Luxury Travel by thirdpassport

As a city, Prague embodies the essence of a fairy tale. With its picturesque architecture, cobblestone streets, and a rich history, it’s no wonder that the city leaves a lasting impression on visitors.

I have recently returned from a whistle stop tour of Europe, conducting destination research and visiting various hotels in each city. Prague was the final stop of my trip where I spent 3 nights at the luxury lifestyle hotel Andaz Prague. Did I leave the best hotel for last? Read on to find out!

The Andaz Prague hotel is a member of Hyatt Privé (“Hyatt Privé is a collective of travel advisors who work in concert with participating Hyatt hotels and resorts to deliver extraordinary travel experiences to their premium clientele“).

This partnership allows me to offer exceptional experiences and additional benefits when you book with me. At the time of writing, these include:

The Concept

“What makes Andaz hotels and resorts so entirely unique is the way in which each property taps into its surrounding local culture and neighborhood’s spirit to create an experience for guests that has an unprecedented level of authenticity – one guests can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.”

This is something I did notice when I stayed at the Andaz Prague. I was impressed with the myriad of thoughtful little design touches throughout the hotel that respected the building’s history and reflected local myths & legends, namely the Golem of Prague, the Slavic princess Libuše, and the two-tailed white lion watching over your dreams.

Location

The Andaz Prague is housed in the iconic Sugar Palace in the historical centre of Prague. It is only 7 mins walk (according to Google Maps) from the main railway station in Prague. The Old Town Square is within walking distance, along with many other iconic landmarks.

Arrival/Departure Information

I had arrived by train in the afternoon and just walked over to the hotel. On my departure, I got an Uber to the airport and that took about 30 mins. I was offered a welcome drink on arrival (champagne, beer, wine, tea, coffee) and went through the formalities.

I had booked a Hyatt Privé rate that included a 3rd night for free. The Reception team member presented me with the Privé welcome letter and walked me through the perks (Room upgrade, USD100 credit, daily breakfast for two, etc). They confirmed that I had been upgraded to a Standard King View room (more about that later) on the top floor. They then went through the breakfast opening hours, the facilities available, the location of the lifts, etc.

Overall 10/10 for the check in experience. I personally hate it when the process takes too long or when they do not offer enough information (e.g. breakfast hours, location of the lifts, etc) but thankfully that was not the case here.

The Room

I was travelling solo and booked an entry-level King Bed room and was upgraded to King Bed View on the top floor. I have ‘Quiet room’ selected on my World of Hyatt profile, which was acknowledged when I checked in. The room was indeed very quiet and I couldn’t hear the tram going by; something that I have seen other guests raise.

I had a view of Prague Castle in the distance and technically the room was overlooking the car park in front of the hotel but I couldn’t see it from my room. The car park was closed and featured an installation for the Signal festival that was taking place in Prague at the time.

While the room was perfectly comfortable for a solo traveler like myself, I would recommend a higher room category for those with more luggage or planning an extended stay. However, the option to unpack and request luggage storage from the hotel staff is always available.

This being an Andaz hotel, you get complimentary mini bar of local non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. Coffee (Nespresso) and tea making facilities plus water bottles replenished in the evening for turndown service.

My absolute favourite feature, though, was the motion-sensor-activated night lights. As someone who has often fumbled for light switches in the middle of the night while jetlagged, this thoughtful touch was a welcome relief.

Dining

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and the Andaz buffet and a la carte selection was really impressive, both from a presentation perspective but also flavourful. The avocado toast was one of the best I’ve ever had. One I will be ordering again next time I stay there.

Dinner was good too, but being a solo diner stuck between two tables of 5-6 people meant that service was a bit hit & miss. This was served at ZEM Prague, where the US$100 credit when you book a Hyatt Privé rate can be used. The manager and assistant manager were great whenever they went past, but I honestly had no idea who the waiter that was supposed to be looking after me was as different people took different part of the order and and others delivered the actual dishes. Which made it difficult to decide how much to tip!

Other Amenities

I do enjoy a good workout and the fitness centre in the Andaz Prague had everything I needed, offering cardio equipment, weight-training equipment and free weights, yoga mats and associated accessories.

A steam room, sauna, and relaxation area is available for hotel guests, and it’s a great way to unwind after a day of sight seeing, especially if the weather had been cold or wet. A spa is also available offering massages and beauty treatments. At the time of my visit, the cosmetics and treatments were of the natural organic Klara Rott line, but that has changed since my stay.

‘Andaz Hour’ takes place every day between 5-6pm. Currently in collaboration with Pigmentarium, you use your sense of smell to select one of three perfumes and the in-house mixologist prepares a complimentary cocktail based on the selected scent. It’s a nice touch and a great place to meet before dinner or to socialise with other hotel guests. A menu featuring some fascinating cocktails is also available. The classic cocktails can also be ordered too.

Pros/Cons of the Property

Pros

• Location – Great starting point for exploring the old town
• New hotel with brand new facilities and some exciting tech in-room
• World of Hyatt points
• The food was delicious. Period.
• Clean & comfortable interior
• Excellent fitness facilities and a good spa

Cons

• Depending on the room location, it may get noisy when the tram goes past the hotel.

Summary

I stayed for 3 nights at the Andaz Prague hotel and my stay couldn’t have been any better. From the welcome drink, cocktail during Andaz hour every day, complimentary mini bar with local soft drinks and snacks, room upgrade, daily breakfast, and $100 credit.

My room was comfortable, service was friendly, and the food was really good.. I also liked that even though the hotel is part of a chain, there are thoughtful little design touches throughout that respect the building’s history and reflect local myths & legends.

During my stay in Prague, I visited a few other hotels, so if you’re looking for something more boutique, or a hotel with a DIOR Christmas tree, let me know! Prague is a fairy tale city all year round but even more so around Christmas.