Luxury, Largesse and Questions Refining Montenegro Tourism
PORTONOVI, MONTENEGRO — Seven years since opening its doors for visitors along the shores of Boka Bay, Portonovi represents one of the most audacious attempts by Montenegro to transform itself from an affordable Balkan beach resort into a luxury playground for international tourists seeking five-star resorts, yachting, spa treatments and vacation homes. It is also a project that poses some of the biggest issues confronting Montenegrin tourism. Just how much luxury is too much? Can the construction of extravagant new hotels maintain the authenticity associated with their surroundings? Can Montenegro provide the services and facilities to match costs that can now rival those of Italy, France, Greece and Croatia? And how can a country outside the European Union address its past as a destination favored by Russian investors and visitors, its future as a destination attracting investments from Azerbaijan and other nations outside the EU?
In light of all that, the celebration of the seventh anniversary of Portonovi is more meaningful than any compilation of accolades and awards.
The celebration is an indication of the direction that Montenegro tourism is taking.
Yugoslav Military Base Turns into €835 Million Luxury Project Portonovi represents about 26 hectares of the former military base of Kumbor, situated next to Herceg Novi. The project has been developed by Azmont Investments. According to Azmont, Azerbaijan Global Investments is the parent company of Azerbaijan investment interests. Montenegro’s authorities on investments claim that, according to the data provided by the investor, more than €835 million has been invested into the project since its implementation has begun.
Portonovi started welcoming guests in 2019, and One&Only Portonovi, which became arguably the most internationally recognized facility of the destination, opened in 2021 being the first One&Only resort in Europe. The current development comprises of residential and holiday apartments, villas, restaurants, boutiques, public seafront promenades, a marina, the One&Only Portonovi and Chenot Espace wellness center. This combination of real estate and tourism is becoming increasingly common on Boka Bay. As The Times notes, Portonovi, Porto Montenegro and Lustica Bay are three important marina and residential projects that contribute to rebranding the bay on an international scale, while Vogue specifically mentions the One&Only Portonovi in describing Montenegro as an up-and-coming wellness destination.
But Portonovi also exists in its own bubble.
Its well-designed seafront architecture and carefully cultivated atmosphere of luxury can contrast sharply with the neighboring Montenegrin towns – opinions vary from awe to charges of being sterile. There are seven new changes in the seventh year of development of Portonovi, showing its success and problems.Portonovi Marina Gets on the Top Level One of the major achievements is Portonovi Marina getting 5 Gold Anchor Platinum award from The Yacht Harbor Association.
This is the highest Gold Anchor level, which recognizes marina facilities, services, management, and overall customer experience. Portonovi had International Clean Marina and Superyacht Ready accreditations before.Considering that this is a small country in the Adriatic region that competes with well-known Mediterranean yachting centers, it is quite an achievement. Luxury yachts do not only buy berths there, but their passengers and crews require provisioning, restaurants, repairs, ground transportation, sightseeing, and hotels.Thus, the problem of Portonovi is how to make use of the international recognition of their marina economically.
The topic is relevant because Kotor already has its difficulties with this issue.
Reuters noted that increased tourist and cruise arrivals have become a cause for concern about overcrowding, housing pressures, and environment issues in the town which has UNESCO status, with citizens and government struggling with managing these visitors. The managed nautical concept of Portonovi provides one possible solution: fewer visitors but much more money spent per visitor.It remains to be seen whether this will provide some additional benefits to the region as a whole.
Four Seasons I Chose Portonovi
Portonovi has once again demonstrated its status as a destination with yachting traditions on June 12, 2026, when Four Seasons I, the first yacht of Four Seasons Yachts fleet, made Portonovi its port of call for its inaugural Mediterranean season.The yacht can accommodate only 95 suites and it marks Four Seasons Yachts foray into the luxury yacht market. This is a perfect way of advertising Portonovi because of its placement in the map of the world-class luxury hospitality chain.
It also shows how geographical location can be beneficial to Portonovi.
While Croatia and Dubrovnik are relatively near, Kotor, Perast and the landscapes of Boka Bay can be reached by a boat. It is noteworthy that many reviewers of One&Only Portonovi especially emphasize boat tours around the bay as one of the best things during their vacation there. However, geography can turn out to be a disadvantage too. When traveling through Dubrovnik, travelers can face long waits in the queue at the Croatia-Montenegro border. According to the latest luxury travel conversations, travelers have expressed dissatisfaction with border queues when arriving in Portonovi from Croatia, some travelers even advising to walk through the border between different transportation vehicles.Thus, despite the idea of providing a frictionless luxurious experience, regional transport infrastructure is not under the full control of the resort itself.
Creating Traditions Rather Than Just Real Estate Sales
Luxury resort and yacht residences can turn into a collection of expensive buildings rather than a real community. The creators of Portonovi tried to avoid such an approach through the organization of regular events. Thus, in 2026, the destination hosted the seventh Portonovi Regatta Boka Islands, as well as sixth editions of Portonovi Summer Rise and Portonovi Wine Night. The fourth edition of 3×3 FIBA Lite Quest was organized, the third edition of Portonovi New Year’s Run, and the fifth edition of the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.Such sustainability seems to be even more valuable than introducing fresh ideas each year. This indicates that there is an attempt to establish some traditions with participation of homeowners, guests, local organizations and residents from the nearby area.
Year-round program is strategically crucial for Montenegro.
Montenegro is a highly seasonal destination, where one of the criteria for luxury development projects is to be able to provide employment in the off-season period, i.e. outside July and August. Portonovi offers employment and internship positions in hospitality, housekeeping, landscaping, marina operations and other services throughout all seasons.
However, the economic aspect here is whether such projects create sufficient job development and opportunities for suppliers or if they remain foreign-funded enclaves. This discussion will probably not go away anytime soon due to the increasing value of Boka Bay. In partnership with Herceg Fest, the final concert of the 20th Dani Muzike festival was held at Portonovi, while through collaboration with the Operosa Montenegro Opera Festival, Portonovi was provided with programs that included the open-air staging of La Bohème as well as Opera per i Piccoli for children and families. This is important because one of the frequently made points against newly-built luxury destinations is their lack of cultural heritage.
One&Only Portonovi Wins Awards — While Guests Debate Value and Service.One&Only Portonovi remains Portonovi’s strongest international hospitality brand. Its achievements are substantial. The property received Two MICHELIN Keys in the Global MICHELIN Keys selection, while Chenot Espace at One&Only Portonovi was named World’s Best Hotel Spa 2025 by the World Spa Awards. The World Spa Awards independently lists Chenot Espace as the 2025 global winner in the hotel-spa category.
