Maine Allen's Blog: In Prague with Charles IV

As you may have guessed from the awkward blog silence which has been hanging around for a while now, Shaun and I have been away for a couple of weeks. We went to the Czech Republic for our annual round of family visits and Prague holiday. It was just as amazing as we expected (we’re both madly in love with the city - and the food!)! But rather than swamping you with all the pictures I took over the past two weeks I thought that an interesting way to start is to do a hotel review. Personally I find it stupidly difficult to choose a hotel in a country you’re not familiar with - yet it’s such an immensely important factor of your holiday! I mean, Holiday Inn just won’t cut it when you’re in one of the most cultural cities in Europe, is it. Instead we ventured into the world of Graded apartments on perhaps the most famous street in Prague - Nerudova Street.

Last year we stayed in Residence Vlasska - a beautiful Graded apartment on the very same street (you can read more here). This year we opted for Residence Bijou de Prague - a similarly stunning Graded apartment just a few buildings up from Residence Vlasska. All the apartments are named after famous Czech personalities - ours was named after Charles IV, the first King of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor. How fancy is that! The room decor was absolutely amazing - exposed beams, antique furniture… even a little European bidet (ha, these always make me chuckle - really though, who does use them?!). The studio apartment comes with a tiny kitchenette - no hobs or microwave but you do get a kettle, a sink, and a mini fridge. Now the most impressive thing about this apartment was definitely the view! Not only that you can see the Nerudova Street in all its beauty (particularly gorgeous in the early morning) but you also get the view of the Prague Castle. And you’re just a 2 minute walk from the Castle itself!

If you’re planning on visiting Prague I most definitely recommend you book one of the hotels on Nerudova Street - both Residence Vlasska and Bijou de Prague will blow your socks off, especially if you’re one to enjoy historical places with a splash of character. You can find more about the hotel & the rates (surprisingly affordable me thinks!) here.

Have you been to Prague before?

If so, where did you stay?