Heading to Kotor and not sure where to base yourself? The main choice here is simple. You either sleep inside the Old Town, right in the middle of the medieval lanes, or on the shore of the bay, a little away from the crowds. Both are lovely, it just comes down to what suits you. In this guide I've gathered the best hotels in Kotor by area and by price, with guest ratings, fresh reviews and Google Maps links. The town is small, so wherever you check in, the city walls and the waterfront are only a short walk away.
The short version, if you're in a hurry
- Want to be in the thick of it and wander the Old Town late into the night? Pick a hotel inside the walls: Cattaro, Astoria, Hippocampus, Vardar.
- After quiet, a bay view, and arriving by car? Go for the Dobrota shore. Right on the water you'll find Forza Mare, Forza Terra, Palazzo Radomiri and the cosy Casa del Mare, and for pools and a beach there's the big Hyatt Regency across the bay.
- Tight budget but you still want the centre and the history? Villa Duomo, Monte Cristo, Palazzo Drusko and Rendez-Vous hold a good price.
- In July and August, book a few months ahead. For quiet, ask for a room facing the courtyard or a floor higher up, away from the square.
How to choose a hotel in Kotor
Before you book, it's worth settling a few things. They shape how your trip turns out. The guest ratings and prices below are a snapshot from when I put this article together, so double-check the current ones when you book.
- Area. In the Old Town you're two steps from everything; on the bay shore you get the view and the calm. More on that below.
- View. Some hotels look out on the city walls and the bay, others on the cosy stone lanes. Decide which matters more to you.
- A car. You can't drive into the Old Town inside the walls, and parking is tough in season. With a car it's easier to stay in Dobrota or Prčanj.
- Season and noise. Summer is pricey and busy, and in the evenings the bar music around the squares carries. Off-season is calmer and cheaper.
- Getting around the bay. Besides a car and taxis, a water taxi runs between the shores, and guests are ferried over on speedboats. Book your slot a little in advance, especially in season.
Good to know: in July and August, Kotor's hotels sell out months ahead and prices climb to their peak. It's quieter, cheaper and nicer for walking in May, June, September and early October. One more thing about the Old Town. Many hotels here sit in old buildings with no lift and steep stone staircases. If suitcases are a struggle, check the floor and whether there's a lift before you book. |
Which part of Kotor is best to stay in
Kotor is small, but its areas each have their own character. Here's how I see them myself after many years around the Bay of Kotor.
Old Town
The heart of Kotor inside the Venetian walls. Pedestrian lanes, squares, churches, cafes right under your window. By day it's busy, especially when the cruise ships pull into port. But in the evening, once the day-trippers leave, the town seems to exhale and turns quiet and magical. It's perfect if you're without a car and want to be right in the middle of it. Season matters too. In summer it's loud and packed, and in winter it can turn raw and very damp. The mountains take the sun early, and the temperature drops about ten degrees the moment it's gone. So in winter it's especially important to pick a good place to stay: the old buildings have a real problem with damp and mould.
Dobrota
It stretches along the eastern shore of the bay, northwest of the Old Town. It's quieter here, many hotels have their own access to the water and a pier, and the windows open onto the view of the Bay of Kotor and the fortress climbing the slope. The Old Town is 10 minutes away by taxi, or a lovely walk along the waterfront. This is my favourite option if you're driving or came for a calm holiday. And one thing that matters: this is probably where the sunsets are prettiest, and the sun lingers longest. In summer that's no big deal, but in winter it counts for a lot. The beaches here are all man-made, from fine white pebbles brought in, or piers. Further along the shore, on the road to Perast, lies Ljuta, a very quiet little village on the water for anyone after complete seclusion.
Muo and Prčanj
Across the bay, facing Kotor. Even quieter and almost homely, with fewer tourists as a rule, and from this shore you get the best postcard view of the town and the walls. To reach the centre you take a taxi around the bay, but more and more people choose a boat transfer straight across the water, which is faster and far nicer. There's one thing to keep in mind: the sun leaves noticeably earlier here than on the opposite shore. In summer that's fine, but in winter it really tells: the shade rolls in by three and it turns cool. Even so, it's very sweet and pretty over here. You can read more about this shore on the Prčanj page.
