Hotel Hastal Prague Old Town — Hotel in Prague

AVOID APARTMENT 2!||The accommodation is average enough, for the price paid. You really can't get much nearer to Old Town Square!||||I was worried being so close to Tyn Church that I'd be kept awake by the bells and the tourist noise from OTS. Particularly as with recent hot nights, it was a choice between sleeping with the window open or next to a whirring fan (I chose the window). I needn't have worried; I can echo previous reviewers and was amazed it was so quiet. Because the windows face into the internal courtyard, much less noise gets in and down to your level.||||So those are the positives. Now the BIG NEGATIVE: Apartment 2 (the one with just one double bed and a tiny bathroom) has a wardrobe next to the bed and an upper window above it. This window has NO CURTAIN. In fact, there is no curtain rail, and because the wardrobe just fits in the wall space, they obviously don't intend to hang a long pull cord to open/close them.||Result? Every morning at dawn (before 6), light comes streaming in through the semitransparent nets, leaving you with no chance of staying asleep! It's as bad as sleeping in a tent. So either AVOID APARTMENT 2, or be prepared and pack eye masks!||||I did register a complaint with the girl manning the Trips & Tickets shop, but I don't think she had the power to do anything about it, and I'm sure management will simply reply that it's an old building (which it is) and they can do nothing about it (which they can).||||I had no choice but to arrive after 10pm, for which they charge you a surcharge of 30 Euros (it's 50 after midnight) as they'll need to keep the Trips & Tickets shop open until you arrive, past their standard closing time of 9pm. (You can avoid this surcharge by booking their own airport transfer (25 EUR) which would then work out slightly cheaper, but this was fully booked on the night of my arrival.)||||Also, when it comes to opening the window to let the temperature drop below 25C, the ceilings are so high that if you want to open the upper windows (lesser security risk), you have no choice but to stand on the table and stretch!||||The other slightly bizarre thing is, it's a double bed provided, but with single duvets. Not only that, but they're about 3/4 the width of a UK standard single, so even if you're sleeping on your own, you're likely to toss and turn and throw it off, or leave a foot/leg hanging out in the cool air. The pillows also took a bit of getting used to as they are twice the plumpness under my head than I prefer at home (meaning I found my head was at an awkward angle sleeping).||||The bathroom is also particularly small. There isn't enough space to stand widthways next to the basin; you have to have one foot in front and the other straddling the corner of the bath! It would be better to do away with the bath entirely and just install a stand-up shower.||By the way, when you do take a shower in the bath, the tap is a bit old and temperamental. The valve that switches between filling the bath and running the shower has a knack to it. The trick I found is to begin running the bath first, then pull up the valve (gently, or the top will come off in your hand) once the water is running, to run the shower.||||On a good note, the water system obviously feeds the entire apartment block as there was always piping hot water (hotter than I ever get at home!), and the Wi-Fi worked perfectly for me. The kitchen is adequately equipped. There are more plates and glasses than you should need, a good amount of utensils and cleaning products. There is no oven, toaster or freezer (except the ice box in the top of the fridge), but the microwave, double ring electric hob and kettle proved sufficient for me. They provide coffee, tea and sugar (so you’ll need to buy your own milk on arrival) and also salt. You wouldn’t expect continental satellite channels on the TV, but I found a good music channel playing Western rock & pop, and a classical and a jazz radio station for culture fans through the TV. The towels they supply are perfectly adequate for showering, unless you want to wrap yourself in a big sheet. I wasted space in my hand luggage bringing my own when it wasn’t necessary.||||Take note of the person who shows you which keys to use, there are about three, colour coded and you wouldn't want to forget which is which after a night on the town, or you could find yourself locked out all night!||||The missing curtain is the big thing lacking, otherwise the accommodation is fair for the price.||||As an aside, I would recommend the full day (All In One) Prague tour with Trips & Tickets. If you get Tomas, he’s an excellent tour guide and you get the best part of 6.5 hours with him (excluding the guided river cruise, which was also worthwhile). It’s expensive (about £45) but all the longer tours are, and you do get a traditional Czech...

