The rising sun

You know what? The Rising Sun completely caught me off guard. I mean, when you’re driving up through Seoce – which is this quiet little village area just outside Budva’s main chaos – you’re not really expecting much from a 3-star place. But honestly, this spot gets it so right that I’m almost annoyed at how good it is for the price.

The thing about staying here is that you’re actually living like a local for a few days. Prijevor isn’t some tourist trap neighborhood – it’s where people from Budva go when they want to escape the summer madness down by the old town. You’ll hear roosters in the morning (which sounds awful but is oddly charming), and there’s this authentic Montenegro thing happening where your biggest decision is whether to walk down to the coast or just lounge around the property. The family running the place – and it definitely feels family-run – seem to genuinely care about making sure you’re sorted. Check-in was this relaxed conversation rather than some formal hotel routine, and they actually remembered my name throughout the stay, which rarely happens anymore.

What really sold me was how they’ve managed to nail that sweet spot between being comfortable and not trying too hard. The rooms are clean and thoughtfully put together without any of that generic hotel furniture that looks like it came from the same catalog as every other place. You get proper mountain views from most rooms, and in the evenings when the light hits those hills behind Budva, well – you’ll understand why they called it The Rising Sun. Parking is right there (which anyone who’s driven around Budva in July will appreciate), and the location means you can actually get in and out without sitting in traffic for an hour. It’s maybe a 10-minute drive down to the beaches, but honestly, after a day dealing with the crowds at Mogren or Slovenska Plaza, coming back up to this peaceful little pocket feels like therapy. The 9.5 rating makes complete sense once you’ve been there – it’s not trying to be fancy, it’s just trying to be really, really good at being exactly what it is.

Budva’s apartments offer spacious accommodations with sea views, perfect for families wanting to experience daily life in this picturesque Montenegrin coastal town.