Why book
For a new kind of wellness retreat where fitness and recovery are central to the concept and exploring the great outdoors is part of the experience.
Set the scene
Set back from sleek and snazzy Porto Montenegro with its gang of multimillion-pound yachts, and strip of restaurants serving champagne on ice, sits Siro Boka Place – an equally shiny but very different kind of luxury experience. Fitness, recovery and wellbeing are practically embedded in its walls (more on that later). But forget serene spas and manicures, this space is designed to enhance performance and optimise training sessions using state-of-the-art equipment, innovative therapies and expert nutrition plans.
When I visit just after the opening, there’s an excitement in the air that feels palpable. As I chat to locals in the gym, it becomes apparent that Siro’s offering is something they’ve been missing in Tivat, Montenegro, until now. Here, national Olympians (one of whom I met – he’s here in excitement and genuine support of the project) will train ahead of the games in LA, using the country’s first state-of-the-art facilities and recovery therapies.
The backstory
This is the second hotel in the Siro portfolio. While its sister property in Dubai is home to equally impressive facilities and treatment menus, the mountainous surroundings and outdoor experiences give it its own identity. The ‘Destination Fitness’ options are a work in progress, but plans are set to include adventurous water sports like sailing, canyoning and windsurfing, as well as the hikes and mountain biking tours we joined during our stay.
The rooms
The stand-out feature of our spacious King room was, without question, the Recovery Wall. Box-fresh home workout equipment – a yoga mat, resistance bands and a meditation pillow – was hidden behind a sleek wooden door by the window. On the TV, on-demand morning and evening rituals inspired by yoga and Tai Ci were available to energise or calm the mind and body. Instead of a chair at the dressing table sat a wellness ball, and in the bathroom, eco-friendly toiletries lined our double sinks.
The food and drink
Siro Table was where we ate all our meals. Delightedly so, thanks to the lengthy, healthy menu that we diligently worked our way through. For breakfast, we fuelled up on protein shakes and eggs in all manner of guises (nothing boring here). At lunch, juices, build-your-own bowls and veggie-packed pastas (listed with macros, for those counting). For dinner, tuna steak and mix-and-match sides or hummus sharer plates and octopus-topped aubergine with classic cocktails and local wine. In the coming months, the rooftop bar and tapas-style dining spot Siro Social will open and add another option to the mix.
Wellness
The Destination Fitness offerings were my priority. How often are Londoners like me surrounded by such vast, picture-perfect mountains and have the chance to explore with a guide who knows the best trails, viewpoints, and routes? Once our excursions were in place, we could fill the gaps in our itinerary with the hotel’s on-site offerings. There are a lot, but with the help of the team, my schedule included some of the best bits.
The gym, or ‘Fitness Lab’ is fully equipped with TechnoGym machines, including a body analysis contraption that my PT, George, took me through step by step. The results were transported to the app on my phone and broken down into categories (muscle mass, body fat percentage, water content, etc) from which I was given an overall score. Using this, the on-site nutritionist could tell me exactly what my body was missing and how best to approach any concerns. A tailored plan was sent my way, with the option to add follow-up calls and progress check-ins long past my stay had ended.
Next, a tailored workout and off to the ‘Recovery Lab’ for red light therapy, a water bed massage, and compression boots session, all of which I promptly fell asleep during and left feeling more rejuvenated than I had been in months. There are classes to join, too and I tried the high-intensity Hyrox morning session the next day, as well as a sound healing hour in the evening – a popular choice and not an empty mat n the room.
Eco effort
Not a huge amount to mention here, but the classic eco-friendly toiletries and guest requests for fresh linens are in place.
Accessibility
There is an accessible room at SIRO Boka Place, and the Recovery Lab and Fitness Labs are designed with accessibility in mind.
Anything left to mention
This is a hotel to check into if you’re working towards a specific goal or want to make dedicated time for your personal wellbeing without lounging at a spa. I left with more information than I expected to, and feeling like I’d seen mountainous Montenegro in the best possible way.