# Prague



## sdelaney (11 Apr 2007)

does anyone have any hotel / b&b recommendations for Prague in the old town / new town area and near good pubs / clubs. Also how is the best way to get from the airport i have been advised not to get a taxi!


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## TreeTiger (11 Apr 2007)

I'd agree about getting a taxi (or rather, not getting one!) from the airport. I had to make 3 trips to Prague in autumn 2005, and used this lot http://www.prague-airport-shuttle.com/ who were great. Set (reasonable) price, English speaking driver who meets you with your name on a placard, and you get a handy little map of Prague. Book them ahead of 24 hours arrival if you can, but even if you can't they will probably sort you.

Sorry can't help with pubs/clubs but if you want any recommendations of restaurants I can help, Cafe Colonial, La Bodeguita del Medio & Red White & Blues come to mind. If you like beer, you'll be dead happy - it's cheaper than water! Can be got for as little as 55c a pint depending where you go.

Definitely stay in the Old Town area otherwise you'll pay a fortune to taxi drivers to bring you there anyway!

And bring your camera - Prague is very picturesque


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## sdelaney (11 Apr 2007)

Thank you TreeTiger great information - especially on the recommendation for the airport shuttle company. I heard the beer was cheap so I'd better not drink it like water though!! Now just have to find somewhere to stay


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## mudahawn (12 Apr 2007)

I don't know if prague is listed but [SIZE=-1]www.*toandfromtheairport*.com  is a good site for most airports.
[/SIZE]


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## Rovers1901 (12 Apr 2007)

There's a massive nightclub by Charles Bridge on the Old Town side of the river. 4 or 5 floors with different music on each floor. It's worth a visit.


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## sdelaney (12 Apr 2007)

mudahawn - thanks for the tip 

Rovers0601 - thanks do you have a name for the club?


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## Flexible (12 Apr 2007)

Yeah I could recommend the Airport Shuttle ( used it twice myself ) but second time noticed the Hotel I was staying at had a limo service that was much cheaper. Andels was the hotel name it gone expensive as it has become very popular.


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## sdelaney (12 Apr 2007)

flexible – thanks I managed to finally get somewhere Hotel Esplanade Prague [broken link removed] reasonably priced for a 5 star hotel and just off Wenceslas Square, which I think is a good area!


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## Rovers1901 (12 Apr 2007)

Can't remember the name. But as you walk over the bridge into the Old Town area you can see it on the riverbank to the right hand side. When you have croassed over the bridge just take the first right , the road runs under a building I think and walk down 100yds. The club will be on your right.


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## sdelaney (12 Apr 2007)

Thanks I will search it out!


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## z108 (12 Apr 2007)

Rovers1901 said:


> There's a massive nightclub by Charles Bridge on the Old Town side of the river. 4 or 5 floors with different music on each floor. It's worth a visit.




I have some really great Czech friends in Prague who I studied on erasmus student exchange with. I visit Prague and stay with them so I ve been to Prague about 10 times already.

One of them said that nightclub next to the bridge is pretty bad and the image he painted was as follows :  picture a floor full of strange beating music and guys wearing hoodies pulled over their heads smoking weed and not talking. maybe he really hates the place for personal reasons but he  told me everyone he knows hates it too.

However there is a really interesting nightclub ( and also a guest house/hostel which I think may  be a hotel and too expensive for you ) called  'The Golden Tree' which I highly recommend ( I never used  a hostel in Prague so I can only recommend the Nightclub). Lots of Czech locals and students all go there and its safe and fun..

Its full air conditioned and goes down 4 floors. 



http://www.accomprague.cz/index.php?Submit.x=1&id=43&lang=us&page=detail



There is one major difference though. Scantily clad female dancers are to one side of the dance floor. The locals  dont bat an eyelid at this.   This shouldnt intimidate any females who want to find a night club or who are in  the group but for a group of lads in Prague its certainly an interesting topic of conversation. I spent my time there on the dance floor and at the bar.

