Four Seasons Prague: The Most Cozy & Romantic Address in Prague 1

In four trips to Prague, we’ve stayed in a couple different areas, including Mala Strana (the lesser town), New Town, and, most recently, the Old Town.  A few steps from the Charles Bridge, the Four Seasons Prague is the perfect hotel for a winter trip to Prague.  Not only does it overlook Prague Castle and the Valtava River, but it is also perfectly located for sightseeing on those colder winter days.  Everything about this hotel is perfectly romantic and delightfully cozy.  Even the swimming pool is cozy; there’s a fireplace in there, too!

I should note that we definitely lucked out with finding an unbelievable winter rate at the Four Seasons.  I was originally thinking that we would stay at the Mandarin Oriental Prague.  Since we lost our photos from our 2016 Christmas trip to Prague, I wanted to review the hotel again, but when a sub-$200 per night rate came up for the Four Seasons, it was a no brainer.  Tom was really excited about the location, especially given how cold it was in Prague on our December 2016 trip.  The Four Seasons is merely steps from Old Town Square and, truthfully, Old Town Square is one of my favorite Christmas markets in Europe.

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Booking the Four Seasons Prague

As a luxury travel advisor, I can help you book the Four Seasons Prague and even get you a few perks! If you are interested in booking, please reach out to me for a quote! As a Virtuoso and Four Seasons Preferred Partner travel advisor, I can book your room at the Four Seasons Prague with the following amenities:

• Daily breakfast for two, served in hotel restaurant or through room service
• Hotel/Spa Credit – $100 per guest room or $200 per suites
• Upgrade, based on availability at check-in

Four Seasons Prague Arrival

We drove to Prague from Vienna and decided to valet the car, rather than trying to find parking nearby.  It is approximately $40 per day, which is quite reasonable when you consider that the Four Seasons is in the historical center of Prague.  There are also in-and-out privileges, in the event you want to take any day trips.  (We just parked it and forgot about it until was time to go.)  The bellhops and valet staff provide the most friendly service to guests.  Every time we departed the hotel, whether by car or on food, they offered suggestions and directions, if necessary.  When we checked out, headed to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, they provided us with water for the drive.  Truthfully, I think the arrival staff at the Four Seasons are the true gems of the property.

Since we arrived around 2:00pm, our rooms were not immediately ready.  The lobby was incredibly festive and felt like a comfortable living room, we didn’t mind waiting for a bit.  Once my mom’s room was ready, we moved to her room.  After 20 minutes, our room was ready and they sent the key up.  However, we had an issue with an odor in our room, so I asked to move.  That proved to feel like a bit of an imposition for the front desk, but after another 15 minutes, the front desk manager was able to provide us another room a few doors down from my mom’s room.

Room 420 – Modern King Room

This was my first stay at a Four Seasons hotel, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  All the 5 star Prague hotels we have stayed at have varied wildly in terms of rooms and service.  I’m pleased to say that the Four Seasons surpasses all of my expectations for a true 5 star hotel.  My mom thinks it’s the most comfortable bed she’s ever experienced.  She’s not wrong.  I definitely wanted to bring the linens home.  Our modern room overlooked the front of the hotel, which is actually a quiet side street.  Our large picture windows let in plenty of light during the day (though our view wasn’t too exciting), but the luxurious drapes kept our room dark and cozy in the evenings.

The rooms are tastefully decorated with beautiful striped wallpaper and elegant chandeliers.  I loved the glass lamps and black and white photographs of Prague.  There was a cozy chair and ottoman in the corner and a large desk in the opposite corner.  The desk had enough space and two chairs, so both Tom and I could work.  The furniture fit the room so well and didn’t feel cluttered at all.  It just felt warm and cozy.  In fact, I sent a photo of our room to my mom before I had hip surgery and asked if we could recreate the entire space at home.  She said we could.  (We didn’t.)

Modern King Bathroom

One of the things that sets luxury hotel rooms apart are their bathrooms.  The Four Seasons Prague is no exception.  With a delightful soaking tub and a separate, full-size, walk-in shower, even the entry level rooms offer an elevated experience.  There is plenty of privacy and plenty of room to get ready.  As expected, the bathroom offers every expected amenity and everything is perfectly in its place.  I particularly enjoyed the Lorenzo Villoresi Firenze sundries, and unfortunately, I haven’t seen them at another hotel.

