With a design inspired by the breathtaking landscape and monastic architectural heritage of Montenegro’s Adriatic coastline, the One&Only Portonovi marks the brand’s European debut with 123 total guest rooms, suites, villas and private homes.
Contributed by Alicia Sheber
Opened May 2021 by operator Kerzner International, the destination is also HBA’s first One&Only project. HBA Singapore led the interior design, with partner Paula O’Callaghan creating the hotel and associate Judy Wei, the branded residences. The interiors build upon the initial concept and architecture from Malaysia-based Denniston Architects, resulting in a modern, theatrical abstraction of a fairy-tale castle with oversized hearths and tapestry-lined walls.
With its Balkan, Venetian, Roman, Turkish and Greek influences, the cultural crossroads of the neighboring UNESCO World Heritage site, Kotor, also provided rich inspiration for the resort’s design. The exterior’s terracotta roof tiles and arcaded galleries, typical of local architecture, are met by the cool grey marble of the lobby where embroidered sheers and a dramatic crystal canopy with handblown glass twigs, leaves and mimosa blossoms, Montenegro’s national flower, frame the vista of Boka Bay.
“One&Only properties are known for fun, playful twists,” said O’Callaghan, “and in Portonovi, this appears in the ‘unorthodox’ guest bathrooms.” Fashioned as libraries with timber millwork, shagreen leather and a chaise longue looking onto the mountainous shoreline, their true surprise is the daybed that, upon request, converts into a couples’ tub specially designed with recessed taps. Another brand signature is the swing, “the perfect symbol of a carefree life,” she said. From outdoor pools and gardens to alfresco areas of restaurants La Veranda with its Montenegrin cuisine and the pan-Asian Tapasake Club, and even the Presidential Suite’s terrace, swinging seats abound. In all guest rooms, the hearth is the heart, with each space designed for warmth from the fireplace since the resort is open year-round.
Making its One&Only debut is cult favorite medi-spa, Chenot Espace. “HBA Singapore was the first external consultant to work on a Chenot Espace,” said O’Callaghan. “I learned a lot. The challenge was making treatment rooms look clean and medical, yet luxurious and elevated.” In the less-serious wellness areas, brass edging distils Roman arches to their purest form, while the pool deck’s sunset-toned glass mosaic walls cast an atmospheric glow.
Despite opening during COVID times, the One&Only Portonovi is already abuzz. On site for a photoshoot concurrent with the launch, O’Callaghan said she and photographer Will Pryce had to “dance delicately” around the many guests already visiting. With rates starting at $1,805 per night, prospects appear promising. “We have been delighted with the success of the resort since its launch,” said Brett Armitage, chief commercial officer, Kerzner International. “The opening of One&Only Portonovi represented a milestone for the brand, providing our global clientele with a long-awaited resort in Europe and a harbinger of future One&Only properties in the region.”