unemployed

I'm strapped for cash due to long term unemployment. I'm getting depressed over rejections and a lack of available job opportunities. A lack of travel is also wearing on my nerves. I have a contract assignment for the next month, but would love to get away for a week or two in December or January. <BR><BR>Prague is one of the places that I've always dreamed of visiting and I know it would be off season. Can anyone advise me on a reasonable, but safe hotel for two women? <BR><BR>If I don't want to spend the entire time in Prague, is there another major city that would be easy to get to and reasonable on the budget?<BR><BR>Thanks!

xxx

How grossly impractical of you to even consider a trip away while you are unemployed. You openly admit that you are &quot;strapped for cash&quot;, so why would you even consider spending money for a vacation. Wouldn't the money be better spent (if you have it), paying your rent/mortgage, utilities, food, etc. - the necessities of life?<BR><BR>Instead go rent a foreign movie or read a book, but don't spend money that could be put to better use. If you want to make yourself feel better volunteer in a homeless shelter or at a food bank and you'll get a better picture of where you just might be if you spend money that you don't have.

puke

Gag!!! What a bunch of bunk. Life is short even when cash is short. Enjoy your life and let Mr. or Ms. Correct volunteer.

Deb

Since author came here for travel advice instead of a scolding I will actually offer some. I stayed in a hotel called dum u krale jiriho which was $60 for a large double/triple. It is over an irish pub which was wonderful but was noisy on one night so bring earplugs. I asked for the top floor because I had heard it could get noisy. The hotel was right in the center of old town and about a two minute walk to the Charles Bridge. I would stay there again.

unemployed

Thank you Deb for the hotel recommendation.<BR><BR>As for the poster who is so upset with my traveling, I am strapped for travel cash. That's because I have set aside enough money for regular living expenses to last me for the entire year of 2003. I am practical when it comes to money. If you don't agree with my desire to travel for a week or two on a budget, please disregard my posting and move on.<BR><BR>To those who understand the need to travel and explore the world, please keep the suggestions coming. Thanks!

Christina

I think any decent hotel in the central city area would be safe enough. I think safety issues would just be how you get to the hotel at night so that you aren't walking long distances in dicey or less populous areas. So, anything in the central Old Town area should be okay in that regard and convenient in general. I'd recommen the Cloister Inn, a good value, modest 3-star hotel (I think) in a very convenient location near Old Town square and many other things (restaurants, shops, sightseeing, tram and bus lines, etc.). Also, Nov-Dec is their special discount rate period (11/3-12/26 or so) when rooms are 10 pct. They're very reasonable in general, about USD 90 or less. If you want something even cheaper, they have an affiliated more budget pension/hostel type place next door called the Pension Unitas.<BR><BR>There aren't really great options for cheap major cities that are easy to get to from Prague. That may depend on what you mean by major, though -- you can get to the spa town Karlovy Vary fairly easily and might enjoy that. I don't consider that a major city, myself, but it has a population of about 55K. The closest major city I can think of is Dresden, Germany -- about 3 hours by train. I wouldn't call it cheap, but it may be reasonable. I think you can spend reasonably in almost any city if you do a little research.<BR><BR>Are you looking to go somewhere for a day trip or an overnight? That might affect people's recommendations. You can get to Vienna easily by train but it's about 5 hrs, I think. Although some people call Vienna expensive, I consider it fairly reasonable in cost (cheaper than Paris, for example), and they have a good selection of reasonably-priced pensions. I think Dresden and Vienna are the easiest major cities to get to from Prague. Both Budapest and Krakow are much farther.

Ben Derry

A couple years ago I had a short term (3 or 4 days) rental of an apartment in Prague. There were several agencies all over town that handle such arrangements. It was nice to have a confortable, non-cookie cutter room in which to relax and recharge (especially liked having the ktichen, thogh mostly just made coffee or tea) and it was cheaper than a hotel. A quick Google search produced these sites: www.rentinprague.com and http://www.apartments.cz/links.html<BR>Good luck

unemployed

Thanks for the additional info. I was thinking that it might be nice to split the time between two cities, so Vienna and Prague sound perfect for that.

Deb

unemployed, another option for an inexpensive place to go is to stay in the Czech Republic and go down to Cesky krumlov. It was a wonderful train trip and Cesky is an adorable little town. Also very inexpensive-I had a single there right on the main square for $38 per night. It was a new addition to the Hotel Golden Angel so the rooms was spotless. I stayed for two nights which was enough, I probably could have done it with just one night there.

brownie

We rented a top floor apartment in a house belonging to a czech family. We found it from one of the apartment rental agencies but ever since then, we went directly to the owner who charged us about US$30/night - 1/2 of what the agency charges. This is a studio-apartment with tv, bathroom, stove, sofa-bed, double bed etc...<BR><BR>We stayed there for the second time this year after 3 years and the apartment was as we remembered it.<BR><BR>If you're interested, send me an e-mail for the owners details or if you have any other questions. I should be able to dig up a web-link with pictures of this place.<BR><BR>Good luck.<BR><BR>-brownie

susanna

I strongly agree w/ the above poster about pensions; Did the same myself some yrs ago, it was called Pension Krofta, a short subway ride (about 10cents/10 min) to the suburbs. About $30/ nite (5yrs ago)They had a website; speak English. I stay this way everywhere all the time, because it's cheap, personal, gives one a window into the lives of the denizens, and they often provide extras like transp. (free) thet hotels don't. And I adore Prague, by the way; don't ever deny yourself the adventure of travel; there are always other ways to economize at home. Have a great time.