K+K Hotel Fenix Prague — Hotel in Prague

I've stayed here twice in the past 5 years, and will likely return soon. It's a modern, well-appointed but non-opulent hotel, with friendly multi-lingual staff, generally happy to help. (I was likely a pain since I was often in search of ice cubes, which came from the restaurant/lounge, my only slight peeve, but not so awful.)

The room was nice, though twin beds. Faced a quiet courtyard, though some rooms face the street. The room came with high-speed Internet - free - which was a huge attraction for me, so I could send back photos and "postcards" from my room, and check email in the evening. There was also cable tv, decent bathroom, pleasant decor (wicker & glass furniture, modern art prints on the wall).

The good news location-wise is that the Fenix is just around the corner from Winceslas Square. That's also the bad news, for some. It's a short walk to the National Muzeum (two blocks away) and just a few city blocks to Narodni (for shopping and tour guides) and a few blocks further to Henry Tower or all of Old Town Square. About 1 1/2 - 2 miles I'd estimate to walk down Winceslas Square, into the Old Town, past Josefov, and along the river to the historic Charles Bridge and the Castle beyond. It's near great public transportation as well.

*The "bad news" is that the location is a bit like staying on Times Square New York, or DamStraat in Amsterdam - it's where all the night life happens, some of which includes a number of "adult clubs" where the hawkers outside intimidate a few (mostly women) but they are not aggressive or lewd, just there. I never felt in danger, even from the guy wearing a poncho and standing near the club door every time I walk in or out of the hotel.

The lounge/restaurant area is light and casual, and they are quite accommodating (making me a coffee when I arrived, for example, although technically closed). Similarly, in arranging for a cab (in Czech) the front desk was helpful, always.

Lastly, mixed in with the club scene and tourism on Winceslas Square, and local crowds of workers and students too, there are a few local grocery stores (one across the street which I love) and a Subway (sandwich store) on the next block. (Even a McDonald's near the Muzeum). Not that adults need to avoid local food, which usually includes their famous beer. One can find pizza too, and many small outdoor cafes both in the Old Town and in Mala Strana, both of which can be walked to from the hotel.

So, for the reasons of "location, location" plus the fact that the hotel is consistent and reliable and decently priced, if you can stand the night life near the front door, it's a great place to be. They serve a free breakfast buffet, too, which many people...

I recently had the unfortunate experience of staying at this hotel during a busy holiday period, and I must say that I was extremely disappointed with the level of understaffing and lack of receptionists. Despite the hotel being fully booked, there was only a single receptionist working, which led to numerous inconveniences and frustrations. While waiting an hour for check-in at the hotel reception, the solo receptionist was very slow as she showed signs of feeling sick. We assisted her to a sofa, but she was hesitant to call her boss for a substitute, fearing repercussions. Eventually, she was assisted to the toilet to vomit by a bartender, who was on the phone with a manager apparently. However, staff didn't mind leaving guests unattended, the understaffed situation persisted for an additional 40 minutes with us not knowing what to do next. The incessantly loud air conditioning made it nearly impossible for me to get a decent night's sleep. Moreover, the use of two separate mattresses instead of a standard bed was an unexpected inconvenience that affected my comfort. Would not recommend it for any couple travellers. We kindly asked to change the room but the receptionist apologized that she cannot offer any alternatives. Adding to the discomfort, the early morning clamor of plates being banged in the vicinity disrupted my rest. The lack of sound isolation in the rooms only exacerbated the noise issues, making it a challenge to find any peace and quiet. To make matters worse, housekeeping had the habit of barging into the room very early in the morning, disregarding the fact that guests were still inside, which is highly unprofessional. Lastly, the receptionist failed to inform us about the extra charges for the private garage. I only found out during check-out and was surprised by the hefty bill. Clear communication about additional fees is essential for a positive guest experience. The hotel should improve their transparency and communication practices to avoid such disappointments...

“No hesitation in 5 stars.”

Location: Excellent. Walking distance to old town, and close to metro station. Only one metro stop away from the main station (which was convenient when arriving by train from other cities). About 10 minutes walk from the main train station otherwise. Roughly 10 minutes from some of the main tram lines.

Staff: The staff went above and beyond many that we’ve seen on this trip. While Americans try to be obvious though when they provide extremely good service, the Czech staff are subtle in their delivery and don’t expect anything in return. We were greeted by Petra upon arrival. She had a very welcoming smile but hid the fact that she had upgraded our room and left a bottle of champagne in it on the basis of noting that it was our honeymoon (I had emailed the hotel earlier simply to double check our reservation – we had a previous experience in Washington DC where they just discarded our room despite booking 6 months in advance). Petra only gave the game away when she gave us a pre-prepared key with the room number crossed out in place of another. I asked her about the room change and she dodged the question. I later asked about the champagne to which she just smiled and said – “It is your honeymoon isn’t it?”. Very kind in this respect, but it was typical of the service we received throughout the stay.

Rooms: The rooms were comfortable, and large (yes the upgraded room was nice – but other rooms looked reasonably sized as well). The breakfast served as part of the hotel room cost was excellent – best breakfast service on our 5 week trip. Would I stay again: Excellent value, excellent staff, excellent location – not only would I stay here again, I’ve already recommended the hotel to friends who are heading to Prague soon.

Other notes: The manager of this hotel needs to give a thank you to Petra from us.

Only downside - Smoking in the foyer. This should be eliminated for a...