- Aman Sveti Stefan, a luxury resort and island in Eastern Europe’s Montenegro, reopened on July 1.
- It can cost up to $6,000 to stay there for a week during high season.
- Influencers were snapping photos there throughout all of summer 2019.
- Nestled between a forest and the sea, Aman Sveti Stefan blends history and paradise while maintaining privacy and an air of exclusivity.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Nothing says exclusive like a place that’s hard to get to. And a high price tag, of course.
Consider Aman Sveti Stefan, located in Eastern Europe’s Montenegro. Part luxury resort, part island, Sveti Stefan has been called “Europe’s most luxurious hotel.”
And while it’s not in a remote location, it’s not in Europe’s most trafficked destination either. Aman Sveti Stefan attracted influencers all last summer, during which it costs nearly $6,000 for a weeklong stay, a spokesperson told Business Insider.
It may not have been such a hot spot for the first half of a pandemic summer, but its doors have reopened as of July 1.
It's not difficult to see the appeal of Aman Sveti Stefan: It has scenic views of both forest and sea, and the historic charm of its architecture is juxtaposed against paradise vibes along its beaches.
Business Insider spoke with three Instagrammers who visited Aman Sveti Stefan last year to see if their experiences aligned with the hotel's luxurious image - and as it turns out, the experience delivers on the expectation.
Here's a look inside the five-star resort that's more destination than hotel.
Aman Sveti Stefan is a five-star resort on the coast of Montenegro along the Adriatic Sea. It's a 40-minute car ride from Montenegro's Tivat airport.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
The hotel is operated by high-end hospitality brand Aman, which is famous for luxury resorts around the world.
From Shanghai to the deserts of Utah, Aman hotels are consistently recognized as some of the best in the business.
Business Insider's Katie Warren toured Jackson Hole's Amangani in July and found that it delivered neatly on two of the biggest things luxury travelers in 2019 were looking for: privacy and experience.
Guests can arrive at the Montenegro hotel via the resort's private helicopter, a Mercedes Benz, or speedboat.
Source: Luxury Travel Magazine
A short drive or sail from the old town of Budva or UNESCO World Heritage Site Bay of Kotor, the resort is in a prime location to access many of the country's most scenic offerings, from Lovcen National Park to Skadar Lake.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
Numerous influencers appear to have visited the resort last summer, according to their Instagram geotags — but it's not a major, highly trafficked destination yet.
http://instagr.am/p/B0n0hv3nhZH
As of the time this article was published, there were just over 5,000 posts with the Aman Sveti Stefan hashtag on Instagram. That's actually a relatively modest number of posts compared to Aman's other properties - consider Amangiri in Utah, which has more than 18,000 hashtags.
Stunning architecture and sandy beaches with turquoise waters make this historical slice of paradise pure Instagram porn.
http://instagr.am/p/B1ymkIxJOk8
Even celebrities have been known to visit. David and Victoria Beckham found the resort so nice they visited twice — they reportedly vacationed there two summers in a row with their kids.
Source: Hello! Magazine, Visit Montenegro
Prices for the resort range start at $850 a night, a spokesperson told Business Insider. That's $5,950 for a seven-night stay.
In July 2019, the resort hosted an art exhibition featuring works from Picasso, Chagall, and Warhol. Only visitors got to see them - tickets for two cost £1,457, or $1,607.
"Vacation [at Aman Sveti Stefan] is a little bit more expensive than in other places in Montenegro, but in my mind, if you want to have a comfortable holiday and relax your body and soul, the price doesn't matter," Stefaniya Glibo, who stayed at the resort last summer, told Business Insider.
Aman Sveti Stefan is comprised of two parts: Sveti Stefan island and Villa Milocer on the mainland. The island is typically open from May 1 to October 20, but Villa Milocer ordinarily remains open year-round.
Because of the pandemic, Sveti Stefan island didn't open in May this year.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
Overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the stone-walled Villa Milocer sits on 80 acres and is surrounded by lush forests with more than 800 olive trees. It was once the summer residence of the Serbian royal family before Aman took over.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
It's home to three different types of suites with garden or sea views. The biggest suites, the Queen Marija suites, are housed in a separate building near Villa Milocer.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
The interior is updated with modern elements but retains its historic character.
Villa Milocer also has a living room, meeting room, and a library.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
That's not to mention the cliffside pool, from which you can see both the pine trees and the sea.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
The mainland is also the center of relaxation — there's a 5,200-square-foot spa. That includes a gym, Pilates and yoga studios, and two pools.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
There are also three hydrotherapy suites with steam rooms, saunas, and plunge pools.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
The spa offers holistic and personalized treatments drawing from Montenegro's 650-plus medical species of herbs.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
The island, or islet, of Sveti Stefan has 15th-century village roots and is only accessible to hotel guests.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
Grand Luxury Hotels describes it as "more exclusive village than luxury resort." The island is arguably one of Montenegro's most iconic images.
Source: Scott Dunn Exceptional Travel, Grand Luxury Hotels
However, the resort is so exclusive that not everyone recognizes it. Beyza Kurt visited in 2019 and told Business Insider shortly after that when she posted a picture from the resort on Instagram, a lot of friends asked her where it was.
It's home to cobbled streets, courtyards, and 50 rooms, cottages, and suites in restored stone buildings.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
The 1,776-square-foot Sveti Stefan suite is the most luxurious suite, complete with ocean views, a terrace, and a private swimming pool.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
But if you don't have your own private pool, there's also a family pool on the top terrace of the village.
The spacious rooms in the village have a similar rustic-meets-minimalist aesthetic with wooden-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls, and a neutral color palette.
At the center of the village is the open-air square known as the Piazza, where there are a number of dining venues.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
Meals at the resort incorporate local ingredients, from cheeses to beef from the north and rock oysters straight from the Adriatic Sea.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
Glibo described Aman Sveti Stefan one of the most beautiful and calm places in Montenegro, and noted that its beaches lack the crowds of people that frequent other Montenegro beaches.
One of those beaches is Islet Beach, which was named one of the top 30 beaches to visit in Europe this summer. Half of the beach is free, while the other half is reserved for hotel guests or those willing to pay a $110 per day fee.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan, The Standard
There's also Queen's Bay, a private, secluded beach surrounded by cypress trees.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
Visitors can sail from the resort to secluded bays perfect for a swim or lunch.
Source: Aman Sveti Stefan
"The exclusivity and privacy of Aman allows for the utmost relaxation," Ava Harb, who stayed there for five days last summer, told Business Insider. "It is an experience so unique that it is nearly impossible to put into words."
