If you’re looking for the best luxury hotel in Montenegro, look no further than Aman Sveti Stefan. This beautiful Aman resort is one of the most unique hotels we’ve ever stayed in, inhabiting a medieval village on a tiny islet on a pristine stretch of the Adriatic Coast. In fact, Sveti Stefan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with medieval stone cottages, red-tiled roofs, and cobblestone footpaths winding through the charming old fishing village. Only guests of the resort are allowed to set foot on Sveti Stefan, making it the most exclusive hotel in Montenegro. Although we typically stay in luxury hotels for free with points and reward nights, we splurged here to celebrate our anniversary. Plus we had saved so much money on our accommodation and flights on the rest of our vacation throughout Eastern Europe. We booked our stay through American Express Travel – Fine Hotels & Resorts at the rate of €1450/night before taxes and fees, earning valuable points in the process. We will give you an inside look at this hidden gem with our Aman Sveti Stefan review.

**Our WTA score represents our own views based on our personal experience with the entity being reviewed.

Aman Sveti Stefan Review

History behind Aman Sveti Stefan

Before we take you on a tour of this romantic medieval village turned luxury resort, we need to share a bit about its interesting history. Sveti Stefan, which was formerly an island but is now connected to the mainland by a small isthmus, was first settled in 1442. A fort was built on the island to protect villagers from Turkish and pirate attacks. According to legend, the island was settled thanks to booty seized from Turks. The Petrovic family built a house for each of their 12 clans on the island.

Over the years the families moved away and the island was largely uninhabitated. Then in the 1960’s the island became a luxury getaway for the rich and famous, including Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Margaret. The mainland’s Villa Milocer, which is also part of Aman Sveti Stefan, was the summer residence of the royal family. Queen Marija favored a stretch of beach that is now known as Queen’s Beach, which is reserved just for guests of this Aman Montenegro resort.

Aman Sveti Stefan opened on the island in 2009. Aman restored the stone cottages to include modern luxurious amenities while still maintaining its historic charm. Original stone walls remain inside cottages filled with furniture, windows and door latches designed to look original. Staying at Aman Sveti Stefan feels like you’ve been transported back in time, while still enjoying modern luxury and top-notch service of Aman. Keep in mind, Aman ranked #1 in the Top Luxury Hotel Brands by Luxury Travel Intelligence in 2018, so you WILL be paying top dollar for the experience at this resort.

Overview of Aman Sveti Stefan

This Montenegro Aman resort has 58 dwellings, ranging from Village Rooms, Cottages, Deluxe Cottages, Grand Suites, Seaview Terrace Cottages, the Adriatic Suite and the Sveti Stefan Suite with its own private swimming pool overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Cobblestone footpaths between ivy-covered stone cottages glow by candlelight at night, making this one of the most romantic hotels we’ve ever stayed in. Lanterns hang in the windows reminiscent of the old days when Sveti Stefan was a fishing village and wives showed their husbands the way home with glowing lanterns.

Villa Milocer on the mainland has 8 suites, but we loved staying on the island itself, which feels like it’s straight out of a fairytale. The Aman Spa and Wellness Center, which sits back from Queen’s Beach, boasts tranquil treatment rooms, relaxation rooms, terraces, yoga and Pilates studios, fitness room, a stunning indoor/outdoor pool and more. We indulged in a couples massage and then retreated to Queen’s Beach for the most magical sunset on the Adriatic.

Aman Sveti Stefan Cottages

We stayed in a deluxe cottage on the island itself, which we think is the most original accommodation we’ve slept in yet. Although staying in the former summer residence of the royal family doesn’t sound too bad either, so there’s really not a bad option. Here’s what our charming cottage looked like. Each cottage has been individually restored and decorated in the style of original fishermen’s cottages. The serene white, stone, and local oak decor put us in a zen state of mind immediately. We also were crazy about turndown service, when they illuminated the lanterns in our cottage and played a CD of the most mesmerizng piano music. We still play that CD at home to transport us back to our enchanting stay at Aman Sveti Stefan.

Aman Villa Milocer

If you prefer to stay on the mainland, Villa Milocer is home to more modern luxurious suites with Adriatic Sea or Milocer Garden views. After our visit to the spa and Queen’s Beach, we made our way to Villa Milocer to check it out. There is a cozy living room, library, meeting room, and beautiful terrace overlooking the beach. Even if you don’t stay at Villa Milocer, make sure to wander over for a drink on the sun-kissed terrace at least.

