Boka Gardens Seaside Resort

The apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, though you’ll need to buy your own groceries. If you drive south, you’ll take the ferry, which costs 5 euro each way. With a rental car, the location is convenient, around 20 minutes from Perast and 40 from Kotor. You really do need a car here. There’s a private beach across the road, while the pool is right at the top of the resort. The rooftop infinity pool has an incredible view, although it’s a little outdated, and you’ll need a car to get up there. The balcony also looks out over Kotor Bay beautifully. A few practical things: there are stairs only, no elevator, so you’ll be carrying luggage. The front office staff helped us with ours, but the office is open from 9 to 5. Parking is beside the main road, which made getting in and out tricky. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving the car there, though that seems common in Montenegro.

The view was stunning, and being away from busy Kotor meant we could enjoy some peace and quiet. We stayed in the Maestral apartment. It was spacious, clean, and had everything we needed, with a welcome bottle of wine waiting for us. We arrived at Podgorica airport after 5pm, and reception stayed open for us. They also changed our towels halfway through the week, including the beach towels. A lovely holiday.

The reception team were friendly and capable, and gave us useful tips on what to see. They took us by their own boat to a nearby island and could also advise on and arrange other tours. We found two restaurants only a few hundred metres away, one in either direction. There are hardly any pavements, though, and cars pass quickly, so we usually drove. We booked on a friend’s recommendation, looking for somewhere family friendly with good food available, no cooking required, and clear water at the beaches. The resort is a collection of multi-storey houses with several apartments each. There’s a restaurant, a small shop, a pool, and a private beach bar. Sunbeds and parasols on the beach are free. Parking is free too, but has no shade. Our apartment had two bedrooms, a living room, a small, fully equipped kitchen, and a bathroom with a washing machine. They provided two complimentary laundry pods, and beach towels were in the apartment. There was also a decent sized balcony with four chairs, a small table, and a drying rack. We didn’t cook, but there were pots, pans, plates, cutlery, and cups, along with a large fridge, toaster, coffee machine, kettle, and microwave. All in all, a very pleasant stay and a clear recommendation for a budget holiday.

The view is beautiful, and the staff were very accommodating even outside the tourist season. I thought upgrading the room was worth the money.