Boutique Hotel Astoria Kotor is one of the small hotels tucked into the stone lanes of Kotor Old Town. It occupies a historic building in the heart of the walled town, so the Sea Gate, the Square of Arms, St Tryphon Cathedral and the foot of the city walls are all a short walk away. As a boutique-scale address it has a quieter, more personal feel than a large hotel, and its position means you can step straight out into the lanes at dawn, when the town is empty and the stone glows, and return to a quiet room once the day’s cruise passengers have gone. Rooms are modest in size, as is usual inside the Old Town’s medieval buildings, but they put you in the middle of the atmosphere that draws visitors to Kotor.
Living in it
The great advantage of staying here is time. You can climb the walls to the fortress soon after they open, finish before the heat and the crowds build and be back at a café on a square by mid-morning. In the evening, when the day trippers have left, the Old Town becomes a village again, and a walk home across empty stone squares is one of the pleasures of a stay in Kotor.
Who it suits
First-time visitors, couples and travellers who value location over space. It is a convenient base for the Maritime Museum, the cathedral, the walls and the bus stops just outside the Sea Gate for trips to Perast and Budva.
Trade-offs
The Old Town is car-free, so you will carry luggage over cobbles from the nearest gate or arrange help in advance, and parking is outside the walls. Lanes and squares can be lively on summer evenings, so ask for a quieter room if you are a light sleeper.
Rooms and facilities are simpler than at the resorts on the bay, and stairs are common in historic buildings, so check accessibility when you book. Rates rise in July and August, and out of season some restaurants and shops nearby close for the winter, though the town stays atmospheric.
Good to know
Ask the hotel about the best entrance for your luggage and the walk from the nearest car park, since the Old Town has several gates and the most convenient depends on where you arrive. Mornings are the quietest time to leave for the walls, and the small bakeries and cafés in the neighbouring lanes open early.
The Old Town’s many cats and its evening ritual of strolling are part of the stay. If you want to keep costs down, eat breakfast at a local bakery, and use the Sea Gate bus stops for trips to Perast and the coast.
Why stay here
- ✓Inside the Old Town walls
- ✓Historic stone building
- ✓Walk to St Tryphon Cathedral
- ✓Walk to the city walls
- ✓Boutique-scale and personal
- ✓Bus stops outside the Sea Gate
- ✓Air-conditioned rooms
- ✓Free Wi-Fi
Good questions
Where is Hotel Astoria?+
Inside the walls of Kotor Old Town, a short walk from the Sea Gate and the main squares.
Is the hotel accessible by car?+
The Old Town is car-free, so you park outside the walls and walk the final stretch.
Is it noisy?+
Squares nearby can be lively on summer evenings, so request a quieter room if you are a light sleeper.
