Mamula Island Hotel Review
Managed under the renowned Design Hotels Brand, the Mamula Island Hotel is one of its kind. Located on an island at the entrance of the Bay of Kotor, you can now experience how it feels to stay in a luxuriously-renovated 19th-century fort.
The fort was built in 1852 by the Austrian general and governer of Dalmatia Lazar Mamula on the then-uninhabited island of Lastavica. Later it became known simply as Mamula Island. The fort was carefully restored with an accent on organic materials such as stone and wood.
source: Mamula Island Hotel
The Facilities
Imagine you are on a remote island, the wind is mildly blowing and you can hear the waves splashing against the gentle shore. Sounds nice but wouldn’t it be better to also have three swimming pools, two gyms, and a Spa center?
This is what you get on top of having access to divine ritual rooms and physical studios with dozens of hands-on classes by licensed instructors. Should you feel like idling in the Spa center, you can get pampered with massages, facials, and Shamanic body treatments which are the SPA’s signature therapies.
The Rooms
The Mamula Island Hotel is a boutique hotel with only 32 rooms and suites for maximum luxury and comfort. In terms of room categories, you can choose among four categories:
- Garden
- Panoramic
- Sea
- Sky
Every room features sweeping views of the Adriatic and surrounding coastline
Garden Rooms
The Garden Rooms are the least expensive starting at a rate of 500€ per night. They are spacious enough at 46 square meters and can easily accommodate you and your partner. The name may sound misleading since each of the Garden Rooms also offers a sea view over the beautiful Adriatic Sea.
The rooms come with a freestanding bathtub and a cozy fireplace for colder days. The bathroom is elegantly designed with marble countertops and brass fixtures. We felt immediately at home and this room category is more than enough for most travelers.
Panoramic Rooms & Suites
In the Panoramic category, you will find both rooms (61 m2) and suites (122 m2). As the name already suggests, the views from your semicircular terrace are panoramic. Standing on the private patio, you will be discreetly reminded that you are on an island, overlooking the vast mountainscape of Montenegro’s coast.
Room Prices from: 700€
photo: showing a suite layout – rooms are half the size
The Panoramic rooms come with modern floor-to-ceiling windows that open up to the balcony which lets you relax on your comfortable sun loungers. You also have a freestanding bathtub with a view of the sky.
The highlights of the Panoramic suites are a private home cinema and a state-of-the-art telescope so that you can admire the stars decorating the night skies over Mamula Island.
Sea Junior Suites
The Sea Junior Suites are a good compromise between the less expensive Garden and Panoramic rooms and the Sky Suites. Same as the other suites, the Sea suites come with a separate living room or lounge. It uses lots of exposed stone elements.
The bathroom is modern and fitted with luxurious amenities. As you would expect for a hotel at this price range, the complimentary cosmetic products are top-notch. Sea suites measure a comfortable 69 square meters and offer the best price-to-value besides the Garden Rooms mentioned above.
Suite Prices from: 900€
Sky Suites
Without a doubt, the Sky Suites are the resort’s most exclusive residences. What makes them special are the carefully-restored ceiling frescoes that date back more than 150 years.
In total, you can choose among 8 uniquely decorated and almost cavelike suites. Due to the earthly tones and curved ceilings, walking around the suite makes you feel like being in a very old structure, possibly from ancient Roman or Greek times. This familiarity is probably what makes this residence so welcoming and interesting.
The suites are spacious measuring just short of 100 square meters and can accommodate three people.
Suite Prices from: 1500€
Mamula Island Restaurants & Bars
Canadian executive Chef Erica Archambault oversees the culinary experiences at the Mamula Island Hotel. Trained at the Michelin-starred Septime restaurant in Paris, she brings French culinary techniques to the table. As a guest, you can dine in the classy Kamena restaurant, on the Sun Deck, and Pool Deck.
Kamena Restaurant
The Kamena restaurant is a reservation-only fine dining eatery with a seasonally-adapting menu. It focuses on gourmet cuisine made with local ingredients and bursting with creativity. The accent is on seafood varieties served with intensely flavored herbs.
The restaurant features both an indoor eating area as well as an outdoor terrace overlooking the Croatian coast. It’s open exclusively in the evening hours when you can enjoy the sunset in quietness.
source: Kamena Restaurant
Opening Hours: 6:30 pm – midnight
Waiters will usually push for the six-course dinner menu which is a great choice. Order a local well-balanced Vranac or Chardonnay along with your meal – you won’t regret it.
The Sun Deck
As the name suggests. the Sun Deck is the perfect place to enjoy a light lunch, afternoon, or early evening dish while the sun is still out. Their specialties include seafood, light salads, and Napoletana Pizza from a wood-fired oven.
Opening Hours: 12.30 pm – 9 pm
The Pool Deck
After spending too much time in the water or after a couple of poolside drinks, we get hungry and need something savory. Luckily, there is the pristine Mamula Pool Deck where you can get a high-quality snack while relaxing in the sun.
source: Mamula Island Hotel
Opening Hours: 8 am – midnight
Pinea Bar
An ideal place to spend some time in before or after dinner is the Pinea Bar. Here you can meet like-minded travelers and discuss worldly affairs at a cocktail or two.
Opening Hours: 6 pm – past midnight
How to get there?
Mamula Island is located opposite Herceg Novi which is just a short boat ride away. The closest airports to Herceg Novi are Tivat Airport (20 kilometers) and Dubrovnik Airport (30 kilometers). There is a border crossing between Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Montenegro.
source: Mamula Island Hotel