Accommodation

The choice of accommodation in Prague is vast, from fabulous historic palaces and uber-cool modern establishments to friendly family hotels and trendy hostels. Choosing a hotel can be daunting but it is worth taking some time to consider which areas appeal both to your criteria and your pocket.

Prague is a popular destination all-year round so it is always advisable to book well in advance. However outside the high summer season and the run up to Christmas, bargains can be found and prices fluctuate dramatically. Being a tram or metro ride outside the city centre can often mean you can get quality at a good price. Hostels too can be good value but they do get booked up well ahead. Room rates are usually quoted in euros and not in Czech crowns.

For those looking for a quieter option Mala Straná across the river may prove ideal. This historic castle district is hillier and has less public transport links but it is more laid back and perfect for a romantic break or family holiday. A walk across the Charles Bridge will bring you into Old Town. The Old Town or Staré Město attracts the most tourists and can be more expensive. It still retains its historic atmosphere and is well connected by public transport and convenient for principal attractions. The New Town or Nové Město just to the south is fun and lively, more commercial and generally cheaper. It has good transport links and is still in walking distance of the historic centre. For those happy to be outside the centre try and choose a hotel close to a metro station. You will experience a more authentic Prague in areas such as Hradčany, Dejvice, Smíchov, Vinohrady and Žižkov.

Price for a double room for one night with breakfast:

€€€€ = over 250 euros

€€€ = 180–250 euros

€€ = 120–180 euros

€ = below 120 euros

Upmarket Alchymist Residence Nosticova

Leonardo

Hradčany (Castle District)

Hotel Hoffmeister

Pod bruskou 7; tel: 251 017 111; www.hoffmeister.cz; metro: Malostranská; €€€

Situated on the corner of Chotkova as it winds up past the castle, the Hoffmeister is in a convenient location. It’s not as attractive as some Prague hotels from the outside, but the rooms and facilities – which include a spa and a restaurant – are luxurious. The prices are surprisingly reasonable compared to some other Prague five-stars.

Savoy

Keplerova 6; tel: 224 302 430; www.hotelsavoyprague.com; tram 22; €€€

Overlooking the spires of the castle district, this Art Nouveau hotel features elegant rooms and bathrooms decorated in marble and chrome. The Hradčany Restaurant offers first-class international and Czech cuisine. It’s also well-located to visit the Mala Straná district and Petřin Hill.

U krále karla

Úvoz 4; tel: 257 531 211; tram: 22; €€€

This Baroque building is in a quiet and convenient location at the top of the Castle District, looking out over Petřín Hill and the Strahov. The rooms lean a little more towards Central European baronial kitsch than some, but many people will love the stained-glass windows.

U raka

Černínská 10; tel: 220 511 100; www.hoteluraka.cz; tram: 22; €€

Set in one of the only wooden houses left in Prague, and dating back to the mid-18th century, this complex is now a lovely hotel. The spotless rooms are beautifully laid out, and there is a delightful garden for the use of guests. It’s quiet and romantic.

Malá Strana

Alchymist Residence Nosticova

Nosticova 1; tel: 257 312 513; www.nosticova.com; tram: 12, 22; €€€

If you have the money, this would be a delightful place to stay. Set above the excellent San Carlo restaurant, the fairy-tale apartments are furnished in an outrageously grand style (one even has a grand piano), and all have an attached bathroom and kitchen. Large reductions for stays during low season.

Design Hotel Neruda

Nerudova 44; tel: 257 535 557; www.designhotelneruda.com; tram: 12, 22; €€

Just a stone’s throw from the castle, this building dates from 1348, but with a classy minimalist modern interior. You pay for the location as much as anything, but the rooms are clean and comfortable, and there is a pleasant café/bistro.

The Alchymist’s opulent lobby

Leonardo

Dům u tří čápů

Tomášská 16; tel: 257 210 779; www.hotelthreestorks.cz; tram: 12, 22; €€€

This up-to-the-minute design hotel close to the Waldstein Palace is an excellent choice. Very chic, all clean lines and modern furniture, but without disturbing the original fabric of the historic building. The rooms are also central and quiet, and the café and restaurant are good places to while away a few hours.

