Prague — ‘The golden city of one hundred spires’  — is captivatingly beautiful, and beautifully preserved with architecture to rival Europe’s other great cities. And, since the dismantling of the Iron Curtain, it has become one of Europe’s top tourist destinations, with an estimated four million international visitors a year. Don’t worry, a lot of them come at the same time, so you can avoid the real crushes, but it does mean that famous sights like the Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square are usually busy, and the best places to stay in central Prague are often booked well in advance. The Hotel Gurus can help, though, both with the crushes and the hotel recommendations, for some of us this city is a real favourite.

Firstly, we’ve created our recommendations for which areas we think are the best places to stay in Prague, and given a sense of what they’re like and what they’re close to. Secondly we’ve tried to include a good variety of large and small hotels in our recommendations, and. hopefully, a good price range too.

In 1992 Prague was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so, fingers crossed, its glorious architecture, which survived significant bomb damage in the Second World War, will wait, if you can’t find the right room available. Because, while most visitors flock to Prague in summer, there’s really no bad time of year to visit Prague.

Some of our Prague Collections

• The 10 Best Hotels in Staré Mesto
• The 6 Best Hotels in Nové Mesto
• The 10 Best Hotels in Malá Strana
• The 3 Best Hotels in Hradčany
• Spa Hotels in Prague
• Romantic Hotels in Prague
• Best Boutique Hotels in Prague

Prague is a great city for walking around, although almost all the streets and pavements are cobbled, so comfortable shoes are essential. The majority of our selection of the best places to stay in Prague are easily accessible on foot from all of the major attractions. Public transport is excellent and cheap, and you can use trams or buses to get to parts of the city not served by the Metro.

The Best Places to Stay in Prague

In Staré Mesto

• In the Jewish Quarter, in the heart of the Old Town, the Iron Gate Hotel & Suites is perfect for anyone looking for traditional charm in a superb spot for sightseeing. The 48, generously proportioned rooms and suites have wooden beams, wooden floors and whitewashed walls, plus beautiful drapes, decorative ceilings, and some very intricately carved furniture. It’s certainly unusual and memorable for its detail.
• The Emblem Hotel is a similar size, with 59 rooms and suites, but has a totally different look and feel, in just as good a location, a short walk from the main square and Charles Bridge. The Emblem has a boutique feel, with contemporary decor featuring lots of clean, rounded lines. The rooms and suites here also have all the mod. cons. and latest tech. But we mostly love it for the rooftop spa with its fabulous city centre views.

In Nové Mesto

• Just moments from Wenceslas Square is Miss Sophie’s, a neat little, 16 room urban-boutique hotel. As well as being close to Wenceslas Square, staying here you’re also close to some of the best shopping and restaurants in Prague, and to the Prague National Museum. The decor is a very lovable blend of rustic and industrial chic — think exposed brick walls, and bulbs — or pretty lampshades, and wood floors and dove grey wood work and coving. With the odd yellow door or cushion. There’s no restaurant, but they serve breakfast.

In Hradčany

• The Golden Well Hotel is something quite special, occupying the old Emperor’s residence, from the 16th century. On a winding cobbled street, right up against the walls of Prague Castle, it offers Renaissance style decor in the 19 rooms, and some fabulous antiques and artwork. There’s a wonderful rooftop restaurant with really spectacular city views — you might want to make note of this even if you’re not staying in the hotel. The decor varies from room to room, so ask if you can have one of those with a beamed ceiling.

For Old Fashioned Glamour

• Some of our Gurus really love a grand old hotel, and in Prague said Guru loves to stay at the Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa. There are lots of reasons to love this place, including the fabulous carriage entrance, the charming courtyard, the beautiful frescoes in the restaurant and the opulent public spaces with their gilt furnishings and beautiful arched ceilings. But in practical terms it’s also in a great location close to several museums, its 46 rooms and suites are extremely comfortable, plus there’s a spa and pool.
• The Art Deco Imperial Hotel is just as grand and impressive, but with decor from a different age; instead of Baroque it’s Art Deco, so the lines are simpler, and the furniture style heavier, but the effect is just as impressive. This is a larger hotel, with 126 generously proportioned rooms and suites, plus wonderfully decorated public spaces, including in the excellent restaurant, and in the spa and steam bath.

For a City Break

• The Hotel Josef is cool and contemporary, designed to be somewhere calm and soothing to give the eyes a rest from the architectural wonders outside its doors. So it’s minimalist, with a lot of white, simple shapes, and plenty of natural light. There are 109 rooms and suites, and all of those on the seventh and eighth floors have balconies with fabulous views. It's also well known for its trendy bar and buffet breakfasts, served overlooking the garden.
• The Maximilian Hotel occupies an elegant building built in the 1920s, and inside the decor references the angular trends of the 20s, but in a minimalist way, which is neat and practical for a hotel. You’re in a great location, just steps from the Old Town Square, there are 71 rooms and suites, and those with views have excellent ones over the main cultural attractions of Prague. There’s also a spa, and the breakfast buffets are very good.
• Three Storks is a boutique, five-star hotel close to the river and all Prague’s main sights. There are just 20 rooms, decorated with plenty of contemporary aplomb and large, sunlit public spaces. There’s also an excellent restaurant serving Czech specialities.

