Best 7 Design Hotels in Prague

Seven Prague hotels where the building or the interiors are the reason to book, from a Frank Gehry landmark on the Vltava to a Holešovice hotel with a DJ in the lounge.

Prague sells itself on Gothic spires and Baroque domes, so a well-designed modern hotel feels like a real change of pace. These hotels suit travellers who notice the chair before the chandelier, couples who want something more distinctive than a standard city-centre room, and business visitors who like the meeting room to look as good as the bedroom.

We chose them from hotels we have written about in detail on Prague Hints, and checked that each was still taking bookings. They are spread across the Old Town, the New Town, the riverbank and Holešovice, and range from a 35-room hideaway to a 238-room social hub. One has changed its name since our original review; we flag it below.

At a glance

Best for design-classic furniture	987 Design Prague Hotel — Starck, Saarinen and Jacobsen near the station
Best for an architect’s building	Hotel Josef — Eva Jiřičná design by the Jewish Quarter
Best for eco-minded design	Mosaic House Design Hotel — green design, private spa, library café
Best for architecture fans	Dancing House Hotel — sleep inside the Gehry and Milunić landmark
Best for a dramatic evening	Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague — Asian interiors with French colonial touches
Best for theatre-goers	Metropol Design Hotel Old Town — minimalist rooms on Národní, near the National Theatre
Best for a sociable stay	Mama Shelter Prague — DJ lounge and two restaurants in Holešovice

1. 987 Design Prague Hotel

Senovážné náměstí 987/15 · Nové Město · 4-star

987 Design Prague Hotel is the one for people who recognise a chair before they notice the painting above it. The four-star is furnished with pieces by Philippe Starck, Eero Saarinen and Arne Jacobsen, and its refurbished rooms and suites balance comfort with looks. It sits on a New Town square about three minutes’ walk from the main railway station and close to Wenceslas Square.

Breakfast has its own restaurant, and the lobby bar is a relaxed spot for a Czech beer or a cocktail. Expect a design hotel, not a resort: there is no spa or pool on site. Pets are welcome for a per-stay fee, and a meeting room for up to 50 people suits small work trips.

Read our full guide to 987 Design Prague Hotel →

2. Hotel Josef

Rybná 20 · Staré Město · 4-star

Hotel Josef is the purest piece of architecture on this list, designed by the acclaimed Czech architect Eva Jiřičná: a contemporary building in a district of restored old houses. The four-star has 109 rooms and sits between the former Jewish Town and Old Town Square, so the main Old Town sights are all on foot.

The facilities go beyond the boutique label: a French bakery, a lobby bar and lounge, a fitness centre, a hotel garden and an underground garage, which is unusual this deep in Staré Město. The hotel describes itself as family-, LGBT- and pet-friendly; confirm the dog when you book. Grab breakfast at the bakery and you can reach Old Town Square before the tour groups.

Read our full guide to Hotel Josef →

3. Mosaic House Design Hotel

Odborů 4 · Nové Město · 4-star

Mosaic House Design Hotel makes the case that design can be green as well as good-looking. The four-star reopened after a complete renovation with an environmentally friendly design, and has 94 double rooms, a ground-floor café with an extensive library and a courtyard garden for summer. The Vltava embankment is about 150 metres away; Wenceslas Square and Charles Bridge are roughly ten minutes on foot.

Ask about the two penthouses, which have a roof terrace with views over the city. A private spa with a sauna helps after a day on the cobbles. Families should note that the family apartments are run separately as MOOo units.

Read our full guide to Mosaic House Design Hotel →

4. Dancing House Hotel

Jiráskovo náměstí 6 · Nové Město

Staying at Dancing House Hotel means sleeping inside the “Fred and Ginger” building on the Vltava, designed by Vlado Milunić and Frank Gehry. Rooms are designed around its curving, non-linear architecture, and the views take in the river and the silhouette of Prague Castle. If you book one hotel in Prague for the building alone, make it this one.

