Hotel Residence Agnes — Hotel in Prague

The Hotel Residence Agnes is a small boutique hotel on a quite narrow street that is almost invisible unless you know it is there. It has only 21 rooms. Our room was generous in size. I would guess it is about 5 or 6 meters by about 7 meters. It had a small anti-room and a very nice, very clean tiled bathroom. The room was furnished with a desk, desk chair, upholstered chair, a love seat, night stands and a king-sized bed. The furnishings were typical of what you would find in any common hotel chain like Marriott or Hilton. The room also had an armoire with a safe and mini-refrigerator. The furnishings were fairly new and showed no wear. The carpet also was fairly new and exceptionally clean. Overall, the room would get an A. Clean, spacious, and comfortable. So how can this be the best hotel I ever have stayed in? It is because of the truly exceptional service! And perhaps even more importantly because of the friendliness of the staff - all of the staff. However, the word “friendly” is no where near adequate to describe the atmosphere that Frank, the owner, busboy, bellhop, and bartender, has created. I would say visiting Hotel Residence Agnes is like visiting a relative, but none of my relatives come anywhere close to being as friendly or as attentive as the staff at Agnes.||We arrived in Prague by train from Vienna and we were met in the main lobby of the train station by Paul who had a sign with our names. He carried our luggage to the car and gave us advice on how to navigate the city on our way to the hotel. When we arrived, we were greeted by Victoria and Frank. Frank offered drinks (I had a beer) and Victoria gave us a thorough overview of the city, all the “must see” sights, and how to navigate public transportation (something we requested as we like to be among the locals rather than in a taxi). Throughout our stay, Victoria (and the rest of the staff) were exceptionally knowledgeable and accommodating concierge services.||Breakfast was included with our room and it had the traditional European breakfast fare. Eggs (scrambled, hard boiled or sunny-side up) were available, as were omleettes on request. There also was bacon, breakfast sausages (American style as well as European style), beans, crepes, fruit (both whole and fruit salad), yogurt, and a huge variety of breads and pastries - both savory and sweet. Coffee (espresso, cappuccino, café latte) as well as several types of juices were available. Finally there were cheese and meat boards available. After just having spent a week each in Budapest and Vienna, the food was pretty much similar, but the quality and freshness at Agnes far exceeded that of our other hotels. Breakfast was from 7:30 to 10:30. As an example of their devotion to high quality and freshness, I happened to be sitting in the breakfast room at 8:30 one morning and one of the workers took the last crepe from its steam-table tray and replaced it with several fresh ones.||As mentioned above, the hotel is small with only 21 rooms (i.e. only about 42 guests at a time). The breakfast room only seats 16, but there is seating for about 20 more just outside the breakfast room in the lobby; however, because breakfast runs for 3 hours, this seldom was an issue. What surprised me was that there were 4 people working in the breakfast room. Frank scurried around bussing dishes, getting guests coffee, offering fresh treats as they came out of the kitchen, etc. He was in constant motion as were all his workers. As for the workers, every single one praised Frank as a boss whenever he was out of earshot. After a while, I began to refer to him as the Eveready Rabbit as he just kept going and going every minute of every day.| |One evening we returned to the hotel after dinner and asked Frank if he thought the pastry shop down the street still would be open. (We had skipped desert with dinner and so wanted something sweet before retiring.) He said yes, but said he had a better place nearby. He proceeded to walk us two blocks to his favorite local bakery were we had pastries that were as good as the best in Paris. Tell me, how many hotel owners would walk a pair of guests two blocks to show them a pastry shop?||Though this review has focused on Frank, Victoria, and Paul, they are just examples of an entire staff that has a truly unique combination of service-orientation and genuine warmth.||Our last night in Prague, we felt severe loss as the thought of leaving Prague and Agnes sunk in. I think this is the first time this ever has happened to either my wife or I.||Perhaps what best epitomizes the warmth and sense of family came after we checked out. Victoria hugged both my wife and I when we said goodbye. Paul hugged my wife and shook my hand; and Frank gave us a friendly salute. ||So what do you think? Do you know of any other hotel that has such a...

