WHERE TO STAY
Part 1- Intro to accommodation in Prague
Generally I would recommend for those staying in Prague for a short time, like a couple of days, to stay in near the town centre, as you would have than all at your doorstep, saving you some time and money for using a public transport.
Booking your hotel in advance is not necessary but recommended. When you want the peace in mind and hassle free solution to your accommodation than book in advance. Remember that booking in advance will almost all the time give you a better deal on price. Booking than online is the best possible solution. Before using any of the booking hotel and hostel website searching engines check some of the hotel´s websites direct as it sometimes surprises you how cheaper they can be compare to those engines. Of course is not always that way but definitely something worth of doing. Contacting direct the hotel or hostel will also avoid any possible overbooking, which sometimes the booking engines cause, as their systems aren´t, most of the time, live engines. Hotels simple allocate (promise) the certain amounts of the rooms to each of the searching engines in hope to sell them faster. Searching engines getting also a small amount of commission making your booking. So just consider checking some of the direct websites first if you know the hotel you want to stay or heard from the friend of your friend….if not use the booking engine and search for a good deal. I have included some links for accommodation engines for those later in this chapter.
Part 2 - Hostels
Well lets start with a cheaper version of the accommodation and that are hostels. This type of accommodation is specially good if you on the low budget or if you are traveling alone and looking to meet some people and have some fun.Different hostels may offer to guests different facilities, which some may even include those which you would normally expect from the hotels. The differences than are in types of their rooms offered, with mostly based on sharing with another travelers. The cheapest types are those with more people in the room sharing. Typical sharing rooms called dormitories offering 6 or 4 beds in a room and sometimes communal bathroom facilities if not in the room. And also private two bed rooms for more private travelers. Cheaper than 6 bed dormitory could only be 8 bed one which occasionally could be found.
Hostels facilities may be including TV (with Satellite), Wi-Fi or Internet computer in the house free of charge, laundry service, kitchenette or cooking facilities with fridge, cattle for your tea or coffee, fan in the room, free bed linen, and some even indoor swimming pool! So when choosing your hostel, pay attention on those as they will make your stay much more comfortable not mentioning cheaper and easier as you could cook there as well.
Consider of picking one hostel in the city center if you not on really low budget. You may be paying slightly more but you will be very close to all sightseeing highlights. Also coming back to hostel after Metro´s closing time, you will avoid waiting for the local night transport to get you back to where you stay.
Bellow I have included some of my tips for hostels in Prague so check their websites too and compare which may suit the best for you and also compare them to the hostel booking engines which I included at the end of the Hostel capture. I posted hostels in my favourite order, so feel free to do your own search.
Plus Prague
This hostel opened about 2 years ago and with its facilities beating most of the hostels in Prague. Indoor swimming pool with sauna, gym, free Wi-Fi and Movie room are some of a few things you can expect from Plus Prague. The local Bar&Restaurant does breakfast, lunch and dinner and has draught beer and at night plays good music. Reception staff is very friendly and helpful. It is a big hostel so you most of the time find a bed there. Only little minus for some could be that hostel is not located right in the centre but a bit outside, but good tram or Metro connections will get you there in about 15min. Check their website for the prices and availability:
Plus Prague bookings
For the map: Map of Plus Prague
Hostel Rosemary
This hostel is located very close to the main train station (Hlavni nadrazi Hl.n.) and a few minutes walking from the main square in Prague with the Jewish Synagogue being just behind the corner from the hostel. Here is their website link:
Hostel Rosemary website
For the map: Click here
Czech Inn
Very nice hostel with cool design rooms and beds. Hostel is fairly close to the town´s main square (Vaclavske namesti) and Metro (A - green line) - only about 5 minutes walking. Bar and restaurant is on site. Good thing is ATM machine in the hostel. Good for night buses or trams as on their routes. Check their website on: Hostel Czech Inn website
For map: Click here
Pension Tara
Very centrally located pension with a short walking distance to Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) and Wenceslav´s Square (Vaclavske namesti: Pension Tara
For the map: Click here
Little Town
This place is the same ownership as Hostel Rosemary being right next to the famous Charles Bridge. Building is from 13th century but after new renovation had been re-opened in 2009. Great starting point for your walking trips as everything is at your doorstep. American embassy is just a couple of buildings down the road. Check their website on:
Little Town website
For map: Click here
Hope, that those few top picks of mine have helped to give you at least some idea of how the hostels in Prague look like and what facilities they have for guests to offer. Hope you will find what you looking for by either comparing their prices, facilities or locations of all above mentioned hostels.
