LLM Exclusive Special News July 2026 / One&Only Portonovi, Boka Bay in Montenegro / By Teja Lele

Breakfast at La Veranda began with a mimosa. I sat facing the pool, the private  beach just beyond it, and the still waters of Boka Bay stretching into the mountains.

Boats drifted across the Adriatic sea as waiters danced nimbly between tables, carrying fresh pastries, Montenegrin cheeses, fruit, and impossibly good coffee. Nobody seemed in a hurry here. That, I would soon realise, is the point of One&Only Portonovi. 

Set at the entrance of Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor in Herceg Novi, the resort unfolds gradually: terracotta roofs, stone colonnades, palm-lined promenades. It seems less like a hotel and more like an elegant Adriatic town that happens to come with butlers, private beaches, and some of the most indulgent wellness facilities in Europe.

One&Only’s first property in Europe is spread across the elegant marina development of Portonovi. The resort has 122 rooms, suites, and villas, all designed in the style of grand Venetian palaces with red-tiled roofs, stone façades, and open courtyards.

The country may still be slightly under the radar when compared to Mediterranean heavyweights like Italy, Greece, and Croatia, but that is exactly what gives it its appeal. Glamour here is offset by mountains, fishing villages, church bells, and long stretches of quiet coastline. One&Only Portonovi leans into that rhythm beautifully. 

Accommodation ranges from spacious bay-facing rooms to expansive private villas with pools, hydrotherapy areas, gardens, and dedicated butler service. Even the entry-level rooms feel oversized, offering floor-to-ceiling windows, fireplaces for cooler evenings, and bathrooms almost as large as the bedrooms themselves.

My room opened onto sweeping bay views framed by mountains and water that changed colour through the day. The interior design mixed contemporary luxury with subtle Balkan touches: hand-blown glass, ceramics, carefully chosen books, and warm woods.

The scale of the resort is impressive, but not overwhelming. Pools appear almost unexpectedly between pathways and gardens. At the lively Tapasake pool, DJs begin shifting the mood as afternoon drifts into evening; then there are quieter family pools, an indoor wellness pool, and smaller tucked-away corners that let you disappear with a book for hours. 

Not needing to do anything at all is a kind of luxury we no longer have in our always-on world, but I had it here. One moment I was floating in the mineral water pool, the next stretched out beside the outdoor pool watching sunlight shimmer across the bay.

Somewhere in between came a long, lazy lunch at Sabia, the resort’s elegant Italian restaurant where seafood tastes like it was pulled from the Adriatic that morning. Fresh crudo, handmade pasta, olive oil worth taking home in bottles, and a glass of crisp white wine that made it increasingly difficult to imagine returning to real life.

Food at One&Only Portonovi avoids over complication, choosing to focus on excellent ingredients, careful execution, and settings so gorgeous they seem part of the meal itself.

Then there is Tapasake. If La Veranda belongs to mornings, Tapasake belongs to sunset. By early evening, the waterfront restaurant and pool club begins to glow golden. Music drifts lightly across the water. Cocktails appear. Conversations stretch longer. Sailboats move slowly back toward the marina. 

I arrived for sushi and sake just as the light began fading behind the mountains. Plates arrived one after another – delicate nigiri, beautifully cut sashimi, Japanese-Mediterranean small plates. The sake list is excellent, but the cocktails deserve equal attention. As does the mochi.

Later that night, I wandered to Caminetti Bar for a nightcap. The atmosphere shifts again: softer, warm lighting inside; panoramic sea views outside.

But what truly separates One&Only Portonovi from many luxury resorts is Chenot Espace. Chenot has a cult reputation in European wellness circles for its science-backed approach to detoxification and longevity, and the Portonovi outpost showcases this in style.

My lymphatic drainage massage began almost clinically, before transforming into one of the most restorative treatments I’ve had in years. Afterwards, I moved slowly through the spa’s thermal areas, sauna, steam room, indoor hydrotherapy pool, and relaxation spaces overlooking the bay. Time felt suspended as I looked at the glittering sea. 

Chenot Espace spans more than 4,000 square metres, making it one of the largest and most ambitious wellness spaces in the region. The complex includes diagnostic facilities, treatment suites, hydrotherapy  pools, cryotherapy and sauna areas, relaxation pavilions, fitness spaces, and an indoor wellness pool overlooking the bay.

Spa director Katarina Roso tells me that guests can commit fully to Chenot’s structured multi-day programmes, or simply try the treatments while spending their evenings drinking  wine by the sea.

“I always emphasise that this is not something that ends when the guest leaves. During their stay, we help the body reconnect with its natural intelligence. But equally important, we give guests the tools to continue taking care of themselves once they return home,” she says.

Of course, One&Only Portonovi also works beautifully as to explore Montenegro. 

One morning, I took a boat out toward the famed Blue Cave along the Luštica Peninsula, where sunlight transforms the water into an impossible electric blue. Another day led to Perast and Kotor, cinematic Adriatic towns with Venetian palaces, church towers, and cobblestoned alleys.

The beauty of Montenegro is its compactness. In a single day, you can move from medieval towns to mountain roads to hidden beaches to luxury marinas. And return to Portonovi in time for sunset.

On my final morning, I found myself back at La Veranda with another mimosa, once again looking out toward the beach and the bay.

Luxury resorts often try very hard to impress you. One&Only Portonovi doesn’t seem interested in forcing the point. Instead, it allows Montenegro’s coastline, pace, light, and silence to do much of the work. And somehow, that makes it feel even more luxurious.

Factbox

Address: Portonovi Resort, Herceg Novi 85340, Montenegro
Phone: +382 31 691 001
Website: oneandonlyresorts.com/portonovi

Hotel images courtesy of One&Only Portonovi