https://www.residenceagnes.com/||Reviewer: Armand Beede, Memphis|| ||First: The Residence Agnes Limo service gives comfortable, highly professional, door-to-door service to and from the Airport or Train Station, so you have utmost convenience.||||The Residence Agnes has ample comfort, is immaculately clean, modern, with traditional charm, with constant access to water (still or sparkling), coffee, tea or cappuccino.||||The Residence Agnes in Prague has my highest recommendation ever, with the addition that I would love to live there permanently.||||Why?||||Foremost, Prague is one of the world’s cultural cities, and the people seem to practice civility and empathy with each other. Prague (Prahá) is, with Heidelberg, among the world’s cities I could permanently live in.||||The Residence Agnes is like home. I could permanently live in The Residence Agnes.||When we arrived – my beautiful wife, Nancy, our elder Daughter, and I – our luggage was taken, and we were welcomed by Victoria.||||Victoria sat with us, provided coffee and water, laid out a map on the coffee table, and toured the map with her pen to make Prague our home.||||Victoria gives the guest a feeling of home, and she guides you with a city map through a walking tour that puts you at the center of the rich history of Prague – reaching back to the 1200s – and its vibrant, modern life.||||No other experience was like it.||||Victoria personally ensures the new arrival has all her questions answered – and opens up interesting new questions – and draws walking tours on the map.||Victoria is one of the hotel managers, with Samantha, and Frank (the owner).||After a pleasant, long sit-down with Victoria, the first-time visitor feels at home and confident in the cultural, historical city, only a short walk outdoors.||Victoria ensures you know where to eat, which definitely includes the Lokal on the same block, which has excellent Czech meals and final local beer (Pilsner Urquell), wines (the Czech terrain nourishes white wines) and liqueurs.||Upon Victoria’s recommendation, we ate repeatedly at the Lokal – the meals are filling and delicious with excellent service, two minutes from the hotel.||I want personally to thank Victoria, who is a very fine professional, indeed.||The rooms have the charming Czech double window with a view of paths to the city. Our window, on the second floor, viewed the St Agnes Church and Nancy (my wife) and I were charmed in the morning by Kindergarten children led, hand in hand, by their teachers to school.||||Frank, the owner, is like a Ship’s Captain who runs a tight ship.||||All of Frank’s people are highly professional: including Lenka, Natalie (who also speaks German), Denise, and another Victoria.||||The stay includes a hearty, delicious breakfast.||||The entire staff always offer a variety of coffee, still or sparkling water, or even alcoholic drinks.||||But this review is a tribute to both a place I could in peace and in inner happiness call Home – namely, the world-cultural city of Prague, a home forever in Residence Agnes, fellowship with Frank and his tight ship (the limo drivers, the managers Victoria and Samantha, the welcoming daily persons Denise, the other Victoria, Natalie, and Lenka).||How easy it was for tired travelers to be picked up and dropped off, door-to-door, Airport – Residence Agnes – Train Station with the comfortable limo and professional driver.||||And what a welcome into the warmth of culture of Prague by the coffee table, with cappuccino, water, and a warm, comprehensive, deeply friendly survey by pen over the city map given by Victoria.||||If an entry into a mythological Heaven were only like this, I would return to my childhood hopes for such an afterlife.||||I am eager to come back again and again, and, but for loved ones in Memphis, could move...

https://www.residenceagnes.com/ Reviewer: Armand Beede, Memphis

First: The Residence Agnes Limo service gives comfortable, highly professional, door-to-door service to and from the Airport or Train Station, so you have utmost convenience.

The Residence Agnes in Prague has my highest recommendation ever, with the addition that I would love to live there permanently.

Why?

Foremost, Prague is one of the world’s cultural cities, and the people seem to practice civility and empathy with each other. Prague (Prahá) is, with Heidelberg, among the world’s cities I could permanently live in.

The Residence Agnes is like home. I could permanently live in The Residence Agnes.

When we arrived – my beautiful wife, Nancy, our elder Daughter, and I – our luggage was taken, and we were welcomed by Victoria.

Victoria sat with us, provided coffee and water, laid out a map on the coffee table, and toured the map with her pen to make Prague our home.

Victoria gives the guest a feeling of home, and she guides you with a city map through a walking tour that puts you at the center of the rich history of Prague – reaching back to the 1200s – and its vibrant, modern life.

No other experience was like it.

Victoria personally ensures the new arrival has all her questions answered – and opens up interesting new questions – and draws walking tours on the map.

Victoria is one of the hotel managers, with Samantha, and Frank (the owner).

After a pleasant, long sit-down with Victoria, the first-time visitor feels at home and confident in the cultural, historical city, only a short walk outdoors.

Victoria ensures you know where to eat, which definitely includes the Lokal on the same block, which has excellent Czech meals and final local beer (Pilsner Urquell), wines (the Czech terrain nourishes white wines) and liqueurs.

Upon Victoria’s recommendation, we ate repeatedly at the Lokal – the meals are filling and delicious with excellent service, two minutes from the hotel.

I want personally to thank Victoria, who is a very fine professional, indeed.

The rooms have the charming Czech double window with a view of paths to the city. Our window, on the second floor, viewed the St Agnes Church and Nancy (my wife) and I were charmed in the morning by Kindergarten children led, hand in hand, by their teachers to school.

Frank, the owner, is like a Ship’s Captain who runs a tight ship. All of Frank’s people are highly professional: including Lenka, Natalie (who also speaks German), Denise, and another Victoria. The stay includes a hearty, delicious breakfast.

The entire staff always offer a variety of coffee, still or sparkling water, or even alcoholic drinks.

But this review is a tribute to both a place I could in peace and in inner happiness call Home – namely, the world-cultural city of Prague, a home forever in Residence Agnes, fellowship with Frank and his tight ship (the limo drivers, the managers Victoria and Samantha, the welcoming daily persons Denise, the other Victoria, Natalie, and Lenka).

How easy it was for tired travelers to be picked up and dropped off, door-to-door, Airport – Residence Agnes – Train Station with the comfortable limo and professional driver.

And what a welcome into the warmth of culture of Prague by the coffee table, with cappuccino, water, and a warm, comprehensive, deeply friendly survey by pen over the city map given by Victoria.

If an entry into a mythological Heaven were only like this, I would return to my childhood hopes for such an afterlife. I am eager to come back again and again, and, but for loved ones in Memphis, could move...