Aman Sveti Stefan Hotel Review
Picture the young and gracious Sophia Loren walking elegantly on narrow cobblestone streets accompanied by her partner, the film producer Carlo Ponti. It is sometime in the 1960s and the islet of Sveti Stefan has just been turned into an ultra-luxury hotel village by the Yugoslav Government.
For over sixty years now, Sveti Stefan has been the quintessential definition of stylish and opulent vacationing. Many statesmen and Hollywood actors have spent their well-deserved summer vacations inside the fortified village on Sveti Stefan Island ever since.
One thing is sure: Sveti Stefan has style. The island resort is one of its kind, featuring a unique blend of classy heritage and breathtaking natural beauty. It is connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway that goes over into a beautiful pinkish pebble beach.
Sveti Stefan Island
What is incredible, is how much detail went into the careful restoration of the fortified village of Sveti Stefan. The stone buildings among which are two churches date back to the 15th century, a time when local tribes fought at the side of the Venetian Republic against lurking Ottoman invaders.
Picture a romantic old town somewhere in Italy or Croatia with its gorgeous courtyards protected by pine trees and palms – all for yourself. You can choose among 51 charming and elegant rooms, suites, and stone cottages – each one of them lovingly decorated.
The atmosphere on Sveti Stefan Island is remarkably refined. It’s probably the mix of the warm salty air, the endless serenity, and the absence of annoying crowds that makes the Aman Sveti Stefan so special.
Rooms
The spacious Village Rooms extend over a generous 45 – 50 square meters and are the ideal choice when visiting alone or with your partner. The king-sized bed is incredibly comfortable and goes seamlessly over into the modern and spotless en suite bathroom.
source: Aman
Earthly brown tones of the interior contrast nicely against the dark grey of the traditional thick stone walls. The rooms feature a small desk where you can get some work done (if you have to).
Room Rates: 800 – 1500€ per night
Cottages
Cottages are an upgrade to the Village Room category and range from 45 to 110 square meters in size. This large variance in room sizes is due to the unique character of each residence – this is an ancient village from the 15th century after all!
The Standard Cottage
The Standard Cottage (45 – 90 m2) is only slightly more expensive than a Village Room. The upgrade is worth it in our opinion. If you are a bit lucky, you will get a larger cottage with a distinct living or dressing room. Many of the cottages also feature a standalone hot tub.
Standard Cottage Rates: 1000 – 1900€ per night
The Deluxe Cottage
Ranging from 60 – 100 square meters in size, the Deluxe Cottages are on average a bit more spacious but we think it is not worth the upgrade. Same as the other rooms, suites, and cottages, earthy tones dominate the interior design. The cottage features a king-size bed with an en suite bathroom. Not all cottages have a separate sitting room.
Deluxe Cottage Rates: 1200 – 2100€ per night
The Grand Cottage
One step up from the Deluxe Cottage is the luxurious and incredibly spacious Grand Cottage. It generously hosts one couple while offering sufficient space for longer stays. The bathroom is gigantic and lets you unwind in a comfortable bathtub.
The Grand Cottage features one King Bedroom and a separate living room on 110 square meters. Beautiful exposed trusses and other wood accents produce a homey and welcoming ambiance.
Grand Cottage Rates: 1500 – 2800€ per night
St. Sava Cottage
The Saint Sava Cottage features two king-sized bedrooms and is ideal for a small family. The cottage features only one shared bathroom which is very spacious however. The cottage size is on par with the Grand Cottage (105 square meters). One master bedroom comes with an integrated living space.
The cottage’s outdoor terrace faces Milocer Beach and the northern part of the Budva Riviera. It’s the perfect site to wind down after a long day on the beach with the children.
Saint Save Cottage Rates: 1500 – 2800€ per night
Three-Bedroom Village Cottage
If you are visiting with children or as a larger group of friends or family, the 3-Bedroom Village Cottage is your ideal choice. This cottage is capacious enough to house six people. It features two king-sized bedrooms and one twin bedroom. Each bedroom comes with its en suite bathroom.
This residence is made up of two distinct cottages that are connected via a shared courtyard. The spacious outdoor area invites you and your loved ones to socialize and enjoy the stunning views of the Adriatic.
3-Bedroom Cottage Rates: 1800 – 3100€ per night
Suites
To fully immerse yourself in boundless luxury and timeless design, you should book one of the staggering suites instead. Suites are significantly more spacious and cater to everyone who is only hard to please.
Two-Bedroom Suite
The entry-level two-bedroom suite is good enough if you are visiting with children and need ample living space. Speaking of which, the suite has plenty of it and extends over a roomy 145 square meters. Its two bedrooms feature en suite bathrooms for maximum privacy and comfort.
source: Aman
The joint living and dining room is the ideal place for socializing and spending some time together with family or friends. From the suite, you can also enjoy fabulous views of opposing Milocer Park and Sveti Stefan Beach. It is mesmerizing.
Adriatic Suite
The Adriatic Suite is a little more commodious compared to the two-bedroom suite and stretches over two floors. It also comes with two king-sized bedrooms that feature en suite bathrooms and a separate one for guests. We prefer the interior design and room layout of the 2-BR suite.
source: Aman
What makes the Adriatic Suite stand out are its three roomy terraces from where you will enjoy breathtaking views of the Adriatic – thus the name we guess. If you need more space, you also combine this residence with the adjacent cottage. So, which one will you choose? The one with the nicer interior or the one with the greater views and outdoor spaces?
Adriatic Suite Rates: 2300 – 3900€ per night
Sveti Stefan Suite
Are you a couple looking for an elegant and villa-like residence in the heart of Sveti Stefan Island? A spacious 165 square meters and just one bedroom should be more than enough for a comfortable stay in Montenegro with your spouse or partner.
