There are only a handful of hotels that feel like home to me (after living in hotels for six years) and Aria Hotel Prague is one of them. The first time I visited this music themed hotel was five years ago and despite a major rennovation this year, they’ve thankfully managed to keep the original charm of the hotel whilst adding all the mod cons now expected of a five star property. If you find yourself in Prague, here’s what you can expect from one of the cities’ most celebrated luxury hotels that maintains a homely feel with staff who remember you some five years later!
The Room: A View of the Vrtba Garden
The biggest draw card for me to this hotel is the room views over the Vrtba Gardens (make sure you book a room with the view!) This is one of the most tranquil places to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, which has become a hot spot on the tourist route around Europe in recent years (and is thus nothing short of overcrowded!)
The Vrtba Garden is only open in the spring/summer months, so the only way to view the gardens from October through April is by staying at the hotel. Furthermore hotel guests enjoy special “out of hours” visiting times in the warmer months and you can enjoy the gardens almost entirely to yourself until 9:00pm or even choose to book a private dining experience in the gardens!
When I stayed at the Aria Hotel five years ago with my mum, we were both in love with the city and the hotel, that we sometimes struggled to want to leave our little oasis despite having all of Prague on our doorstep to explore! The rooms have since been renovated to include all the modern perks: apple tvs (equipped with loads of movies and of course music this being a music themed hotel), central heating and lighting system, and beautiful double windows to keep out the cold weather.
The hotel also features a cinema room for guests to use, an extensive music and dvd library, an in-house restaurant, gym and spa facilities.
The Location: A stroll to Charles Bridge and Vltava River
Another major perk of this hotel is the idyllic location just a short 2 minute stroll from Charles Bridge in the Old Town, just by the Vltava River. From here you can explore the castle area in a matter of minutes, depending of course how long it takes you to climb those stairs! The Old Town Square is around a 15 minute walk across the Charles Bridge, making this the perfect location for first time visitors to Prague.
Prague by Night
One of my favourite things to do in Prague is explore by night, especially wandering along the Vltava river on either side. In around 20 minutes you can reach the Prague Dancing House (also formally known as the Fred & Ginger House) and from there you get a great view looking back to Prague castle all lit up at night.
Christmas in Prague
On this visit I was in Prague during Christmas which is a magical time of year to be in the Czech capital. There are Christmas markets spread across the city, though the best can be found in the Old Town Square itself. While you’re there be sure to climb the Old Town tower for a view of the Christmas Markets from above and a 360 view of the city of Prague!
A very warm thank you to Aria Hotel for welcoming me back to experience the hotel at Christmas! All photos + opinions are my own.
Brooke Saward founded World of Wanderlust as a place to share inspiration from her travels and to inspire others to see our world. She now divides her time between adventures abroad and adventures in the kitchen, with a particular weakness for French pastries.
