Once upon a time it was a thriving resort in a prime location on the breathtaking Bay of Kotor. The Hotel Fjord was abandoned and then demolished in 2018, its brutalist architecture consigned to the memory bin of the former Yugoslavia. It lives on here, in this blog about my eerie visit to the deserted hotel in 2017.
The abandoned Hotel Fjord on a prime waterfront location in Kotor, Montenegro — before it was demolished in 2018.
I first learned of the Hotel Fjord from blogger “Kami and the Rest of the World.” After reading her post on Alternative Kotor, I put it on the must-do list for my trip to Montenegro. Would it be hard to find? Would guards keep me away, demand a bribe or confiscate my camera?
I wasn’t the only person who ventured through the holes in the fence to enjoy the views from the abandoned Hotel Fjord in Kotor.
It turned out not to be complicated at all. I literally stumbled across the Hotel Fjord on my first evening in Kotor. Walking back to my rental apartment after dinner, I noticed the sign and the dilapidated fence. There were no “keep out” signs. In fact, local residents were using the once-grand entrance as a parking lot. The numerous gaping holes in the fence beckoned me to come closer.
According to Kami, the five star-resort in the brutalism style was designed by a noted Bosnian architect. Guests in 155 rooms could enjoy restaurants, bars, a conference center and an indoor swimming pool. It opened in 1986.
Imagine this deserted terrace in the deserted Hotel Fjord as a busy waterfront restaurant.
By 2005, war in the Balkans had taken its toll on tourism and the Hotel Fjord closed its doors. By the time of my 2017 visit, the concrete walls were stripped bare. Wiring and elevator equipment were long gone.
Weirdly, the clay tennis court seemed to be maintained in good condition and was hosting a lively doubles match at the time of my visit.
The clay tennis court was the only thing maintained and still in use during the time the Hotel Fjord was abandoned.
Local graffiti “artists” used the naked concrete walls as a canvas.
Graffiti gave the Hotel Fjord the weird feel of an artsy tourist attraction — door to another world.
I wandered the hallways, being careful to step around the broken glass from the smashed-in windows. I imagined honeymooners from the Yugoslavia times enjoying the rooms and balconies. Weary socialist workers on holiday, admiring the views of the Kotor Bay and the Old Town. And children running down the hallways that still have traces of faded blue carpeting.
Renovating this dinosaur was never really an option. Preservation of brutalist architecture aside, the most practical plan may have been to just destroy it and start over with a modern hotel on this prime real estate. A European friend of mine is fond of saying that there is no jackhammer capable of destroying Yugoslavian concrete. The existing layout, with its tiny, dark rooms and dark bathrooms, didn’t really lend itself to the luxury standards expected by visitors in the present day.
Governments come and go. Wars begin and end. A massive effort by new owners finally brought down the Hotel Fjord in 2018, making way for a new page of history to be written in this scenic corner of Montenegro.
Weeds grew in the Yugoslavian concrete walls of the Hotel Fjord, before it was finally demolished in 2018.
Stranger Danger: As I visited the Hotel Fjord, I observed best practices for reporting on private property and was prepared to leave the instant I was asked to do so. If I had seen anyone in authority, I would have asked for permission to look around. There didn’t seem to be any expectation of privacy here, and the graffiti made it seem like a weird tourist attraction, open to the public. After writing this post, I can see why bloggers get addicted to abandoned places. If you know of another location I could safely blog about, please get in touch.
Where to Stay in Kotor, Montenegro: Of course, Kotor Montenegro has plenty of hotels that are not abandoned. While many tourists visit as a day trip from a cruise ship anchored in the Bay of Kotor, you might prefer a longer stay in the town of Kotor and the scenic surrounding area of Montenegro.
Want more stories like this? Like @strangersinthelivingroom on Facebook, and sign up for the occasional email when there is a new post. ollow me on Trip Advisor @strangersblog. Pinning this post? Get more travel ideas from Strangers in the Living Room on Pinterest.
Visitors can still enjoy the splendid views of Kotor Old Town.