The entry way of the room offers a closet and storage shelves, in addition to the dresser in the room.  We didn’t have a problem storing our luggage, and it was nice to be able to close it off.  I did appreciate that the closet doors offered full length mirrors.  The wet bar offered a standard minibar, but there was also an Illy coffee maker, in addition to Illy coffee, that was complimentary in the room.  We received free bottled water and free wifi for the duration of our stay.  (Talk about taking free wifi for granted.  I stayed at a Fairmont in the United States that charged me $16 per day for internet access.  I’m not going to lie – it blew my mind.)

Ava Spa at the Four Seasons Prague

As I mentioned, the Four Seasons Prague spa is lovely.  It offers a cozy pool, in addition to the typical treatments that one would expect.  I think Tom and I spent a little bit of time every evening at the Ava Spa.  My massages at the Four Seasons Dallas property, and the Ava Spa is no different.  My mom and I both took advantage of spa treatments.  My favorite massage was the La Boheme, which I credit with keeping me well and rested throughout our winter adventure.  My mom enjoyed the tailor-made massage for her legs and feet, given how hard we pound the cobblestones when we travel.  Prices are standard for the Four Seasons, but they may seem high for the Czech Republic.  I can assure you that it’s worth it.

Note:  The spa does require some changing of floors and elevators to get to the first time.  You’ll want to make sure to leave yourself plenty of time before your appointment.  It’s essentially on the lower level of the hotel and the treatment rooms and pool overlook the Valtava River.  Our visits were always in the evening, so there wasn’t much of a view, but I imagine it could be quite lovely during the day.

Four Seasons Prague Location & Things to Do Nearby

As I mentioned, I chose the Prague Four Seasons specifically for its location and proximity to Old Town Square and the Prague Christmas markets.  The tram also runs near the hotel and there is a metro stop within a block of the hotel.  It’s very accessible to public transportation, more so than other hotels where we’ve stayed.  Tom and I enjoyed spending a lot of time at the Old Town Square Christmas market, even choosing to have lunch there a few times.  In the evenings, we would head back and enjoy the festive atmosphere.  That said, the hotel is far enough from the crowds that it does feel like a peaceful retreat, even though it’s in the heart of Old Town.  We didn’t have any trouble with noise, and I didn’t feel like we were staying in the “Times Square” of Prague.

What I didn’t expect to find (but truly enjoyed) was the Charles Bridge Museum, which offers a lovely nativity exhibit during the Christmas season.  I didn’t even know this museum existed until we took a Christmas tour of Prague.  If you are traveling during the holiday season, I highly recommend this tour!  For a bird’s eye view of Prague without the crowds of the Astronomical Clock and Old Town Hall Tower, you can head to the Old Town Bridge Tower for a similar (but different) view of the Prague skyline.

Prague Synagogue Ticket

Less than a 10 minute walk from the Four Seasons is the Jewish Quarter.  I don’t think any visit to Prague is complete without spending time in the Jewish Quarter and visiting the Synagogues of Prague.  You can purchase a ticket for several of the major synagogues – the spartan Old-New Synagogue, the stunning Spanish Synagogue, and the haunting Pinkas Synagogue.  All are different, each equally deserves a visit.  I think it’s important to recognize that visiting the Pinkas Synagogue may require some emotional processing time.  The first time I visited was before the 2016 election.  It pushed me to think critically about things that were going on in the world at the time.  We started at the Pinkas Synagogue, and I could not bring myself to go anywhere else after that.  I wasn’t prepared for what it would feel like to see all of the names of those who perished.  The second time I visited was right after the 2016 election and I found myself reflecting on the first visit.  On my most recent visit, I felt prolonged and overwhelming sadness at how little I feel that we’ve learned from the past.  In all instances, I found it difficult to head back to the jovial parts of Prague, and instead, often retreated back to my hotel for a bit of writing and processing my thoughts.  In the future, I would like to do a more in-depth tour of this area.  We took a brief tour on our first trip and a more in-depth tour of the broader history of Prague in post-WW2 and through Communism, but I think we are missing significant pieces of the Jewish history of Prague.

Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral

Though not exactly convenient to the Four Seasons hotel Prague (at least on foot), I cannot recommend a visit to the Prague castle complex enough.  I recommend taking a tour of the entire complex to understand the intricacies of how this castle-town came to visit.  If you are pushed for time, I would buy a ticket and head straight to St. Vitus Cathedral.  The stained glass is my most favorite stained glass in any cathedral.  The colors are so vibrant and the designs are so intricate, it’s impossible for me to imagine how it was created.

