15 July 2019 - Montenegro - one of Europe’s “secret places” that manages to charm tourists from all over the world keeps popping up on all lists of countries you must visit for a perfect vacation. Journalist Nick Rostron-Pike from The Sun has fallen in love with Montenegro, and in a recently published article, he described his memories of the perfect luxurious and action-packed family holiday!
Meandering through the scenery, it is easy to understand how the name Montenegro — meaning black mountains — was born. Some 85 per cent of the country consists of this rocky terrain — and some of the vistas can only be described as breath-taking.
The same adjective, though, could be used for some of the overtaking manoeuvres you will witness on the roads. A ninety minutes’ drive from the airport lies the seaside town of Ulcinj — in a former pirate cove with a beautiful, long sandy beach. Our first choice for an all-inclusive 4H Holiday Village, because everything is laid on just perfect for family breaks.
Pulling up to the reception we were greeted by what seemed like the closing party at Ibiza club night Manumission. Entertainment trio The Widgets (Gizmo, Whatsit and Doobley) started our break on just the right note by whisking the children off to dance and play while the adults enjoyed a well-earned drink.
The break was some valuable bonding time for my young daughter and me. However, our deluxe two-bedroom family room could have accommodated a family of four — with its double bed and an adjoining area with two single beds.
The bathroom would also be big enough for four, and everyone’s various beauty routines, plus there was a spacious balcony — the perfect place to enjoy a cold beer and the late evening sun while the little one snored. Some of the resort’s rooms even have swim-up balconies, which looked brilliant for those with kids who like to start the day with a morning dip.
In fact, children’s activities are a major selling point of the hotel, with all sorts of fun and games tailored to different ages and abilities. Whether its high ropes, games in the pool or archery that take your fancy, they’ve got you covered. The resort even has its own alien-themed Escape Room. Rumours that I’d left my own little monster in there while I visited the Irish bar are obviously wide of the mark, though.
One of the best things for children was the football and swimming academies where, for a small extra charge, your young ones can enjoy expert tuition. FA or Uefa-qualified coaches run the footie sessions, for those aged five to 16. But the winner for us was the swimming, run by ASA-qualified Amy and Chloe. The pair was brilliant at working with all abilities — and my girl made fantastic progress.
While we enjoyed the learning pool, there are also four more pools — catering to everyone. You can relax on a Bali bed in tranquillity or, as I did, try to get the better of your child in Total Wipeout-style challenges in the main pool. If you tire of the pools, then there is also the 16km-long sandy beach just moments away.
When it comes to food, Montenegro has you covered. With four different restaurants to pick from at the resort, your options are not limited. There is a huge array of grub on offer at the Swallow buffet- restaurant — stretching from trusty beans on toast, through to fresh fish and Montenegrin bureks (Turkish-inspired filo pastry with cheese or meat). And that was just breakfast. Lowered counter-tops, and child-friendly tables and chairs, were nice touches for the little ones — and even my fussy eater was impressed with the delicious fare on offer.
If you fancy a more scenic spot for lunch, head down to the beach bar, which rustles up sandwiches and salads while you enjoy the sea view. The pick for us, though, was the Grill restaurant which, unsurprisingly, serves Croatian konoba-style grilled meat and vegetables. Baby courgettes and peppers were the perfect accompaniment to seared steaks and cevapi (kofte-style sausages made of pork and beef mince).
After all that eating and drinking, it would be easy to relax into the evening and head off to bed.
Read more about travel experiences in Montenegro at TMN's dedicated page.
