Prague, Czech Republic Hotels and Apartments

The best hotel we've ever stayed in - anywhere. Rooms are very good value at the moment since they have introductory offers. Funky design, a bit space-age but nicely done. Breakfasts were great, wouldn't recommend dinner there though, service was a bit too over the top for us. Cocktails were surprisingly good value, one bartender mixed perfect mojitos. One tip though, don't ask the hotel to call you a taxi to the airport - the firm they use rip you off.

My boyfriend and I stayed at Hotel Yasmin for 3 nights in March. Since the Maximilian Hotel cancelled our original reservation 24 hours before our departure, I was excited to have discovered Yasmin on gridskipper(-) The introductory rates were most appealing as I was unsure of the location as compared to the bulk of Mala Strana and Old Town hotels discussed in my tour guide.

Wow, was I wrong! We loved the location - granted, we were interested in some off-the-beaten path sights, like TV Tower and the neighborhood of Vinorady. However, we were surprised how walkable Prague is- even the castle seemed a short 20 minute (and fantastically picturesque) stroll!

Also, as New Yorkers we are used to late-night snack places and found few non-bar/lounge establishments open past 10 PM. What we did find (a 24 hour burrito spot, a bakery, the movie theater) were located in the Yasmin neighborhood. We realized staying somewhere like Mala Strana would have been a death-sentence for our 3 AM jet-lag-induced city strolls.

Also, the hotel staff were all very eager to please. I arranged for a bottle of champagne to be placed in the room - which it was - for an extra 10 EU. A friendly - if silent - driver picked us up from the airport as arranged by the hotel as well (highly recommended).

Our room was of medium size, facing the courtyard. At first, I was disappointed we didn't have a street-front view. But after hearing the inexplicable chirping of birds every morning, we realized the quieter side may have been a plus.

The design and furnishings were clean and modern. A hip aesthetic, if a little theme-oriented. The bathrooms are great - roomy and sexy in all black tile. A big bathtub, too.

What we were most impressed by, embarrassingly, was the breakfast! A huge spread every morning with juice, coffee, pastries, fruit, hot sausages and eggs, yogurt... the list goes on. Since we were on a budget, I admit I swiped a few pastries for a mid-afternoon snack. Despite observing me stuff a few strudels in my purse, they didn't comment - another plus to a hotel's staff. We were disappointed that breakfast was shut down at 10:30. An 11 AM finish would have been a little more accommodating.

In addition, the hotel felt comfortably populated but not overcrowded - and at least for now, it didn't feel overrun with hipsters and scenesters.

We would definitely return to the Hotel Yasmin. It suited all of our needs and surpassed our expectations. Highly recommended as a unique alternative to the traditional Prague experience.

I read positive reviews about this hotel and decided to go with it based on the fact that it was new and in the center of Prague. I suggest you take the Cedaz van to get there after you exit the airport - it will cost 480kc for 1 person or 240 kc each for more than 1 but it's cheaper than the Prague Shuttle and efficient. The room was very quiet, comfortable, modern and clean and the breakfast had hot local fare as well as traditional cereals, fruits and pastries. My only complaint was that some of the conceirges tried to push day tours on me even though I just wanted bus and train schedules. You can do everything on you own and I strongly recommend getting a metro ticket and riding throughout the city to made the most of your time since there are so many wonderful places to visit. The hotel staff spoke English but were rude when there was a problem with them making my return confirmation with Cedaz on my return trip which was eventually resolved through the company and not by the hotel - therefore, book your own tours and any transportation - do not take taxis as they are expensive, unnecessary and unregulated. Overall the trip was well worth it and it was nice to come back to a clean and up-to-date room at the end of a busy day.