Theres also a nice rock pub with live music and a dance floor called The Wagon.


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## sdelaney (13 Apr 2007)

sign said:


> However there is a really interesting nightclub ( and also a guest house/hostel which I think may be a hotel and too expensive for you ) called 'The Golden Tree' which I highly recommend ( I never used a hostel in Prague so I can only recommend the Nightclub).
> 
> Sign - thanks for the info - not sure what you were implying with your comment "too expensive for you"!!


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## z108 (13 Apr 2007)

sdelaney said:


> sign said:
> 
> 
> > However there is a really interesting nightclub ( and also a guest house/hostel which I think may be a hotel and too expensive for you ) called 'The Golden Tree' which I highly recommend ( I never used a hostel in Prague so I can only recommend the Nightclub).
> ...


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## sdelaney (13 Apr 2007)

Sign - Ha Ha good reply!


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## johnr1234 (13 Apr 2007)

I was in Prague a few weeks ago for a few days. We stayed in The Ambassador Hotel in Wenceslas Square and it was reasonably priced for the time of year. Although after getting our bearings I wouldn't stay there again as every place in within 15 minutes walk of The Square.

A place I'd recommend for grub is in Old Town, around the corner from Caffreys Irish Pub, which is just off the old Town Square. Its called The Crazy Cow, very good steakhouse. We got a mixed grill + fries + a beer for something like €18 and it was enormous.


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## ubiquitous (13 Apr 2007)

When in Prague recently, the best restaurants we found were just off the tourist drag in Malá Strana on Újezd street near the foot of the Petrin Hill furnicular. Over several visits to different places, we noted that this particular area seemed to be attracting more than its fair share of Czech tourists and the value and quality of food seemed to be a lot better than in the more obvious tourist locations around the town.


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## sdelaney (14 Apr 2007)

Thanks for all the information


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## gebbel (14 Apr 2007)

Rovers1901 said:


> There's a massive nightclub by Charles Bridge on the Old Town side of the river. 4 or 5 floors with different music on each floor. It's worth a visit.


 
It`s called _Karlovy Lazne. _Biggest club in Central Europe and the best looking ladies you will ever see!!


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## sdelaney (14 Apr 2007)

gebbel said:


> It`s called _Karlovy Lazne. _Biggest club in Central Europe and the best looking ladies you will ever see!!




Thanks gebbel not really into ladies - as I am one! but I will let my male friends know


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## gebbel (14 Apr 2007)

sdelaney said:


> Thanks gebbel not really into ladies - as I am one! but I will let my make friends know


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## janedoe06 (14 Apr 2007)

hi there i used that shuttle bus as well http://www.prague-airport-shuttle.com/
we booked before we went on line , and it was well organized , although u'd be a bit apprehensive before hand but i can say it was very good

we stayed in a lovely hotel called Hotel William its near the Child of Prague Church on the Castle side of Prague 

It was lovely hotel , 5 min from charles bridge, so we did'nt have to worry about taxis etc

i researched the place before and found www.virtualtourist.com very good , it gives good advice from visitors point of view things to watch out for 

I felt very safe in prague though and this was at all hours of the night
To be truthful i felt safer there then i do walking through streets of Cork City where i live in at 8-9 on a weekend night !


Prague is lovely city , we did a trip as well outside the city to a Concentration camp  called [SIZE=-1]Terezin [/SIZE]
it was very thought wrenching  although small over 30,000 were killed there , i think we got instructions on how to get there from that virtual tourist site, The metro There is excellent , supposedly Eastern European countries have a better transport system than the so called 2nd wealthiest country in the Euro Zone


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## janedoe06 (14 Apr 2007)

i found a link from the site for that hotel u can see pictures 
[broken link removed]

i was looking at the site and the prices seem high for it , but we got it a lot cheaper through a travel agency 
I woud think go into travel agency and see what deal they can give u and get the name of the hotel and then google it or see if u can find reviews on it sometimes u might  get good feedback on the hotels or area this way and can check out local transport or other hotels in the area etc


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## z108 (14 Apr 2007)

I think the most daunting thing about eastern europe and Czech is the language is totally different from anything we probably learned in school (french , spanish, german etc) with a completely different alphabet.