Dům u velké boty

Vlašská 30; tel: 257 532 088; www.dumuvelkeboty.cz; tram: 12, 22; €€

Opposite the German Embassy, this building dates from the early 17th century, and care has been taken to ensure that the interior and furniture maintain the historic feel. Comfortable beds, spotless bathrooms and friendly owners make it one of the best places to stay in the city. Cash only.

The lovely terrace at the Mandarin Oriental

Mandarin Oriental

Hotel Aria

Tržište 9; tel: 225 334 111; www.ariahotel.net; tram: 12, 22; €€€€

Expensive and heavy on designer chic, the Aria plays heavily on its musical theme. From Mozart to Dizzy Gillespie, each floor and room is dedicated to a particular music or musician. The fittings and fixtures are smart, and there’s an in-house music library.

Mandarin Oriental

Nebovidská 1; tel: 233 088 888; www.mandarinoriental.com/prague; tram: 12, 22; €€€€

Cleverly inserted into the fabric of a 14th-century monastery, this luxury establishment offers superlative comfort in a historic setting. Individually designed bedrooms, stylish public spaces, and a spa offering a sophisticated range of treatments.

The spa at the Mandarin Oriental

Mandarin Oriental

Staré Město

Buddha-Bar Prague

Jakubská 8; tel: 221 776 300; www.buddhabarhotelprague.com; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€€

If you are looking for something a bit different, the Buddha-Bar boutique hotel may be for you. Perfectly located near Old Town Square it’s seductive, hip and sumptuous with low-lit rooms of red and gold. Live DJ in the slick Siddharta Café and there is also an Asian-themed spa.

Four Seasons Hotel

Veleslavínova 2a; tel: 221 427 000; www.fourseasons.com/prague; metro: Staromětská; €€€€

As well as an unsurpassable location close to Charles Bridge and with views over the Vltava to Malá Strana and the castle, the Four Seasons offers all the comfort and style associated with its name. A bonus is the CottoCrudo restaurant, a modern Italian, restaurant bar and lounge.

Room at the Four Seasons

Four Seasons Hotels

Grand Hotel Praha

Staroměstské náměstí 22; tel: 221 632 556; www.grandhotelpraha.cz; metro: Staromětská; €€

This beautiful hotel occupies three historical buildings on Old Town Square. Rooms have wooden beams and immaculate period furniture. It may be a little of the noisy side, but it has a great view of the Astronomical Clock, especially from the baroque Café Mozart on the first floor.

Hotel Caruso

U Milosrdnych 2; tel: 221 316 909; www.hotelcarusoprague.cz; metro: Staromětská; €€

Located in Josefov, just a few minutes’ walk from Old Town Square, this smart hotel boasts traditional features with modern furnishings. It combines comfort, convenience and very reasonable prices.

Hotel Century

Na Poříčí 7; tel: 221 800 800; www.sofitel.com; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€

This historic hotel offers very good value considering its high quality and excellent location just a stone’s throw from Old Town Square, with metro and trams stops close by. The interior exudes contemporary elegance and facilities include an outside terrace for breakfast.

Hotel Černý slon

Týnská 1; tel: 222 321 521; www.hotelcernyslon.cz; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€

A lovely 14th-century building on the Unesco protected list, very close to Old Town Square. The rooms have been simply but attractively decorated with those in the attic featuring exposed beams.

Hotel Josef

Rybná 20; tel: 221 700 111; www.hoteljosef.com; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€€

A sleek designer hotel located near the Jewish Quarter. The interior, designed by Eva Jiřičná, has stone-and-glass bathrooms attached to minimalist rooms. It certainly makes a change from the often heritage-heavy accommodation available elsewhere in the city.

Hotel Leonardo

Karoliny Světlé; tel: 239 009 239; www.hotelleonardo.cz; metro: Staromětská; €€€

Just a few steps away from Charles Bridge but in a quiet side street, this boutique hotel offers charming accommodation decorated in the Art Nouveau style. The Platina Restaurant showcases modern Czech cuisine in a lovely courtyard garden setting.

Ventana Hotel

Celetna 7; tel: 221 776 600; www.ventana-hotel.net; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€€

If you’re looking for a change from the fake-baronial kitsch of many of Prague’s top-end hotels, the Ventana presents a welcome respite. The decor is luxurious yet understated, modern yet comfortable, and the contemporary styling fits effortlessly with the historic fabric of the building.