Booked this hotel based on the very positive reviews here and elsewhere, as I like to patronize smaller/family-run hotels when possible. The location is excellent - you can reach almost all major sights in Prague by foot or it is very easy to access tram/bus/subway within a few minutes' walk. There are also plenty of restaurants and shops nearby including pharmacy, grocery store, etc. At the same time, the hotel is located in a quiet square so you are not bothered by too much city noise and crowds. Reception staff were friendly and helpful, breakfast staff less enthusiastic but polite.||The hotel itself is decorated in a classic style and there are lounge areas to relax in as well as free coffee/tea in the lobby. Our room was somewhat old-fashioned in decor, which suits the hotel, but had conveniences like a mini-fridge, AC, etc. What was a bit confusing were the room categories as listed on the website vs booking page vs what we actually got. The hotel website lists "Superior Standard" ,"Deluxe" ,"Superior" and "Cozy" room categories but when we booked direct from this website, we were offered the category "Standard" which is not actually mentioned on the website. Then when we arrived, we were told we were "upgraded" - however as far as we could tell, the upgrade was only that we had a view of the square. The room itself was not an upgrade as far as size or facilities (for example, old small TV so clearly we were not in Superior or Deluxe category according to website descriptions). Other booking engines offer yet different categories. Although we appreciated the view of the square, it would also be helpful if the room descriptions and categories were more transparent and matched across the website/booking platforms. ||In any case, the room was comfortable and clean with plenty of space for storing bags and a sitting area. The bathroom was a bit of a weak spot. We would have liked an extra shelf to put things on and there were also some maintenance issues including an exceedingly slow drain in the shower which meant we had to turn the water off every 30-45 seconds and then wait 2-3 minutes in between for it to drain out so as not to flood the bathroom. We reported this so hopefully it is fixed for the next guests. There was also some mildew/mold in the shower cabin (which was removed after the first housekeeping visit) and a constantly dripping shower head. ||Breakfast was ok, but has room for improvement. The space is a bit cramped when full and the buffet area is rather dismally lit which doesn't help the presentation. At this level and price point of hotel, I would also expect things like real orange juice, not the watery thin "juice" on offer. An alternative like apple juice would be welcome too. The bread and pastries were fine and the "bullseye" eggs were good, but the rest of the buffet was rather uninspiring and there were a lot of fruit flies around. Personally the breakfast did not really add anything for me and I don't really get the rave reviews. ||My criticisms are meant as constructive and overall, we did enjoy our stay here. I would consider staying here again thanks to the location and the cozy/quiet atmosphere, however an option to book on the website without breakfast...

Look no further if you're seeking a fantastic place to stay while visiting Prague. Hotel Hastal in the Old Town was simply wonderful. Impeccable service, perfect location, killer breakfasts to start your day, comfortable beds and huge pillows, and the best shower I've experienced in my 7 trips to Europe.|We stayed for 6 days from 8/27, and right away we were treated with the utmost courtesy and professionalism. We were a few hours early for the 2pm check-in but they secured our luggage while we wandered the neighborhood. They also have a large sitting room with overstuffed leather backed chairs, and a courtyard where we could enjoy the nice weather. The decor has an old world type of feel, very elegant and tasteful. |Our room was small but very relaxing, with a king size bed and a pleasant view. Plenty of closet space, a mini fridge, and a very short walk from the elevator. The air conditioner is controlled by the front desk, so be sure to ring them to have the AC turned on for you - there is no way to do it from the room! They use keys at this hotel, not key cards, kept on a heavy keychain that looks like a chess pawn. |Breakfast is served every morning from 7-10am - and I was hard pressed not to stuff myself every morning! Eggs, chicken legs, breads, pastries, sausages, bacon, cheeses, cold cuts, cereal, juice, milk, fruit, veggie tray. The little blonde woman that sets things up in the morning doesn't smile much, but she puts together a memorable buffet! |You're only a 7 minute walk from Old Town Square, and plenty of places to eat nearby. The Charles Bridge is less than 15 minutes walk, and metro and bus stops are all close. |The staff appears to have leveraged their superb location and made a real winner of this hotel by combining the best of friendliness, courtesy, and professionalism. Our fellow guests that we spoke with were of the same mind. Consider this hotel to be highly recommended. Stay here, and you will...