Wonderful, whimsical Waldstein (Hotel Waldstein (Prague, Czech Republic))

Member Name: ms_memory

Product:	Hotel Waldstein (Prague, Czech Republic)
Date:	14/04/09 (197 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Picturesque, family-run, full of character, great location for exploring but still peaceful

Disadvantages: Limited disabled access

I booked a weekend in Prague with my dad in February and was anticipating a stay at Hotel Mucha, since I love Art Nouveau. When we arrived we were told there was a problem with our booking (which I'd done online through the Easyjet website) and we were going to be transferred to another hotel belonging to the same group (AVE Hotels). I was pretty disappointed but soon changed my mind when our taxi pulled up at the wonderful Hotel Waldstein!


*** Location ***

The hotel is in Mala Strana, on the opposite side of the river to the centre of the old town, about 5-10 minutes' stroll from Charles Bridge and 5 minutes' walk from the metro station/ tram stop Malostranska. Despite being slightly out of the centre it is still a great location, with the Kafka museum, a cosy English bookshop and a labyrinth of picturesque café-lined streets to the east towards the river, and the castle complex high up on a hill to the west. The hotel itself is in a cobbled courtyard, next door to a beautiful complex of buildings belonging to the Senate Parliament and housing what looked like dining halls and ballrooms.

The road up to the hotel from the metro is winding and slightly steep, but luckily there wasn't too much traffic when we were there, save for the odd fleet of official-looking, sleek vehicles with tinted windows and various European flags, which must have had something to do with Prague's European Council presidency. The area felt very safe, even at night, specially since there were police everywhere guarding the government buildings.


*** A warm welcome ***

Hotel Waldstein is set back from the road at the far end of a courtyard. It's a sturdy, well-kept 14th century building with three stories and reminded me of a hunting lodge. The heavy oak door was opened by a very friendly man who dealt with us quickly and professionally, despite us having been moved there at the last minute.

Inside the country lodge theme was continued with dark wooden beams and moulding, whitewashed walls and varnished wood floors. The hotel is family-run - there is even a picture of the owner's great-grandparents in the foyer, which I though added a nice personal touch. The reception was a small room festooned with leaflets and brochures about the city, and, handily, an up-to-the minute weather forecast. A small lounge opened off the foyer, with leather armchairs, free Internet access and a bath/ shower room with a toilet.


*** Our room ***

Check-in was from 2pm. The sleeping quarters (all non-smoking) were accessed via a sturdy outside staircase and an ivy-covered, russet-hued wooden walkway that circled an inner courtyard. The doors of the rooms faced out on to the courtyard, which had picnic tables, and I can imagine it might get rather noisy in hot weather, but seeing as Prague was currently in the minus temperatures, we didn't have anything to worry about! The main door of our room opened into a small hallway, with a bathroom on one side and the bedroom on the other.

I was really taken with the decor - a beautiful painting of a forest in the hallway and religious icon-style paintings in the bedroom. They weren't too imposing - and I'm not religious - but I appreciated them for their aesthetic merit alone, and they fit well with the style of the room, which had dark beams like on the ground floor and a ceiling painted with faded rosebuds (I later found out this was an original Renaissance ceiling). One wall of the room had large windows that looked out on to the main courtyard where the hotel entrance was. The furniture was antique, heavy and dark - two intricately-carved sleigh beds with white cotton bedding, marble-topped bedside tables with brass lamps, a wardrobe and a desk. The only thing that looked slightly out of place was the flat screen television TV, but it was discreet as TVs go!

The bathroom had a deep bath with a decent shower attachment and was decorated with white tiles and brass lamps. Most importantly, it was spotlessly clean and had lashings of hot water. Soap and shampoo were provided.


*** Room facilities ***

The TV had a selection of European channels plus CNN. There was a kettle with coffee, fruit teabags and hot chocolate sachets, and this was the first room I'd been in that had shot glasses as standard. Alcoholic drinks cost between £1 and £3 pounds from the minibar.

There was a survey hidden inside the minibar menu which had already been filled in by a British couple who'd stayed in our room before us. I thought they seemed quite satisfied with the hotel until I reached the final comments box, where they had written in large capitals "FINGERNAIL FOUND!!!!!". The offending fingernail must have been removed, as we certainly didn't see it, and found the whole hotel to be spick and span.


*** A peaceful night's sleep ***

Although our room looked out onto the external courtyard I didn't hear a sound from outside all night, and there was no noise from the neighbouring rooms either. The radiators under the window stayed on until morning and even with just one quilt I was lovely and warm in my comfortable sleigh bed.


*** Breakfast ***

So far so good - the main test for me is always the breakfast buffet, and we weren't disappointed with this either. Served between 8am and 11am in what looked like a former wine cellar (and accompanied by the dulcet tones of 'Abba Gold'!), the meal comprised different kinds of breads, cereals, milk, yoghurt, a cheese platter, a selection of cold meats, boiled eggs, fresh and tinned fruit, honey and jams. On top of this there were also some Czech delicacies including a very moreish poppy seed cake. I always like it when there are interesting regional foods alongside the usual breakfast fare. To drink there were several different kinds of juices and teas, as well as strong coffee.

Although the buffet was self-service, a member of staff kept coming down to check that everything was ok and clear the tables. Like his colleagues, he was very friendly and smiley and spoke good English.


*** Check out ***

We had to vacate our room by 11am, but we had a few hours before we needed to catch the train and were allowed to leave our luggage at the hotel free of charge while we did some more sightseeing.


*** Prices ***

The hotel cost us £37 per night for a twin room, which I think is fantastic value for a 4-star hotel in one of the nicer parts of town. It had the same star rating as the hotel we originally booked, which was also central, so I don't think we would have paid any more if we'd booked the Waldstein directly and not been moved from the Mucha. However, we did go out of season (February) and I can imagine that the price increases in the summer.


*** Conclusion ***

I was really taken with this hotel and and would definitely go back next time I'm in Prague. My dad was very impressed as well. He is not very old and is fit enough to walk up the winding streets from the metro, but this might be difficult for those who have trouble walking, especially in winter when the cobblestones can make it quite slippy underfoot. Providing disabled access isn't required though, this is definitely a parent-friendly hotel and is also suitable for a romantic getaway. There's nothing quite like stepping outside into the cobbled courtyard on a chilly, dark evening and seeing a sparkling Prague Castle towering high above you.

http://www.hotelwaldstein.cz/

Summary: One of the nicest hotels I've stayed in. Writing this has made me want to go back!