Where to stay in Prague, in short: the Old Town or the New Town around Wenceslas Square for a first visit and a short stay; Malá Strana for quiet evenings below the castle; Vinohrady, Žižkov and Karlín for a lower budget. We stayed at the EA Hotel Rokoko on Wenceslas Square. See Prague hotels and prices Ad
Best for: Couples, early risers
The old quarter on the castle side of the river; the castle, the Kafka Museum and the narrowest street are a walk away.
Pros Much calmer than the Old Town in the evening; you reach the castle before the crowds.
Cons Cobbles and hills are hard with a suitcase; some historic buildings have no lift.
First-timers, short stays
Browse hotels in Old Town (Staré Město) Ad Staying in this area: details
Moving on by train, better value
Browse hotels in New Town (Wenceslas Square) Ad Staying in this area: details
| Area | Best for | Location | Hotels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Staré Město) | First-timers, short stays | Inside the Christmas market | Browse hotels in Old Town Ad |
| Malá Strana | Couples, early risers | Across Charles Bridge | Browse hotels in Malá Strana Ad |
| New Town (Wenceslas Square) | Moving on by train, better value | Walking distance to the Old Town | Browse hotels in New Town Ad |
| Vinohrady | Longer stays, away from the crowds | By metro or tram | Browse hotels in Vinohrady Ad |
| Žižkov and Karlín | Budget, moving on by bus or train | By metro or tram | Browse hotels in Žižkov and Karlín Ad |
Your picks update instantly, no reload needed. Our area suggestions come from what we saw on the ground, and hotel prices change with your dates.
The two most expensive areas are the Old Town and Malá Strana; in Žižkov, Karlín and Vinohrady the same night is usually cheaper. The link under each card opens that area's hotels with prices for your dates.
Prague's historic centre: Prague hotels in the Old Town, near Old Town Square and Charles Bridge, put you a few minutes from everything. The Astronomical Clock, the Týn Church and Old Town Square, where the Christmas tree goes up, are in the middle of it; according to the official site the market on the square is open daily from 10:00 to 22:00 between 28 November 2026 and 6 January 2027 (official info, October 2026).
Best for: First-timers, two or three nights, sleeping in the middle of the Christmas market
Metro: A Staroměstská, A and B Můstek
Things to do: the Astronomical Clock, Old Town Square and the Týn Church, Charles Bridge, the Powder Tower and the Municipal House, all in our things to do in Prague guide
Food and coffee: trdelník, U Pavouka, Mlejnice and Café Slavia, all in our Prague food guide
Good to know: a room facing the square means a view, but the market is open until 22:00 and some guests mention night-time noise in their reviews; if sleep matters to you, ask for a room at the back.
4-star · Karlova 13, between Charles Bridge and Old Town Square
Booking: 9.2 (2,857 reviews); location 9.8, cleanliness 9.5.What guests say: they praise the location, the renovated modern rooms and the cleanliness; some find the reception hours short and the central air conditioning cold. There are family rooms.4-star · Havelská 29, walking distance to Old Town Square
Booking: 8.9 (6,021 reviews); location 9.8.What guests say: they praise the central location, the large clean rooms and the breakfast; some would like more sweet options at breakfast. Private parking, family rooms and a 24-hour front desk.Hotel Leon D'Oro prices AdThe old quarter on the castle side of the river, also called the Lesser Town. You walk down into it from Charles Bridge; the castle, the Kafka Museum and the narrowest street, so narrow it has its own traffic light, are within walking distance.
In the evening it is much quieter than the Old Town, which makes Malá Strana the pick for Prague hotels near the castle.
Best for: Couples, quiet evenings, an early start at the castle
Metro: A Malostranská; tram 22 up to the castle
Things to do: Prague Castle, Golden Lane, St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, the Franz Kafka Museum and the narrowest street, all in our things to do in Prague guide
Good to know: wheeled suitcases struggle on the cobbled slopes; take a taxi to the hotel door, and ask which floor your room is on and whether there is a lift before you book.