If you're driving, go for a hotel in Dobrota. You simply can't get a car into the Old Town inside the walls. But walking in on foot in the evening, once the cruise ships have cleared out, is a pleasure all its own.Maria Sosnina
The best hotels in Kotor
Below are the hotels I'd recommend, with the guest rating and a price band. The symbols show the price per night: € up to 100, €€ roughly 100 to 150, €€€ roughly 150 to 330, €€€€ above 330 euros. I checked the prices and ratings in late August 2026. Treat them as a guide only: the numbers shift with the season, occupancy, promotions and other factors, so verify exact prices on the aggregators (Booking and the like) or directly with the hotels.
| Hotel | Area | Guest rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forza Mare | Dobrota | 9.2 guests, 4/5 Tripadvisor | €€€€ |
| Forza Terra | Dobrota | 9.5 Booking | €€€€ |
| Palazzo Radomiri | Dobrota | 4.8 Google | €€€ |
| Hyatt Regency | Stoliv, western shore | 4.5 Google | €€€€ |
| Huma Kotor Bay | Dobrota | 8.4 Booking, 3/5 Tripadvisor | €€€ |
| Casa del Mare Pietra | Dobrota | 9.1 Booking, 4.5/5 Tripadvisor | €€ |
| Villa Nikčević | Ljuta | small, few reviews | €€€ |
| Cattaro | Old Town | 4.3 Google | €€€ |
| Astoria | Old Town | 4.5 Google | €€€ |
| Hippocampus | Old Town | 4.2 Google | €€€ |
| Vardar | Old Town | 4.3 Google, 9.1 Booking | €€€ |
| Villa Duomo | Old Town | 4.4 Google | €€ |
| Monte Cristo | Old Town | 4.2 Google | €€ |
| Palazzo Drusko | Old Town | 4.8 Google | €€ |
| Rendez-Vous | Old Town | 7.4 Booking | € |
| Palazzo del Mare Essenza | Dobrota | 8.9 Booking, 3/5 Tripadvisor | €€€ |
On the bay, for a special occasion
A handful of hotels sit right on the water in Dobrota. People come here for privacy, a spa and a bay view, not for the cruise-ship bustle.
Forza Mare
Rating: ⭐ 9.2 from guests (488 reviews), 4 out of 5 on Tripadvisor · Price: €€€€, roughly 270 to 500 € a night · 2 km to the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
An intimate five-star hotel with ten rooms, each done in its own theme. Its own beach on the bay, an outdoor pool, a spa and a seafood restaurant. Quiet, beautiful, truly a place for two.
From recent reviews: guests praise the attentive staff, the private beach and crystal-clear sea, the themed rooms and the breakfast. Couples rate it especially highly for a trip just for two.
Forza Terra
Rating: ⭐ 9.5 on Booking (211 reviews), 4 out of 5 on Tripadvisor · Price: €€€€, roughly 250 to 550 € a night · on the water in Dobrota
📍 Google Maps
The Forza family's second hotel on the bay, not to be confused with Forza Mare. An intimate five-star boutique with twelve rooms and suites, terraces and a straight-on sea view. Its own beach, an outdoor and an indoor pool, a spa with sauna and hammam, and a fine-dining restaurant.
From recent reviews: guests are delighted by the bay view from the balconies and from the water, and praise the very attentive staff, the spa and the breakfasts. On the downside, they mention that the rooms are a touch smaller than expected, and the high price.
By the way, this isn't just a place to stay. Couples get married right here by the water, and we've photographed it ourselves. Take a look at how lovely this wedding at Forza Terra turned out. If you're dreaming of a day like that, we can also point you to a wedding planner we trust.
