Prague Palace Turned Hotel

Dating from the Middle Ages, Prague seems to have come to life straight from a fairytale. Known as the “city of a hundred spires,” the silhouettes of castles, palaces and churches are strikingly painted against the sky. There are exquisite architectural specimens from every era from Renaissance to Secessionist. The bustling city is divided into three parts: Old Town (very old), New Town (quite old), and Lesser Town (old).

My British expat friend, Stephen Weeks, who has lived in Prague for going on two decades, recommended that I stay at The Grand Mark hotel, literally steps from the gates of Old Town. Besides its ideal location, part of the reason for his recommendation is that Stephen, a brilliant writer and filmmaker, often finds himself there hobnobbing with American movie casts and crews.
Prague is a favorite location for Hollywood filmmakers and the impossibly chic hotel is their inn of choice. On my second morning I happened to sit at breakfast next to an exceedingly charming Belgian leading man who is starring with Jessica Chastain, also a guest of the hotel, in The Zookeeper’s Wife, being shot in town. Johan Heldenbergh, both easy to talk to and easy on the eyes (but alas married) was both writer and star of the cult film The Broken Circle Breakdown. The Mark has also hosted such movie stars as John Travolta and Jennifer Lawrence, both very nice according to staff.

Ensconced in a former Baroque palace on a street where the aristocracy once paraded their status with imposing dwellings, the structure seamlessly balances old-world grandeur with modern design and comfort. On the ground floor, beyond the elegant lobby, the Two Steps Bar and Lounge is a testament to glamorous contemporary furnishings juxtaposed against the original vaulted ceiling. It leads through sliding glass doors to the Winter Garden, a glorious courtyard where you can order from the bar and restaurant and relax in the sun when weather permits.  “Because it was one of the grandest palaces in Prague, such a large garden is unique in Prague,” says Stephen.

The five-star hotel is quintessentially luxurious from its sumptuous bedding (feather mattress top, sleek linens) and draperies to the bathroom’s heated towel rack, rain showerhead, and toiletries from posh English perfumery, Floris. The small gem (only 28 rooms and 47 suites) is one of only two Prague properties listed in The Leading Hotels of the World.

Recently taken over by an English company with a strong interest in Central European properties, the place is “unlike many Prague hotels,” says Stephen. “It has a lot of personality and the scale of the architecture translates into the rooms, which are neither dreadful minimalist nor overstuffed.”
The outstanding buffet breakfast includes such exotic (to Americans) items as sour cherry juice (not sour at all), kefir and kombucha (fermented drinks), and whey (the highly nutritious liquid left behind after making butter, cream or cheese). Dinner at Le Grill Restaurant is a mix of modern Bohemian and international cuisines. Think: dense Central European cakelike bread; a smooth chicken liver pate; tomato soup with an edge of roasted peppers; pumpkin ravioli that is more vegetal than the dessert-y American version, and a moist chicken breast flavored with a salami jus.

Smack dab in the heart of the city, The Mark is a stone’s throw to the Estates Theater, where Mozart debuted Don Giovanni. Every summer the production is painstakingly reconstructed. Though besieged by swarms of multinational tourists, Old Town is a treasure trove of ancient buildings and stone streets that meander playfully, all leading to the central square with its much-photographed astronomical clock. But it’s not all Hansel and Gretel quaint. Prague is home to numerous important museums, theaters and galleries. And The Mark is a sophisticated venue from which to venture forth.