Location and Great Restaurant Make This Prague Hotel Worthwhile

Trying to decide where to stay in Prague? Juggling cost, location, and onsite dining options, we booked Jurys Inn Prague for our recent visit to the Czech Republic’s capital city. Selecting a place to stay in a city you’ve never visited in a country you’ve never been to takes a dose of faith and optimism. Can you trust online reviews? It always helps to know someone who has been there. Well, now I’ve been there, and I would stay at the Jurys Inn Prague again.

What to Like about a Stay at Jurys Inn Prague

Taking an overnight from JFK in New York City and going through Zurich, by the time we arrive at he Jurys Inn Prague on a Friday afternoon, we are tired, ever so slightly cranky, and in desperate need of a shower. Fortunately, the desk staff is chipper and our room is ready. Check-in is quick and hassle-free, just the kind I like (and astonishingly difficult for a fair number of hotels to pull off). We are ready to freshen up and to take a nap. Our first day in the city is our slow day so we can unwind a bit before our next three days, which are heavily scheduled.

The bed is comfortable, the room is clean, and there is sufficient space to do a bit of work and to catch up on reading. The bathroom also is relatively large. The bathtub seems a bit elevated; watch your step as you exit it.

The Bistro at Jurys Inn Prague

Opting not to venture too far on our first evening, we head downstairs to Bistro Jurys Inn for some of the famous Czech beer we have been hearing about and a bit of an American dinner—burgers (veggie, in my case; a steak BBQ burger for the Brawny Sherpa) and fries. We go European by dipping our fried potatoes into mayonnaise (and, sometimes, ketchup, too). Prague takes its veggie burgers seriously, and the Bistro’s veggie burger bursts with flavor. Some beets add a hamburger-like color. This isn’t a mere veggie patty that’s been living in the freezer for six months. It is so good, I order it again on our last night. We wash our meals down with a Krusovice draft beer ordered at the recommendation of our server.

For dessert, we are more adventuresome and share what is described as a traditional Czech dish: Old Bohemian pancakes with blueberries and what is described as farmer’s cheese (though it tastes like sour cream). Delicious! We accompany our selection with some double espressos.

Dining here, we observe older couples, younger ones, families, singletons, and people who seem like they are on dates. A group of young Czech men, apparently on a sports team, celebrate at the bar one night.

Breakfast (included with our room fee) provides an array of choices, from traditional eggs and cereal to croissants and other breads, plenty of fruit, and even a smoothie of the day.

Service at Jurys Inn Prague

So often, choosing a budget hotel translates to minimal service. Not so here—the front desk staff is helpful, as is the cleaning staff (who provide fresh towels speedily enough on a day when we chose to forego room servicing) and even the restaurant staff. A server offers to carry a meal to our room when the Brawny Sherpa feels under the weather and wants me to just bring him back something to nosh. During our stay, the front desk staff answers our questions about the restaurant bill (drinks and food are separated out in checks as different tax rates apply to them), is more than willing to mail postcards for me, and helps us procure taxis.

Location

We are delighted to discover that Jurys Inn Prague, located in the City Centre, is just a 10-minute walk from the Powder Tower, the remnant of a medieval entrance to the city. Between the two is an oh-so-vital Starbucks, plenty of opportunities for some souvenir shopping, small convenience stores where we procure some drinks and snacks, and the Museum of Communism (which more aptly might be labeled the Museum of Anti-Communism).

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Lobby

A gaslight fireplace offers comfort to travelers seated on couches in the lobby who are waiting for tour guides or drivers to pick them up. The lobby has a friendly vibe. I meet travelers from my hometown who are waiting for the same tour driver that I am.

What Bashful Adventurers Will Like

• There’s room service.
• Solo travelers should feel very comfortable in the bistro on the first floor, which is also where breakfast is held. The dining room is sufficiently large, tables are not jam-packed next to each other, and there seem to be plenty of people dining on their own both at breakfast and at dinner time. I dine at the restaurant by myself and staff are pleasant. I do not at all feel pressured to make haste.
• The hotel is within walking distance of the Powder Tower and is located at a tram stop and at the Florence Underground Metro Station.

Jurys Inn, Sokolovská 204/11 Karlín Praha 8, 186 00 Praha 8, Czechia

—Lori Tripoli

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• Day Trip to Kutna Hora

What is your favorite place to stay in Prague?