The Sveti Stefan Suite is configured in a way that will guarantee you utmost privacy and yet it is located centrally and close to all hotel amenities. The suite’s most notable feature is the private swimming pool with amazing sea and mountain views.
Should you visit in the off-season, this suite will welcome you with a cozy fireplace and a dedicated steam room. Here you can relax and warm up before you venture out to explore the natural beauty of Montenegro.
Adriatic Suite Rates: 3300 – 4900€ per night
Villa Milocer
Situated in the beautiful Milocer Park and once the summer residence of former Queen Maria, Villa Milocer is without a doubt one of the most impressive real estate on Montenegro’s coast. The villa finds itself flanked by century-old pine forests which produce a distinctive and refreshing scent year-round.
Villa Milocer faces what many consider to be the most beautiful beach in Montenegro – Milocer Beach, also known as King’s Beach. The past-century stone mansion features an extensive terrace overlooking the beach and the deep-blue Adriatic Sea.
As a guest, you can choose among two different suite types: the Queen Maria Suite nested in a separate building and the splendid Milocer Suites.
Queen Maria Suite
The Queen Maria Suites are resting in a separate building, a little upward from the beach and Villa Milocer. Here, you have the tranquility of the surrounding park all for yourself. The suits are generous in size and measure more than 200 square meters.
The classicly styled rooms have your comfort in mind. Earthly white, brown, and red colors are pleasing to the eye and contrast nicely with the stone exterior and the lush surrounding greenery. The living room comes with a beautiful fireplace, a writing desk, and comfortable armchairs.
While it is generally nicer to spend the summer here, it is easy to see how you can also enjoy colder days in the Queen Maria Suite. The king-sized bedroom opens up to an en suite bathroom with a standalone bathtub.
photos: Aman Sveti Stefan
Milocer Suite
The Milocer suites come either with or without a sea view. While the sea view is generally not essential in our view, here it is a must. Rarely ever will you find a view so enticing and picture-perfect. Looking out of the window is like walking straight into an oil or aquarelle painting.
The suites are considerably smaller (70 square meters) compared to the Queen Maria Suites but make it up with their location which gives you direct access to the private beach and the Aman Spa nearby. They come with an en suite bathroom including a beautiful freestanding tub.
Villa Milocer Suite Rates: 1900 – 2500€ per night
The Aman Spa & Fitness Area
Truth be told, the wellness facilities of the Aman Sveti Stefan are first-class. The large 140-square meter fitness center is equipped with only the latest Technogym machines and high-quality free weights. Aman’s licensed personal trainers and course instructors are available to help you with your workout routines.
Besides the fitness center and the fully-equipped yoga studio, the Aman Spa’s centerpiece is the 24-meter-long private pool that extends seamlessly to the stunning outdoor sphere, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. The indoor spa area features a sauna, steam rooms, and cold-plunge pools.
In the four dedicated treatment rooms adjacent to the indoor pool, you will be pampered according to age-old organic treatment methods to rejuvenate and refresh yourself from the stressors of daily life. The spa menu includes Aman’s signature therapies that combine medicinal baths, thermal wraps, and detoxifying scrubs.
The Beaches
The Aman Sveti Stefan comes with three pristine private beaches which are also the best Montenegro has to offer. Sveti Stefan Beach stretches from the islet’s causeway in the direction of Milocer Park. From the pink-colored pebble beach, you have a panoramic view of Sveti Stefan.
Milocer Beach (also known as King’s Beach) lies in a more secluded bay and is the one that houses Villa Milocer, a former royal summer residence. It is hidden inside the amazing Milocer Park which is famous for its century-old cedar and pine trees.
Queen’s Beach is the most exclusive one of them all because it is only accessible to hotel guests and can hardly be seen from the road. It looks very similar to Milocer Beach but is a little smaller. In short: it is out of this world.
The Restaurants
Being a hotel guest in the Aman Sveti Stefan means not only being lodged in one of Europe’s most splendid hotels but also having access to a diverse restaurant and food offering.
Restaurant Arva
On the island, you will find the Arva, an Italian Fine Dining establishment that offers a blend of Italian cuisine with a local Adriatic touch. They put the accent clearly on seafood and classic Italian pasta and meat specialties.
And it’s not only the quality of the kitchen that we like about the Arva, it’s the location as well. You can dine on one of the stunning outdoor terraces where every table has a sea view.
source: Aman
The Piazza
Adjacent to the picturesque Sveti Stefan Church in the western part of the island, the laidback Piazza awaits everyone who is on the lookout for a relaxed spot to enjoy breakfast, dinner, or a snack in between.
It is the perfect place to drink a glass of wine or two and forget about the hurried world which seems comfortably distant from here. In the early evening hours, the Piazza’s antipasti bar gets crowded: the local cheese, meat, and vegetable delicacies are not only popular with the wine crowd.
On colder days, the cozy indoor Taverna & Enoteca is all you need. Picture a simple yet comforting dining hall with a cheerful atmosphere. There is also a cigar room for all the cigar aficionados out there.
Restaurant Villa Milocer
Back on the mainland opposing the tiny islet of Sveti Stefan, hotel guests can enjoy the palatable specialties of the Restaurant Villa Milocer. Aman Hotels never disappoint when it comes to choosing the most superb locations for their lodges and eateries.
For the best possible experience, book a table on the wisteria-covered outdoor patio that overlooks the secluded bay of Milocer Beach. The setting is dignified and aristocratic. As you would expect from an imposing establishment like this, the service and food quality is excellent.
Getting there
The closest airport to the Aman resort is Tivat Airport (TIV) and Podgorica Airport (TGD). Tivat is only 30 kilometers away from Sveti Stefan and Podgorica is only 60 kilometers. If you visit from overseas, you could also consider landing at Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) which is a two-hour drive away.