Prague is very safe in my experience and I think the biggest chances of messing up a trip are in how well prepared  you are.
I'd advise to make careful note of the address of your accomodation and landmarks etc. Try to remember where it is and take note of it with you.
If you cant pronounce or spell your accomodation then you cant ask a  taxi to take you back there and a vague notion you are staying in a hostel/hotel etc  wont help as theres hundreds of places which fit that description.

This knowledge would come in extremely useful in  a worst case scenario where your handbag/mobile was lost (along with your address) as I ve found a lot of Czech police cant actuallly speak english.


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## Summer (15 Apr 2007)

We have stayed in the Black Eagle twice and could not fault it for value or location. The hotel  will arrange for a taxi to collect you. http://www.hotelsprague.cz/blackeagle/?gclid=CLCnyej-xIsCFQVOEAod9B93DA


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## tinkerbell (15 Apr 2007)

hotel julian is a great relaxing hotel, great location, wonderful staff, fantastic rooms, a real gem. Check it on tripadvisor - its highly recommended, down to the teddy in the breakfast room!! Great price too for the quality of hotel it is. Just a couple of doors away a huge selection of really cheap untouristy type restaurants. 
http://www.julian.cz/en/


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## sdelaney (16 Apr 2007)

gebbel said:


>


 
Ah dont be!


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## sdelaney (16 Apr 2007)

Thanks guys for all the web links, tips etc - I will checkthem all out.


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## sdelaney (18 Apr 2007)

Hi

Just one final query how safe is Prague? - especially at night time in pubs, clubs and walking back to hotel as I have been hearing a lot of horror stories i.e. pickpockets, bar staff / bouncers being rough. Or is it being blown out of proportion and just use your normal commonsense when travelling?


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## gebbel (18 Apr 2007)

sdelaney said:


> just use your normal commonsense when travelling?


 
Exactly!!


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## z108 (18 Apr 2007)

I am always there with Czech friends who speak english better than I do and who take care of me but the 2 biggest problems are  I would say

1. being overcharged for a beer at some places because they recognise you as a foreigner. It doesnt happen everywhere and you may walk away believing you have a bargain because its still really cheap compared to home.

2. Avoid taxis which follow you  as you leave a pub or club. resist the temptation to take those ones. walk for long enough and find your own taxi further on and ask how much it is to a location before you get in , or use the really good public transport which restarts around 5 am  anyway.


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## sdelaney (18 Apr 2007)

gebbel said:


> Exactly!!


 
Thanks gebbel!!


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## sdelaney (18 Apr 2007)

sign said:


> 1. being overcharged for a beer at some places because they recognise you as a foreigner. It doesnt happen everywhere and you may walk away believing you have a bargain because its still really cheap compared to home.
> 
> 2. Avoid taxis which follow you as you leave a pub or club. resist the temptation to take those ones. walk for long enough and find your own taxi further on and ask how much it is to a location before you get in , or use the really good public transport which restarts around 5 am anyway.


 
Thanks sign - as long as the beer is cheaper than here i don't mind if point 1 happens (but will be wary) and i wont go near the taxis!


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## TreeTiger (18 Apr 2007)

sdelaney said:


> i wont go near the taxis!



If you're staying around Wenceslas Square you're probably within walking distance of most places you would want to go anyhow, unless you go up around Prague Castle, but the tram system is very handy. www.prague.cz might have a few tips about getting around.

I never felt nervous wandering around central Prague on my own - would never be very late though - but as others have said, take the normal precautions.  Wait until you see the beggars there, they are on their knees with their heads down and hands out. Very hard to watch in -5 degrees with snow flurries. That's probably the most upsetting thing I saw in 3 trips, never felt anyone intimidated me.

Oh, and if you're exchanging currency, shop around and check for "hidden" charges (i.e. slightly dubious ways of calculating the exchange rate!). I found the airport rates to be the worst.

