Where to Stay in Montenegro: Our Hotel Recommendations

The Best Places to Stay in Montenegro on a Map

Montenegro is a relatively small country. You can get from one end to the other in about 3 hours. That said, some places work much better as a base for your road trip through Montenegro than others. For the coast, we recommend three places to stay, plus one inland option:

• Budva: best location for day trips along the coast. Our hotel pick: Hotel Villa Gracia
• Bay of Kotor: right at Montenegro’s biggest highlight. Our hotel pick: Hotel Galathea
• Ulcinj: perfect for a beach vacation. Our hotel pick: Hotel Halibas
• Žabljak: next to Durmitor National Park. Our hotel pick: Forma Lux Žabljak

Top Location for Day Trips: Staying in Budva

Budva is perfect if you want a central base for day trips up and down Montenegro’s coast.

Budva sits right in the middle of Montenegro’s coastline, making it the ideal jumping-off point for exploring in either direction. You can reach both the far south and the far north of Montenegro within 1–1.5 hours.

Budva is also super popular for beach vacations. The city has three long pebble beaches and plenty of hotels right on the water. During peak season in July and August, though, expect the beaches to be seriously crowded.

Beyond that, Budva has a genuinely lovely (and not overly touristy) old town on a peninsula and a wide selection of restaurants.

Advantages of staying in Budva

• Great location for sights along Montenegro’s coast
• Large selection of hotels
• Long beaches
• Lots of restaurants

Disadvantages of staying in Budva

• Gets very crowded, especially during peak season

A hotel in Budva is ideal for day trips to

• Kotor and the highlights around the Bay of Kotor (Perast, Herceg Novi, Porto Montenegro)
• Lovćen National Park
• Sveti Stefan
• Lake Skadar
• Stari Bar

Our Hotel Picks in Budva

The Hotel Villa Gracia is ideally located if you want to head out on day trips quickly. The beach is also just under ten minutes away on foot.

At the Biggest Highlight: Staying at the Bay of Kotor

Staying at the Bay of Kotor is perfect if the bay is your main draw in Montenegro and you want accommodation in the northern part of the country.

The Bay of Kotor is located in the far north of Montenegro. It reaches so far inland that it looks more like a lake than a bay — or like a fjord. It’s often called the southernmost fjord in Europe and is one of the most stunning places to visit in Montenegro.

The Bay of Kotor has a wide selection of lodging — from small villages to larger towns. We recommend Kotor and its surroundings. The city itself is a major highlight on the bay and sits right in the middle of it, making it easy to explore all the surrounding towns at a relaxed pace.

Advantages of staying at the Bay of Kotor

• Right at Montenegro’s biggest highlight
• Ideal for sights in the north

Disadvantages of staying at the Bay of Kotor

• Long drive to the south
• Few classic beaches

A hotel at the bay is ideal for day trips to

• Kotor
• Perast
• Herceg Novi
• Porto Montenegro
• Lovćen National Park
• Budva

Our Hotel Picks at the Bay of Kotor

The Hotel Galathea is located in the small suburb of Prčanj, about 5–10 minutes by car from Kotor. The little village is completely authentic and the hotel is absolutely charming.

Beach Vacation: Staying near Ulcinj

Ulcinj is the place to be if a sandy beach vacation is your top priority in Montenegro.

Near Ulcinj you’ll find the longest sandy beach in Montenegro — a full 12 kilometers of fine sand! If a beach holiday in Montenegro is what you’re after, Ulcinj is THE spot for you.

Ulcinj is in the south of Montenegro, about 15 kilometers from Albania. From here, it’s easy to visit Stari Bar and the vast Lake Skadar, or take a side trip into Albania. Getting to Budva, however, is a bit of a haul — about 1.5 hours by car.

Along Ulcinj’s beach, you’ll also find plenty of campgrounds.

Advantages of staying in Ulcinj

• Sandy beach
• Great location for the south of Montenegro
• Less crowded than Budva

Disadvantages of staying in Ulcinj

• Long drive to the Bay of Kotor

A hotel in Ulcinj is ideal for day trips to

• Lake Skadar
• Stari Bar
• Budva
• Albania

Our Hotel Picks in Ulcinj

We really love the Hotel Halibas. It’s just a few steps from the beach, has a pool, and the rooms are cozy and comfortable.

Mountains & Hiking: Staying in Žabljak

Žabljak is the right choice if you want to hike and experience Montenegro’s wild nature.

The small, sleepy mountain village of Žabljak is located inland, right next to Durmitor National Park. Honestly, it’s a fantastic spot for hiking and soaking in the mountain scenery — Durmitor National Park is simply stunning!

From Žabljak, you can set off directly on the Durmitor Ring scenic road and take in the park’s highlights from the most beautiful vantage points.

You can also make a side trip to Biogradska Gora National Park. It’s about 1.5 hours away by car and is one of the last primeval forests in Europe.

Advantages of staying in Žabljak

• Right next to Durmitor National Park, one of the most beautiful national parks in Montenegro
• Great for day trips inland in Montenegro
• Affordable accommodation

Disadvantages of staying in Žabljak

• Long drive to the coast

A hotel in Žabljak is ideal for day trips to

• Durmitor National Park
• Biogradska Gora National Park

Our Hotel Picks in Žabljak

Forma Lux Žabljak is stylishly decorated, sits right in the heart of Žabljak, and offers excellent value for money. You can choose between double rooms and family rooms.