Mamula Island by Banyan Tree: A luxury hotel inside a former prison
Mamula Island by Banyan Tree Review
Just finished a one-night stay at Mamula Island and thought I’d share some thoughts since there isn’t a ton written about the property.
For those unfamiliar, Mamula is a restored 19th-century fortress located on a small island at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. The fortress was later used as a prison and concentration camp during WWII before eventually being converted into a luxury hotel. It now operates as Mamula Island by Banyan Tree.
I booked because I love history and was fascinated by the concept. It’s not often you find a hotel where the history feels this central to the experience.
Where I went: Mamula Island by Banyan Tree
When I went: June 2026 (1 night)
Room booked: Jr Suite with sea view
Room: 7/10
I stayed in one of the rooms located within the original fortress structure and would absolutely recommend doing so.
The room itself was beautiful. Thick stone walls, vaulted ceilings, and a feeling that you’re actually staying inside the fortress rather than simply looking at it.
One thing worth noting is that many of the entry-level rooms are actually located in newer construction built above portions of the fortress and include balconies. Depending on your priorities, some people may actually prefer those. Personally, if I’m staying at Mamula, I want to be inside the original structure.
The room wasn’t without issues though.
My shower flooded a significant portion of the bathroom floor during use. There were also several finish details that felt below what I’d expect at this price point, including loose hardware and other small construction details that shouldn’t really make it into guest rooms at a Banyan Tree property.
Beautiful room. Not a perfectly executed room.
Property & Atmosphere: 10/10
This is the reason to stay here.
Arrival is by boat.
The fortress is stunning.
The restoration is incredibly well done.
I spent most of my stay simply walking around the island and exploring the property. The setting is unlike anything else I’ve experienced.
Whether converting a former prison and concentration camp into a luxury hotel is appropriate is probably a discussion that’s bigger than this review, but I appreciated that the property doesn’t appear interested in hiding its history.
Regardless of where someone lands on that discussion, it’s hard to argue this isn’t one of the most unique hotel concepts in Europe.
Service: 6/10
Nobody was rude.
Everyone I interacted with was friendly.
Things just didn’t feel particularly polished.
At lunch I sat for around ten minutes before anyone greeted me. I ordered sparkling water and it never arrived. After asking a second time, it eventually showed up.
One evening I went to the speakeasy around 6:30 PM. Nobody was there. I waited around for a while, walked through the space, and eventually gave up and went back to my room for a drink. Later I was told the bar had technically been open and there had simply been a miss.
The beach experience felt similarly hands-off. Guests set up their own towels and loungers, and there wasn’t much staff presence throughout the day.
Individually these aren’t major issues. Collectively they started to add up.
Food & Beverage: 5.5/10
This was the weakest part of the experience for me.
The first day I ordered sushi and an amberjack crudo.
The sushi was fine. The crudo I didn’t finish - it was off texturally unappealing.
Dinner was at Celeste, the property’s more casual restaurant. I ordered the lamb kofta and again didn’t finish it. Beyond the flavor, the presentation felt surprisingly basic for a hotel operating at this level.
The bigger issue was the overall F&B setup.
The beach area has no food or beverage outlet. If you want a drink, snack, or lunch, you’re looking at roughly a ten-minute walk back to the nearest outlet.
That felt like a pretty significant miss given the amount of time guests spend there.
One cocktail I ordered was also overwhelmingly sweet and probably the worst drink I had during my time in Montenegro.
The thing that genuinely surprised me, though, was the water policy.
Tap water isn’t drinkable.
Guests receive one complimentary bottle of water per day.
The following morning I requested another bottle and was told I would need to purchase one from the minibar.
I’ve stayed at a lot of luxury hotels and honestly can’t remember encountering that before.
Overall Thoughts
The setting, design and location are extraordinary.
The operation simply isn’t, unfortunately.
When I mentioned some of the issues above during checkout, I was told that operating on an island creates logistical challenges because everything has to be brought in by boat.
However, they decided to build a luxury hotel on an island. As a guest, I’m ultimately evaluating the experience that results from those decisions.
What’s frustrating is that the potential here is enormous.
With stronger service execution and a significantly better food and beverage program, I think this could be one of the most compelling luxury hotels in the Mediterranean.
As it stands today, I found it far more impressive as a place than as a hotel.
Room: 7/10
Property & Atmosphere: 10/10
Service: 6/10
Food & Beverage: 5.5/10
Value: 6/10
Overall: 6.5/10
Happy to answer any questions for anyone considering a stay.