Truthfully, the entire castle complex is like stepping back in time and living in a fairytale.  If you make the steep climb to the castle, it’s easy to picture a medieval adventure, particularly in the evening.  If you stumble upon the classic cars, it’s easy to imagine a fairytale from Grace Kelly’s time.  The cobblestone streets, small alleyways, and delightful Christmas market make this a magical stop on any Prague itinerary.

I think the Four Seasons Prague offers the best vantage point to watch the sunset and lights of Prague castle come on in the evening.  Blue hour is truly bewitching from behind the hotel.  The proximity of the Four Seasons to the Charles Bridge makes it easy to get up early for sunrise and stay out late for late night photos of Prague.  In the winter, when temperatures can be particularly cold, it’s nice to know that you don’t have far to go for beautiful photos of the city.

More Things to Do in Prague

In four trips to Prague, we’ve barely scratched the surface of everything there is to do in Prague.  We find a lot of activities to be not necessarily Prague specific, so we tend to gravitate towards walking tours.  That said, my friends with children have enjoyed the Lego Museum and we took a chocolate making class that was wildly popular with the kids as much as the adults.  In other cases, I’ve read about beer spa experiences that are intriguing because of their relationship to the Czech culture.  I recommend taking in a musical performance of some sort.  From black light theater, to classical music, to ballet, there are numerous venues throughout the city.  You’ll have to decide what you are interested in seeing, but the arts in Prague shouldn’t be missed.  We saw Swan Lake on our first trip to Prague.  I’ve been trying to figure out how to sneak in a performance of The Nutcracker, but our dates haven’t aligned yet.

I tend to use the Top 10 Prague and Day by Day Prague book to get our itinerary ideas.  Every time I re-read these books, I come up with something new to do and add to our list.

Where to Eat Near the Four Seasons Prague

The weather was pretty damp while we were in Prague.  Though we avoided the snow on this trip, it did rain in the evenings.  That made it hard to get a table at Cotto Crudo (or anywhere else tbh – even the concierge couldn’t help with our lack of reservations) with such little notice.  As such, we debated frequently about ordering room service.  My mom was in favor of that plan.  Tom was not.  I just wanted to be fed.  Luckily, Tom found Pizzeria Donna, which was a short walk from our hotel.  Staying with the theme of the trip, this cozy pizzeria was exactly what we needed.  It was lively and the food was warm and inexpensive.  The service was some of the best we’ve had in Prague.

Another Czech restaurant that both my mom and Tom enjoyed is Mlejnice.  I didn’t order well, but they loved their meals.  Tom especially loved the cheap beer.  (He swears the Pilsner Urquel is named for him.)  The prices are extremely reasonable. A little further afield is the absolutely delicious (and delightfully cozy) Pasta Fresca.  It’s on the other side of Old Town Square.  The larger dining room is located in the cellar.  It’s a wonderful place to warm up on a cold evening.  Prague restaurants have not been our forte, but we did find more delicious places to eat on this trip.

Side note:  I would love to visit in the summer when the Four Seasons offers the pop up restaurants with a view of the Valtava and Prague Castle.  The food always looks delicious and the view is unbeatable. Every meal I’ve had at a Four Seasons has been amazing, the most memorable being my birthday dinner at the Four Seasons Florence.

Final Thoughts on the Four Seasons Prague

For a romantic winter trip, the Four Seasons Prague cannot be beat.  The location is ideal for exploring Prague, but the cozy ambiance is perfect for romantic evenings in, too.  While I’m certain I would love the Four Seasons at any time of year, because – let’s be honest a 5 star hotel is always a good idea, I think it’s especially worth booking in the winter.  Prague is best explored on foot, and this hotel is never far from anything (except Prague castle).  This hotel goes all out for Christmas; the only thing missing is the Christmas market *inside* the hotel.  (Just kidding – though the luxury Christmas market at the Four Seasons Budapest shouldn’t be missed.)

The Four Seasons Prague is one of the best hotels in Prague.  I think Prague is a fabulous city for a honeymoon, Valentine’s Day, or an anniversary trip.  (We spent our fourth anniversary in Venice and Prague!)   Don’t forget to include a trip to the Four Seasons Prague spa in your booking though.  (Your body will thank you for the break from the cobblestones.)  That said, make sure to also check the rates at the Mandarin though.  They often offer a 3 for 2 deal, and the hotel rooms are equally as romantic, though the hotel is not nearly as centrally located as the Four Seasons.  I love Mala Strana though.  Different, good, equally as lovely service, but even further from the crowds.  I’m still trying to convince my husband that we need to visit again – you know, for the blog.  😉

All that said, with 4 trips under our belt, for the ultimate romantic winter getaway, the Four Seasons Prague hotel holds my vote.