There are some hotels that guests fall in love with the moment they arrive at the doorstep – and the Art Deco Imperial Hotel, Prague is one of them. Built a century ago, the hotel is an early example of Art Deco architecture in Europe and it is also among the best. It was constructed on the site of as former inn between 1913 and 1914, with the location chosen because of its proximity to three major railway stations.
The seven-storey building mixed Art Deco with Art Nouveau and cubism in its construction, and in the first half of the 20th century it hosted guests such as Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the first Czech president, as well as composer Leos Janacek and writer Franz Kafka. The hotel was taken over by Nazi officers in the Second World War and then occupied by the Communist Party after the war, when it became a house of recreation for foreign guests. However, between 2005 and 2007 it was completely renovated to its former glory and became a UNESCO-listed property and has also been listed as a Czech national monument.
All that means this is a hotel with a great history and a magnificent architectural heritage, with a decor that bears both the style that has characterised it down the years with the freshness of a modern makeover. The services on offer are superb, as they have to be in order to be worthy of such a great setting. These include limousine services, car rental, sightseeing tours, half or full day-trips to leading attractions around Prague, dining out, tickets to shows, courier services and even a personal trainer arrangement at a wellness and fitness centre. The Art Deco Imperial also includes the famous Cafe Imperial, a throwback to the old days of the grand cafe house in Prague and decorated with genuine 1914 Art Nouveau tiles.
Image credit- DIMSFIKASThe menu is excellent, being homemade and featuring the finest Czech dishes with an international twist. All together, this is a hotel with a richness of heritage few can match. You will love it, because everybody does.
