Polako, polako,” slowly, slowly,” is a phrase I hear repeatedly in Montenegro. This is the way of life, befitting a country with narrow roads, dozens of beaches, and around 240 full days of sunshine a year.
“Here we take two hours for a coffee,” says Dejana Stjepcevic from Tivat Tourism. We are sipping cappuccinos while overlooking the yachts in Porto Montenegro – a stylish new development built on the site of a former military shipyard.
Montenegro, meaning “black mountain”, is a developing destination, and its tourism industry is proud of its new hotels, many of which are in restored historic buildings. Most have pools, access to white pebbly beaches and terrace restaurants for languid lunches. This small country of 630,000 people aims to attract tourists to its little towns and vast, unspoilt mountains with the help of affordable prices.
I am staying at one of these new hotels: the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay. My room is generously sized, decorated in neutral tones and has sliding doors that open onto a long balcony with a waterside view.
Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort is among the recently opened properties (Photo: Jet2)
