Stylish Hotel Falkensteiner Prague Near Central Station

When we got off our train at the Prague Main Station in the Czech Republic (Hlavni Nadrazi), I pulled out my phone to figure out how to get to our hotel and then felt kind of silly: Hotel Falkensteiner Prague is just a couple of blocks to the left from the railway station. A few minutes after setting out and rolling along the sidewalk with our wheelie suitcases, we were there.  

We stepped into a building that blended into the historic architecture on the outside but is fun and modern on the inside. The lobby features sitting areas in bright colors, and the welcome drink stand offers straight and alcoholic juice concoctions with a metal monkey perched nearby. He’s a reminder to check out the Monkey Bar when it’s time to play.  

Public Spaces and Awesome Breakfast 

To the left from the lobby is the stunning lounge, the design showpiece of the property, with its striking photo portraits of pretty young women above loveseats and chairs in colors that really pop. 

Apparently, this was once a rather frumpy hotel, but during the COVID-19 shutdown, the owners decided to bring it into the modern age and appeal to a younger and hipper clientele. They wanted to keep the bones intact, however, so the original marble and iron staircase still leads up and down to different floors if you want a taste of history with your exercise. 

The social center of the hotel is the Monkey Bar, which is really more than just a bar. It attracts some visitors from outside of the hotel in the evenings, when it’s a popular place to gather, but it also serves food for lunch and dinner. You can expect interesting cocktails, carefully chosen wines (including a few from Moravia), and some always reliable Czech beers. 

The shot above is the interior, but it also has a nice outdoor garden area that is leafy and green in the warm months. 

Then, at breakfast time, the whole area transforms into a carefully curated foodie paradise to start your day. If you are booking here and don’t see a “breakfast included” option, fix that immediately and add it. 

I’ve been reviewing hotels on this site for 12 years and can add more years than I’d like to count onto that if I include other publications I’ve contributed reviews to, but this just might be the best hotel breakfast I’ve experienced. Sure, I’ve stayed at places with decadent buffets and many with better views, but I can’t recall a boutique hotel experience where every item felt like it had gone through a curation process to ensure it was the best possible option.

This was true of the breakfast items laid out for guests to plate up themselves, as well as the short, quality list of menu choices to be prepared in the kitchen. Nothing at Falkensteiner Prague’s breakfast display feels like an afterthought or—as is so common on the other side of the Atlantic—like the cheapest and unhealthiest processed corporate food choice available.

You can go all out while on vacation like I did with the order pictured below, but it’s just as easy to stick to a diet with the array of whole-grain breads, fresh-squeezed juices, turmeric shots, and house-made granola next to fresh fruit and organic vegetables. 

This even extends to the coffee. As in most of Europe, there’s a coffee machine dispensing the usual drinks from a central nozzle. “Let me know if you would like a better coffee,” our wait staff person mentioned on both days. “We have a great espresso machine behind the bar and will make something for you.” 

Hotel Falkensteiner Prague Spa

While many hotels boast a spa on their website, usually this translates to “Pay us the equivalent of your nightly room rate, and we’ll schedule a massage.” It’s a very different story here. The spa is open as a place for everyone to relax in, with a sauna, steam room, showers, and relaxation area. In the last one, you can wear a bathrobe. In the other two you wear your birthday suit, men and women together. 

While this might feel a bit strange to those who grew up in prudish America, it’s more common than not in Europe. So, it’s best to just go with the flow and relax.

The spaces are impeccably maintained and cleaned, and the lounge area is quite comfortable. Complimentary teas and healthy snacks are available. After a day of walking around Prague on an overcast day, being able to warm up in this spa was a perk that we really appreciated. 

Our Prague Hotel Room

Our room at Hotel Falkensteiner Prague was not huge, and the view was just the rooftop of a neighboring building, but in reality, we mostly used it for showers and a good night’s sleep. As with other aspects of the property, the designers minded the details: the layout and the amenities made sense and seemed well-chosen. 

We had a comfy queen bed with a padded headboard and an array of pillows. There was enough room for a stylish table and two chairs, and each side of the bed had an end table and lighting controls. We faced the street, but the room was incredibly quiet. 

Amenities include a Nespresso capsule coffee machine, a fridge, and a nice bathroom with provided toiletries and a hair dryer. The Wi-Fi works well and is included. 

Ours was a Superior room, one step up from the lowest category. You have multiple options to upgrade from there, with the Deluxe room adding a bit more space and the suites giving you more room to spread out. None of them are exactly huge, though: they top out at 42 square meters, roughly 450 square feet. 

While many Prague hotels seem to be milking the city’s popularity and haven’t made much effort to justify their rising rates, this one has clearly invested a small fortune in renovations, and the attention to detail throughout is impressive. Rates start at under €200 for the non-suite options, which is a good value in Prague these days, and the service from the English-speaking staff is excellent.  

Hotel Falkensteiner Prague gives you an incentive to book directly. At the moment, anyway, they’re throwing in breakfast if you reserve through the official hotel website. Otherwise, compare prices at your favorite hotel booking site. 

Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.

Review and photos by Tim Leffel, who was hosted by Hotel Falkensteiner and Prague City Tourism while traveling through Europe. As always, all opinions are his own.