Amanda

Just heard that things in Prague are really cheap. What would be the low end of the scale for accomodation? Would $120 US be too much for a double room with bathroom or too little? Do we expect good clean accomodation in a good position.. or are we paying too little to expect that? <BR> <BR>Amanda

Maira

You picked the one thing that is expensive in Prague; lodging. Is a matter of supply and demand and Prague seems to be very much in demand after the 1989 reforms. However, there are people that have posted incredible rates for lodging; definitely recommend a search on this forum. <BR> <BR>I found food, restaurants, transportation, crystal, garnets, wooden crafts, metalworks (noticed air emissions don't seem to be too tightly regulated) and linens incredibly cheap.

cp

Hello, just back from Prague last week. I had no problem with accomodation. For US $35 a night we stayed in a "pension" in the Vinohrady neighborhood. What we got for our money was a double room with private bath/toilet, and a kitchenette (read extra sink, 1/2 fridge, plug-in electric burner, pots dishes, etc.). It was more like a 2** hotel. Outside of the city center I would agree that things are really cheap, ex Pizza & beer for dinner $4.00. In the tourist sector things like food & drink were more along the lines of $10 and up. <BR>I thought it was very much morth my while to stay 7 minutes out of the center via metro (15 walking), and save myself the $90 per night. <BR>Hope that perspective helps.

Amanda

Thanks for your replies...and yes, it has lent a perspective for things. <BR> <BR>Cp - did you book your accomodation before you left? We will be there in October and I was just wondering if it'll be better if we rock up with out booking. <BR> <BR>We're currently booked into a place near the Castle district, on the bank of the Vltave river (though we're not facing the river). It has private facilities and a kitchenette - similar to what you had. <BR> <BR>I'm just starting to wonder if we're paying too much. Guess it's hard to judge from the other side of the world. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your replies. <BR> <BR>Amanda. <BR> <BR> <BR>

cp

Amanda- <BR>I did book from the States, since my plane didn't land until late afternoon, and I didn't want to hassle with finding a room after 28 hours of no sleep. I used a room referral service called AVE, I believe there are at least two other Fodor's posters who have used this service and always include it in their posts. <BR>Basically, I e-mailed them, gave them a price range and a list of the facilities I was in need of and they e-mailed back with a proposal that I could accept or decline. In my case, their proposed pension was one that I had seen a photo of on Mary's accomodations, another room referral service there. Mary's is actually a slightly better organized sight if memory serves. <BR>At $120 a night it sounds like you are mostly paying for location. <BR>Prague is awash in room referral services. I saw tons of them as I was walking around. <BR>Another thing you could try is booking the first couple of nights there and then searching for something cheaper or in a neighborhood that you like better once you've walked around.

M & J

Hi Amanda. We had been plannng a trip to Prague for the last week of November, but were told from a hotel in Prague that we could anticipate cold rain, sleet and maybe snow---so we decided not to go. Anyways, the prior mentioned AVE booking service has a web site at www.ave.anet.cz <BR>We would to here from you about your trip. Please put us in your email for a "trip report" [email protected] <BR> <BR>Thanks.

M & J

Wow---such sentence structure. We would to hear from you. Thanks

Helena

Ooo, too bad. I hate to hear that a trip to Prague was cancelled on the chance of rain or other bad weather. Yes, November can be ugly, but it can also be gorgeous. I've seen some wonderful Novembers here! With the right gear (thin layers, treated leather shoes, overcoat or jacket) you'll be just fine. If anything, I'd avoid February. Well, maybe that's just when I start needing spring so much I can taste it. There's something spectacular about the lighting in late fall that makes photos just gorgeous. And, the city's not so crowded and accomodation is much less expensive. <BR> <BR>But, everyone's different and if you're after nicer weather, I'd shoot for August/September. Today, for example, is just perfect and representative of this time of year (and, alas, packed with sight-seers). <BR> <BR>Either way, don't miss it, it's a stunning city.

