Corinthia Tower Prague

[Jesterscourt]

I was a little disappointed that Viking has chosen The Corinthia for its hotel in Prague. I recognize that it is a modern hotel with all the amenities as well as proximity to a metro stop. But why didn't they stick to the Hilton that at least is within walking distance of Old Town and the other districts? Perhaps someone who has stayed there pre or post-cruise can comment.

[akai]

It is right next to a metro stop, but far away from Old/New Town Prague. The hotel is very modern, a big contrast to most of Prague. The restaurants in the hotel looked to be rather expensive, and they wanted extra money from our friends (guests at the hotel) to use the pool facilities. There did not seem to be much interesting to walk to in that district, except a couple of churches.

 

Not impressed

[CincyAL]

Hotel has NO character. Most guests are business travelers since its next to convention center. Breakfast was well presented. Metro is almost in lobby, however, many older guests may be cautious of the walk on the other end of a trip. If if use the metro buy the 24 hour pass from hotel desk, your 24 hours starts with your first trip. Pass also includes trams & buses. Bottom line I would have enjoyed being "downtown" and having the opportunity for casual short walks to sites and restaurants.

[mike35]

The restaurants are EXTREMELY expensive. We arrived in the evening, exhausted from traveling, and like stated in a previous post, there's really no close restaurants. We didn't feel like taking the metro, so we ate in the Asian restaurant - small portions, very tasty, but $120 for the two of us (with one bottle of their least expensive white wine). AMA Waterways uses the Hilton, and I would hope that Viking changes back to the Hilton in the future!

[Jesterscourt]

I stayed in Prague last year for one week, and let me tell you, there is no substitue for the charm of staying in Old Town or at least across the Charles Bridge in Mala Strana (Little Quarter). With our limited time in Prague it would have been nice to meander out of our hotel and stroll the cobblestone streets or have a late-night latte at one of the outdoor cafes in Old Town Square gazing at the Clock or passers-by, etc. One of the highlights of my stay was walking across the Charles Bridge late at night with the lighted surreal Castle as a backdrop, and not having to worry about finding a metro or tram afterward, etc. The Corinthia is great if you are attending a conference at the Congress Center or have a great need to be steps from the Metro. The Metro is an efficient mode of transportation, but there are 3 lines (blue, red, and green) and a fair amount of walking and waiting nevertheless, and time would be better spent experiencing the action and atmosphere of being downtown.

[jcrandle]

The restaurants are EXTREMELY expensive. We arrived in the evening, exhausted from traveling, and like stated in a previous post, there's really no close restaurants. We didn't feel like taking the metro, so we ate in the Asian restaurant - small portions, very tasty, but $120 for the two of us (with one bottle of their least expensive white wine). AMA Waterways uses the Hilton, and I would hope that Viking changes back to the Hilton in the future!

Our Viking cruise director suggested a nearby local restaurant that was less than 10 minutes walk (we are OK walkers). They had English menus, good beer and wine, and very reasonable prices for pretty good food. We enjoyed the walk and the opportunity to experience what the locals do.

 

We stayed an extra night, and booked the Moevenpick thru priceline for a very reasonable rate. It is on Mozartova, and is 4 minutes from the Tram line. It is also a business hotel, but we liked it better than the Corinthian Towers.

[janetcbl]

Our Viking cruise director suggested a nearby local restaurant that was less than 10 minutes walk (we are OK walkers). They had English menus, good beer and wine, and very reasonable prices for pretty good food. We enjoyed the walk and the opportunity to experience what the locals do.

 

We stayed an extra night, and booked the Moevenpick thru priceline for a very reasonable rate. It is on Mozartova, and is 4 minutes from the Tram line. It is also a business hotel, but we liked it better than the Corinthian Towers.

What was the name of the restaurant, please?

[CT Granny]

My guess is, in this trying economy, that Viking got a better contract from the Corinthia than from the Hilton. Viking needs to make a profit in order to stay in business. Most travelers are making decisions based upon price. The older part of Prague has few hotels that can accomodate large tour groups.

 

Barbara

[jcrandle]

What was the name of the restaurant, please?

I don't remember the name. Credit card receipts don't help. I'm sure that your cruise director can provide specific suggestions.

[Little Toot2]

Just FYI, our itinerary from Viking lists the Prague Hilton for our 3 day extension in mid October. Will be interesting to see if we are switched to the Corinthia Tower or if Viking is still using the Hilton with small groups? :confused: LT

[Jesterscourt]

Point well-taken, Barbara. Also, Little Toot, all is not lost even if we are at the Corinthia. Some travelers prefer to be away from the bustle of downtown, and the Vysehrad area (where Corinthia is located) certainly fits that bill. Afterall, it is adjacent to Vysehrad Castle and Park overlooking the Vltava River. The Church of SS Peter and Paul is situated there with the famous Cemetery adjacent to it where the likes of Dvorak, Smetana, and Mucha are buried, a source of much pride for Czechs. So, we will stay at the Corinthia with the right attitude, and most of us would eat outside of our hotel anyway even if we were downtown, so the expense of the hotel restaurant does not surprise me. My original post was just expressing surprise that they had switched from the Hilton where it seems they had a good thing going for many years. Just for the sake of discussion, I walked around endlessly throughout Prague and came to the conclusion that the most charming place to stay (and not expensive) is U Prince right on Old Town Square (too small for our group), and The Four Seasons is the most ideally located next to the Charles Bridge with drop-dead views of everything and within walking distance of EVERYTHING (but, alas, prohibitively expensive). So we will be happy wherever they put us! Steve