Most Romantic Hotels in Prague

• The Appia Residences is an attractive sandstone building very close to Prague Castle, with just 21 rooms and suites, arranged around a central courtyard and small, but lovely, garden. Inside they’ve retained some of the original beams and windows, but they have new parquet in all the rooms, and a simple, creatively chosen colour scheme in each room, with painted feature walls and floral fabrics. We like this hotel for its natural light and gardens. It’s also great value.

Family Friendly Hotels

• The Domus Balthasar is in a perfect position for visiting Prague, right next to the Charles Bridge. It’s got just eight rooms and suites, and we like it for families because it’s small, and because some of the suites are huge, with kitchenettes. The simple decor also makes it easy for kids, there are lovely parquet floors and exposed beams where needed, but the rest is simple and white, with the occasional dark wood panel and red cushion. The restaurant has a similarly pleasurably functional vibe.
• For families visiting Prague, we also like the Hotel Neruda, which is old on the outside, and chic and contemporary on the inside. There are plenty of original features to admire in this 14th century building, but they’ve been carefully renovated so that the 42 rooms and suites feel bright and smart. There’s a good range of family-sized options, plus a friendly welcome for your little ones. It’s also good value, there’s a spa, and the excellent glass-roofed restaurant serves Czech and international cuisine.

Off the beaten track Prague?

• Prague has become a pretty popular city break destination, but if you want to feel as if your hotel is an escape from the crowds, then Le Palais might be just the one for you! It’s a beautiful, Baroque villa in a leafy, residential part of town, with 60 elegant, traditional feeling rooms, and all the contemporary luxuries you might imagine you’ll need. It’s romantic, with a fantastic restaurant, with a beautiful terrace, and an impressive spa.
• It’s unbelievable, really, but it’s actually still possible to stay somewhere fairly rustic, but also fairly close to the centre of Prague. The name of the property is the Hotel U Raka Romantic Galerie, and it’s a rustic, family run property in one of the leafiest areas, so leafy that it feels more like a village. The Hotel U Raka has only six bedrooms, with features like log fires, exposed timbers, simple wooden furnishings and some wonderful brick ovens. The family who own the hotel are also artists, and their art adorns the walls. It’s very good, and very cosy.
• If you like the idea of being off centre, but you prefer a modern aesthetic, Andel’s Hotel, Prague might be more up your street. It’s oh-so-sleek and modern with 239 rooms and suites, simply decorated with an eye for colour and a preference for red. Our favourite rooms have private balconies, but they’re all pretty spacious, and great value if you don’t mind a bit of extra travel The spa facilities are impressive too and there’s an excellent restaurant.

Hip and Happening

• If you’re in Prague to have a good time, and experience some local nightlife then the Hotel UNIC might be the place for you. It’s in the centre of town, close to the main sights and the nightlife, and it’s got its own trendy bar that specialises in local tap beer. The facade is elegant, and inside it’s fun, with 90 colourful rooms and suites, trendy design features and lively modern art.

For Great Value

• The Hotel Sax is a contemporary, 20 room, boutique hotel, tucked away in the Old Town. The decor is fun and funky: think bright colours against black and white, and eclectic, 60s era art, moulded shapes and bubble chairs. Some rooms have their own private balconies with fantastic views of the city skyline. There’s no restaurant, but they do offer breakfast.
• An unassuming home from home, Dum u Velké Boty is a ten room B&B just ten minutes from both Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge. The interiors are quite traditional, with original art and antiques, exposed beams, and terracotta floors in some rooms. Breakfast is a feast. And it’s both very authentic and very affordable.

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Travel Information

• Want to fly to Prague?

• Václav Havel Airport Prague is the closest airport, just 20kms north of the city. You can catch a bus, special airport bus or train into town from the airport. Or arrive in Prague via its very well connected main station, probably enjoying some spectacular views of the mountains on the way.
• If you’re thinking about hiring a car we recommend checking what our online partners, Rentalcars have to offer.
• Prague is busiest in the summer, and magical at Christmas. If you’re looking for a quieter period with pleasant weather then spring and early autumn are probably best. Prague can get very cold so if you’re not here for the Christmas markets and Christmas cheer you might find it a bit dark.

Still not sure of the best place to stay in Prague?

• Below you can see a list of all our Prague recommendations,
• or you could refine your search by location, and just consider our recommendations for the 10 best hotels in Staré Mesto, the 10 best hotels in Malá Strana or the best hotels in Hradčany.
• Alternatively, you can contact one of our friendly Gurus for personalised advice.

Weather

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