In Prague, what you see is not always what you get. Look in the window of a bar for example, and you might see a few old men sitting at simple wooden tables smoking cigarettes. What you wouldn't know is that downstairs is a veritable lair of stone domed rooms, filled with lively conversations, outstanding food and hip music.
The ICON Hotel and Lounge embraces this tradition. Its heavy wooden front doors look fairly battered - more like the entrance to an ageing apartment house than a high-end hotel. But push through them, and you are greeted with colourful yet subdued mood lighting, highly polished floors and a groovy soundtrack. A remnant of the original building is found in a 'secret' inner room with painted Czech patron saints on the wall, for which the hotel is named - but elsewhere all is shiny new. The front desk staff have every right to be snooty but they're just the opposite - warm, helpful and genuinely interested in who you are and where you came from. And despite a plum location on a quiet street just minutes to the madness of Wenceslas Square and Old Town, you get that most rare commodity in European hotels - spacious and immaculate rooms. The ICON Hotel and Lounge offers a chance to party till Prague's wee hours, then stagger home and sleep it off in style.
Highs
- A great location on what feels like a hidden street, with the restaurants, clubs and retail heaven of Wenceslas Square just 3 minutes' walk away
- Multi-lingual staff who are as generous with their smiles as with information about the area
- Immaculately clean rooms with biometric safes, Samsung smart TVs, and dreamy handmade Hästens beds
- Charming spa offering a range of Balinese and Thai massages
- Cool loft-like club space with guest DJs, a buzzy bar and crowd-pleasing buffet and a la carte breakfasts
Lows
- Rooms lack interesting views
- Internal sound can carry (but the street is mercifully quiet)
- Standard rooms have only 1 chair and 1 coat hook, making them feel more like business hotel rooms than a couples' escape
- No pool, gym or outside space
- Since our last visit, the hotel's own restaurant has been replaced with an Indian restaurant chain, which is receiving great reviews
Best time to go
Prague is delightful in the spring, summer and autumn months - that is, of course, except for hordes of tourists. If you want to be here to enjoy the gardens in bloom, outdoor cafes, beer gardens and trees ablaze in colour, then you'll also have to brave the throngs of visitors who have the same idea as you. Winters can be cold and grey, but that just adds another layer of atmosphere to this already charmingly mysterious city - and you get the bonus of not being part of a herd wherever you travel.
Our top tips
While Wenceslas Square buzzes with energy and has a few good restaurants along its broad expanse, most eateries here are geared toward tourists. Free your palate from these tourist traps by either hopping on the nearby metro (Mustek) and taking it to the Namesti Miru stop, or walk there in about 20 minutes. This will put you right in front of the gorgeous neo-gothic church of St. Ludmila (c.1888) in the Vinohrady district of Prague 2. Surrounding this charming square are a number of good restaurants including Pizzeria Grosetto for "mama-mia" good Italian. Or check out Mlsnej Kocour for great Czech in a casual, hip environment.
- Boutique Hotel
- 31 rooms
- Breakfast
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
Space abounds in the 31 rooms - and that's as true of the 20 Standard rooms as it is of the 9 Deluxe rooms and 2 Junior Suites. In fact, we found the Standard rooms so generously sized, we didn't feel any need to upgrade to the Deluxe - unless you really want to spread out in the extra square feet they offer. The Junior Suites might be worth a splurge because you get a separate sitting room with 4 chairs and home cinema system, but as the space is divided into 2 rooms, the overall impression is one of snugness, not spaciousness.
The spare design aesthetic is one of beige and warm woods with very little - if any - art on the walls. The closet spaces are hidden behind doors that are flush with the wall, as is the safe that operates with your fingerprint rather than a code or key. Behind another secret compartment is the minibar and complimentary coffee- and tea- making setup - Junior Suites also get an Illy espresso machine.
The bathroom at first glance is extremely dark due to spot lighting and black stone tiles, but once you get used to it, it comes off as sleek and sexy. A purple perspex panel over the bathtub (all but two rooms have a tub) is just big enough to divide the splashy end of the shower from the rest of the room, and a gleaming white basin sink is set beneath the large mirror on a wooden table where you find the complimentary Rituals toiletries.
