Residence Karolina – Prague City Apartments

This five-story Neo-Renaissance building dates back to the 1860s, when construction of the nearby National Theater commenced. Stately marble columns and high ceilings with crown molding greet arriving guests at the impressive staircase. The reception area is more modest and modern, with photos of Prague on white walls and simple, steel-framed black leather furniture on tan tile floors. A vintage photo of the building from 1910 graces a wall behind the two registration desks. With only 20 units and no central gathering place like a restaurant, this is a quiet property where guests don’t interact frequently. Tourists (including families) mostly stay here, but it’s not unusual to see business travelers on extended stays as well. 

Walking to many of Prague’s top attractions is a big advantage of staying at this hotel that’s located between Old Town and New Town in central Prague. Shops and restaurants surround the hotel, and it's within a two-minute walk to a tram station and a five-minute walk to a metro station. A large grocery store and pharmacy are four minutes away on foot. National Theater, near the banks of the Vltava River, is a three-minute walk, and it’s about eight minutes of walking to reach Wenceslas Square, Charles Bridge, and Old Town Square. Walking to the 11th-century Powder Gate, one of the city's original gates, takes about 14 minutes. Traveling via public transit to Prague Castle takes 15 minutes. The Vaclav Havel Airport Prague is a 35-minute drive or about 45 minutes by train. 

These clean residence-style apartments are decorated in a modern, minimalist fashion with little artwork on the white and beige walls and few other decorative elements. The apartments are exceptionally spacious and airy, with lots of windows. The color palette is mostly done in light earth tones, with occasional splashes of vibrant colors such as red, orange, and light green on accent items. Some differences between units exist in furnishings and layout, but expect to see high ceilings, hardwood floors, white duvets on the beds, upholstered sleeper sofas, dining tables, and desk. Stainless steel appliances are standard in the fully-equipped kitchens that include ranges, dishwashers, microwaves, Nespresso coffeemakers, and full refrigerators. Some of the apartments on the top floors have vaulted ceilings and skylights, along with Prague Castle views. The smart, flat-screen TVs are located in the living rooms -- no additional TVs were in any bedrooms we saw. One- and Two-Bedroom apartments are available, and many of the one-bedroom units have full and half bathrooms. Two-bedroom Apartments feature two full bathrooms, with a walk-in glass shower in one bathroom and a shower/tub combo in the second bathroom. The bathrooms are comfortably sized, and most feature tan marble vanities and floors and tan and white tiling. Laundry machine sets are standard amenities, as are safes, magnifying mirrors, and free Wi-Fi. Units facing the busy street -- especially units on lower floors -- can hear significant traffic noise. Daily housekeeping is provided.

Features are limited at this residence-style hotel. Guests can arrive and check in at all hours, as the reception desk is staffed 24/7. Arriving guests can take advantage of free ice water, coffee, and tea in the lobby, but no other food or beverages services are available. The hotel does offer a grocery delivery service for a fee. Other concierge services include babysitting, airport and train station transfers, tour assistance, and valet dry cleaning and laundry. The hotel does not have on-site parking, but the staff will help guests secure parking at a nearby public garage. Free Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the hotel, and pets are welcome with restrictions and a surcharge. Elevator service is provided to all five floors.