Anyone been to Prague?

[hacarya]

Hi
After debating we have put New York off for a bit and gone for a cheaper option. So we are going to Prague at the end of January, hopefully to experience a real winter. Has anyone been, especially in winter, how cold does it get, will we see snow?

Did you like it, are there nice places to visit? Whats the food like, did you struggle with the language barrier?

I read somewhere also you are not allowed to take in or out of the countrt, the Czech currency. Is this right, if so how do you go about changing your money?

How much would you budget for in pounds for three days, only usual stuff like tourist trips, cheap to moderate eating etc?

Thanks everyone

Sarah

[hacarya]

Anyone? bump!

[dogken]

We have been a couple of times and love it, booked again for next March, you can change your money in any travel agents here and as for how much to take it is very cheap for a couple, no more than 2 hundred pounds spends for 3 nights.
don't book your hotel direct with them, use a search engine to book through, I've get a couple of good sites we use if your interested?

[hacarya]

Hi
That would be great, could you tell me who you use.
I have priced up a three star hotel and flights in January for 3 nights and it has come to £321, for both of us, which I thought was fantastic.


As regards money, its ok to take czech money into the country is it?
I read in a book no czech money had to be taken in or out of country, although this could have changed.

Wow £200 for three nights, thats really cheap!


Sarah

[dogken]

Yes we have always change our money here and no problems, I have booked a double room at Ibis old town 3* (we used this hotel last year), 35 pounds per room per night and that includes breakfast.
Here's a link to the two sites I use.

http://www.otel.com/

http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/

We book our flights with Easyjet, about 60 pounds each.

[hacarya]

Was the Ibis ok, just looked but says not available for January. Can you recommend any other reasonable but nice hotels. Don't want to be in the thick of it, but not tooo far away either.
Just priced up flights with BMi, at £79, so that is roughly 180 with a hotel around £39 a night.

Do you ever bother with travel insurance?

Thanks
SArah

[dogken]

Hi Sarah
The Ibis is fine and I think there are 4 in the town, the only other hotel we have used is called top hotel Prague and it is lovely, 4* but it's quite a way out of the centre (it is also very cheap).
As for the insurance we are covered with our bank.

Ken

[hacarya]

Hi
Found one called the Design Merrion at 129 for three nights. Look fantastic, says it is about 1km form attraction, how far is that roughly, two far to walk?

May look for something cheaper but other three stars seem to get bad reviews.

Sarah

[dogken]

Hi
Found one called the Design Merrion at 129 for three nights. Look fantastic, says it is about 1km form attraction, how far is that roughly, two far to walk?

May look for something cheaper but other three stars seem to get bad reviews.

Sarah

Well 1 km isn't far about 8-10 minutes walk, sorry can't help with the hotel I don't know it!

[kilbroney]

We are going to Prague on the 1st November for four nights, got the flights for £46 each return from Dublin. I used Prague experience and booked a package with them it is staying in a 4* hotel by Charles Bridge for the four nights, taxi transfer to and from the airport, a guided tour on a coach and partly walking, a cruise with dinner and a traditional Czech night with dinner for £203 each, you can mix and match what you want to do with other hotels and different things to do

[hacarya]

Well looks like we are going with the Merrion, looks new and modern and not too far to centre of town.

It knocks £100 off our last price so so to £238. Brilliant. Just got to sweet talk the inlaws to have the kids now!


Any other tips appreciated, how cold will it be in January, any foodie tips etc?


Thanks

Sarah

[The Smiths]

We went last Easter 06 had a great time, stayed at the Cloister Hotel right by Charles Bridge walking distance to everything. We arrived in the afternoon and it was snowing and very very cold, it's a lovely place to visit and i would love to go again.

[Karen Mouse]

We ate in the restaurant by the famous clock (sorry cant remember its name.) Part of a hotel, you go downstairs into the old cellars - fab meal, great umpa band on when we went.

Prague is great - you'll have a great time

[ju_itfc]

We got the magnificent 4 star Crowne Plaza for £40 a night a few years back and this included a hot buffet breakfast. It is not in the centre, but in Djevika (spelling?) which is about a 10-15 minute tram ride to the city centre. The hotel used to be a foreign embassy and is extremely grand, one of the best rooms we have ever had abroad.

Part of the attraction in Prague was the tram rides and seeing other parts of the city you wouldn't necessarily see if staying smack bang in the middle.

As for food, it might sound dumb but there is some fantastically cheap tex mex in the city centre. Red Hot and Blues was magnificent and only cost the equivalent of £5 per person including drinks.

I think we spent £100 tops in 3 days/nights. Avoid the Irish bars and stick to local bars, we found pints as cheap as 40p but this was 2 or 3 years ago.

It's a great city, make sure you head up the Castle.