Where to stay in Montenegro: apartments, hotels, private sector

The post talks about where is the best place to stay in Montenegro, I will tell you about the peculiarities of renting local accommodation for a long vacation. The post will be useful to those who are traveling to Montenegro for the first time, I hope that my advice will help you.

Variants of accommodation in Montenegro

In Montenegro, there is a whole range of tourist accommodation, from standard hotels with the "All Inclusive" option, to small rooms in the private sector.
A room in a hotel. There are good 5-star hotels in Montenegro. If the hotel has 3 stars or less, then you should pay attention to the latest reviews of tourists, the distance to the sea (be sure to check on Google map) and the availability of transportation.
A room in the private sector. This is the most cost-effective option, suitable for picky tourists. The shower and kitchen are shared, located on the first floor.
Apartments. An excellent variant for families with children. You have an apartment with a kitchen at your disposal, and you don't have to worry about cleaning and other everyday little things.
Villas. It is profitable to rent a villa for several families, you have at your disposal a detached house with everything you need. The villas for rent have several bedrooms, a garage and a swimming pool.

Is it worth booking holiday accommodation in advance?

I highly recommend booking accommodation in advance, especially if you are going to rest in Montenegro during the peak tourist season. In the summer, it is very difficult to find apartments on site, either very expensive options are available, or the accommodation is in very poor condition.

What does the price of accommodation depend on?

Accommodation prices depend on the tourist location, distance from the sea, length of stay and season.

Distance to the sea

Tourists come to Montenegro for a beach holiday. If you take a car here, then you can look for apartments far from the sea.

The popularity of the tourist spot

The price of an apartment in a good part of Budva and the price of the same accommodation in Sutomore are different. The price of accommodation on the entire Budva Riviera (Budva, Bečići, Rafailovići, etc.) up to Petrovac will be higher than on the Bar Riviera or in Ulcinj. This affects the popularity and promotion of the place, although Ulcinj also has good beaches and high-quality accommodation for rent. If you need the sea and the beach, then there is no big difference, but if you decide to diversify your vacation with excursions, then you should choose a resort more carefully.

Tourist tax

All tourists who come on vacation to Montenegro must pay the tourist tax. When registering, the tourist must check with the owner of the accommodation whether the payment of the tourist tax is included in the price. The calculation of the tax is very simple, 1 Euro per day of stay, for children under the age of 12 the tax is not paid (it is better to clarify this on the spot). After paying the residence tax, you will receive a payment receipt, keep it until you leave the country.

How to rent accommodation in Montenegro?

In this part of the post, I will share with you the main ways to find accommodation that work well in Montenegro.

Sites for finding apartments

Global hotel search engine - many apartments and hotels from different reservation systems
Look for apartments on Montenegrin websites, the prices will pleasantly surprise you, because these websites are intended for local residents. After a few hours of searching, writing and discussing the terms, you will get several good options that will be much cheaper than any broker or agency will offer you.

Through an intermediary

Brokers and apartment owners can request an advance + fee for brokerage services (on average 30% of the price). In exchange for an advance payment, you will get a reservation of the apartment and be sure that no one else will take it.

Directly from the owner

Not all Montenegrins rent out their apartments online, many good offers can be found on the spot or through acquaintances who have stayed there before. Booking accommodation directly with the host can be a little more profitable, many accommodation owners are ready to meet you at the airport, often this service is provided free of charge.

Independent search for accommodation on the spot

This is the most painful option for accommodation in Montenegro. The option is suitable for "experienced" travelers, because the average tourist has limited vacation time and does not want to wander around the city after the flight looking for a hotel. If we talk about Budva, then the city is quite big and has several districts. If you don't know what areas to look for, then searching for apartments is a very tedious task.