Hotel Slavia - Prague, Czech Republic     

Location: This hotel is in Praha 10. The main tourist sights(Old Town, Charles Bridge, etc) are in Praha 1, and it takes about 25 minutes on the number 24 tram to get into town. This is a bit inconvenient if you go into the centre everyday and have to keep buying 75 minute travel cards (the hotel sells the travel cards, but only has them for 75 min., not 24 hours. Those can be purchased in the Metro station or at a Tabac). The hotel is located next to railroad tracks that can be heard throughout the night. A tram depot is also near the hotel and you must pass through a dirt road with lots of broken glass to get to the main road. However, there is an indoor shopping centre with a huge Tesco supermarket, sports shop, pharmacy, etc. located within walking distance. Reception: Disorganized and unhelpful. We asked if there was a restaurant nearby and were told, "yes, around the corner, you'll find it..." It was 9:30 PM and we ended up wandering around for about 30 minutes and never found the Italian restaurant. The next day we saw that it was about a 10 minute walk in the opposite direction than we were directed. We witnessed people being told to come back to the desk later, as they were busy, and this was during times when there were 2-3 people behind the desk and no guests at reception. Passports: Be aware that you must provide your passport to be photocopied so that hotels in Prague can run a check and register you in the system. Most places will simply make a photocopy- not the Slavia. We had to give them our passports overnight, and when we asked for them back the next day, we were told that they were in a safe, and that if we had a problem whilst in town, we could call the hotel and they would give the authorities our passport information....this is definitely not appropriate. Yes, they need your passport info, but it is illegal to walk around Prague without any form of photo ID, so be aware of this, and make sure to retain your passport at all times. The Room -Overall appearance was moderate- plain with one or two pictures on the wall. -Cleanliness was okay, except the sheets had small holes in them. -No AC, and we could not open the windows because there were mosquitos EVERYWHERE. Other travelers in our group spent entire nights fending them off, and had the bites to prove it! -If you want to use an iron/ board, you must pay a 500 crown deposit. - Flat screen tv mounted on the wall- a nice touch Breakfast -Consisted of meat slices, assorted breads (whole wheat and white rolls and some wheat slices), yogurt, cereal, some fruit, cake slices, and a terrible brew of tea and coffee. You can also get OJ or apple juice from a machine. Overall, the hotel was fairly clean, though the poor reception desk and unappealing location make this a hotel that is worth bypassing. Yes, it's cheap, but there is a reason for that. You will spend all of your money taking the tram into town, and having to eat in the centre (more expensive) because the area surrounding the Slavia is NOT tourist-friendly. The location is great if you want quick access to the soccer fields and don't mind dorm-like accommodation, but if you're in Prague to see the famous sights and take in a more upbeat atmosphere, the Slavia is not the right place.