Review of Hotel U Zlateho Kola ('The Golden Wheel'), by Angela Moore

The Golden Wheel is just the sort of place to revive and re-inspire travellers weary of seeing any old tat trotted out under the banner of the 'boutique' hotel. It's also perfect for Prague, an unpretentious and understated mix of the contemporary and the historical.

The boutique hotel has stood on this site, under the walls of Prague Castle near the top end of beguiling Nerudova Street, for 500 years. To look at it now, it appears to be an elegant contemporary renovation, like so many in Prague. As you unwrap it, though, you find quiet references to its past - a medieval well, stuccoed Baroque ceilings - that fill it with character.

The facilities

There are other pleasant discoveries to make at The Golden Wheel, like the garden hidden at the top of the house, surrounded by geraniums in pots, or the little glass balcony look-out point. The lift is a smart glass box and paintings of historical Prague have been hung on the wall behind it, so you get a changing perspective of the city as you go up the floors. Even the stone nook that houses the computer is pretty. The little Café Arcadia downstairs is very chic and contemporary, with long blonde wood tables and suede chairs under vaulted ceilings.

This thoughtful, imaginative ethic is extended to the service. Every morning, guests are given a card detailing the day's weather, highlighting one of the sights of Prague and also listing a few events - a concert, a special tour - that the staff find interesting. The boutique hotel is run by a young, ambitious team, who are passionate about it and work hard to make you feel the same way.

The rooms

There are just 17 rooms at this boutique hotel, all different. They are spare but low-key and elegant. Carefully neutral tones are relieved by splashes of colour in the sofas and armchairs, and by fresh flowers. Floors are polished wood, covered in rugs.

Most rooms have something special about them - painted wooden beams, or a stone archway, or vaulted ceilings, or Baroque stucco-work - which give an added fillip of personality. Room 101, which overlooks the street, has its original painted ceilings. Room 515, a suite, is up in the attic. It's a split level room with a sunken bed on a raised platform, very appealing.

In summer it is worth noting that these rooms, tucked away under the eaves, are the only ones that have air-conditioning. Bathrooms are spacious, smartly tiled in black and white - nothing fussy or fancy but effective and not messed about with, like the rest of the boutique hotel. And isn't that just what you want?