Hotel Savoy

Hotel Savoy occupies an elegant, early 1900s Art Nouveau building with a rich history. It was once home to a popular cinema, and later became a hotspot hotel for celebrity guests, hosting everyone from Princess Caroline of Monaco to Sean Connery, Tina Turner, and the Spice Girls. It was renovated in the mid-1990s, and then again in 2015 (as of 2016, some entry-level guest rooms have not yet been renovated). The hotel has a grand, luxurious, and historic air, starting with its impressive, marble-floored lobby dotted with vintage furniture and bronze figurines. The library and bar are welcoming yet high-end, with a warm English-pub feel. The library features bright Art Deco-inspired carpeting in green and red paired with red upholstered armchairs and columns, a green marble fireplace, and paneled walls with inset bookshelves. With high-end services, comfy common areas, and extravagant suites, Hotel Savoy is ideal for leisure travelers and tourists, and is especially well liked by couples.

Hotel Savoy is situated on a wide cobblestone street in Prague's Castle District, which is home to historic landmarks, restaurants, and government buildings. The hotel is within walking distance of major attractions including the Strahov Monastery (six-minute walk), Prague Castle (10-minute walk), Petrin Lookout Tower (16-minute walk), Strahov Stadium (17-minute walk), and Charles Bridge (20-minute walk). While it's about a 25-minute walk across the bridge into the heart of the Old Town, this side of the river has the advantage of being quieter. Guests can also access the Old Town via a tram that stops just across form the hotel (tickets are available at reception). Václav Havel Airport is about a 20-minute drive from the hotel, or 50 minutes via public transit. The hotel can arrange town car service or airport transfers. Self- and valet-parking are available, but both cost extra fees. 

The hotel offers 49 rooms and seven suites, which range from spacious entry-level rooms (344 square feet or 32 square meters) to the huge Royal Suite (882 square feet or 82 square meters), and many others in between. Rooms are individually decorated in a classic style, with high-end details and modern accents and amenities. Rich, dark wood furniture, bold wallpapered accent walls, and upholstered ottomans and armchairs are common elements. Suites can be truly elaborate with wooden floors, elegant vintage wood furniture, Persian carpets, marble fireplaces, and private terraces. Though some may find the layering of various patterns and styles a bit disjointed. All rooms feature modern, marble bathrooms, which usually include tubs, bidets, and toilets. Suites have two opulent, modern bathrooms with black tile floors, marble walls, and vessel sinks. 

All rooms are air-conditioned and include work desks, safes, 40- or 48-inch Smart TVs with satellite channels, and free Wi-Fi. They also include coffee/tea facilities, hospitality trays, and well stocked minibars. Bathrooms include slippers, robes, hairdryers, and individual toiletries. Rooms are well insulated against noise and face either the courtyard, street, or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

One downside: the hotel has been in the process of gradually renovating the rooms, and while most have been updated, the Deluxe and Executive Rooms have not. Though they are well kept and tasteful, they lack the luxurious feel and contemporary air of the redone rooms -- that is, they can feel dated. Note that so-called Superior Rooms are entry-level rooms that have been updated.

Hotel Savoy is packed to the brim with the requisite high-end amenities guests expect from high-end establishments. Hradčany Restaurant -- which features a retractable roof and grand piano -- serves seasonal Czech and international dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The breakfast buffet is included in room rates and guests tend to find it excellent, with a wide range of hot and cold dishes that vary daily. There's also a classic, English-style lobby bar and lounge, which serves afternoon tea. Room service is available into the evening and is free of charge. 

The Savoy has a small spa with a Finnish sauna (with a tiny plunge pool), a steam bath, and a whirlpool. Guests can also book massages and aromatherapy sessions. There's a tiny fitness room, but it's spare, with no decor and only weight-lifting equipment. The hotel's main common area is the library lounge, which has shelves full of books, a chessboard table, and a marble fireplace. Meeting and event venues are available on-site, including the Savoy Lounge, which has private access and a large terrace overlooking Prague.

The front desk is open 24-hours and a dedicated concierge can arrange private tours, book tickets, or arrange airport transportation, limo or car service, laundry and dry cleaning, and childcare. Children are accommodated with kids' menus, high chairs, and cribs. Valet and self parking are available, but cost an extra fee. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.