spacious and shady garden.
- The hospitality of the owners.
- The company of Leon, the white dog of the family who runs the place.
What we disliked:
- The last road sign towards the villa could be a bit bigger; we, of course, missed it and nearly got lost in the mountains.
Have a look at their official website for more information. Since there are only three rooms, book in advance! You won’t regret it!
By the way, Ingrid took pictures of Dihovo itself, but we will feature them later on this website.