MonteBay villa

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first pulled up to MonteBay Villa – I mean, you’re driving through this quiet stretch near Buljarica and suddenly there’s this really well-kept property that just feels different from the typical Montenegrin coast hotels. The thing is, most people rush straight to Budva’s Old Town (which is great, don’t get me wrong), but they completely miss this little pocket that’s actually only about 15 minutes south of all that chaos.

What got me right away was how the staff seemed to genuinely know the area – not just the tourist stuff, but like where to get the best fish if you’re cooking in your room, or which beach sections stay calm when that afternoon wind picks up. The rooms are… well, they’re what you’d expect from a solid 4-star, but it’s the little things that stuck with me. The balconies actually face the right direction to catch those morning breezes, and you know what? The Wi-Fi worked everywhere, even by the pool area where these things usually die. I stayed there during late July, which can be absolutely brutal heat-wise, but the place stays surprisingly cool – something about how it’s positioned, I think.

The location is sort of perfect if you’re the type who wants to be near everything but not right in the middle of it all. Buljarica beach is literally a five-minute walk, and it’s this long, clean stretch where you can actually find a spot even in peak season. But here’s the thing most people don’t realize – you’re also super close to some of the best hiking trails that lead up into the mountains behind the coast. The front desk guy (I think his name was Marko?) drew me this little map showing how to get to this viewpoint that overlooks the whole Budva riviera. Takes about 45 minutes if you’re reasonably fit, and honestly, it’s better than any postcard.

Parking was easy, which – if you’ve driven around Budva in summer – you’ll know is basically a miracle. The breakfast spread was actually quite good, though they do that European thing where it ends pretty early, so don’t plan on sleeping until 10 if you want to eat. One small thing that annoyed me was that the elevator can be slow during check-in times, but I mean, that’s pretty minor. The pool area gets busy around 2 PM when people come back from the beach, but early mornings and evenings it’s perfect for just floating around and watching the mountains change color.

What really sealed it for me was this: on my last day, when my flight got delayed and I needed to stay a few extra hours past checkout, they just said “no problem, use the pool, we’ll watch your bags.” That’s the kind of place this is – they get that travel doesn’t always go according to plan, and they’re flexible about it. With a 9.7 rating, you’d think maybe people are just being generous, but honestly? After staying there, I get it.