Nové Město

987 Prague

Senovázné náměstí 15; tel: 255 737 200; www.987hotels.com; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€€

In the north of the New Town is this über chic design hotel. With Philippe Starck fixtures and Aera Saarinena and Arne Jacobsen furniture, it epitomises a certain kind of northern European cool design.

Adria

Václavské náměstí 26; tel: 221 081 111; www.adria.cz; metro: Mestek; €€

This bright, yellow-hued hotel is in an enviable position on Wenceslas Square and features rooms with polished wood furniture and green-gold fixtures. Adria has won awards for its green credentials and its Triton restaurant champions local producers.

Art Nouveau Palace Hotel

Panská 12; tel: 224 093 111; www.palacehotel.cz; metro: Mestek; €€€

A Secessionist landmark, built in 1909 as a luxury hotel. It still performs this function today, though now it is only the facade that retains an Art Nouveau appearance. The interior was gutted in the 1980s to make way for comfortable, if a little impersonal, modern rooms. However, this act of vandalism is offset by the luxury and excellent service.

Boscolo Prague

Senovázné náměstí 13; tel: 224 593 111; www.prague.boscolohotels.com; metro: náměstí Republiky; €€€€

A grand 19th-century building painstakingly converted into a luxury hotel. The interior designers have let their imaginations run riot, with sumptuous rooms, a chic restaurant and a fabulous spa and pool. It can also be fabulously expensive, but perhaps worth it for this very continental version of extravagant comfort.

Hotel Elite

Ostrovní 32; tel: 211 156 100; www.hotel-elite.cz; metro: Národní třida; €

Not many hotels in the New Town have a suite protected by the municipality, but the Elite does, on account of its 17th-century painted ceiling. The other rooms have also been tastefully preserved, with wooden floors, period furniture and an uncluttered feel. The recently renovated Elite Garden restaurant gives the opportunity to eat lunch in or out.

Hotel Yasmin

Politických vězňů 12; tel: 234 100 100; www.hotel-yasmin.cz; metro: Muzeum; €€

Just one block away from Wenceslas Square, this stunning designer establishment is linked to Prague’s most famous thoroughfare by an arcade. The rooms and suites are furnished in shades of grey and green and the public spaces are adorned with unique sculptures. The chic noodle bar serves some excellent dishes from Italian to Thai.

Mosaic House

Odburo 4; tel: 221 595 350; www.mosaichouse.com; metro: Karlova náměstí; €

This beautifully designed hostel has shared and private rooms, all with private bathrooms; the top floor ones have terraces with views over the city. Guests are invited to party at the La Loca Music Bar and Lounge.

Museum Pension

Mezibranská 15; tel: 296 325 186; www.hotelmuseum.cz; metro: Muzeum; €

Museum is a fantastic pension in a very central location next to the National Museum. The rooms are very large and all face a quiet courtyard garden. Perfect for families, the pension is excellent value for money and boasts a great buffet breakfast.

Further Afield

Anděl’s

Stroupežnického 21, Prague 5; tel: 296 889 688; www.viennahouse.com/en/andels-prague; metro: Anděl; €€€

Although this glass-and-steel hotel may seem a little corporate at first, it has nice designer touches, elegant rooms and a luxurious feel. The hotel is flanked by a shopping mall and various eateries. There is also a restaurant and health club. Andel’s is just 10 minutes away from the centre by metro.

Angelo

Radlická 1, Prague 5; tel: 234 801 111; www.viennahouse.com/en/angelo-prague; metro: Anděl; €€€

From the same stable as Andel’s, Vienna House, this designer hotel is a good place to stay outside the city centre. Rooms feature strong colours and an Asian theme. Be sure to check out the restaurant and the stylish Jazz Bar.

Hotel Absolutum

Jablonského 4; tel: 222 541 406; www.absolutumhotel.cz; metro: Nádraží Holešovice; €€

Located in Holešovice, near the Výstaviště Exhibition Ground (for more information, click here) this boutique hotel combines chic contemporary styling with modern comforts such as a spa and wellness centre and a smart restaurant.

Hotel Adalbert

Břevnovský kláster, Markétská 1, Břevnov; tel: 220 406 170; www.hoteladalbert.cz; tram: 22, 57; €

This hotel is in an excellent and beautifully quiet location inside the Břevnov Monastery; convenient for both the city centre (by tram) and airport (by bus). The 18th-century building is very attractive and the comfortable rooms are excellent value.