Hotel Hoffmeister by Matthew Barker

Affable comfort zone at the foot of the citadel steps. Swish, uncluttered decor with the odd arty extra (prints and collages by Adolf Hoffmeister, celebrated bon vivant and one time close associate of Picasso, Ernst and Cocteau). 32 rooms (seven suites).

The celebrated Ada restaurant offers authentic Czech cuisine, the café has a summer terrace and the Bar Lily cellar is awash with very decent wines. A fitness centre is close by, though not part of the hotel.

Local Attractions:Mal Strana is the romantic quarter of what, despite the rapid McDonalds-isation of the place, remains a romantic city. The castle, Old Town Square and Vltava River are both within a few hundred yards; a bit further on is the Loreto, a Baroque shrine dating from the 1600s that houses the Loreto Treasure. Across the river in the city centre the Francsouska Restaurace, Kampa Park and Rasputin are three of Prague’s best eateries; this is, famously, a city that likes a pint - try the Konirna, Café Milena (home to the Franz Kafka Society), Chez Marcel and Café Bar Na Zabradli. Versace, Red or Dead, Kookai and the like all have a presence in the main shopping precincts.