In 2022, the 124 rooms at the Narcis hotel are still empty. Nestled along the border between Kosovo and North Macedonia, the Šar Mountains boast some of Kosovo’s best skiing spots. Since 1954, the Brezovica ski resort has been the go-to destination for winter sports enthusiasts. However, the infrastructure for winter tourism has been neglected for the past two decades, if not longer. There was a fleeting moment of hope for redevelopment in 2014, but it quickly vanished due to a lack of funding.
The high hopes that once surrounded the Brezovica ski resort now sharply contrast with its uncertain future. This contrast is clear in the empty corridors of the abandoned hotels in and around Brezovica. The Narcis Hotel is the most notable example of this. With its impressive central block and two sloping wings that resemble ski runs, the Narcis Hotel has been a landmark since it first welcomed Yugoslavian skiers in 1973. Now, the hotel’s exterior is neglected, and its iconic sign is in ruins. Only guards are seen on-site, which explains why the doors and windows are still intact and the hotel has not been vandalized.
The outlook is bleak for many hotels in the area, but the Narcis Hotel faces an extra challenge due to its location in the village of Strpce. Most of Strpce’s residents are of Serbian origin, with the rest being Kosovars. This has led to Kosovar tourists boycotting Serbian-owned businesses. After Kosovo declared independence in 2008, the situation worsened, and the hotel’s occupancy rate plummeted to 5 percent. This unsustainable situation forced the managers to close the hotel. The future doesn’t look promising either, as the village’s ethnic composition makes it a volatile location, unlikely to attract investors.