4-star · Mostecká 11, at the Malá Strana end of Charles Bridge
Booking: 9.4 (1,938 reviews); location 9.9, staff 9.7.What guests say: they praise the location, the large comfortable rooms, the breakfast and the staff; they miss a lift and someone always being at reception. There are family rooms.4-star · Všehrdova 16, close to Kampa Island
Booking: 9.0 (7,071 reviews); location 9.7, staff 9.5.What guests say: they praise the location, the breakfast and the attentive staff; some find certain rooms small. Parking, family rooms and a 24-hour front desk.Pytloun Old Armoury Hotel prices AdThe New Town around Wenceslas Square lies just south of the Old Town. The main station, Můstek, where the metro lines cross, and the Dancing House are here; you walk to the centre, but prices are clearly lower than in the Old Town, which is why so many Prague hotels on Wenceslas Square and near the train station suit a short stay.
According to the official site the Wenceslas Square Christmas market is also open from 10:00 to 22:00 between 28 November 2026 and 6 January 2027 (official info, October 2026).
Best for: Moving on by train, better value close to the centre
Metro: A and B Můstek, A and C Muzeum; main station C Hlavní nádraží
Things to do: the Dancing House, the upside-down horse statue and the rotating Kafka head, all in our things to do in Prague guide
Food and coffee: Café Louvre, in our Prague food guide
Good to know: if you are moving on to another city by train, this is the easiest base with luggage. We went on to Vienna by train with one change in about 4 hours.
4-star · Jiráskovo náměstí 6, inside the Dancing House we filmed
Booking: 8.9 (2,544 reviews); location 9.5, comfort 9.3.What guests say: they praise the view, the large well designed rooms, the cleanliness and the staff; one December 2025 review found the toiletries and the shower lacking. It has a restaurant and parking.4-star · Spálená 17, New Town
Booking: 8.8 (4,849 reviews); location 9.5.What guests say: they praise the location within walking distance of the centre and the station, the new clean rooms and the breakfast; they find the pillows thin and miss a lift in one wing. Family rooms and a 24-hour front desk.Hotel Garden Court prices AdA local neighbourhood southeast of the New Town, quiet, with cafes and parks. On Náměstí Míru, in front of the Church of St. Ludmila, there is a Christmas market that Prague locals love; according to the organiser it runs from 20 November to 24 December 2026, and dates can change (vanocnitrhy.cz, October 2026).
Best for: Longer stays, getting away from the crowds
Metro: A Náměstí Míru, A Jiřího z Poděbrad
Good to know: after an evening at the Old Town Christmas market you will come back by metro, so check in the listing how far the hotel is from the nearest metro station.
4-star · Slezská 55, close to the metro
Booking: 8.9 (3,379 reviews); staff 9.4.What guests say: they praise the closeness to the metro, the cleanliness, the quiet and the generous breakfast; some criticise the sound insulation, the pillows and paying for water from the minibar. Private parking, family rooms and a 24-hour front desk.4-star · Vinohradská 83, close to the metro
Booking: 8.9 (4,454 reviews); location 9.3.What guests say: they praise the cleanliness, the closeness to the metro and the friendly staff; some find it a bit far from the centre and hear other rooms at night. Family rooms and a 24-hour front desk.La Fenice prices AdŽižkov (often written Zizkov) is a hilly local neighbourhood known for its TV tower; Karlín, just east of Florenc, has become popular in recent years for its new hotels and restaurants.
Florenc, Prague's main bus station, is next to Karlín, which is practical if you are moving on by bus to Dresden or another city. This is where to look for cheap Prague hotels that are still close to the centre.
Best for: Budget stays, moving on by bus
Metro: B and C Florenc, B Křižíkova
Good to know: if you stay in these neighbourhoods, a 24 or 72 hour public transport ticket does the job; prices are in the budget section of our Prague travel guide .
