Archive for the Prague category
Tuesday, Oct 3rd, 2006
Categories: Prague
After a quick walk from the centre we finally arrive at the Advantage Hostel. We introduce ourselves at the reception and wait in the small chill out room, for a good 10 minutes before Jakub, the manager, sits with us. At the corner of the room are 2 computers which provide 20 minutes of free internet. The Hostel opened in 1998 so is one of the first hostels in Prague. They are members of the YHA but do not depend on them. After a quick meeting, Jakub showed us the dorms on each floor. It is very clean and spacious. Reading lights are placed next to each bed and lockers in every room but there is carpet on the floor. Beautiful pictures of Prague made by the receptionist were hung on the walls. In the basement is a very kitsch restaurant from which the hostel is renting the service to offer free breakfast to their customers. After having a long tour we finally took off for the Czech Inn
The Czech Inn Only 7 months old and already their reputation precedes them. It is in what use to be an old post office in which Matthias, the owner of Sir Toby’s, decided to build his new baby. Totally modern, the reception looks like an apple store, simple, modern and light. We introduced ourselves to Lenka, the reception manager, who took us for a tour. They have 130 beds divided in 5 floors. First floors are for dorms, the fourth and fifth are for private rooms and apartments.
They are always fully booked of course so it’s better to book in advance. They also have one of a kind bar/restaurant downstairs, where you can enjoy delicious but affordable menus and great beers. I know, it’s already affordable in general in Prague but here it is even cheaper. Don’t miss the happy hour, it is worth the money and the fun. You can also enjoy your drink or your meal on the patio outside. The tram station is next to the hostel and it only 5 minutes from the old town. Jowita and I agree. This place looks awesome!!
After 5 tube stops and about half an hour walk, we managed to find the Hostel V. Podzamci. We were surprised
to find only tennis courts next to it. We only realised later that the hostel building actually belongs to the tennis club. It is a very basic accommodation hostel. Nothing fancy but good people, always ready to help. It opened in 1992 and is one of the oldest hostels in Prague.
Located next to the train station and only 10 minutes from the old town, the Hostel Aparcay appears to be one of the most affordable hostels in Prague. After a quick briefing, we take a tour of the property. It is divided in 2 buildings 30 meters away from each other. The tram station is right in front of the hostel. One building has dorms and the other private apartments. Rooms are clean, cosy and designed. The manager has thought about every detail which could please the backpacker.
Comprehensive list of Prague Hostels
For more information on getting around Prague go to Prague Public Transit Co
Tuesday, Oct 3rd, 2006
Categories: Prague
Our first appointment was meant to be at the hostel Centre but we acknowledged their cancellation only half an hour before to show up. While Jovita is doing her emails, I call the Hostel Marabou to apologize about our non show yesterday and leave a message to Ana. After that we decide to call the Hostel Krakovska to find out if we can just pop in to visit. They agree.
Mouaran, one of the Hostel Krakovska managers, the other one being his wife Dana, welcomes us with a big smile while he opens the door. He knows our names!! I’m surprised!! The building is in a perfect location. Between the museum and the dance clubs, not to mention the stripers….It is perfect for stags, for families or school groups. They are quite small though…Only 50 beds but they have constantly upgraded the number of their apartments since they opened in 2002. They now rent 10 of them.
The panel of their rooms goes from twin to 7 beds max. They are redoing the cable network and the electricity so there were holes on the walls. There are obviously rebuilding the place. The apartments look clean and simple.
It is spacious, quiet and warm, with wooden floor and single beds in every room. No bunk beds. It is pretty decent. Mouaran shows us the future room for the reception. Something they don’t have at the moment. Dana offers us a tea in their home which is located in the building. Mouaram ask our advices about the reception and ask us if we think dorms would be a good idea or not. I told him to try maybe with one at first and see how it goes. After answering all of their questions and delivering the T-shirts, posters and flyers, we make our way downstairs and outside and say goodbye.
That place is definitely only apartments for now and not a hostel yet, no chill out room, no shared kitchen or space where you can meet people, but I sense the managers want to give some personality to the place.
Hostel Le Papillon is just located 15 minutes away from Wenceslas square, this hostel looks like a family hostel. With 60 beds, dorms, private rooms, apartments a small kitchen and reception this hostel feels very warm, cosy and tight. Suzanna, the manager confesses that she completely forgot about us and takes time out of her schedule to invite us in and take a seat. She tells us how well she knows Martin and Mareck, owners of the Golden Sickle and many other hostels in Prague. Then she decides to show us the rooms. We start with a dorm next door to the reception which looks cosy with wood and warm colours. After a quick look at the kitchen right next door, Suzanna takes us to the second part of the building where she shows us a couple of 2 beds apartments. For the price of 20 euros per person per night, for a two beds apartments and centrally located I would say this is pretty convenient and affordable. They are open to business for groups. Funny enough Mirella had called 10 minutes before we showed up and managed to find availability for her group.
