Hilton Prague Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic 

Good location, not so great staff
Posted: Sun, May 04 2008
My wife and I stayed here for a week at the end of February '08. If you're going to stay here, be sure to request a room that doesn't face the street, as it is very noisy in the mornings. The breakfast was very good. The price was good, but we booked as a package deal (that included breakfast). The staff was unpleasant and unhelpful. They never greeted you or said good morning. My wife asked for help locating a store, the woman said she never heard of it and simply turned away to answer the phone. The staff had no recommendations for local pubs/bars/restaurants. They weren't aware that there was a late-night grocery mart a 10 minute walk away. They have a car service to get you to the airport. Although it's convenient, it's a bit pricey. I asked about taking a train to Kutna Hora and the lady at the counter tried getting me to buy a very expensive tourist bus trip. I asked if they could break a 1000 Kc bill and they simply said "no." Our towels sometimes smelled very stale and smokey. It was a hassle to get 2 extra pillows. We were away one night during our stay to take a trip to Dresden. When we got back, the liqour had been cleared out of the mini bar. They tried charging us for it when we checked out. They also tried over-charging us once we got the mini-bar situation straightened out. The housekeeping sometimes cleaned the hallways outside our door very early in the morning. The small bar downstairs wasn't bad, but was pricey. The location was very convenient to Old Towne Square, the tram cars, and the train stations. The actual accomodations were adequate and fairly clean. The shower had good water pressure. If they could overhaul their staff it would be a much better place. To get to the hotel from the airport, there's a relatively inexpensive shuttle that'll drop you off a block away.

Good value...if you buy a package deal
Posted: Fri, Apr 11 2008
My wife and I stayed at the Mercure from 24th Feb to 27th Feb. If you enjoy staying in an interesting building with history and character, plus a convenient tourist location, the Mercure fits the bill. However, it is not a building designed as an hotel and therefore has some quirks - if you're looking for a full 4-star experience the Mercure may not be for you, especially if you pay normal room-only prices. We secured 3 nights for the price of 2 with breakfast included, and this was terrific value (just look at the price of breakfast alone, if bought in the hotel!!). Our room was small but comfortable and adequately equipped. The beds are very comfortable, but the duvets are so narrow that one turn in the bed and you're half uncovered! The bathroom was clean and functional, except for the poorly designed shower unit (there's no bath) which lacks a seal the whole length of one door panel, resulting in water pouring through all over the floor. We requested a quiet room, and so it was until 7:30 a.m. when the builders start work on the site clearance going on adjacent to the rear of the hotel, and from then on rest is impossible! Breakfast is very good - a full selection of hot and cold buffet items, so it's possible to stoke up in readiness for the morning walks. But, this would be a very expensive breakfast if you paid hotel prices for it - if you want breakfast in the hotel you'd be advised to find a B&B package deal. The one breakfast irritation are the hovering table clearers (not waitresses in the usual sense) who whip any item away from the table as soon as it leaves your hand. The first morning my wife and I went from our table to the buffet area to select our main courses to return and find our table cleared and being set for lunch - and this with still an hour and a half before breakfast ended!! We didn't eat in the hotel at lunch or in the evenings - the evening menu didn't appeal and there are plenty of restaurant choices within easy walking distance (even after a day on your feet). All in all, a pleasant and convenient place to stay, as long as you don't intend to spend too much time in your room. Search out a good deal though as the price you end up paying can vary hugely.