Where to stay in Prague?

The city of Prague has been split into 10 different areas and tourists need to know the positives and negatives of each of these areas so as to select the best place to stay in Prague according to their budget and needs.

Prague has a good public transport system. Hence, tourists can begin their search in Prague’s Old Town. It is also important to know that significant discounts can be availed on accommodations that are not within the central districts. Thus, those who are ok with using the tram or metro can opt for such areas. Additionally, if the hotel is located next to a night tram road, then there is ‘24 x 7’ access to public transportation.

Presented below is a description of the ten different areas of Prague. Tourists may use the information and select a place to stay in Prague that suits their needs.

Prague 1 or Praha 1 district

People who stay in Prague 1 will have easy access to most of the major hot spots as they are just 20 minutes walking distance away from each other. This area has the highest concentration of bars, hotels, and restaurants. This district is further sub-divided into the New Town, the Old Town, the Prague Castle, and the Lesser Town areas. This is also an ideal place for couples to stay or honeymoon because many of the romantic and scenic locations are located here. You can find popular tourist sights like Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock at Praha 1.

  

• The New Town: The New Town is bordered by the highway on one side and the Old Town’s riverfront on the other. Two of its main attractions are the Republic Square and Wenceslas Square, the latter of which is home to most of the bars and partying. It also has the National Museum, great shopping places, and the primary train station. This area is much more vibrant as compared to other places to stay in Prague. The streets are wide, though a lot of the space is used for parking.

• The Old Town: Located in the center of the city, the Old Town is the most well-liked place to stay in Prague. All the places in and around the area are just 10 minutes walking distance away. There are many pedestrian pathways, but restaurants and bars can be costly. Most of the buildings are 3 or 4 storied and the streets are quite narrow. 
• The Castle and Lesser Town: These areas are regarded as the historical part of Prague. Unlike other places where ‘the Old Town’ is typically the oldest area of a city, it is not so in Prague. The oldest sections of Prague are the Castle and Lesser Town areas. They are also the more silent places to stay in the city; accommodations are also available in old, historic buildings. There are a few bars, but no pubs or nightclubs with partying and loud music in the Castle area. The region under the Castle is the Lesser Town area. It is home to more restaurants and bars as compared to the Castle area, but there is no real partying here as well.

Prague 2 or Praha 2 district

This district is located south-west and south of central area of Prague. Its boundary continues nearly one kilometer more than the boundary of Prague 1 district, up the river, and encloses the eastern section of the city. Two of the most popular places in this area are Namesti Miru and Vinohrady; they have lots of shops, bars, hotels, and restaurants that will help make your stay in Prague really enjoyable. A lot of the streets in Namesti Miru are named after different cities and countries. Both the places are accessible by metro.

The southern border of Prague 2 meets the boundary of Prague 4 at Nusle/ Vysehrad. This place has the Hotel Union, Fox apartments, and other great accommodation options. The Palac Flora shopping center is situated at Vinohradska. All the places in Prague 2 are within walking distance of each other.

Prague 3 or Praha 3 district

The Prague 3 district is bordered by Vinohradska near the Jiriho z Podebrad metro, Prague 8 on the far end, and Prague 10 next to Vinohrady. The Prague 8-bordered area can be accessed by tram and bus.

Prague 3 has several accommodation options for people who wish to stay just outside the limits of the main tourist centre. The largest residential area in this district is known as Zizkov. Tourists who are willing to use public transport or walk for 20 to 30 minutes can stay at any of the great hotels in Zizkov. Hotel Claris and Hotel Anna are situated at the Vinohradska end and you can opt for apartment houses at Slezka. The main road on the Prague 8 border is called Seifertova and it has fabulous hotels like the Carlton, Amedia Teatrino, Olsanka, and Ariston.

Prague 4 or Praha 4 district

Prague 4 district is located around 3 kilometers up the river, on the far end of Prague 2. As you leave the city center and head towards Brno, you will cross the Nusle Bridge and at the other end is Prague 4. Towards one border, this district lies next to the southern ring road, continues onwards to the regions of Krc and Pankrac, and eventually ends at Branik area next to the river.

Prague 4 is a place that is ideal for tourists who want to stay just outside the Prague city center, but overlooking the riverfront. It is a largely residential area and consists of metro stations beginning at Vysehrad and ending at Haje and Opatov. This district is home to several small hotels, hostels, and pensions, especially around Branik and Podoli next to the river.

