They say the Asian hospitality is unbeatable and, judging by the kindness in dealing with clients of the team that we may find at the Group of hotels Mandarin Oriental, it’s likely that this is true. I also think that this is one of the key points you should take into account when deciding to stay in a MO hotel. If you like a warmer treatment with people who talk to you and seem always to be interested in your well-being with a smile on their faces, choosing a Mandarin Oriental hotel won’t disappoint at all! The people we meet from the reception to the room cleaning service offer the guests a truly warm treatment which is far from being something simply robotic to fulfill an obligation like we may see in other not so good hotels. Though it has many other predicates, this is the most positive point that I would highlight at Mandarin Oriental Prague. Upon arrival to the hotel, we find people interested in hearing about your trip, if it’s your first time in the city and if there is anything else they can do for you. A second point to be highlighted at Mandarin Oriental Prague is the fact that the hotel’s building in itself is already a little jewel from other times. It’s housed in a former monastery dating back to the 14th century. Located in Malá Strana which is the oldest neighborhood of Prague, the hotel is only five minutes walk from Charles Bridge. On one side of this bridge, we have the Old Town and, on the other one, we have the famous Prague Castle. Mandarin Oriental is located in a very quiet street on the side of the river which lies the castle. As it’s next to the Czech Museum of Music, you can just sit at the inner courtyard of the hotel and listen to the sound of music coming from the neighbor if you’re in Prague during the summer months!
Rooms & Suites
The rooms are quite spacious and, following the style of other Mandarin Oriental units, they have contemporary décor in neutral tones. Each of the rooms and suites, however, has been individually decorated and furnished to embrace the best of the destination with an oriental touch. They’re all equipped with the latest technology. My room was on the third floor, and I had a wonderful view of the inner courtyard. On arrival, there were complimentary fruits and a welcome letter for me that I particularly liked to find in French. In addition to the housekeeping in the morning, we have the turn-down service. After long walks through Prague, I must say that the room seems absurdly cozy in the end of the day.
Spices Restaurant & Bar
Spices Restaurant & Bar is the hotel’s restaurant under the command of award-winning chef Jiří Stift. It has a particularly interesting menu that suggests combinations of dishes divided between South-East, North-East and South-West Asian flavors. I opted for a combination of North-East Asian dishes and thought it was a really good choice. The dumplings that I tried were really delicious! In addition, the service is excellent with waiters who are always attentive to every detail and quite well informed to answer you any questions. Though the furniture is contemporary, the ceiling of the place still shows us that the place was a former Dominican monastery of the 17th century, which gives a special charm to the place. There’s also another option of dining venue which is inside a private room with bare brick walls and an original mediaeval wall.
Facilities
Everyone expects something exceptional from a Mandarin Oriental spa and the one from Prague doesn’t disappoint. The venue is quite exclusive, because it’s the only spa in the world that is housed inside a former Renaissance chapel. Several treatments are only offered there. There’re also two saunas and a very well equipped gym. In addition, Mandarin Oriental Prague offers a wonderful space dedicated to events. In this area of the hotel, we have the amazing Monastery Lounge and its extremely elegant adjoining rooms.
Considerations
Even though Mandarin Oriental Prague is part of a large group of luxury hotels, it also offers all the charm and warmth of a boutique hotel. With a very contemporary and elegant interior design, it still preserves its History through artifacts and architectural details from other times. In fact, the whole historical aspect involving the hotel matches perfectly with the destination. Prague is an incredibly wonderful city filled with castles, towers and bridges, but it’s not an easy place to be explored considering the huge amount of things we need to see and do there. That is why it’s also great to have a well informed staff that can offer you great travel tips and, at the same time, a concierge ready to tell you which events and performances of opera/ballet are going on in Prague.
