The 10 Best Hotels in Prague

You can’t get more centrally located than the Four Seasons Hotel Prague, which occupies three buildings in the medieval heart of Staré Mesto (Old Town). The hotel’s interiors are a mash-up of Romanesque, Art Nouveau, and Baroque—though it’s the 110 contemporary rooms remodeled by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon with their old-fashioned crystal chandeliers and white-and-gold wallpaper that make the biggest design statement. Don’t miss a meal at CottoCrudo, the stylish on-site Italian restaurant, which is as good for brunch as it is for dinner.

Celebrities can’t resist the quiet vibe surrounding this iconic grand dame, which feels hidden despite its close proximity to landmarks like Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. (David Bowie, Sean Connery, and Marilyn Monroe have all checked in here.) While the hotel’s Art Nouveau façade dates back to 1882, the inside is far more modern. A working fireplace and grand piano greet guests in the lobby; upstairs, 55 rooms have marble baths and top-of-the-line amenities. After a day of sightseeing, book a well-deserved massage at the spa before dinner at Hradčany, where you can try traditional Czech specialties like roasted duck with red cabbage, caramelized walnuts, and potatoes or Pilsner beef goulash with Carlsbad dumplings and parsley onion.

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Hoteliers Olga Valtrova and her son Richard tapped a host of designers to ensure that every corner of the Emblem is photo-ready. The result does not disappoint. Not a single detail was overlooked, from the hand-picked wallpaper lining the hallways to the commissioned copper lamps, leather walls, and original artwork in the 59 guest rooms. Despite the building’s (and therefore guest rooms’) relatively small size, the Emblem packs a punch when it comes to amenities: there’s a top-floor spa and gym with stunning city views, an all-American steakhouse, and a multi-room hangout space where guests gather for complimentary coffee and tea, daily happy hours, and nightly movie screenings.

A row of historic houses—including an 1800s print shop and a 14th-century monastery—was an unusual choice for typically sleek Mandarin Oriental. The hotel blends right into the cobblestone cityscape of Prague’s Latin Quarter. Inside, the 99 rooms are all individually decorated but distinctly on-brand with their limestone bathrooms and plush fabrics, as are the restaurants, which serve European and pan-Asian cuisine (try the foie gras spring rolls or sea bass and Kerala curry). We love the building’s original details like the baroque colonnade that serves as the hotel lounge and the former Cistercian chapel turned spa.

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If these walls could talk: Hapsburg Emperor Rudolf II—and, if rumors are true, astronomer Tycho Brahe—called what’s now the Golden Well Hotel home back in the day. Because the Renaissance-era building was built along the sloping castle hill, no two rooms are alike in shape—though you’ll find all 19 are spacious and beautifully appointed with period furniture, wooden floors, landscapes by Czech painters, and French windows that look out over the city rooftops. You can enjoy the same stunning views at the top-floor bar and restaurant, which has three terraces where you can dine on lauded local chef Pavel Sapík’s sea-centric dishes. Get the pan-fried sea bass with white asparagus and artichokes or Argentinian angus steak with foie gras rougié and Piedmonte black truffles.

For something a bit more off the beaten path, head out to leafy Vinohrady, whose quiet, contemplative setting couldn’t be more perfect for Le Palais Art Hotel. As its name suggests, this 19th-century Belle Époque mansion is a modern art-lover’s dream, filled with sketches by Le Corbusier and paintings by Czech graphic artist Miloš Reindl. The chandeliers, vaulted ceilings, and mosaic-tiled floors create a romantic vibe in the public spaces, while the bright magenta and orange sofas add pops of color to the guests rooms. Stop for lunch at the hotel’s Artista Restaurant, which serves Czech classics like grilled asparagus with smoked horseradish and Prague ham—a subtle homage to the building’s former life as a butcher shop.

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At Hotel Josef, in the Medieval Quarter, the Czech-born, London-based architect Eva Jiřičná has scrapped Prague’s penchant for traditionalism in favor of a fresh, more modern look. There are Apple computers at check-in; a glass-and-steel spiral staircase; and 109 guest rooms spread out between two minimalist buildings with standout details like glassed-in bathrooms, orange throw blankets, and metal sunshade windows that look out onto a central courtyard. All this, plus the affordable price tag, more than makes up for the lack of full-service restaurant at the property.

This 19th-century neoclassical palazzo and former bank is as impressive inside as it is out. The entrance hall wows with its alabaster columns, walls lined with friezes, and oversize chandeliers—as does the cigar bar (which houses one of Europe’s oldest cognac vaults) and dimly lit Roman spa. Upstairs, the guest rooms are fit for royalty—if you can swing it, book a suite, which has one-of-a-kind period furniture and gorgeous stucco ceilings.

We’d be lying if we said the best feature about the Augustine wasn’t its incredible location—the property is made up of seven historic buildings in and around a 13th-century Augustinian monastery in picture-perfect Malá Strana. While monks still live close by (you might even spot them strolling the grounds), the hotel’s new interiors by Olga Polizzi are anything but monastic: there’s a glass-walled courtyard restaurant and Art Deco and Cubist chairs in the 101 guest rooms, some of which retain their original iron doors and windows and Gothic stone archways. Hit up the Refectory Bar in the barrel-vaulted hall for monk-made brews.

Once owned by Emperor Rudolf II, this intimate 17th-century sleep in Prague’s Castle District has lost none of its charm. Public spaces, including a small library and a breakfast room, are an eye-catching mix of whites and woods and filled with art and antiques. Upstairs, just eight guest rooms are spread out among two floors, the highest of which feature views over the city’s rooftops and Petřín gardens. But even if you’re on the lower floor, you can still enjoy those same vistas from the hotel’s two terraces, where guests are often found enjoying the fresh air alongside breakfast or drinks.