WH's Fitness Editor says this resort in Montenegro needs to be on your bucket list
We'll forgive you for thinking Montenegro is a playground for the rich and famous. Everyone from Catherine Zeta-Jones to the Beckhams are regulars, after all. My tour guide even hosted Madonna, but it’s certainly not the preserve of the A-list. In reality, Montenegro is an under-touristed gem, which partly explains why so many stars flock there, but there’s plenty more reason it’s a celeb hotspot.
Roughly 18 times smaller than the UK, Montenegro boasts five national parks, one of Europe’s last large virgin forests (completely untouched), and endless stretches of magical coastline. Pair this eco-first thinking with unparalleled ‘modern luxury’ and you’ll get The Chedi Luštica Bay, where I was lucky enough to stay for four nights.
With ‘Chedi’ translating as a place to meditate, the resort prides itself on a tranquil waterside position in its own private enclave of the bay, while Luštica Bay was constructed using local materials – stone, clay and wood – and energy and water-saving methods including the use of smart irrigation. Here's everything you need to know.
Things to do at The Chedi, Luštica Bay
I can promise you now you will never be bored if you get the chance to visit The Chedi. Here are some of the things I can highly recommend:
Cycle around Luštica Bay’s local olive fields and hidden beaches using the hotel’s epic GREYP e-bikes (which use AI to connect to your phone and track stats, and record your rides with an in-built camera - the most expensive model costs a cool £8,000, FYI). If e-bikes aren't your thing, the hotel also has its own push bikes for guests to use.
Head out for a hike. Start at the hotel and finish atop Bokor Bay for breathtaking views across Luštica, enveloped by the destination’s 6.9 hectares of greenery.
If the watery wonderland that is the Adriatic Sea is calling you, a boat trip through the Bay of Kotor is a must. A UNESCO World Heritage site, you’ll be taken through a winding inlet surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks – keep an eye out for dolphins (I am certain I saw a pod of three), and make the charming fisherman’s village, Bjelila, your boarding point. Be sure to stop off here for a dip in the clearest of clear waters.
Try out the hotel gym. As well as all the machines and free weights you could wish for, it comes complete with a FITTAR smart mirror with over 1500 interactive workout programmes. I gave PT Laura Hoggins’ full body blast a go for a quick energy boost. It's also open 24/7, for any of you night owls who may fancy a midnight gym sesh.
Enjoy the games room. I am not ashamed to admit that every evening, myself and my partner would finish the day off with a game of Mario Kart in the games room. That's just one of the many Playstation games available (all projected onto a big screen), alongside a pool table, golf simulator, darts board and table football. So. Much. Fun.
Also on offer is:
Kayaking
Sup boarding
Quad biking
Golf
Yoga
Bootcamp sessions
Private PT sessions
Sailing
Birdwatching
See, I meant it when I said you'll never be bored.
The rooms at The Chedi, Luštica Bay
The Chedi has a total of 100 rooms, 10 suites and one penthouse. Each one is built with floor-to-ceiling windows for all the natural light, and balconies overlooking the breathtaking Adriatica sea. Interiors-wise, the design is clean and simple with a touch of colour - think wooden furniture with hints of purple and green furnishings.
It was the amenities that really got me. You'll get your own Lavazza coffee machine, a widescreen TV, underfloor heating in your bathroom, a Hansgrohe, high-power rain shower (and a freestanding Laufen bathtub, depending on which style of room you go for), and Acqua di Parma toiletries to enjoy. We stayed in one of the stunning Grand Superior Rooms, which features its own kitchenette (super handy if you've got kids and might need to cook at home, or if you fancy saving a few Ps and cooking a couple of homemade meals - inflation and all that) and a seating area which can be moved outdoors, for al fresco dining on the balcony. A dream.
The spa at The Chedi, Luštica Bay
Behold, the Chedi spa. Featuring a nine-metre indoor pool (alongside the outdoor infinity pool), sauna, steam room, and a rain shower with immersive experiences such as a tropical rainstorm animated by a green light, cold fog and a minty, cooling aroma, it’s its very own world. Book in for one of the Asian-inspired treatments using VOYA products, an organic Irish seaweed brand – I can vouch for the Balinese massage, then chill out on one of the many sunbeds, or the swinging chair. Who knew a swinging chair could make you feel so relaxed?
Food at The Chedi, Luštica Bay
The hotel has three delicious restaurants to refuel at. ‘The Spot’ offers exquisite farm to table Mediterranean cuisine, influenced by northern Montenegro. We ate breakfast here every day, and it was so good, I'd genuinely look forward to going to sleep so that the morning would come around sooner. I'd recommend the omelette with a side of Keto bread (not for its macro qualities, purely for the taste - so chunky and nutty), and the blueberry pancakes for when you're feeling fancy. Sounds far-fetched, but the carrot juice was also to die for - worlds away from my usual Pret buy, which just goes to show how much of a difference the use of fresh ingredients makes.
Over at the beach is The Rok, a.k.a. home to the greatest sushi you'll ever taste. Now I'm no sushi Queen, but I've had my fair few Itsus and Sticks 'n' Sushi dins in my time, so I'd say I had a good foundation to compare it to.
We ordered the platter, and it was genuinely, cross my heart and hope to die, the best sushi I've ever had. You know how sometimes sushi is just so salty you can't really taste the fish? This was nothing like that - I could tell you all the ingredients just from the smell. They don't mess about with serving sizes, either.
There's also The Restaurant, just upstairs from The Spot. This one focuses on regional style cuisine with a Mediterranean twist.
Then there's the Cake Counter for sugar cravings. I’m still thinking about the berry and Vranac sorbet – a signature dish, combining berries from the north and Montenegrin Vranac wine. Heaven.
Prices at The Chedi, Luštica Bay
Rooms start from £170pn at The Chedi Luštica Bay, based on a stay during July 2022.
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