4-star · Vinohradská 157a, on the edge of Žižkov
Booking: 9.2 (29,932 reviews); staff 9.5, cleanliness 9.4.What guests say: they praise the clean comfortable rooms, the generous breakfast, the friendly staff and the easy public transport into the centre; some find the shower drain slow. Spa, fitness centre, two restaurants and private parking.4-star · Sokolovská 26, Karlín
Booking: 9.3 (3,218 reviews); staff 9.7, cleanliness 9.5.What guests say: they praise the large clean rooms, the big beds, the staff and the closeness to transport; some find the breakfast limited. Restaurant, parking and family rooms.Hotel Mucha prices AdFor hotel hunting, the two markets that matter most are on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square: 10:00 to 22:00 every day from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027; the neighbourhood markets in Vinohrady and on Náměstí Republiky open earlier and close on 24 December (official info, October 2026).
To walk back to your hotel from the market at night, choose your hotel near the market you will visit most. Every market, with its own dates and hours, is in our Prague Christmas markets guide .
inside the main market
The giant tree and the stalls on Old Town Square are in the middle of this area, and the Náměstí Republiky market next to the Municipal House and the Powder Tower is a few minutes on foot. In December this is the area that fills up first and costs most; in a room facing the square the market noise goes on until 22:00.
the Wenceslas Square market and our hotel
Wenceslas Square has Prague's other big market, and our hotel, the EA Hotel Rokoko, was on it: we stepped out in the morning straight into the stalls and an ice rink. Old Town Square is about a 10 minute walk, and prices are lower than in the Old Town.
the Náměstí Míru and Tylovo markets
The Náměstí Míru market in front of the Church of St. Ludmila is the first to open in Prague, and Tylovo náměstí is about 10 minutes on foot. If you are going in the last week of November, before the main markets open, or want a quiet neighbourhood, it is a good base; the main markets are a few stops away on line A.
The Christmas weeks are when Prague hotels fill up fastest: when we checked Booking, a Saturday night in mid December had fewer than half as many hotels with rooms as a Tuesday night. We decided to go only three days before and struggled to find a reasonably priced room in the centre; book a room with free cancellation early.
Senovážné náměstí 3 · New Town, near the Powder Tower
Three Prague luxury hotels, our recommended Prague hotels for one special night on the trip. All three are within walking distance of the Old Town; two have a spa, and The President is the one Prague hotel on our list with a pool.Hybernská 12 · near the Náměstí Republiky market
Booking: 9.4 (2,221 reviews); comfort 9.7.What guests say: they praise the garden, the rooms, the breakfast and the staff; one review found breakfast weak and air conditioning only in the rooms. Spa, three restaurants and private parking.The Grand Mark Prague prices AdNáměstí Curieových · Old Town, on the Vltava
Booking: 9.2 (4,074 reviews); location 9.7.What guests say: they praise the location, the rooms, the staff and the halal options at breakfast; in one review the first room had broken air conditioning and was not clean enough. Indoor pool, spa and private parking.The President prices AdGood to know: in the Christmas weeks even luxury hotels fill up early on Saturday nights; for 12 to 13 December, Booking showed fewer than half as many Prague hotels with rooms as on a Tuesday night.
This is where we stayed in Prague: two nights on our Christmas market trip. We decided to go only three days before; when we looked, most hotels in the centre were full or very expensive, and the Rokoko was the one at a fair price.
When we checked on 15 October 2026, the Rokoko had no rooms left for mid December; if you are going at Christmas, look early. Rooms facing the square can be noisy at night, so ask for a quiet one.
Prague has more accommodation beyond hotels than hotels themselves: on Booking on 15 October 2026, 1,477 places had availability for a night in mid December, and only 437 of them were hotels. If you are looking for an Airbnb style home in Prague, the apartments on Booking do the same job, and you can compare their prices with hotels on one screen.
