Old Town Square

Hotel U Prince Prague by BHG

★★★★★

If you want to wake up on Old Town Square itself, Hotel U Prince is the address. It occupies a historic town house at Staroměstské náměstí 29, directly opposite the Old Town Hall and its Astronomical Clock, in a building whose history the hotel traces back to the twelfth century and which was once known as At the Black Angel. After a careful reconstruction that preserved its character, it is now a small, atmospheric hotel of 24 individually furnished rooms. Prague City Tourism describes rooms with parquet floors, Renaissance ceilings, and antique and historicist furniture, and the hotel lists singles, twins, doubles, deluxe doubles, a duplex junior suite and a large suite designed as a family room, some with balconies. The hotel's real calling card is the roof. Terasa U Prince, on the fifth floor, is a bar and grill with a 360-degree view over the Old Town: the towers of the Týn Church, the Old Town Hall, St Nicholas Church and, on the skyline, Prague Castle. It is partly covered and heated, so it operates year-round, and it is one of the best viewpoints in the city with a drink in hand, though non-residents come too, so it can be busy. On the ground floor, a restaurant serving Czech and international dishes has outdoor tables facing the Astronomical Clock, and in the basement Black Angel's Bar recreates a 1930s Prohibition-era cellar, with a menu built on the preserved notes and sketches of the early twentieth-century bartender Alois Krcha. The official listing adds 24-hour reception, a concierge and a pets-welcome policy.

Who it suits: couples on a romantic break, first-time visitors who want to be at the heart of everything, and families who book the family suite. The location is unbeatable for sightseeing: the Astronomical Clock is across the square, the Jewish Quarter and Pařížská are a few minutes north, Charles Bridge is ten minutes west through the lanes, and the Christmas market fills the square in late November and December.

The trade-offs: Old Town Square is the busiest place in Prague, with crowds, street performers and the hourly gathering at the clock, and noise can carry into front-facing rooms, especially during the Christmas market and on summer evenings. If you are a light sleeper, ask for a room at the back or on a higher floor. Rooms in a historic building vary in size and layout, and a few are snug.

Making the most of it: book a table on the rooftop terrace for sunset, or go up early in the morning before the crowds for photos. Save one evening for cocktails at Black Angel's Bar, which is a destination in its own right. Rates are upper mid-range, reflecting the location; compare them with the price of a rooftop dinner and a cocktail bar visit, and the address starts to look like good value. Because there are only 24 rooms, the family suite and the rooms with balconies are limited, so book early for spring, summer and the Christmas season.