VENTANA Hotel Prague

We stayed for 3 nights at the Hotel Ventana December 2-5, 2012. Getting to the hotel was a bit of a problem because the slightly chauvinist taxi driver wouldn't listen to me and bring us directly to the hotel, and instead made us walk through the Old Town Square. He laughed at me and said it wasn't possible. When we called for a taxi to leave, I asked if the airport shuttle knew how to pick us up right in front of the hotel and they knew exactly how to get us right at the hotel. Make sure you have the address as well as the "entrance" address so you don't have the same problem. Our room, #23, had an amazing view of the Our Lady before Tyn church....the big church in Old Town Square. Our friends called it the Rapunzel church since the turrets are straight out of a fairy tale! The nice thing is that it is only 2 floors up in case the elevator is in use, but being right above the restaurant and bar did allow us to hear some noises. Not loud enough for my husband to notice, but I could hear them occasionally. You may want to ask for one more floor above if you are a really light sleeper. The room was large by European hotel standards, and the bathroom was spacious, clean and modern. There were robes, slippers and nice toiletries. The first night we were there they gave us some delicious cookies that I will dream about, and each day there were two free bottles of water in our room along with chocolates on our pillows. The breakfast was beyond the standard European breakfast...of course there was granola, other cereals, yogurt, breads, meats and cheeses. Added bonuses were scrambled eggs, sausages and even mimosas! The receptionists/concierges were fluent in English and always helpful. The best part of this hotel, though, has to be the amazing location! Prague is eminently walkable and you could really stay anywhere in Prague 1 and still get to the major attractions. But to stay right in Old Town is so convenient, and to stay in such a beautiful hotel at such reasonable prices was a real treat.