Palazzo Radomiri
Rating: ⭐ 4.8 on Google Maps · Price: €€€, from 170 € a night · on the water, 3 km to the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
A Baroque palazzo from the early 18th century, carefully turned into a boutique hotel right on the shore. Its own pier, a spot for swimming in the sea and a pool. One of the highest ratings around.
From recent reviews: guests love the views from the rooms and the fact that you can hide here from the cruise crowds, and they note the caring staff and the pier on the water. At a premium price you do occasionally meet small rough edges in the service.
A big hotel on the water with pools
If you want a full resort with a beach, pools and a spa rather than an intimate boutique, look at these two.
Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort
Rating: ⭐ 4.5 on Google Maps (over 1,200 reviews), 4 out of 5 on Tripadvisor · Price: €€€€, roughly from 370 € a night · Stoliv, western shore of the bay
📍 Google Maps
A large five-star resort on the bay shore. Only it isn't in Dobrota, it's on the opposite, western shore, in the village of Stoliv. From here you have to drive around the shore to reach the Old Town, about fifteen minutes by car, and there's no shuttle, so a car is handy. It has its own pebble beach, three pools, indoor and outdoor, a spa with sauna and hammam, and kayak and paddleboard hire.
From recent reviews: guests praise the views, the beach and the watersports, the three pools and the spa, the breakfast and the polished staff. The downsides they name are the distance from town, the narrow shore road and having to take a taxi to the centre.
Huma Kotor Bay
Rating: ⭐ 8.4 on Booking (1,055 reviews), but only 3 out of 5 on Tripadvisor · Price: €€€, roughly 150 to 330 € a night · Dobrota, 3.5 km to the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
A modern design hotel on the Dobrota shore, large by local standards: nearly ninety rooms plus villas on the water. A private beach, two outdoor pools, a spa and two restaurants.
From recent reviews: guests praise the location and the views, the spa with massage and the wide-choice breakfast. But the ratings split noticeably: some complain about the man-made beach with coarse pebbles, slow service and noise from the road behind the hotel. If service matters to you more than the view, weigh the reviews before you book.
Intimate boutiques on the water
Small family-run hotels on the shore, homely and quiet, with a friendlier price than their five-star neighbours.
Casa del Mare Pietra
Rating: ⭐ 9.1 on Booking, 4.5 out of 5 on Tripadvisor · Price: €€, roughly 100 to 180 € a night · by the Dobrota promenade
📍 Google Maps
A cosy boutique hotel right by the Dobrota sea promenade, just eight rooms with a sea view, each themed around a gemstone. A seasonal pool, a sunny terrace, a little wellness area with sauna and jacuzzi, and its own restaurant.
From recent reviews: guests praise the bay views, the setting on the water, the intimate feel and the restaurant. Complaints are few; for its price the hotel holds its level with confidence.
Palazzo del Mare Essenza
Rating: ⭐ 8.9 on Booking (578 reviews), though noticeably more modest on Tripadvisor, 3 out of 5 · Price: €€€, roughly 130 to 250 € a night · on the shore of the Bay of Kotor in Dobrota, about 2 km to the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
A bigger hotel than its tiny neighbours in this list: 35 rooms, though it still feels intimate and boutique. Its main trump card is the water right there. The hotel has its own private beach club with loungers and towels, free for guests, and nearby you can rent a kayak or a paddleboard and head off across the bay, well away from the shore. The rooms are modern, roomy and clean, and the water is a couple of steps away. There's a seasonal pool, a hammam with a steam room, a small gym, its own restaurant, a cafe and a bar. The staff are welcoming, and there's a buffet breakfast in the morning.
From recent reviews: what gets praised most are the rooms, bright, modern and roomy, and how quickly you get from them to the water. Guests are also glad of the hotel's own stretch of shore with loungers and towels, the kayaks and paddleboards on hand, the friendly hosts and the buffet breakfast. Gripes come up too: parking is tricky, some guests have questions about breakfast, and now and then someone mentions a smell from the bathroom drain. And honestly, the ratings across the different sites diverge a lot, so before you book, look at the most recent reviews and decide for yourself.