There are plenty of apartments in the Old Town even in the Christmas weeks; a kitchen means you can shop at the market and have breakfast at home.
Apartments can add extra charges such as a cleaning fee on top of the nightly price; compare by the total price Booking shows.
The Old Town, or the New Town around Wenceslas Square. From both you walk to the Astronomical Clock, the Christmas markets and Charles Bridge, and most of the sights in our things to do in Prague guide are within walking distance. Our hotel was the EA Hotel Rokoko on Wenceslas Square; why we chose it is in its card below.
If you want quiet evenings, Malá Strana; if price matters most, Vinohrady, Žižkov or Karlín. Both the Old Town and the New Town are in the city centre, and for first timers this is where to stay in Prague: the best area to stay in Prague, Czech Republic, on most first trips.
The Old Town puts you right on Old Town Square and next to Charles Bridge, but it is the most expensive area and rooms facing the square can be noisy at night.
The New Town, around Wenceslas Square, is about a 10 minute walk from the Old Town Square, noticeably cheaper, and has the Můstek metro interchange and the main railway station. We stayed in the New Town and walked everywhere in the centre.
Approximate prices we saw on Booking on 15 October 2026 for 2 people, 1 night, at the most booked hotels, taxes included: for the night of 8 to 9 December 2026, €60 to €140 in Žižkov and Karlín, €85 to €115 in Vinohrady, €85 to €130 in the New Town, €140 to €200 in the Old Town and €145 to €200 in Malá Strana.
Prague hotels in the city centre (city center), the Old Town and Malá Strana, cost the most. In the same search, for the night of 12 to 13 January 2027 most hotels in Prague, Czech Republic dropped to €50 to €100. For current prices on your dates: See Prague hotels and prices Ad
As soon as your dates are fixed, especially for a weekend. The big markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are open from 28 November 2026 until 6 January 2027, so hotel prices stay high right through New Year (official info, October 2026). When we checked Booking on 15 October 2026, a Tuesday night in mid December had 437 hotels with rooms and a Saturday night only 191; on that Saturday a double room at the most booked hotels was about €230 to €410.
We decided to go to Prague only three days before and found it hard to get a reasonably priced hotel in the centre. See hotels near the Prague Christmas markets Ad
By bus and metro: bus 59 runs to Nádraží Veleslavín, and from there the green metro line A goes into the centre; a single 90 minute ticket covered both for us.
Validate a paper ticket in the yellow machine the first time you board. By taxi or with apps such as Bolt and Uber the ride takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Details and ticket prices are in our Prague travel guide .
Yes, that is what we did. We kept our hotel in Prague, took a FlixBus to Dresden on the afternoon of our second day, walked around the Christmas market and came back in the evening. At the border German police boarded the bus and checked IDs, so do not leave your passport at the hotel.
Prague to Dresden is about 2 hours 20 minutes by train and about 2 hours by bus. Staying near the bus station or the main railway station makes the return easier. Prague to Dresden train and bus times Ad
Most of the hotels we picked have family rooms, according to Booking: Hotel Karlova Prague and Hotel Leon D'Oro in the Old Town, Hotel Residence U Černého Orla and Pytloun Old Armoury Hotel in Malá Strana, Hotel Garden Court in the New Town, Fleur de Lis and La Fenice in Vinohrady and Hotel Mucha in Karlín. For big families, a two-bedroom apartment is often easier; in Malá Strana check whether the building has a lift.
Noise: in the Old Town and on Wenceslas Square some guests in rooms facing the square complain about night-time noise, so ask for a quiet room. Lift: some historic buildings in Malá Strana have no lift; if you are travelling with a suitcase, check the listing. Parking: at most central hotels parking is paid and limited; if you are arriving by car, ask in advance. Breakfast: whether it is included depends on the date and room type. Free cancellation: if you are booking early for the Christmas weeks, choose this option.
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