On Luštica, among olive groves and stone threshing floors, a story has emerged that brings together space and human spirit. Vila Diva—a house conceived from the ground up as a concept rather than mere architecture—is today a meeting point of art, movement and retreat. Alongside it, Goran Šaban, a visual storyteller with three decades of experience, opens a new chapter in his creative journey. Together, they shape a scene where stone, sea and imagination merge into one.
On the shores of Luštica, Vila Diva took shape over the years with the help of friends, family and volunteers—a place that from the very beginning carried the imprint of a personal story and the creative persistence of Ivana West. This is not a house built from a catalogue, but a shared project of love and improvisation.
Instead of cold luxury, the interior is woven from objects with soul: pieces found at auctions, gifted, recycled and transformed into new purposes. A grandfather’s old work desk became a dining table, cinema seats from an abandoned theatre in Oxford were given new life, while the walls preserve traces of the past—from Yugoslav banknotes to improvised installations created by volunteers.
Each room has its own character: a honeymoon suite with a tilted bed and a bathtub behind it; a nautical room adorned with British navy caps; the Aqua room with French lamps from the 1940s. The staircase is decorated with wooden boards transformed by volunteers into heart-shaped panels, while the guvno—a traditional Montenegrin landmark—serves as a reminder of roots and heritage.
Vila Diva is more than a house—it is a philosophy. With a sauna and steam bath, yoga and aerial studio, boutique bedrooms and a bar, it becomes a setting for weddings, retreat programs and creative residencies.
It is a place where luxury meets the warmth of home, where improvisation becomes art and togetherness turns into experience.
On Luštica, where sea meets stone, Vila Diva opens the door to experiences that nourish imagination, soul and body. A stay here is not just a holiday—it is an invitation to live fully and discover beauty in imperfection.
Every detail, from the stone in its foundation to the light breaking through the windows, reminds us that a space is meant to be lived in—not merely occupied.
Goran Šaban
Alongside the story of the villa unfolds the story of Goran Šaban—a photographer, designer and storyteller whose work spans three decades.
His journey began in daily newspapers, long before the age of social media, where through his lens he documented social change and the transition from black-and-white to color photography. Over time, his work expanded into design, marketing and public relations.
A Reuters-trained professional, Goran’s work has been featured in prestigious publications across the region, as well as in National Geographic Junior.
Travel, the cruise industry and destinations around the world have shaped both his aesthetic and strategic thinking.
“My professional path is like a tapestry—woven from experience, curiosity and a passion for visual storytelling. At my core, I am a storyteller,” says Goran.
Today, within Vila Diva, Goran is opening a photo and film studio—an atelier that can transform into a yoga space, a video set or a fully equipped photo studio.
“Vila Diva is, in itself, a work of art—a stage,” he explains. “My studio is the spotlight that opens that stage to the world.”
In his new role as Event Manager and PR, Goran connects his experience in media and travel with the story of Vila Diva. His studio adds a new dimension to the space—weddings can be captured cinematically, editorials created within an already artistic setting, and films produced in a landscape where stone and sea meet.
While Vila Diva remains true to its philosophy, with Goran’s studio it becomes a destination that unites art, nature and exclusive events.
One story speaks of a house born from love and vision; the other of a man whose lens brings those stories to life. Together, they create a space where art is not only observed—but lived.
A space that is at once intimate and spectacular, personal and universal.