Villa Nikčević
Price: €€€, roughly from 175 € a night · Ljuta, 7 km to the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
An intimate villa right on the water in Ljuta, a quiet village north of Dobrota on the road to Perast. Its own pool, a beach with a pier and loungers, a garden and parking. There are only a handful of rooms, so this is one for anyone who wants seclusion on the shore rather than big hotel facilities.
From recent reviews: guests like the quiet, the private access to the water and the homely feel. The hotel is small and there aren't many reviews of it yet, so book ahead for popular dates.
People don't only come here for a couple of nights. Couples say their vows right by the water, and we filmed a whole wedding day here. See how warm this wedding at Villa Nikčević came out. And with the planning side of things, we'll connect you with a wedding planner we trust.
Boutique hotels in the Old Town
Historic luxury inside the Venetian walls. Everything is two steps away, and in the evenings the town falls quiet right outside your window.
Historic Boutique Hotel Cattaro
Rating: ⭐ 4.3 on Google Maps · Price: €€€, roughly 120 to 340 € a night · main square
📍 Google Maps
A hotel in a historic building right on the main square of the Old Town, with a spa and a restaurant. The rooms with balconies look out on the square and the mountains around it.
From recent reviews: guests praise the setting in the very heart of Kotor, the historic building and the restaurant. Some note evening noise from the square and ask for closer attention to breakfast.
Boutique Hotel Astoria
Rating: ⭐ 4.5 on Google Maps · Price: €€€, roughly 170 to 330 € a night · Buća Palace
📍 Google Maps
A designer hotel in the 13th-century palace of the Buća family. Old stone and a modern interior, right in the centre of the Old Town. Beautiful, roomy rooms and an à la carte breakfast.
From recent reviews: guests like the location, the large, beautiful rooms and the breakfast. Reviews are mixed: now and then there are complaints about service, street noise and parking nearby.
Boutique Hotel Hippocampus
Rating: ⭐ 4.2 on Google Maps (219 reviews) · Price: €€€ · in the centre of the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
A four-star boutique hotel in a 17th-century building, just thirteen rooms. The main draw is the private rooftop terrace with a view of the walls of the San Giovanni fortress and live music at sunset.
From recent reviews: guests praise the view and the atmosphere on the roof, the attentive staff and the breakfast with fruit. The downsides they name are the small rooms and noise from the bars nearby.
Hotel Vardar
Rating: ⭐ 4.3 on Google Maps, 9.1 on Booking · Price: €€€, roughly 130 to 315 € a night · main square
📍 Google Maps
A hotel in a historic building right on the main square, with a modern interior. There's a sauna, a hammam, a gym and a restaurant. For the location guests give it almost ten out of ten.
From recent reviews: guests note the perfect location, the spacious, quiet rooms, the excellent breakfast and staff who help with transfers. On weekends the square can get noisy, and guests suggest bringing earplugs.
Cosy and warm-hearted
A good price, history and the centre. A great choice if you want the Old Town atmosphere without spending big.
Hotel Villa Duomo
Rating: ⭐ 4.4 on Google Maps · Price: €€, roughly 115 to 250 € a night · by St Tryphon's Cathedral
📍 Google Maps
A hotel in a historic building next to the Cathedral of St Tryphon. Cosy rooms in an antique style, some windows looking out on the cathedral and the rooftops of the Old Town.
From recent reviews: guests praise the responsive staff, the central location and the sunny breakfast terrace. The downsides they name are a modest breakfast and a rather cramped terrace.
Hotel Monte Cristo
Rating: ⭐ 4.2 on Google Maps · Price: €€, roughly 100 to 140 € a night · Maritime Museum square
📍 Google Maps
An intimate hotel with nine rooms in a 13th-century building on the Maritime Museum square. A quiet inner courtyard-terrace, a family feel and personal service.