Located on the main shopping street, Vaclavske Nameski,the equivalent of Oxford Street for London, or Las Ramblas for Barcelona, Apart house 20 offers 8 affordable apartments for 2 to 6 people. We showed up on time. Ana the receptionist welcomed us and told us Yana, who is the manager and also Mareck’s wife, would be there in 15 - 30 minutes. She asked us to wait outside as they didn’t have any waiting room, and the reception was big enough for only one person. Jovita went straight to the Pizzeria downstairs and found her table straight away. The food was good and very affordable. Right after we paid the bill Yana came to look for us. She introduces us to Mareck who is the owner of the Golden Sickle. Mareck show us the apartments. There are 2 apartments per floor. The building looks old and it is actually the first hostel in Prague which doesn’t have an elevator when it is necessary to have one. The rooms are clean, furnished with old second hand furniture, but it does the job. During our interview Mareck offers us to quickly visit Yana second property, Hostel Albert. Although it wasn’t in our schedule Jovita persuades me that we have enough time, plus, Mareck offers to drive us there with his car and will drop us to our next destination after that.
To be honest I haven’t seen much of the Hostel Albert , just the reception. I tried to make conversation with Mareck but we found ourselves lost in translations. The location of the hostel is not as central so the price is more affordable. They have 50 beds here. No spirit in the place really. I hope the pictures will describe the place better. It is clean as far as I’ve seen.
It is only 5 minutes away from the VysehRad Castle which is one of the most famous monument in Prague. It was a very quick visit. We jump back in the car, drive us to Jecna Street, say thank you and goodbye
We arrived at Hostel City Centre. We actually managed to make it on time. We look for the entrance and a sign but we can’t see the name of a Hostel. So we pick the first entrance which looks quite classy. After walking the stairs on a red carpet we arrive at what we think is the reception only to find out that this place is actually a strip club. I wish it could have been a hostel. That might explain why I was so disappointed with the hostel. Anyway, we go out and finally find the right entrance. The entrance says the Hostel name in very small writing and Hotel de l Opera in big letters. Both names are for the same place. This is a hotel, not an hostel at all. They just dedicate one floor to Hostelbookers availability, and the rooms are not really clean. The carpet looks used, old and of poor quality. There is no spirit what so ever. The location is not very central. The funny thing is the breakfast room that they use is an old opera room. But apart from that there’s nothing really special to mention.
Comprehensive list of Prague Hostels
For more information on getting around Prague go to Prague Public Transit Co
Tuesday, Oct 3rd, 2006
Categories: Prague
We headed to the Golden Sickle Hostel; actually it was just downstairs. The Golden Sickle generously offered us complimentary rooms for our stay. We started the interview with Katja Prazakova, the actual manager of the place.
It was a pleasure for me to finally meet her after having spoken to her so many times on the phone for about a year. She was as sweet as usual. We started our meeting on time, although Katja and her staff seemed a bit lost and didn’t know how to handle our presence; she obviously didn’t have much time for us.
We sat around one of the bar tables, placed in the big paved courtyard of the hostel with a coffee and our first cigarette. I was actually surprised by the weather, 25 degrees for the end of September is not bad, and the forecast seems in our favour for the whole week, we’ll see about that. After checking their backoffice together and having them explain to us about the history of the hostel, Caterina who had joined us, took me on a tour in the different rooms of the hostel meanwhile Jovita was getting T shirts for the Girls and gathering the info for the next properties for us to visit. This place is HUGE… Not so much with the number of beds…only 104 …but huger in a matter of space. All rooms are very spacious and are obviously apartments turned into dorms. Therefore we find most of the big dorms having bathroom and kitchen inside. They also have private rooms and apartments.
All the rooms have oak wooden floor, which I think is the best because the floor remains clean and the material is durable. Unfortunately the owner is thinking about putting carpet on it. Most of the rooms are clean, although a touch of paint wouldn’t be a bad idea. The smell of moisture is here but not that strong. Their customers are backpackers, groups but also long term residents who are staying in apartments. But only 2 of the apartments are taken. Caterina told me they’re not so happy about it because they can be very noisy sometimes. After the tour of the Hostel Jovita and I say goodbye to Theresa who’s been in Prague since Sunday and who’s leaving for I don t remember where. We say goodbye to Katja and get on our way to the next property. Also there is just a small sign on the front door saying Golden Sickle Hostel. The sign is so small the past night we were not sure we arrived at the right place. Also I have to salute the free internet and computer use. It comes in very handy especially when writing this report.
