Old Town

Hotel Josef

★★★★★

Hotel Josef proves that you do not need to pay luxury prices to stay in style in the middle of Prague. It is a contemporary design hotel on Rybná, a quiet side street in the Old Town, a few minutes from Old Town Square and the Jewish Quarter, designed by Eva Jiřičná, the London-based Czech architect known for her sculptural glass staircases. Her hand is everywhere: a white, light-filled lobby with a spiral glass staircase, clean lines and natural materials, and 109 rooms with either limestone or glass bathrooms, the latter dramatic and open-plan, so check which you prefer when booking. The style is minimal and calm, a restful contrast to the Gothic and Baroque intensity outside. Breakfast is one of the hotel's pleasures, with a healthy buffet and à la carte dishes, and bread and pastries made fresh every morning in the hotel's own French bakery. The hotel also has a rooftop gym and sauna with panoramic views over the Old Town's roofs, and a private garden courtyard with café tables, a welcome green space in the dense centre. Service is friendly and efficient, and the atmosphere is relaxed and modern, attracting design-minded couples, solo travellers and business guests. The location is excellent for first-timers: Old Town Square is about five minutes on foot, the Jewish Quarter and Pařížská are around the corner, the Municipal House and the Náměstí Republiky metro are close, and Charles Bridge is a fifteen-minute walk through the Old Town lanes. Rates sit in the upper-middle range for Prague, offering strong value for the location and the design.

Location: Rybná is in the northeast of the Old Town, between Old Town Square and Republic Square, a quieter part of the centre with good restaurants and cafés in the surrounding streets, including the Dlouhá street, known for its bars and its popular beer hall. Everything in the Old Town is within walking distance, and trams and metro at Náměstí Republiky connect you to the rest of the city, including the main railway station for day trips to Kutná Hora and Český Krumlov.

Choosing the room: the hotel has two buildings around the courtyard; rooms on the upper floors have better light and some have terraces or views over the Old Town rooftops and spires, and are worth requesting. The glass bathrooms are part of the design statement but not for everyone, so choose limestone if you prefer privacy. The rooftop sauna after a day of walking is a treat, especially in winter.

The value case: Hotel Josef offers four-star comfort and real design credentials in one of the best locations in Prague, at prices well below the luxury hotels. It is an ideal base for a first visit, a city break for couples, or a design-focused trip; the trade-off is the lack of a full restaurant or spa, which matters little in a city full of both.