From recent reviews: guests love the friendly staff, the location and the varied breakfast. The main downside is the music from the square late into the night. Ask for a room higher up and further from it.
Palazzo Drusko
Rating: ⭐ 4.8 on Google Maps · Price: €€, budget-to-mid level · 150 m from the cathedral
📍 Google Maps
Rooms in a stone house around six hundred years old, right in the centre of the Old Town. A historic building, but with modern comforts and a homely feel. One of the highest ratings in Kotor.
From recent reviews: guests love the mix of an old house with a history and refreshed comfort, the warm welcome from the hosts and the quiet of the inner rooms.
Hotel Rendez-Vous
Rating: 7.4 on Booking · Price: €, roughly 78 to 90 € a night · in the centre of the Old Town
📍 Google Maps
The most budget-friendly option in the list, and yet right in the heart of the Old Town. Simple rooms and a good location for little money.
From recent reviews: guests praise the location, the staff and the value for money. The rooms are plain in places, but at this price that's fair enough.
And if the occasion is a special one
Sometimes people come to Kotor not just to relax, but to mark something important. A honeymoon, an anniversary or a wedding. Then it makes sense to look at the hotels right on the water, the ones with terraces and the privacy for a celebration.
I have separate guides to two such places on the Bay of Kotor. Forza Terra, with a terrace on the water and a spot for the ceremony, and the boutique Casa del Mare as a base for a wedding on the shore. Both are a great fit if you want to celebrate with a view of the bay.
And if you want to bring home not just memories but beautiful photos too, get in touch. I'm a photographer in Montenegro, I shoot a lot along the shore of the Bay of Kotor and I know the best light and the prettiest corners for a session here. You can see where we shoot in my roundup of photoshoot locations in Montenegro.
Good to know: if you are coming to Kotor to actually get married, not just to relax, brace yourself: a wedding on the Bay of Kotor is a full-blown project, not a holiday. Dates, the venue, the menu, the paperwork, the decor, getting your guests where they need to be. Handling all of it yourself without dropping a single ball is close to impossible. So bring in a wedding planner you can trust: we can help you find a reliable one, and we will take care of the photos and video ourselves. For a step-by-step look at where to begin, we broke it all down in our guide to a wedding in Kotor. And if you are wondering who to trust with the organizing and how to get that choice right, read our piece on how to choose a wedding planner. |
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to stay in Kotor?
If you want to be in the thick of it and get around on foot, pick a hotel in the Old Town, such as Cattaro, Astoria or Vardar. If you value quiet and a bay view, go for the Dobrota shore, where you'll find Forza Mare, Forza Terra, Palazzo Radomiri and the cosy Casa del Mare.
Which part of Kotor is the quietest?
The quietest spots are Muo and Prčanj, across the bay facing the town, and Dobrota along the shore. The Old Town is louder, especially in the evenings by the bars on the squares.
Are hotels in Kotor expensive?
It varies. Budget options in the Old Town cost from 78 to 100 euros a night, boutique hotels on average from 120 to 330 euros, and the five-star hotels on the water above 330 euros a night. In July and August the prices rise noticeably.
Are there hotels in Kotor with a pool and a bay view?
Yes. For a pool, a spa and a bay view, look at the hotels on the water: Forza Mare and Forza Terra with their own beaches and pools, and Palazzo Radomiri with its pier. And if you want a large resort with three pools and a beach, there's the Hyatt Regency across the bay.
Is it better to stay in the Old Town or in Dobrota?
It all depends on your style of holiday. The Old Town gives you atmosphere, history and walks on foot, but by day it's busy and there's nowhere to leave a car. Dobrota wins on quiet, the view and its own access to the water, but you have to drive a little to reach the centre. With a car I'd suggest Dobrota, without one the Old Town.
The good thing about Kotor is that there's no bad choice here. Whether you check in under the fortress walls in the Old Town or on the water in Dobrota, the bay, the mountains and the old stone will be right there. Pick whatever is closest to your heart, and come. You really won't regret it.
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