Residence

We booked an expensive room facing the sea, and waking up to the Adriatic views was magical. HEC Residence in Budva has clean, modern, well-kept rooms, warm and attentive staff, and a tasty breakfast with some fresh choices. Water, however, has to be paid for. It’s a short walk to Pržno Beach and Queen’s Beach, both quiet and relaxing, while Sveti Stefan Beach is a lovely spot for sunsets about 5-6 minutes away by cab or bus. Food choices nearby are limited. Kusta is a good Montenegrin restaurant for seafood, grilled meat, and bread, but there aren’t many Western options. For more variety, you’ll need to walk toward the beaches or go into Budva’s center. A car makes it easier to explore restaurants and sights. The location is the main draw, and I’d happily return if I had a car.

Ants were all over our room, including the bathroom, floor, bed, nightstand, and even the top floor. It was disgusting and unsanitary. When we reported it, staff blamed us for supposedly eating in bed, which we absolutely hadn’t, and said sheets are changed only every four days. We stayed nine days, and the dust wasn’t cleaned at all. The fridge smelled awful, and water is charged separately. We asked for a double bed but got two singles pushed together, with a gap we kept falling into. The housekeepers didn’t speak English, ignored requests, and entered without knocking. The receptionists were miserable and unhelpful, making us feel like a nuisance. The place is overpriced and badly run, with staff who seem not to care about guests. We paid €90 for a tiny, poorly designed garage. On our last night it was closed at 1 a.m., and we couldn’t park. When we complained, staff said it closes at midnight, though we’d entered after midnight before and nobody had told us about a closing time. We paid for parking we couldn’t use. Breakfast was cold, bland, and had almost no variety; after trying it twice, we couldn’t eat it again. Never again. I wish I could give this place negative stars.

Breakfast was pretty good, and the staff worked hard to keep the food and drinks stocked. Cleaners came each morning, and our double room had lovely views, though no balcony. The hotel feels more like a three-star place by European standards than a four-star one. Cooking and smoke smells came through the ventilation from neighboring rooms with balconies and kitchenettes. The air conditioning wasn’t very strong, and traffic noise meant we couldn’t open the window. The hotel is on a main road, and getting to restaurants or a chemist in Budva really requires a car. The public beach nearby is tiny and crowded, and walking around involves lots of stairs. Garage parking costs €10 a day, though parking can also be found around the hotel.

The staff were polite and helpful, and the suite we booked for a week was a good size. But it was shabby, with peeling wallpaper, stained carpets, and a general need for modernising. We had no hot water for the whole stay. We complained three times, but someone came to try to fix it only once, without success, and no discount was offered. Breakfast was limited. The hotel is cut off from many of the main attractions. If I return to Montenegro, I’d probably stay closer to central Budva. This place has potential, but our stay didn’t live up to it.