I arrived at the Hilton Prague for the first part of a river cruise through Germany, the River of Lights River Cruise on Viking! Being a conference hotel outside of old town, I was a bit skeptical staying for a vacation. The hotel has some wonderful surprises (including a to-die-for breakfast) and some less-than-stellar features too, which Ill explain in my Hilton Prague Hotel review! Hopefully this post will help you decide if you want to book other accommodations or stay here in your journey through the Czech Republic. I would rate this a 4 out of 5 star hotel.
Hilton Prague Hotel Review… in Context
To put my Hilton Prague Hotel Review in context, I am a sucker for a luxury hotel. I am willing to pay and I generally do not complain about price if the value is there (though I love it when I can use points). I’m always working remotely so WiFi and a nice desk matter. So do comfortable linens, comfortable beds, great pillows, robes, a decent sized room… and room service.
Benefits to staying at the Hilton Prague Hotel
This might seem silly, but…
When staying abroad, it seems travelers are always searching for a money exchange. I know I am regardless of what I trade at the airport (which is a notoriously bad place to trade coin!) Many tourists get ripped off with higher than going exchange rates .. or worse. A companion I traveled with recently didn’t count his money immediately. He was ripped off, and when he went back to get the rest of his $100US, the exchange “company” said he had only handed him a hundred instead of two hundred.
At this hotel, it is easy to exchange cash or withdraw money at an automated money changer downstairs. The Czechoslovakians sure know how to make it easy to spend in their local currency.
WiFi, Cell Service and Internet in Prague and the Hilton
Wifi in the surrounding area (and their insanely fast LTE network, the first in the world to offer the speeds they do) is reasonably fast, but be prepared to fork over some pretty pennies for it. If you are on Verizon, turn on Travel Pass for $10 a day to use your usual data and minutes.
This Brings Me to Breakfast.. The Most Important Meal of the Day!
Nothing. Touches. The. Breakfast. Here. It’s included in your stay and it’s downstairs. Don’t miss it.
Other Amenities
The hotel has a tub, which I always love (not just a shower). The workspace was decent for the very tiny rooms. (I mean tiny!) Pillows and linens were comfortable. Elevators were lightning fast – and lots of them. You won’t wait long for anything here. The spa is incredible and so is the gym.. as good as home, complete with trainers.
Downsides to be Aware Of
If you want to shop in the Czech Republic, the hotel gift shops aren’t the place to do it. Some conference hotels have good variety and local goods. Theirs were overpriced and lacking in variety. It’s quite a ways from old town but it is walkable. I did it every day, jetting across busy roadways. I don’t recommend that, but coming from NYC it felt safe to me. The twin beds (the rooms that come with the Viking deal) are super small and hard. Have housekeeping add extra down if you want to make it softer. The room had an outside facing window but very limited view, which was a disappointment. The air conditioning didn’t get very cold, the room was very small, room service was non existent, there were no robes or other small comforts.
Advice
The bellmen will steer you to cars that are twice as expensive as taxi’s. Use an app or get a taxi. It’s incredibly busy here – incredibly. Constant rush of people. If you want quiet, go to the other Hilton in old town. Don’t forget to visit old town or allow time! One to one and a half days is sufficient. It’s a small city. The CZ is a very safe place but take the usual precautions… zippered bag, something study you can’t cut the strap off of, keep your passport in your room safe, and so on.
