Centre and Skanderbeg Square: best for a first, short visit
Choose the central grid around Skanderbeg Square when you want to walk to the mosque, museums, Pazari i Ri, and airport bus. It is the most efficient base for one or two nights without a car. The compromise is traffic and street noise, particularly on larger roads; ask for a room facing an inner courtyard or a higher floor if sleep matters. This area is also the simplest choice for an early airport shuttle.
Blloku and the Grand Park: dinner nearby, more residential feel
Blloku suits couples, friends, and solo travellers who plan to eat or go out in the evening. It is walkable to the centre but does not feel quiet on weekend nights, so avoid a room directly over a bar if you have an early start. The Grand Park side is calmer and convenient for Mullixhiu, the park, and embassy-area hotels; it is less useful if your priority is the bus terminal or a dawn departure.
Pazari i Ri and outer districts: value versus journey time
The New Bazaar area gives you food and the old centre within walking distance, often with a more local morning rhythm than Blloku. Apartments farther out can be good value and practical with a rental car, but Tirana traffic makes the address more important than the nightly rate. Confirm private parking in writing, since street parking is unreliable. Airport-area hotels only make sense for a late arrival or early flight; they are not a substitute for staying in Tirana. Use the neighbourhood route notes to match the base to your plans.