We'll be in Prague May 14 - 18 of 2007. I'd appreciate comments from those of you who have been there in Spring - do we need a hotel room with air conditioning that time of year? I know it's not that hot in May, but is it humid or stuffy feeling without AC?

We were in Prague a week sooner than that this past May and found it hot but not unbearably so. It was about 25 degrees Celsius with warm evenings. We only wore light jackets one evening. The pension we stayed in did not have A/C but we were on the top floor with cool breezes (windows on three sides).

Prague was fantastic! Enjoy it.

You may need heating.

>sooner than that this past May
must have been another week,
check http://www.weatheronline.co.uk

AC in May? What for?

Should have explained we live in northern Canada. We wear shorts and tee-shirts when most others do not. We consider about 12 degrees Celsius shorts weather because we are -40 Celsius for so many months of the year!

Because you are used to cold temps really won't help you find a/c. Most places are not a/c'd - and for many that are - it is a seasonal thing. Many places only have heat from Oct to maybe April and <b>if</b> they have a/c they don't turn it on until June or July. Plus do not expect forced air cold a/c like you would find in N. Amer.

All of this is to explain that IF it is warm enough to need a/c, and IF you are lucky enough to find a place that has a/c - it will not be cold.

To get really good AC in Prague you really need to go to one of a couple very upscale north american style hotels. Others either won;t have ac at all - or won;t have it on (often it is central and can't be controlled in the room).

And yes - you may need it. I have been in both spring and fall and it was OK but the week after we were there in May it was almost 90 several days.

(The 2 things I really have trouble dealing with in europe are no giant diet cokes - but you can always find a MickeyD's, and no AC - which you CAN find but may be very $$$. It just depends on if you're willing to pay - we do.)

Thanks to everyone for the input - this is a tough decision, as it will cut into our budget significantly to get a hotel with good AC. If we skip AC, we need to be in a quieter area where we can open windows without having a lot of street noise - can't sleep with a lot of noise. I'm going to send emails to a couple hotels with and without AC to check on availability and actual rates before I make a decision. If anyone else wants to weigh in on the issue - feel free.

I don't know what price range you are looking at, but you might do well bidding for a 5* hotel on Priceline. That way you get a top of the line North American style chain hotel. See betterbidding.com and BiddingforTravel.com .

Just a caution - a hotel merely saying it has a/c won't solve your problem. As I mentioned, European &quot;a/c&quot; is very often not like what you would get at home. Except in a few places (and mainly in higher end international chains) it is pretty wimpy.

You might do better to ask them if they have fans you can put in the room.

I appreciate, and respect, Janis' opinion BUT if you are in a hotel in which you feel the need to keep the windows closed due to noise then a fan will simply blow hot air around and around and around.

If you DO go with a supposedly air conditioned hotel at least ask them WHEN they turn it on.

Dukey: I didn't mean they shouldn't ask for a/c - but even if there is air conditioning, they should ask about fans too . . . .

Not all hotels have windows that open. Ask.

Janisj is trying to make a point here which you have missed. A/C in Europe is not the same as in America, and some places even your big hotels may also only switch it on for certain months of the year. I recently stayed in the Czech republic ( stayed in a few places)including Prague &amp; Brno .Then moved on to Budapest and Vienna a few months ago, when Europe was having a heat wave. The temp. was between 30 - 35. I did not stay in budget hotels and some were 3* most were 4*. they all had A/c in the rooms, but it was still very hot as it does not blast loads of cold air out just a gentle breeeze. A few mornings, when I was at the recption desk, checking on info, there was often American guests complaining about the A/C not being strong enough, and also asking if they could find resturants with A/C. Not a lot of them have A/C, but then we tended to sit outside and eat if the option was available. It is great just sitting there watching the world go by.

I would say that odds are you will not hit super hot weather. Although the weather there has been totally unpredictable the past few years, things don't usually heat up that bad until July.

Thanks again for the comments. I emailed several hotels and was very pleased with the responses received and the rate quote from Hotel Pod Vezi, a small hotel in Mala Strana, with AC, so I made a reservation. In response to my questions, they said AC is turned on all year, and windows do open. I realize European AC is not icy cold, but I think it will be fine. I also appreciate the comments re use of a fan. Some years ago, during a July heat wave, we went into a hardware store in Germany and bought a fan. Best $30 investment we made on that trip! We hauled it with us everywhere, then gave it to the driver on our way to the airport.

&gt;May 14 - 18
is not a time when you need to be worried about A/C in Prague. Buy a portable heater this time! ;-)