Extra tip worth of mentioning is that even if you tried to book your bed or room direct with the hostel´s website and there would simply not be an availability, than you could always use one of the links below for booking hostels searching engines. Sometimes they still have free beds for the hostel you have chosen or at least some similar. It´s a guarantee thing that you will find some hostel with the availability to sleep in. Also you often can even safe a few Euros booking with them as, in especially high season, they turn up to be often few Euros cheaper. See the links bellow of the hostel engines which also gives you more detail information on hostel facilities with commentaries inlcuded from another travelers and their ratings.
www.hostels.com
or
www.hostelbookers.com
Part 3 - Hotels
There is no shortage of a good hotels in Prague, again plenty to choose from. As I mentioned previously, for those not traveling on very low budget and wanting to have a bit more privacy, not keen on sharing with others and always guaranteed your own bathroom, than hotel is ideal for you. Compare to other European countries, most of the hotels in Prague are still fairly reasonable with lots of good deals the whole year long. Good thing about the hotels is that there should be breakfast always included in the price of your room and that price is given per room mostly rather than per person. So if the total price for a twin room is say 40 Euros that means each of you will pay 20 Euros with breakfast included. This is the reason why I mentioned earlier, to check on hotel room prices. Final price may not be too far off the hostel price. We talking about not expensive hotels of course.
With the hotels I would also recommend you to check their website first as you could find a good deal direct with the hotels themselves. Than you could compare prices on the search engines, finding the best given deal from both.
Hotel Fortuna City
This hotel once called Quality Hotel Prague is large and with it´s 10 floors is giving you some far away views to the local area. Hotel is a bit away from the town´s center but there is good connection of the local tram or Metro nearby getting you to centre in about 15 minutes. Hotel price include breakfast which is buffet type. Lobby bar opens until 1pm and in house public phone and laundry service. Booking this hotel online works often much cheaper then calling them. Check their website for possible deals on: Hotel Fortuna City
Clarion Hotel Prague - Old Town
Clarion Hotel Prague is located in very centre of Prague making your sightseeing even easier, as all the highlights are walking distance from you. Rooms on the top offering some spectacular views on Prague Castle and the river Vltava. Close to the hotel is Prague´s biggest shopping mall called Paladium and some of the good spots for evening out, including bars and restaurants. Rooms are spotless clean and staff very friendly. Lobby bar on site and breakfast included. Check their website:
Clarion Hotel Old Town
For the map: Map of Plus Prague
This hostel is located very close to the main train station (Hlavni nadrazi Hl.n.) and a few minutes walking from the main square in Prague with the Jewish Synagogue being just behind the corner from the hostel. Here is their website link:
Hostel Rosemary website
For the map: Click here
Czech Inn
Very nice hostel with cool design rooms and beds. Hostel is fairly close to the town´s main square (Vaclavske namesti) and Metro (A - green line) - only about 5 minutes walking. Bar and restaurant is on site. Good thing is ATM machine in the hostel. Good for night buses or trams as on their routes. Check their website on: Hostel Czech Inn website
For map: Click here
Pension Tara
Very centrally located pension with a short walking distance to Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) and Wenceslav´s Square (Vaclavske namesti: Pension Tara
For the map: Click here
Little Town
This place is the same ownership as Hostel Rosemary being right next to the famous Charles Bridge. Building is from 13th century but after new renovation had been re-opened in 2009. Great starting point for your walking trips as everything is at your doorstep. American embassy is just a couple of buildings down the road. Check their website on:
Little Town website
For map: Click here
Hope, that those few top picks of mine have helped to give you at least some idea of how the hostels in Prague look like and what facilities they have for guests to offer. Hope you will find what you looking for by either comparing their prices, facilities or locations of all above mentioned hostels.
Extra tip worth of mentioning is that even if you tried to book your bed or room direct with the hostel´s website and there would simply not be an availability, than you could always use one of the links below for booking hostels searching engines. Sometimes they still have free beds for the hostel you have chosen or at least some similar. It´s a guarantee thing that you will find some hostel with the availability to sleep in. Also you often can even safe a few Euros booking with them as, in especially high season, they turn up to be often few Euros cheaper. See the links bellow of the hostel engines which also gives you more detail information on hostel facilities with commentaries inlcuded from another travelers and their ratings.
www.hostels.com
or
www.hostelbookers.com
