Where to stay · Kotor · Montenegro
Where to stay in Kotor
6 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: User:Ggia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Town (Stari Grad). Marble lanes, Venetian palaces and church squares inside the city walls. Best alternatives — families: Dobrota; budget: Škaljari.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Town (Stari Grad)
- Families
- Dobrota
- Budget
- Škaljari
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Town (Stari Grad) | Marble lanes, Venetian palaces and church squares inside the city walls |
| Families | Dobrota | Captains' stone mansions and swimming platforms along the bay north of town |
| Couples | Old Town (Stari Grad) | Marble lanes, Venetian palaces and church squares inside the city walls |
| Budget | Škaljari | Residential district just south of the walls, near the bus station |
| Luxury | Perast | Baroque captains' town facing two island churches, 12 km from Kotor |
| Food lovers | Muo and Prčanj | Fishing villages on the quieter western shore, facing Kotor's walls |
| Solo travellers | Škaljari | Residential district just south of the walls, near the bus station |
| Quiet stays | Dobrota | Captains' stone mansions and swimming platforms along the bay north of town |
| Beach | Tivat | Modern marina town with Porto Montenegro, beaches and the airport |
Kotor neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Old Town (Stari Grad)
Staying inside the walls means waking up among the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, the Square of Arms and the start of the fortress climb. Accommodation is mostly small guesthouses and apartments in old stone houses, and the town is car-free, so you will carry luggage from the Sea Gate. It gets very crowded by day when cruise ships are in but is quiet and atmospheric at night.
- Good
- Everything on the doorstep; Magical in the evening; Easy start for the wall climb
- Watch out
- Cruise-day crowds; No car access and some noise from bars; Rooms can be small and dark
- Nearby
- Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, San Giovanni Fortress, Sea Gate, Maritime Museum
$$$ · Best for couples, families and quiet stays
Dobrota
Dobrota stretches for several kilometres along the bay north of the old town, lined with 18th-century sea captains' houses, small piers and concrete swimming platforms. Apartments and boutique hotels here often have bay views and private water access, and the old town is a 15–30-minute waterfront walk away.
- Good
- Bay views and swimming from the doorstep; Quieter than the old town; Flat waterfront walk to Kotor
- Watch out
- Narrow, busy coast road; Few restaurants in some stretches
- Nearby
- Kotor Old Town, Dobrota waterfront, Church of Saint Eustace
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and food lovers
Muo and Prčanj
On the opposite shore of the inner bay, Muo and Prčanj are small villages of stone houses, fish restaurants and swimming spots with a view back to Kotor's walls lit up at night. Prčanj's large Church of the Birth of Our Lady towers over the waterfront. Kotor is about 5–15 minutes by car.
- Good
- Calm, local atmosphere; Views of the illuminated walls; Waterfront fish restaurants
- Watch out
- Car or taxi helpful; Limited shops
- Nearby
- Prčanj church, Kotor Old Town, Vrmac hill
$ · Best for budget and solo travellers
Škaljari
Škaljari, a short walk south of the Gurdić Gate, is where many locals live, with supermarkets, everyday cafés and the most affordable apartments close to town. The bus station and the road to Budva and Tivat are nearby, which helps if you plan day trips.
- Good
- Lower prices; Close to the bus station; Supermarkets and local cafés
- Watch out
- No bay views from most streets; Plain residential setting
- Nearby
- Gurdić Gate, Kotor bus station, Kotor Old Town
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays and luxury
Perast
Perast is a single-street Baroque town of palaces and 16 churches along the water, looking out to the islets of Our Lady of the Rocks and Saint George. It is very quiet once the day-trip boats leave and suits couples looking for a romantic base, though you will need buses, taxis or a car to reach Kotor.
- Good
- Very scenic and peaceful at night; Boutique hotels on the water; Boats to the islands from the quay
- Watch out
- Few restaurants and shops; Parking is limited and paid
- Nearby
- Our Lady of the Rocks, Saint George island, Perast Museum
$$$ · Best for luxury, families and beach
Tivat
Tivat, about 10 km from Kotor through the Vrmac tunnel, is home to the Porto Montenegro superyacht marina, a palm-lined promenade, shopping and a choice of large hotels. It is the most convenient base for the airport and for the beaches of the Luštica peninsula, but lacks Kotor's historic character.
- Good
- Next to the airport; Promenade and marina restaurants; Easy beach access
- Watch out
- Less historic atmosphere; A taxi or bus ride to Kotor
- Nearby
- Porto Montenegro, Tivat Airport, Plavi Horizonti beach
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Stari Grad) | $$$ | Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, San Giovanni Fortress, Sea Gate, Maritime Museum |
| Dobrota | $$$ | Kotor Old Town, Dobrota waterfront, Church of Saint Eustace |
| Muo and Prčanj | $$ | Prčanj church, Kotor Old Town, Vrmac hill |
| Škaljari | $ | Gurdić Gate, Kotor bus station, Kotor Old Town |
| Perast | $$$ | Our Lady of the Rocks, Saint George island, Perast Museum |
| Tivat | $$$ | Porto Montenegro, Tivat Airport, Plavi Horizonti beach |
Getting to your hotel
Tivat Airport is about 8 km from Kotor through the Vrmac tunnel, roughly 15–20 minutes by taxi. Podgorica Airport is about 90 km away, around 1.5–2 hours by car. Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia, about 70–90 km away, is another option, but allow for the border crossing.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Kotor for first-time visitors?
Old Town (Stari Grad). Staying inside the walls means waking up among the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon, the Square of Arms and the start of the fortress climb.
+Where should families stay in Kotor?
Dobrota: Bay views and swimming from the doorstep.
+Which area of Kotor is best for a budget stay?
Škaljari ($): Residential district just south of the walls, near the bus station.