james

Helena, <BR> <BR>You advocate avoiding Prague in February. I'm planning to go in January 2000 for the last leg of a 4-week trip. Can you please tell me a bit about the weather and city at that time of year? Can I expect more snow than rain? Will most things be closed? I don't imagine the weather will be too terribly different from where I live in New England, USA. And please tell me if I'm wrong in my impression that winter there can be dreary. (Although I can't imagine anything ruining my spirits on my first ever long-term travel vacation!) <BR> <BR>Thank you! <BR> <BR>James

Valerie

While on the subject of Prague and weather, I will be there in 4 weeks. What will the weather be like? Sept 23-Oct 4? And is everything really that cheap? Any americans care to comment on the food and what to eat/what is the best type of food?

sue

hello cp at [email protected]! need to find out the name of the pension you stayed in. had trouble sending a message on email to you. thanks for your help

cp

Sue- <BR>You found my SPAM detector. <BR> <BR>The pension is Pension ALPIN on Velehradska in the Vinohrady district. <BR>You can see a picture of it at www.marys.cz <BR> <BR>Alas. I don't have a phone number.

Helena

James, <BR> <BR>I used to live in Boston, and the winters in Prague generally seem a bit milder. I'd say it that it doesn't get as cold here, and it doesn't snow as much, but we don't get as many sunny winter days. It can be cloudy a lot, and wind-driven rain happens more often than snow, and the humidity goes right through you. Last winter we had a lot more snow than usual, and it was nice. I'm hoping that trend continues. Even so, Prague sits in a bit of a valley, and often I'll find that when it's snowing up where I live (hilly area between downtown and the airport), it'll be drizzling in town. If you're used to New England, you'll do fine here. You have the right gear. <BR> <BR>Museums and things are all open (except on Mondays), and the only thing that closes for the season are the castles outside of Prague. They're hard to heat (many never got modern heating) so the tours stop sometime in October, I believe. What's amazing about Prague is that it's still beautiful even in the ugly weather. Seems less like disneyland and more like an old city that has some secrets. No, it won't ruin your spirits, no chance. Winter can indeed be dreary, and by February I've generally had enough of it, but that's what cafes are for, right?? <BR> <BR>Valerie, <BR> <BR>The weather in late September to early October should be fine. It is a transitional period though, so be prepared for rain too. The advantage of fall weather here is that the air can get incredibly crisp (clear) and photos are beautiful. Temperatures tend to hover around the same as you'd expect in New England, to use James' point of reference. <BR> <BR>Things are, indeed, cheap here. Once you get past the lodging hurdle, you can easily find dinner for less than $10 per person. Czech pubs away from the tourist zones can be incredibly cheap -- beer and food. At a classic Czech pub, you can get dinner for less than $2, and beer for about $.60. You might not like classic Czech food, so plan to spend a bit more on dinners. Czech food is pretty meat-intensive, and there are dumplings, sauerkraut, sauces, meat, meat, and more meat. Salads in the cheap Czech restaurants are disappointing when compared to US-style, but you can find good ones at western-style restaurants. For a fancy dinner with wine at a hip place with international cuisine, you can expect to pay at least $50 per person. That's about as expensive as you'll ever get in Prague for dinner. I get sticker shock when I'm back in the States for vacation, no matter where I am (big city, suburbs, country). Amazing what a sandwich costs now in the US. Yes, Prague is cheap. <BR> <BR>There are lots of different food choices, so try a little of everything. Go in to one of the classic Czech pubs and have dinner at least once. For fancy restaurants, you might try Pravda or Kampa Park, for pasta dishes that won't throw any odd ingredients at you go to Ambiente, for a nice, reasonably-priced meal try Cafe Colonial (one of my favorites). There really are many options with all types of cuisines. <BR> <BR>

Peg

Amanda, a great site to search out a range of prices and facilities for hotels in Prague is http://www.hotelsprague.cz/. Don't worry to much about not being in the centre of things, the public transport is great and it's lots of fun to travel with the locals. Peg.