Check Trip Advisor. Location is good but it's further from the Charles Bridge and Old Town than you might want and although you might walk back FROM the Castle, you likely won't walk TO the Castle (all uphill).

Considering what you're paying for and what it advertises, it da-n well better be nice.

Thank you..
Familiar with the Four Seasons???
Read their location is ideal?
Yes, I know it is a splurge.

Yes, the Four Season is a good location right on and facing the Vltava River.

If you are going to Splurge make sure you get a room facing the river, Prague Castle and/or the Charles Bridge.

Actually , as the crow flies the Four Seasons is directly across the river and Vojan Park from the Augustine Hotel.

Great, are 3-4 days going to give us a fair amount of time?

Yes , 3-4 full days will give you a nice taste of Prague.

It is nice to know from where you are located and where all the major places are.

Prague is a walking city ,so if you have no problems walking then you will be just fine.

I know you will see all the major places ,but also try to see the Narowest Street in Europe...it is controlled by a walk light because you can only go through here single file... it is novelty, try to see it ....

(I walked right by it and missed it )

it is right near the Frank Kafka Museum ( in the square of this Museum are two men urinating toward each other.!!!)

If you stay at the Four Seasons then the Kafka Museum and the Narrowest Street is in a straight line right across the river.

A suite at the Modra Ruze between Wenceslas Sq and Old town Sq for a third the price would be my choice. However, if your in the $500 per night price range how can you go wrong with Augustine?

I won't coment on Hotels, they are well above my price range,i am in prague several times a year and usually stay away from the city center.
3-4 days will give you a chance to see a good bit of the city,you don't say when you are visiting and certainly my advice would vary depending on the season but this link will give you an idea of what to se and do, I have set the page to Itinaries but just look through the whole website for lots of great info.
http://www.prague.net/itineraries-in-prague
some of the netry prices on some of the attraction may be out of date but they are in the ball park.
Percy Mentions the "Pissing Men" at the Kafka museum,this is a favourite instalation of mine, made by David Cerny a fairly controversial artist (if you look at what the men are pissing out it turns out to be the Czech Republic),David Cerny has lots of instalations throughout the city and if you are into that sort of thing you could spend a whole day seeking them out

www.pariz.cz is a lovely place to stay. Very near the old town square.

A bit of info www.inyourpocket.com/czech_republic/prague

I very much like the website that unclegus gave you .

If you follow that and see all these places you will have gotten a lovely flavour of Prague.

I saw all the places in the website underlined in blue plus much more BUT then I was there for a full week and was on the go from early morning to late night.

When I say early morning ,I mean just that.

I was on the Charles Bridge at 6:01 AM...why

....because this is the best time to take some pictures of everything without the massive hoards of people

I , also was there during the month of June and the weather was over 80 F everyday, which of course made walking very pleasant.

If there are specific places you want to see when in Prague, write them down, so you won't forget when you get there.

Listen to unclegus , he is the Prague expert.

Randi...recommend you look into The Three Ostriches (U Tri Pstrosu). It's our favorite in Prague. At rates below 150 euros. you can ask for a room overlooking the Charles Bridge. Rooms and bathrooms are quite large... and the views of the bridge are dramatic. Several of my family and friends have also stayed there on my reco. Here is their web page:

http://www.utripstrosu.cz/

I will send you some pics of the city including a few of the view of the bridge from the hotel...steps from Mala Strana and just across the bridge from Old Town. The Hradcany Castle overlooks the hotel and the bridge, and as Big Russ says above, the walk uphill to it on a very cold of very hot day can be a trial.

Agree with Stu. That is the other hotel we have stayed at when the Pariz became too expensive. We had a room looking out at the Charles bridge and tower. Loved the hotel.

Location is great, as it's probably about a 15 minute walk across the bridge into the old town on the flat.

Then, in the opposite direction, there is the hill to the castle.

Randi:

https://picasaweb.google.com/stuarttower/ScenesOfPrague#

Dick..stop agreeing with me..makes me self-conscious. Hope you and Ann are well.
stu

I love both of the others for location.

Hotel Pariz is at the Republic Square across from the Municipal House and Powder Tower is across from Municipal House.

Yep, I like the location of the Three Ostriches, I often tell people that if you fell out of your room window you would land( almost!!) on Charles Bridge .

