A Historic Stay at the Hotel Elite Prague

Prague is one of those popular touristy cities where hotels are a dime a dozen and finding the perfect one can feel like sifting through endless listings. One thing in particular which I found when researching hotels in Prague was that the image you’d see in the featured on any booking site was never the room you would end up booking. Prague has some fantastical suites but usually the standard rooms in these hotels are pretty boring. So unless you were willing to shell out for the luxury suite, which comes with a comparable “luxury” price point, you’ll find yourself staying in a rather drab room. Luckily, I had the pleasure of staying at the Hotel Elite Prague during our time in the city.

I say luckily since I ended up having one of my worst days of vertigo while in Prague and being able to rest and recuperate in such a beautiful environment definitely helped. What otherwise is a pretty miserable experience was made all the more bearable by staying in such a special place. Usually, you aren’t in your hotel room all day when travelling, so my almost full day in the hotel really gave me the chance to appreciate all the little details and comforts this place provides its guests.

Location

One of the most important aspects of a hotel after comfort, is always location. Being able to pop out of your place in the morning and get the right to exploring the city is super convenient. It’s only a 10-minute walk to the Old Town square and 12-minutes to the Charles Bridge. But the hotel is located just enough outside the busy tourist centre that it feels more like living in an authentic Czech neighbourhood. And you don’t have the loud voices of crowds of travellers waking you up at all hours.

History

Hotel Elite Prague, located along a peaceful cobblestone street, is set inside a 14th-century old monastery. So much of the old building has been preserved, so you feel like you are staying in a piece of Prague’s history. In 1723 the building was used as a guesthouse during the coronation of King Charles VI. Everywhere you look it feels like there is a story to be told and history is simply steeped inside the walls of this hotel.

Rooms

There is something about staying inside a piece of history that adds a spectacularly unique touch to your experience. The dimly lit hallways feel romantic, like you staying inside an ancient manor house. 

The renovations made to bring the 14th-century building up to modern standards are pretty seamless. Each room provides all the mod-cons you’d expect from a hotel. The bathrooms are clean while still being a bit modest, which is much more budget-friendly. It’s always lovely that a hotel with this much history is also financially accessible to more travellers. So often, historic hotels are pretty pricey and therefore not an option for many people. But the Hotel Elite tries its best to scale back where it can, to allow its price point to be more accessible.

The standard rooms are beautifully decorated but if you really want to splash out, go for the Renaissance style suites! We booked one of these rooms as the ceilings featured the most elaborate paintings from the 17th century. These pieces are actually protected by the Town Hall as a historical monument of Prague. Dotted throughout the hotel are collectibles, original furniture, and antique parquet floors, which add to the building’s historical atmosphere.

Breakfast

Depending on your booking, breakfast may or may not be included. If your breakfast is not included, it costs 225 CZK per person (around $10 USD). While we had this included in our stay and thoroughly enjoyed it, I wouldn’t pay that much if you had the choice. They have everything you’d expect from a breakfast buffet; cereals, fresh fruit, pastries, cold cuts and made to order omelettes. But for $10 USD, I think you can go out somewhere else in Prague and have a much more authentic breakfast. Compared to the price of the full meals at their restaurant you do feel there is a “tourist tax” employed here for the breakfast menu.

Élite Garden restaurant

Located in the hotel’s courtyard is the Élite Garden restaurant, which specializes in traditional Czech cuisine. The open-air garden was a wonderful place to come and have a drink at night or enjoy a snack in the middle of the day. The delightful greenery and charming statues surrounding the courtyard make for the loveiest dining experience.

The restaurant uses ingredients from local producers and farmers and blends traditional recipes with modern culinary trends. Their lunch menu featuring a 3-course meal is only 145 CZK per person ($6 USD), which is even cheaper than the breakfast! Their dinner menu is ala cart but has a selection of seasonal offerings, which are always my go-to! I loved the grilled spicy pork ribs with cabbage salad and horseradish! For only 195 CZK ($8 USD), its an amazingly filling meal!

Facilities

In addition to the beautiful garden courtyard where guests can relax outside, there is a small spa on-site. There is an extra cost to use facility but at 500 CZK per person ($20 USD) I would give it a miss. Inside you’ll find a small spa with a sauna and whirlpool. But when I say small, I mean small as the facilities are just big enough for 2 people. This seems super overpriced so we skipped this altogether. They also seemed to offer massages, but these came with mixed reviews.

If you’re looking for a spa experience in Prague, I would recommend Sauna Central. For 2 hours inside the spa, it costs merely 375 CZK ($16 USD). Their facilities include 4 saunas and 1 steam room, a cooling pool, a relaxing cafe and even options for a private wellness room. These private rooms are perfect for couples and include your own private sauna and jacuzzi. These rooms cost 1000 CZK for 1-hour but for two people.

Accessibility

The elevator serves one side of the hotel and there is a way to cross to the other side. Ask the front desk staff for help accessing it should you require the elevator.

Staff

Although we found that not all the staff members spoke English, you are after all in another country, so some communication difficulties are to be expected. But the staff were always incredibly kind and patient. They even were a great help to me when I wasn’t feeling well and aided us to find a pharmacy and figure out what to ask for.

All in all, the Hotel Elite in Prague was such a highlight of our time in the city. I sincerely hope to go back and stay in another room to experience another side of the history hidden in those walls.

Let me know in the comments where you’ve stayed in Prague and what you recommend. Or, if you’re travelling there for the first time, let me know what you’re looking for in a hotel.

Happy Travels, Adventurers!