The top-floor restaurant serves local and international dishes above the red roofs and is often named among the city’s most romantic tables; the café covers coffee and snacks. Pets are welcome. Rooms are limited and fill up, so book early and ask for a river and castle view. The National Theatre and Charles Bridge are both a walk along the river.

Read our full guide to Dancing House Hotel →

5. Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague

Jakubská 8 · Staré Město

Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague has the most theatrical interior here: modern Asian design layered with French colonial influences, in the middle of the Old Town. With 35 rooms and three apartments, it is built around atmosphere more than function.

The signature Buddha-Bar restaurant serves Asian-fusion cooking, and Siddharta Café is the lower-key option for coffee or a casual meal. There is an on-site spa, pets are welcome, and garage parking helps if you are driving into the Old Town. Book the restaurant for your first evening; here it is part of the stay, not an afterthought.

Read our full guide to Buddha-Bar Hotel Prague →

6. Metropol Design Hotel Old Town (formerly Design Metropol Hotel)

Národní 33 · Nové Město · 4-star

Metropol Design Hotel Old Town is the hotel we reviewed as Design Metropol Hotel Prague, now renamed within the Old Town Hotels group at the same address on Národní. Its sleek, minimalist look is a deliberate contrast to the Gothic and Baroque around it, and the National Theatre, Old Town Square and the New Town’s shops are all walkable.

The four-star has 64 minimalist rooms with high-speed internet and proper workspaces, a restaurant for breakfast and evening meals, a café bar and a conference room for up to 32. It is fully accessible and family-friendly; our original review also lists it as pet-friendly, so check when you book.

Read our full guide to Metropol Design Hotel Old Town →

7. Mama Shelter Prague

Veletržní 20 · Holešovice · 4-star

Mama Shelter Prague is a concept hotel rather than a quiet design retreat: a hotel plugged into the city, with a lounge where guests and locals mix over live music, DJ sets and drinks, plus two restaurants. The 238-room four-star is in Holešovice, near Stromovka park, the Exhibition Grounds and the Trade Fair Palace, home of the National Gallery’s modern art collection.

Rooms come in three tongue-in-cheek sizes: Mama Medium (18 m²), Large Mama (25 m²) and Mama XXL (44 m²), all with king beds and fast wifi. Pets are allowed and there is parking. The historic core is within a 20-minute ride; for more than a weekend, the Large Mama is worth the step up.

Read our full guide to Mama Shelter Prague →

Practical tips

Ask for the view when you book. River and castle views are the point at Dancing House Hotel, and Mosaic House’s two penthouses have a roof terrace. Request them when you reserve, not at check-in.
Search under the current name. Look for Metropol Design Hotel Old Town rather than Design Metropol Hotel, and check the address, Národní 33.
Travelling with a dog. 987 Design, Dancing House, Buddha-Bar and Mama Shelter all welcome pets. Fees and house rules differ, so mention your pet when you book.
Arriving by train. 987 Design is about three minutes from the main station. For the others, a taxi or tram is kinder to your suitcase than the cobbles.

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Can you stay inside the Dancing House in Prague?

Yes. Dancing House Hotel occupies part of the Gehry and Milunić building at Jiráskovo náměstí 6, with a top-floor restaurant and a café. Rooms are limited, so book well ahead.

Which area is best for a design hotel in Prague?

The New Town has the widest choice: 987 Design, Mosaic House, Dancing House and Metropol Design Hotel Old Town. For the Old Town itself, pick Hotel Josef or Buddha-Bar. Holešovice and Mama Shelter suit travellers happy to ride into the centre in exchange for more space.

Do Prague design hotels have spas?

Some do. Mosaic House has a private spa with a sauna, and Buddha-Bar Hotel has on-site spa services. 987 Design has no spa or pool, and Hotel Josef lists a fitness centre.

Are any of these good for a business trip?

Yes. 987 Design has a meeting room for up to 50 near the main station, Metropol Design Hotel Old Town has workspaces in the rooms and a conference room for 32, and Mama Shelter has congress halls for up to 200. Hotel Josef has meeting rooms in the Old Town.