The true star of the show in all of the Icon's rooms is the extra-wide handmade Hastens bed. If you're familiar with the brand you know that these pricey platforms are true luxury items - ranging from USD$5,000 all the way up to US$60,000. The one in our room was comfy indeed - solid, yet cushy. All of the bedding (even the feather pillows) are allergen free, ensuring that nary a sneeze will disturb your good night's sleep.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Central heating
- Coffee / tea making
- Cots available
- DVD player
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
Breakfasts are as big as the beds! You not only get to order a selection of hot food like pancakes and eggs from a menu, you can also load up at a buffet that includes muesli, breads, cold cuts and other breakfast goodies.
On the ground floor of the hotel, there's a popular Indian restaurant called Masala. Traditional curries are on the menu, as are South Indian and Indochinese tapas and small plates. Heading out there are lots of local dining options nearby. American-style burger joint Jama is just down the street. They've been voted as having the best burger in Prague, and I can also personally attest to the excellence of their spicy chicken wings. Not more than a 10-minute walk away on Wenceslas Square is Vytopna, a quality steakhouse where your beer is delivered by model railway cars that travel along 400 metres of track throughout the restaurant.
Features include:
- Bar
- Organic produce
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- Catch a concert at Lucerna, a storied Prague music hall located just a few doors down from the hotel
- Shop like a pro along Wenceslas Square where you'll find British chains as well as a five-storey high Bata - the largest outpost of the Czech shoemaker in Europe.
- Travel back in time by wandering down to Old Town Square and take in the spires, cobblestones and dazzling mix of architectural styles. It's just a 15-minute walk from the hotel
- Wander to the eastern end of Wenceslas Square and pay a visit to the impressive structure that is the National Museum where the exhibits have a strong focus on natural history
- Explore beyond the tourist path by walking past the museum into the leafy neighborhood of Vinohrady and take in the jelly-bean-colored fin-de-siecle buildings. Enjoy a frosty mug in the beer garden at Riegrovy Sady park, then follow the path for a beautiful overview of the main city with the castle in the distance
- Check out the modernist The Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord chuch in Vinohrady - one of Prague's most unusually designed houses of worship
- Take the 15-minute walk to the river and stroll beneath the watchful eye of the castle. Stop for a coffee in the Art Deco environs of Kavarna Slavia at the National Theatre
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
- Well being
Kids
Although children are welcome, this hotel definitely has a hip vibe geared more toward couples and singles rather than families. Children up to the age of 12 are free of charge if they don't require an extra bed - which are available for an additional fee - and baby cots are free to borrow.
Family friendly accommodation:
Standard Rooms can connect for larger family parties on two floors, but the best rooms suited for taking an extra bed are the Deluxe or Junior Suites.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The ICON Hotel is in the centre of Prague in the Nove Mesto (New Town) district, just steps away from the much-visited Wenceslas Square and about 15 minutes walk to Old Town Square and Charles Bridge.
By Air
Fly into Ruzyne International airport (17km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this airport.
From the Airport
You can take an AAA taxi from the airport (which would cost around CZK700, or the hotel can arrange a transfer, see Rates. You can also take Bus 119 from either of the two airport terminals, which runs from 4.20 in the morning until around 0.10 at night. It will take you to the Dejvicka Metro station (on the A line), about a 30-minute drive. From there, take the metro to Mustek, which is a 5-minute walk from the hotel.
By Train
The Mustek metro stop is 250m away from ICON.
By Car
Parking is a problem in central Prague. It becomes fractionally easier on the weekend (when many Praguers leave the city) or after 6pm. If you can find a space, you can park on Wenceslas Square for CZK450 or at the nearby Radisson Hotel for CZK900. There's also an underground garage nearby. See our car rental recommendations.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on Getting there and getting around in Prague
Airports:
- Prague Ruzyne International Airport 20.0 km PRG
Other:
- Beach 999.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 1 independent review from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape