Studio

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first saw “Studio” on Mainski put, I almost walked past it thinking it was just another apartment building. The address says “prvi sprat” which literally means first floor, and that’s exactly what it is. But you know what? Sometimes the best places are the ones that don’t scream for attention from the street.

This little 3-star spot is tucked away on a side street that most tourists never find, which is actually perfect if you’re trying to avoid the cruise ship crowds that flood Budva’s main drag every morning. The location is honestly brilliant – you’re maybe a 4-minute walk from the Old Town walls, but far enough from the waterfront chaos that you can actually sleep at night. I mean, Budva can get pretty rowdy during summer, especially around the beaches, but Mainski put stays relatively quiet. The studio itself has that authentic Montenegrin apartment feel – not fancy, but clean and functional with everything you actually need. The owner clearly knows what travelers want because there’s proper Wi-Fi (which isn’t always a given in this part of the Balkans), decent air conditioning, and a little kitchenette that’s perfect for making coffee or storing those amazing local tomatoes from the green market.

What really surprised me was how well-maintained everything is for a 3-star place. The bathroom’s small but modern, and whoever renovated this place actually thought about storage – there are enough hooks and shelves that you’re not living out of your suitcase the entire time. The bed’s comfortable too, which matters more than people think when you’re doing a lot of walking around Budva’s cobblestone streets. From the window, you get glimpses of the terracotta rooftops and if you crane your neck just right, you can see a sliver of the Adriatic. It’s not a postcard view, but it’s real Montenegro, you know? The building itself feels lived-in rather than touristy – you’ll hear neighbors going about their daily lives, kids playing in the courtyard sometimes, that sort of thing. Parking can be tricky around here (like everywhere in Budva’s center), but there are spots if you’re patient, and honestly, once you’re settled in, you won’t need a car anyway. Everything’s walkable – the beach, restaurants, even the bus station if you want to day-trip to Kotor or Cetinje. The 9-rating makes total sense to me because this place delivers exactly what it promises without any pretense. It’s clean, affordable, and puts you right in the heart of one of Montenegro’s most beautiful coastal towns without the inflated prices of the beachfront hotels.