Aman Sveti Stefan Beaches

One of our favorite parts of our stay at Aman Sveti Stefan was our heavenly afternoon at Queen’s Beach, which is reserved only for Aman guests. This outstanding stretch of pink sand and turquoise water was favored by Queen Marija when she spent summers at the Milocer villa, hence its name. Queen’s Beach is just off the Aman Spa and Wellness Center in a spectacular cove nestled between rocky outlets and forests of cedar, pine and olive trees. Bertaut tried stand-up paddle boarding for the first time, which is complimentary for guests. I just relaxed on a lounge chair and enjoyed the sublime views as the sun sank into the sea.

King’s Beach, also called Milocer Beach, is owned by Aman but is accessible to the public for a fee of 75 euros per person for a lounge chair. As you can imagine, this beach is not very crowded. Sveti Stefan Beach, on the other side of the isthmus, is much more crowded since it is open to the public for free. We much preferred the peace and calm at Queen’s Beach.

Pools at Aman Sveti Stefan

In addition to the tranquil pool mainland at the Aman Spa, the island has 2 pools for guests. The Aman Signature Pool on the sunny terrace is available for families with stunning sea views. Guests can order light refreshments and snacks from Aman Signature Restaurant, which is located on the terrace. The adults-only Cliff Pool has equally enviable views of the Adriatic Sea with the Cliff Bar serving up drinks, light refreshments and snacks.

Piazza at Aman Sveti Stefan

The piazza is located at the heart of Sveti Stefan and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We enjoyed a complimentary wine and cheese event there on the night of our stay which was absolutely delightful. We also received welcome drinks when we passed through the piazza before being escorted to our cottage.

Aman Signature Restaurant at Aman Montenegro

We enjoyed breakfast at the Aman Signature Restaurant on the lower terrace while basking in the glorious sun and practically drooling over the sea views. Our meal was delicious and we could’ve lingered there all day sipping our morning tea, if we weren’t so eager to explore more of the island. Our breakfast was included in our stay since we booked through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts. Free breakfast is always a great way to start the day!

Aman Spa and Wellness Center

Since we booked our reservation at Aman Sveti Stefan through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, we also received a complimentary couples massage at the Aman Spa. The beautiful spa and wellness center is located on the mainland and looks out onto Queen’s Beach. We received a ride over but enjoyed a relaxing walk back to the island along a path overlooking the beach.

The Aman Sveti Stefan Spa is a temple to wellbeing, balancing body, mind and spirit with personalized treatments on the nearly 1,600-square-meter spa. They draw from Montenegro’s herbs and old tradition of wild harvesting. The spa puts you into relaxation mode as soon as you enter with its serene decor and views. We were on cloud nine after our wonderful massage. Here’s a look around the tranquil spa and wellness center, which includes two pools, three hydrotherapy suites with steam rooms, saunas and plunge pools, a gym and studios for Pilates and yoga.

Fitness Room at Aman Sveti Stefan

There are 2 fitness rooms at Aman Sveti Stefan, one on the island and one on the mainland in the Wellness Center. Since guests can stay on the island or at Villa Milocer, there’s never a gym far away. We visited both (just for photos, we were too busy relaxing to work out hahaha) and were impressed by the selection of equipment. The wellness center offers private yoga and Pilates classes as well.

More places to relax at Aman Sveti Stefan

We adored wandering through the old village, discovering quaint little spots to relax and drink in the sublime views. Here’s some of the cozy spots to chill at this historic luxury resort in Montenegro.

Conclusion of our Aman Sveti Stefan Review

This was our first experience staying at an Aman resort. We had high expectations since Aman is known for “unsurpassed beauty, tranquil simplicity, and unparalleled opportunities for exploration” as well as space and privacy in natural settings. Aman Sveti Stefan did not disappoint with a setting that is unbelievably beautiful. As travelers who appreciate history, we loved staying on an island that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and dates back to medieval times. As luxury travelers, we appreciated the understated elegance of the resort that blended in so naturally with its surroundings.

Although we didn’t have any complaints about the service, we didn’t feel a personal connection with any of the staff members which is unusual for us. Since Aman prides itself on exceptional service, we were surprised that none of the staff left a lasting impression. Another critique is that the island is not wheelchair or stroller accessible, which is due to being a protected UNESCO site.

Aman Sveti Stefan is truly a magical place to stay. There’s no denying that Aman has found one of the most stunning locations in all of Montenegro on what is arguably the most beautiful stretch of the Adriatic Coast. Remember, the Queen used to spend summers here, as well as movie stars and celebrities long before Aman occupied the island. Staying at Aman Sveti Stefan is an experience you will remember for years to come. Check out our post with more photos to inspire you to visit Montenegro. While in Eastern Europe, consider a visit to Budapest, the city of spas, where you can stay in the historic castle district.

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