06/02/08

08:50 | 23.10.07
The ruined former summer palace of King Zog, which overlooks the Adriatic port of Durres, is to be redeveloped as Albania’s first luxury resort. Financial Times
Alban Xhilleri, a Tirana-based developer, has teamed up with UK property services company with HLL Humbert’s Leisure for the €20m ($29m, £14m) project to refurbish the palace as a spa and build an extension with 50 flats for sale to international investors.

Investors in the Durres project will share the building with former King Leka, Zog’s son, who will own a penthouse suite. The family fled Albania after the Italian invasion in 1939. 

‘Foreign buyers will be able to occupy their apartments for up to six weeks a year. The rest of the time, they’ll be rented to the resort operator,’ Xhilleri said.