The thing with modern luxury hotels these days—sure their service is impeccable, the food is to die for, the rooms and the architecture are sleek and designed by the best in the business. Yet, these can be found anywhere.
In fact, if you wanted the 5-star experience, you wouldn’t even have to leave the country. But as a wanderlust myself, when I travel, I’m always looking for one thing with the hotels I stay at—identity. I don’t want to stay inside a tower that could’ve been built anywhere. I want my hotel to tell me something about my destination just as a trip to a nearby tourist attraction would.
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For my latest trip to “the city of a hundred spires,” I found just that: Andaz Prague.
Andaz Prague is the European country’s first five-star luxury lifestyle hotel. It is housed inside the Sugar Palace, an iconic neoclassical building that was once home to the Czech Sugar Industry Insurance Association. It was originally built in 1916 and designed by architects Josef Zasche and Theodor Fischer. In 1993, it was declared a cultural monument by the Czech Ministry of Culture and was officially converted into a hotel in 2021.
Though the property is quite big, it reminds me of a boutique hotel which I absolutely love. Each room is outfitted with an array of artworks and flourishes to accentuate the Czech influence. These simple yet plentiful beautiful details made the simple space quite special and a miniaturized representation of Prague. Personally, even though the hotel is in an old building, they managed to make the space feel contemporary and full of character.
Inside Andaz Prague, they also have a unique restaurant that you cannot miss out on. Zem offers an unlikely yet effective combination of European and Asian cuisines, with a menu that utilizes Czech produce for Japanese flavors and recipes.
Elsewhere, the hotel, situated right at the heart of Prague, is within proximity to some of the city’s most sought-after destinations—from the Kafka Museum and the Old Town Square and Astronomical Clock to the Prague Castle and Charles Bridge.
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It was as if I naturally lived inside the city. Gone are the days of long travel times from your hotel to your itinerary for the day—here, it’s just a five-minute walk or even less. Quite frankly, a stay inside Andaz Prague was akin to a never-ending Czech immersion.