Four star hotels can be found at the highest area of the district, i.e., the Vysehrad/Pankrac region. Some of the well-known 4 star hotels are Barcelo, Holiday Inn Congress Centre, and Panorama. Hotel Top and Hotel Opatov are located at the far end of Prague 4. Best Western Amedia, Oya, and Otar are some good 3 star hotels. Corinthia is a popular 5 star hotel located in the Pankrac region.

Tourists need to remember that the river side only has bus and tram service. Hence, all public transport details need to be checked beforehand to avoid expensive taxi fares.

Prague 5 or Praha 5 district

Prague 5 district is the largest area in the city. It extends up the river from Mala Strana and continues southwards for about 7 kilometers till Zbraslav. It is one of the most popular places to stay in Prague and has quick access to the southern ring road. Towards the far end of the Castle, Prague 5 continues till the Airport.

Prague 5 district is partly residential and is home to minor industry. Most of the hotels and other accommodations can be found in and around the Andel/Ujezd regions. Some of the bigger hotels include Vodnik, Riverside, NH Andel, Roma, Andels Design, and Admiral.

Smichov is the last metro station. Tram services are available from Smichov all the way to Hlubocepy; Hotel Smaragd is situated at a walking distance of about 5 minutes from Hlubocepy. People who are ok with using public transport or walk around to their destinations can opt for hotels/places to stay in Prague 5.

Prague 6 or Praha 6 district

Prague 6 extends northwards and westwards from the Castle; it borders Prague 7 at its northern end. It is densely populated with residences and is home to several Consulates and Embassies in the city. The place that is most liked by tourists is Dejvice; this place has rapid connectivity to the Dejvicka Metro Station and the Airport.

Tourists who want to stay in Prague 6 area can check out the different Airport hotels.

Prague 7 or Praha 7 district

Prague 7 district extends down the river beginning at Letna and includes different places like Liben, Troja, and Holesovice. The Prague Zoo is located at Troja. All these places were damaged during the 2002 floods.

A lot of expats reside in this district due to its easy connectivity to the city centre and its comparatively low costs. Most of the hotels in the area are located in the Holesovice region near the Rivertown market. This place has a metro station, but a large section only has access to tram and bus services. Some of the popular hotels and accommodations in the Holesovice region include the Plaza Alta, Extol Inn, Park Hotel Veletrzni, and Sir Toby’s Hostel.

Tourists who are fine with using public transportation or walking for 20 to 30 minutes to reach different attractions may opt to stay in Prague 7 area.

Prague 8 or Praha 8 district

Kobylisy and Karlin are the two most densely populated places in the Prague 8 district. The two areas are located on either side of the river. Metro system and trams connect Karlin to Wenceslas Square and Republic Square. People can take a metro from Kobylisy to Wenceslas Square, but will then need to use tram services to get to Mala Strana.

Most of the hotels in Prague 8 are situated next to the transport centers/hubs. It is possible to walk from Karlin to the city centre, but Kobylisy is far away and walking is impractical. Tourists can opt to stay in this area of Prague if they are willing to use public transportation or walk distances lasting 20 to 30 minutes.

Prague 9 or Praha 9 district

It is home to clusters of apartment and building blocks. Most of the tourists opt to stay in this area of Prague so as to be close to different events held at the O2 Arena/Ceskomoravska. Over the past years, some industrial zones and two big shopping centers have cropped up at Prague 9.

There are not many good places to stay in Prague 9 district. Hotel Arlington and Hotel Diana can be a good choice, but only because of their decent restaurants. This is usually not a well-liked place to reside when in Prague, but more crowds opt to stay here when concerts, etc. are being held at the Arena.

Prague 10 or Praha 10 district

Prague 10 district shares its boundaries with Prague 9, Prague 3, and Prague 2 areas. It is the last place before one enters Stredocesky region’s Prague-East district. Prague 10 boasts of metro train stations at Skalka, Strasnice, and Zelivskeho.

Most of the residential buildings are clustered around Zahradni Mesto and Strasnice. The former is also referred to as Garden Town because all the streets in the area are named after varied flowers.

Most of the hotels in Prague 10 are in and around Vrsovice area/street and Strasnice. A few well known 3 star hotels in Strasnice are Hotel Slavia, Juno, and Comfort Inn. The Dorint Novotel, previously known as the Don Giovanni, is located at Zelivskeho.

Tourists who opt to stay in this part of Prague can look forward to availing the benefits of day-night tram services and the great Metro station.