Sveti Stefan is a resort in Montenegro, just under four miles from Budva. The resort sits on an islet and offers visitors a number of luxurious amenities. The islet of Sveti Stefan and a portion of the mainland were very popular among wealthy visitors from 1960 to 1980. The hotel itself is now a 5-star resort and part of the Aman Resorts group. Sveti Stefan was originally an island but is now connected to the Montenegrin mainland via a narrow isthmus. The resort has more than 50 rooms as well as cottages and various suites, all located on the islands as well as 8 grand suites.
In 2010, Sveti Stefan resort won the Hotel of the Year award from the Gallivanter’s Guide group. The island has more than 1 mile of coastline on the Adriatic Sea and lies directly to the south of Budva between the Sveti Stefan villages and Przno.
Sveti Stefan was originally a small village and during the Tito Regime the Yugoslavian government acquired the lands and turned the buildings into a hotel. During the 15th century, the island village was known as Divic and was primarily composed of Muslim inhabitants. It was renamed Sveti Stefan after Saint Stephen. The village was fortified to protect inhabitants from the Turks and soon became a retreat for pirates. The island had 12 original families and when the village was established in the early 1800s, there were only about 400 inhabitants. When the villages moved inland, the island village was set up as a resort for the rich and famous of the world. When Montenegro separated from Yugoslavia, the resort declined.
During 1934 and 1936, Villa Milocer built Queen Marija Karadordevic a summer residence and that residence was refurbished in 2008 and opened as part of the resort. The villa now contains more than 79 acres of land and is surrounded by hundreds of olive trees. During the popular years between 1960 and 1980, the island was visited by many celebrities such as Sophia Loren, Orson Welles, Kirk Douglas, Elizabeth Taylor and many others. the island resort has been reconstructed and redesigned over the years to attract tourism. Today, it offers a glimpse into old world charm while providing many modern amenities to visitors.
The Cliff Pool from the resort looks over the Adriatic sea and the various suites and cottages offer luxurious amenities. Every cottage and suite on the island is designed to be different than the others but every one offers luxurious amenities and the historic charm of the old village. The walls, doors and windows have all been preserved, giving the interior as much history as the exterior.
Those visiting Sveti Stefan will find many things of interest and the main dining area on The Piazza offers an open air dining experience along with an Antipasti Bar, Cigar Room and Taverna. Dining venues in the resort include the Queen’s Chair which overlooks the Budva Bay, the Olive Restaurant which overlooks the beach and the Beach Café among many others.