Prague, Czech Republic Hotels and Apartments

We stayed at the Stirka for one week and for the amount of money we payed it was great!

Location: By minibus from the airport it took about 30 min and cost below $20. From the hotel to the metro is about 7 minutes (just walk up to the left and to the right when you see the tracks) and to the city it\'s about 5-7 minutes. The only con is you need to change metros and we hated that as the metro is so crowded.

Hotel: It looked very dark at first, but the hotel is open 24/7 and there is someone downstairs in the lobby all the time. Our room was almost identical to the ones you see in the hotel picture. It was spacy, bright and clean. Also the bathroom was big. The maid cleans every day, but we had to ask her to change our bedsheets. It said they change when guests stay longer than 4 days, but ours weren\'t changed until the 6. day. The TV is useless and every channel except for MTV is dubbed.

Staff: They speak english, are friendly and smiling (something uncommon in Prague). Out of 7 days and 7 different staffmembers, there was only one rude girl not willing to help us at all!

Food: The breakfast was okay, open from 7-10. They have bread, ham, cheese and cereal, but the drinks aren\'t that good (unless you\'re into semi-hot milk) and there was hot sausage every day (Prague style with fat lumps tied like a knot into eachother), but it was eatable and we didn\'t starve!

All the rooms are non-smoking, but I\'m sure some of the guests smoked inside as we could smell the smoke walking up and down the stairs.

We might stay again because of the prize, but if we don\'t we\'ll stay at a more lux hotel in sentrum.
I would however recommend it to anyone! :)

The Hotel Stirka was friendly, comfortable, clean and basic. I agree with a previous review that the Four Seasons it definitely isn\'t but it provides all the necessary tourist facilities.

The breakfast 7 - 10am was plentiful buffet style - cereals, juice, hot drinks, pastries, toast, rolls, spreads, cold meat, cheese, yogurts, fruit, hot sausages, baked beans, hard boiled eggs - an order could be placed for fried, scrambled, omelette, poached eggs.

Our room on the 3rd floor (the attic) was comfortable and clean and a welcome sight each evening on return from many miles of walking and sightseeing. TV had 3 english speaking channels - CNN, MTV and eurosport. Coffee/tea making facilities. Bathroom - large and clean with hairdryer. Ample clothes storage facilities and shoe cleaning kit.

It is situated out of the centre about 20 mins by tram (by far the best way to travel). It takes a little over an hour to do the transfer from the airport by public transport.

We had our evening meal at \'Restaurace Vitezu\' 3 nights out of 4 - huge portions, great service, price fab about the equivalent of 8 pounds for two main dishes and four beers. Come out of the hotel turn right, right again, right into main road then follow to pub on right hand side up hill (football shape and rope lights outside) front bar can be a little noisy when game on but back restaurant is quiet and set out booth style. The staff do not speak english but lots of pointing and hand signals seemed adequate and the word \'beer\' seems to work in all languages.

Another good place to eat in town centre was in the basement of The Municipal Building - cheap, excellent quality lunch and hot drink. Free entry to look around the art deco architecture.

Eating out in the town centre tended to be around twice the price of out of town establishments and the beer was around three times the price.

Take lots of cash with you or have access to ATM (of which there are loads) as not many eating places or attractions take credit cards. We only managed to make one credit card transaction during our five day stay and that was for our 3 day travel card purchased from our hotel - everything else had to be cash.

Don\'t attempt to waive the public transport fare and remember to validate your ticket as we saw plenty of inspectors - they do not always wear uniform but will wave their ID disc at you.

If you have a late flight on your last day there is a good left luggage facility at the main train stations - 30 crowns for 15 - 30 Kg.

Keep lots of small change handy as you will need to pay for all public toilet facilities (sometimes those within restaurants charge as well) - the most we paid was 11 crowns and the cheapest was 3 crowns - the price does not reflect the cleanliness and at some you need to take your allocation of toilet tissue on the way in from the attendant!!!

Me and 3 friends stayed in le stirke for 3 nights on the 13th march. First of all it is out of the city centre but the metro is within walking distance of the hotel and we had no problems getting into the centre. We took a taxi by night which is reasonable if you negotiate the price before getting in. Don\'t do what we did and get in one on a meter; it cost us around £20 just to turn the corner but they take advantage of tourists not knowing the area. The hotel itself wasn\'t the cleanest but comfortable and for what we paid it did the job. If you are looking for a cheap stay in prague and just want somewhere to shower and sleep then this hotel is okay.