A book I have on Prague says the top 10 Nightclubs are: La Fabrique, Karlovy Lazne, Roxy, Zoo Bar, Tom Tom Club, Damuza, Keltic, Friends, Jazz Club Zelezna & Jazz Club U Stare Pani (haven't bothered with any diacritical marks!)

After getting 2 pages of advice, I hope you're going to give us all a blow by blow account of your trip after it happens!


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## sdelaney (19 Apr 2007)

TreeTiger said:


> After getting 2 pages of advice, I hope you're going to give us all a blow by blow account of your trip after it happens!


 
I will fill you in only there for 2 days so wont get to do too much!


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## z108 (24 Apr 2007)

I hope she tried some absinth ;-)


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## sdelaney (25 Apr 2007)

sign said:


> I hope she tried some absinth ;-)


 
No “she” hasn’t been yet, but will definitely try it out if it promises what it says! “60% alc./vol. 0,35 Liter (350 ml) CZECH ABSINTH STRONG from Czech Absinth s.r.o. Distilleries, will satisfy all specialty herbal alcoholic beverage lovers through its high content of more than 25 various top quality herbs, included the famous artemisia absinthium (wormwood or thujone). It is recommended to drink it in small doses for its well-known hallucinogenic effects and ecstasy. In small doses it does not cause any health damage at all, on the contrary it has a healing effects, supports digestion and enjoyed in moderation works as an excellent aphrodisiac”

And sign for giving such nice tips and advice I will bring you back a bottle or I can get you a pint if your in Temple Bar at the weekend! (joke)


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## z108 (25 Apr 2007)

Get some Becherovka too ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka


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## sdelaney (25 Apr 2007)

sign said:


> Get some Becherovka too ;-)
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Becherovka


 

Are you trying to get me inebriated?  and end up getting over charged and fleeced off all my money by a taxi – all the things you told me to try and avoid!!! I will prepare myself this weekend and have a few Jägermeister's!


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## TreeTiger (27 Apr 2007)

Just remembered that when you're leaving Prague airport, (btw I was last there before before security got even stricter!) the security checking system is worth knowing about.

It’s different to many airports that I’ve been through in that you don’t have a security check before you go airside, only a passport check. Then you get to a big (and very warm!) shopping area with duty free, shops, smoky bars etc.. Restaurants are upstairs.

When you get to your gate area, there are various rooms, each of which deals with 2 flights at a time, that you have to go and wait in for boarding. It is here that the security checks happen, and there is usually a long line to get in, so it’s hard to time it that you’re not sitting in that boring room for too long! 

The other notable thing about the checks here is that they have the most sensitive metal scanners ever, even my earrings set it off! Yet there aren’t signs telling you to empty your pockets of change, take off belts, remove all jewellery. But you need to remove all this stuff or it will set the scanners off.

As security rules have got even tighter since I was last there, I don't know if it's got any worse since!


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## sdelaney (30 Apr 2007)

Thanks TreeTiger.


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## z108 (30 Apr 2007)

Back from Prague alive?? 


Or hasnt gone yet ?


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## sdelaney (1 May 2007)

sign said:


> Back from Prague alive??
> 
> 
> Or hasnt gone yet ?


 
LOL - Still alive as I have not been yet - going this weekend!


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## z108 (1 May 2007)

yeah rite !!!!    




ps make sure to check out the castle and the astonomical clock !


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Orloj


[broken link removed]


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## sdelaney (1 May 2007)

sign said:


> yeah rite !!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
Are you being sarcastic  sign?
Yeap will check them out!


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## z108 (1 May 2007)

sdelaney said:


> Are you being sarcastic  sign?
> Yeap will check them out!



sure everyone who reads my posts would  know I'm always serious 


especially about the Absinth and Becherovka


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## sdelaney (2 May 2007)

sign said:


> sure everyone who reads my posts would know I'm always serious
> 
> 
> especially about the Absinth and Becherovka


 

Really! No way!


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