Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa

Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa Review

A baroque fever dream of Prague masterminded by an Italian developer, the Alchymist doesn't go the understated route. With filigreed designs; a front courtyard with a koi pond and a bridge; room after room of intricate, gilded designs stitched together by a 500-year-old staircase; and topped off with a UNESCO-protected façade, it's the living definition of de trop. Thankfully, that's what makes it so darn fun. And the little extras just embellish all that glamour, including bedding that looks and feels as if it's fit for a Renaissance queen, wood floors and ceilings with painted designs, and a small but excellent spa. Downstairs, the lobby is a warren of rooms, which can be particularly frustrating when you want to find the complimentary afternoon wine tastings. The bathrooms are big, but they are combination shower/tubs, a bit of a disappointment at this price.