A few years back, if I had been shortlisting some European destinations for possible incentive ideas and someone had suggested Croatia or Montenegro … it would have been a polite thank you but no thanks.
Somehow, and with some blatant ignorance on my part, several Adriatic and South Eastern countries, including Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, were blocked in my brain as those mysterious small countries with crazy entrants on Eurovision or I remembered some of their sad, dark histories and troubled times on the news.
Despite my ambition to be a leader rather than a follower of travel trends, I was slow to join the boat of discovery to some of these stunning regions. My journey has only just begun.
Initially, thanks to friends at Mason Rose, my first introduction was to Croatia’s jewel Dubrovnik. During a whirlwind visit in 2022 to experience their hotels, I found a glorious medieval city on a stunning coastline, excellent hotels and plenty of ideas to fill an action-packed weekend for easy access. The only consideration was to avoid cruise ship days as I heard it was nigh impossible to move in the tourist-packed small lanes and streets.
Late last year, when forming ideas for a 2024 incentive, I was challenged to unearth some new ideas for a traditionally long-haul incentive group choosing to remain in Europe post-pandemic. As a super high-end programme style is required, I researched to discover a possible exclusive-use venue for approximately 30 rooms.
One venue that piqued my interest early last year was a fam invite to a unique-looking venue marketed by the lovely people at Ru & Co. Mamula Island, off the coast of Montenegro. A restored 19th-century fort, it is now a luxury island retreat in Boka Bay… with 30 rooms! I wasn’t able to join the fam trip, but the venue resurfaced in my research for this top incentive weekend.
With a healthy mix of ideas, options, and destinations, Montenegro successfully made the final client cut. While intrigued by my James Bond island idea, all eyes were on a secondary venue idea I included: the luxurious-looking One&Only Portonovi.
The decision was made. One&Only Portonovi was contracted, and in March ’24, I visited Montenegro for the site recce and planning trip for the June event.
As a new destination to this planner, I had to find the best DMC partner to assist me with the off-site programme. After some networking and hotel recommendations, all paths led to some great DMCs on the shortlist initially, making it a tough call on who to partner with. The coolest one (and the one less keen to pitch for my business initially), succeeded in winning me over, resulting in a solid collaboration in shaping both my site visit and the actual event. Adriatic Concierge Montenegro.
Getting to this part of Montenegro, ie. Boka Bay was a challenge for my site recce in low season. Tivat is the best option, but there are no direct flights in Winter. Whilst my event would have the luxury of a private jet charter in June directly into Tivat, to visit in March, I had to fly to Dubrovnik and road transfer approx. 1 hour over the Croatia / Montenegro border. Surprisingly, Dubrovnik did not offer me direct flights either, so I had to fly via Zagreb. So it did feel a slug, but I had the comfort of knowing the group would breeze it in June with their Tivat charter.
As any planner knows, visiting some destinations in the low season requires a bit of imagination. Empty restaurants. Venues in refurbishment chaos. Vibe-less hotels. However, I put my trust in my newfound DMC partner, Ognjen, at Adriatic Concierge Montenego and newest hotel friend, Arnold, at One&Only Portonovi. Both assured me of how it would look and feel in June … as I anxiously looked down on a construction site mess proposed for an off-site lunch – namely Nikki Beach.
A whirlwind recce, I whizzed around empty restaurants, climbed aboard a few yachts for charter potential and sampled a few experiences which we’d offer the successful winners. Plus, I savoured the key delights of our host event hotel, One&Only Portonovi.
The hotel is set apart from many restaurants and hot spots around Boka Bay. Some commented this was negative, but I found it more appealing as we had every intention to use water-based transfers for all movements, including airport transfers and excursions, so there was little need to consider road transfer times.
Its location in Herceg Novi, at the entrance of Boka Bay in western Montenegro, makes One&Only Portonovi the perfect base. The resort is an easily accessible one-hour drive from Dubrovnik, with the airport served by various airlines; it is also well-equipped to handle private jets. The resorts’ private transfers are also 50 minutes’ drive from Tivat Airport. One&Only Portonovi offers 105 guest rooms, 6 suites, 2 villas and 10 One&Only Private Homes.
Dining wise I loved Sabia, a refined Riviera-style restaurant overlooking the beautiful Boka Bay, which serves Southern Italian cuisine with a focus on fresh, locally sourced seafood and vegetables. Tapasake Club, the contemporary Japanese restaurant and pool club, is set to be the pulsating heart of the resort. For local delicacies, La Veranda’s extensive à la carte options champion locally sourced ingredients and Montenegrin cooking methods.
With my June event offering a three-night programme, I designed the programme to maximise the One&Only experience. With luxury as part of the reward, a considered balance between free time and destination experiences so they can soak up this pampered existence was key. Therefore, despite a healthy selection of good value, off-site dinner venues, we decided on two dinners in-house at the hotel and one off-site dinner at a nearby winery only 10 minutes drive away.
Savina Winery, through the DMC selection process, seemed to be on everyone’s lips when looking for an off-site venue near One&Only. With the hotel recommending it, too, I wasn’t put off by a well-trodden path. Its simplicity and view across the Bay were a great contrast to the flash and show of luxury hotel dining. It would give the group a local experience with rustic food and very good local wines.
The hotel offers glorious, Venetian-like teak speed boats that are available to charter. We used them for airport transfers from/to Tivat and our trips to Porto Montenegro for the activities.
Programme-wise, I whittled down to a few options that would suit all tastes. The destination offers numerous options on the theme of soft adventure, from hiking up glorious mountains for the most spectacular views to an assortment of buggies and quad bikes to the same views and water-based experiences around the bay. All the DMCs presented similar venues for both private and non-private event use. Ognjen masterfully structured three experiences, leaving the hotel together but splintering off into smaller groups for their chosen activity before all coming back together for a bayside lunch spot with speedboats back to the hotel.
Our only challenge was to find a suitable boat for a full-day charter. With this group having experienced catamarans in the Caribbean and power yachts in Dubai, how would I fare in Montenegro? Despite marinas packed with some corker yachts – offerings for my group were limited to a massive catamaran or splitting them across several small boats. However, we persevered and got more magic from Ognjen in finding a sizable yacht for the full group with the prerequisite wow factor built in.
Intrigued by the initial idea of that James Bond style island Mamula, I asked my lunch companion and hotel buddy Arnold to detour in our speed boat for an up-close glimpse of the fort as we left a nearby lunch. With winds picking up and waves shaking us, we could not get too close. For this event, I think we made the right one and only decision. I will get to Mamula another time!
Programme in place. Job done. Cut three months later, as we fly in by a beautifully orchestrated Hunt & Palmer charter, a happy group of top performers drops into Montenegro style. Boarding those teak speedboats only steps from Tivat airport, they are whisked to a three-night/four-day stunning programme in one of Europe’s most spectacular settings.
With the constant hum of a drone following every move, we captured the event from every angle, as the video below shares. Despite my anxious concerns on the earlier recce, I am happy to see my Nikki Beach building site was just as my trusted collaborators assured me … simply stunning.