You know what, !! of the hotels that have been mentioned here you would not go wrong no matter which on you chose.

tower :

Like your pictures , I was in shorts and a tee shirt everyday( Was there in June).

What time of the year did you go.?

Percy...for those pics, it was early March. It was bitter cold...30F...we just wanted to warm up and walked into the President's wing of the castle, and managed to crash the press conference, so we could prolong the warmth. Sorry to see that Havel recently died.

Wow, that's a lot of information...
Thank you all so much.
Location, and of course comfort, is most important to optimize our time.
I will look at all the links and suggestions thoroughly.
When I narrow down our options of hotel and itinerary hope you'll help again.

Oh, our travel time is mid-April

tower:

Early March. Okay Thanks. You looked a bit cold in one of the pictures that is why I asked.

Yes,I was saddened when I heard and read that Vaclav Havel died.

Gee, times has gone by quickly in a few weeks it will be one year since he died.

Thanks again for the pictures.

randipellmar:

I am sure collectively we can help you when you decide on your hotel.

For location-The Three Ostriches. [5 star]

For comfort, Hotel Pariz. [5 star]

To enjoy both comfort and location, perhaps what you already mentioned, The Four Seasons. [You decide]

Good luck.

I fully agree !!!

Mid April is nice, might have some warm days but could be cold in the mornings and evenings.If you get the chance take a stroll in some of the parks.letns Park is one of my favourites and you get stunning views of the Prague Bridges from there, ant photo ypou have seen of the Pargue Bridges is taken from up there.Havansky pavillion is the best spot,http://www.hanavskypavilon.cz/historie.php?jazyk=en
and a lovely place for a snack or a drink and quite a lovely setting for a meal.There is also a cpouple of other resturants and a great beer garden though that is unlikely to be open unless the weather is really nice. Stromovka park is another pvely area ,in october I took an early morning stroll through the park and it was great, there are various points of access I went out to the Zoo by bus and walked over to the exhibition center and got a tram back to the city center from there.

tower, the Three Ostriches seems very nice..how far is from the old Town?I am a very light and very poor sleeper therefore I am also looking for lodgings that are not on the main thoroughfare

My first choice would be to rent an apartment but I dont mind to stay at a decent and safe hotel.

We need to make a decision soon because time passes so quickly and before we know it September is around the corner..

I gee, how far is the Three Ostriches from Old Town !!?

Walk out the front door of the Three Ostriches...walk another about 90 feet and you are on Charles Bridge .

To be technical you can stay that half of Charles Bridge belongs to Old Town and the other half to "Lesser Town".

Once you are on Charles Bridge , walk to the other end and you are in Old Town !!

unclegus:

I agree with you that the Letna Park is a lovely place.
I am assuming that many touirst to not venture here as they are so busy seeing the major attraction that Prague is noted for.

But for those that have an extra day to spare.

This park is right across the River from the Jewish Quarter.

As unclegus mentions the Havansky Pavilion is a lovely building and if you want pictures of all the bridges of Prague in a row..... this is the place to take them from.

Next to the Havansy Pavilion ( still in Letna park) is Kramarova Villa ...the residence of the Prime Ministers.

Though you cannot go inside the Villa , you can walk the ground and take pictues like I did.

And just below this Villa the view backdown to the Vltava River shows you the ( Strakovy Academy) which is the Government of the Czech Republic Building.

Again,a great area to take pictures across the river to Old Town Prague and the Jewish Quarter

unclegus I did not go into the Zoo but I pass right by it because I went to the Troja Palace and St.Clara Chapel.

I am glad you mentioned this area.

As Percy said, walk across the bridge and you are in the old town. But actually, from the Three Ostriches it's about 15 minutes to Old Town Square, all on the flat. [We enjoyed this hotel]

Then if you walk to the castle in the opposite direction, uphill, it's again 15 or 20 minutes. Gradually gets steeper as you approach the top near the castle.

We walk, but there is a funicular to take you to the top.

Ive never been to Prague, but am going in May. any advice on restraurants, site seeing and shopping?

I stayed at the Maximilian Hotel. The rooms are nice, reasonably priced for Prague, and includes a very nice breakfast and free internet, and lots of other amenities. The staff is very good at what they do and very professional. It is on a quiet street, and about a 5 minute walk to old town square.