Conte Hotel Perast
In Perast, a coastal town in Montenegro whose homogenous stone buildings tell a story of past trading splendors, similar to Venice but smaller in scale, it’s only natural that the 4-star Conte Hotel Perast is housed in five beautiful, 18th-century Montenegrin Baroque houses, carefully renovated and brought up to contemporary standards.
Without a doubt, Perast is Montenegro’s most picturesque resort with heaps of style and elegance. And while you’re watching TV in your quiet, air-conditioned sanctuary, the next you are stepping to the window to admire Our Lady of the Rocks Island which lies just a few hundred meters off the coast.
And you can hardly be blamed. Montenegro’s laid-back Bay of Kotor is so implacably appealing, sunny with just the right refreshing breeze, and beautiful in all directions, that you better keep it to yourself before too many tourists arrive.
Our Lady of the Rocks
A picturesque island with a church on top, Our Lady of the Rocks is one of the most prominent landmarks along Perast’s beautiful Adriatic coast.
The Location
Just a 15-minute drive away from Kotor, Perast is one of Montenegro’s most visited coastal towns. Still, despite the busy summer months, the serenity and peace of this coastal wonder always remain intact. Hotel Conte’s privileged position in the heart of the old town is the ideal choice for a quality vacation.
Set amidst all the beauty of the Bay of Kotor, you couldn’t possibly ask for a more picture-perfect setting in Montenegro. The hotel’s main lodge sits right at the town’s lovely coastal promenade, boasting many quaint waterfront restaurants and shops. Within walking distance of the Conte, you’ll find all the major sights of Perast, including St. Nicholas’ Church and Perast Museum.
A 30-minute drive from the hotel down the winding coastal road brings you to Portonovi, a luxury marina with an eclectic mix of restaurants and boutiques, and the appropriate yachts to match. Besides the two concrete piers to each side of town, the nearest beach is just one kilometer south of Perast, in Drazin Vrt. The Bajova Kula Beach Club offers everything you need for a relaxed day by the sea.
Bay of Kotor
Discover Europe’s southernmost fjord – the Bay of Kotor, a picturesque inlet surrounded by towering mountains and quaint coastal settlements.
Portonovi
The latest addition to Montenegro’s portfolio of luxury marinas, Portonovi is well worth a visit, offering endless lifestyle opportunities, from good restaurants to elegant boutiques.
Where You’ll Sleep
The rooms, suites, and apartments all come with contemporary conveniences, but make very few concessions to modern design, instead highlighting the conscientiously restored original details. A great deal of the original stonemasonry is still intact, painstakingly maintained, and exposed in segments throughout the 39 accommodation units.
The crudely formed dark wooden ceiling beams and wooden furniture counterbalance the obligatory enjoyment of plush beds and flat panel TVs, while the bathrooms blend contemporary tiles, wood, and glass elements, befitting a luxury boutique hotel and creating an intimate effect. You can even hear the sound of church bells in the mornings which only add to the charm.
As a guest, you won’t necessarily be housed in the main edifice with commanding views of the Adriatic Sea but in one of the other hotel annex buildings, all in footwalk distance from each other, and fortunately there is also the hotel-own golf cart that can pick you up from anywhere around town – as the majority of Perast is pedestrianized.
Even the standard double room is already spacious enough for spending a couple of days here comfortably, and if you visit as a large family with children or as a group of friends, there are three-bedroom apartments available that can accommodate up to eight persons. They offer ample space for socializing and do include a dining table and a small kitchen.
Perast
Discover the loveliness and rich cultural heritage of Perast, a historic town known for its Baroque architecture and charming waterfront restaurants.
The Conte Restaurant
The idea behind Montenegro’s palazzi and historic boutique hotels is that you don’t just get an architecturally beautiful place to spend your vacation, but an all-encompassing hospitality experience of local heritage and culture, of which indulging in fresh, local cuisine is no inconsequential part.
This holds even more true in the Bay of Kotor, a place so beautiful that it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not surprisingly, it also supplies most of the seafood, and there certainly is no shortage of fresh fish, calamari, shrimps, and rope-grown mussels nurtured in the pristine waters of Perast.
And the pastoral backcountry of family-run orchards and olive groves provides the fresh fruits and vegetables Montenegro is known for. It is no wonder than that the Conte Hotel’s restaurant makes excellent use of all these superb ingredients and combines them into harmonizing culinary compositions.
With such a vast and beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the entire bay, the restaurant’s emphasis is on aquatic cuisines (but not exclusively) like grilled octopus or monkfish medallions in truffle sauce. In typical local fashion, the idea is to serve modern interpretations of authentic Adriatic fare.
Even the complimentary breakfast selection is more expansive than elsewhere, offering a wide selection of sweet and savory meals, including bruschetta with freshly sliced Njegusi Prosciutto, frittata with shrimp and zucchini, and even sparkling wine.
The Conte Restaurant
The hotel-owned waterfront eatery is one of the most popular culinary spots in town, well-known for its tasty seafood creations. Discover the Conte Restaurant!
Things to do Nearby
Jump in a car and you’re 5 minutes from Risan, one of the oldest settlements in Montenegro, dating back more than 2,400 years, a quaint coastal town with a marina where Roman mosaics and ancient cave drawings can be visited among others. Kotor’s Old Town is certainly a must-see and is not too far either, being located just 12 kilometers south of Perast.
The equally pretty coastal town of Herceg Novi is a 40-minute drive away, and a lovely spot for sunsets and sundowners. Off the coast of Perast lies the Our Lady of the Rocks Island which houses an incredibly scenic church with the same name. It is just a 10-minute boat ride from the marina, and visiting it is one of the best things to do in Montenegro while on vacation.
A 20-minute water taxi ride from Herceg Novi or a private speedboat transfer from Kotor or Perast will bring you to Rose, a picturesque fishing village with some stunning sea views on the Lustica Peninsula. Boat trips to Lustica’s pristine beaches are popular with Boka Bay holidaymakers.
Risan
Risan is a coastal town in the Bay of Kotor, famous for its Roman Mosaics displaying Hypnos, the god of sleep. Formerly known as Rhizon, this town has a long history.
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi, a lovely coastal town bordering Croatia, is often referred to as the city of a thousand steps due to its hillside location overlooking the Bay of Kotor.
Things to do in Kotor
Relaxing beach days, cultural enrichment, family-friendly excursions in nature, and stylish waterfront dining are some of the best things to do while in Kotor.