After a 30 minutes walk in the beautiful old Prague, we found ourselves in front of the Apple Hostel entrance. It is located in an old building right in the centre of the old Prague. Really great location, it has about 350 beds so is pretty big and very good for individual or groups. I finally get to meet Martin who is the manager and owner of the place. It is funny how you imagine people on the phone. I am always so surprised to realise how different people can actually look. This time it was a 30 years old man that we were meeting. I actually start to realise, due to my previous experience with visiting hostels in Berlin, that most of the hostels managers and owners are actually pretty young (between 30 and 40 years old) for such experienced and successful business people. The hostel has 5 beds to 8 beds dorms with shared facilities. Only two rooms are private and two are private ensuite. This hostel is clean, cheap and in a very good location. After a very brief interview and confused indications from Martin to get to the next hostel we head out.
Well, things didn’t quite stick to the plan. It is only after talking to Mareck, the manager of the place that we realised we were not at Sir Toby’s Hostel which was supposed to be the next hostel on our list but the Old Prague Hostel. The contact information page mentioned the wrong address. Mareck, the manager was surprised to see us coming in so early and just had time to finish his sandwich. What a shame!! For once we were early…it was not even the right hostel!! While I was interviewing Mareck, Jovita is taking pictures of the rooms. With a rating of over 84 percents on our website, Mareck knows what he is doing, I believe it is a nice hostel, although I have seen only the reception which reflects a real backpacker hostel with flags and T shirts from all over the world on the wall and so on…I think the pictures and the ratings will speak for themselves. Mareck loves backpackers and groups but doesn’t quite like stag groups. Although agrees to take them, realising that he needs them as well. Same story all around Europe I guess…Clean and centrally located, this place is great for backpackers.
We finally arrive to Sir Toby’s Hostel entrance where we are stunned by the design first from the outside,,,1930 s black and white pictures in the windows…a kind of art deco logo stating the name of the hostel. In the inside there’s wood everywhere. More than clean, at the same time it looks brand new and ageless…very stylish…with black and white pictures on the wall…rusty boxes used as ashtrays, outside only, no smoking inside. This place reminds me more of a very cosy artistic home rather than a hostel. Pure quality is the word to describe this place I would say. All the details are worked at their best. From floor to ceiling, not to mention the beds, each one having its own light, so you don’t bother others you share the room with, and big lockable suitcase wooden boxes underneath the bed so you have a big safe space for your big suitcase. This hostel is really cosy. They have a beautiful kitchen so you can cook your own food, and believe me, even if you’re not up for cooking, the act of being in that kitchen and smelling others’ dinners forces you to bring up your best recipes. Let’s not forget to mention the kittens in the backyard who are learning how to fly from grapevines and make Jovita fall on her knees.
Although the location is not the best, it’s no surprise if they are fully booked most of the year round.
After finding our way through the Tram traffic, we manage to find the A and O Hostel quite easily. We meet Sebastian, the manager, who directs us straight to the basement for our chat. They use the basement as a bar. He guesses we’re over coffees and offers us a large panel of fruit juices…I go for a mix…Banana, orange and cranberry, oh…I know…what should I say…let s go crazy…we live only once…he tells us about the history of the building which is over 200 years old…the hostel of course is only few years old…A and O Gmbh are actually renting the place since last august 2005. It has been completely refurnished…the whole hostel is brand new, or at least looks like it.
During the meeting Sebastian bring up pertinent technical questions and ideas. Like putting a link icon for Prague next to the other icons for New York, Sydney or Paris on our main page, Also he wanted to know how our group booking system was working and was delighted to hear it is a free service. He was disappointed with one particular website which he paid a fee of 2000 euros for, only to get enquiries from groups which he doesn’t even have availability for. He also mentioned the ratings. Jovita explained it to him. Finally, he asked if we had any records of booking cancellations so he could study how much the terrorist alerts in airports influence periods of massive cancellations. We then headed for a tour of the rooms. They have some private and some dorm rooms. Some shared some ensuite. For the future, Sebastian wants his property to become a Hostel/Hotel. This hostel is very clean and perfect for groups as well, although not very central. Once again the A and O’s hostels have demonstrated a very warm welcome to Hostelbookers.com. Sebastian even invited us around tonight at 9 pm for a nice pop folk American gig at their bar, something that I am not doing now because I have to write this report.
Comprehensive list of Prague Hostels
For more information on getting around Prague go to Prague Public Transit Co
