Are you visiting Prague, the “City of a Thousand Spires” and the capital of the Czech Republic, either before or after a luxury river cruise or as part of an European vacation? We recommend the historic and luxurious Augustine Hotel. Read on for our review to know why you should stay here during your visit to Prague!
1. Location
The hotel is located in the Lesser Town district below Prague Castle and steps away from Charles Bridge and the Wallenstein Garden. This makes it an ideal location as it is within walking distance of major attractions in Prague. Also, it is only a 30-minute drive from the international airport.
2. History
The hotel consists of seven 13th-century buildings that are linked together. It is also part of an active Augustinian Monastery and St. Thomas Church. Additionally, St. Thomas Brewery, founded in 1358 as the brewery of Augustinian monks, is part of the property. The brewery cellar is a bar and private event space but keeps many of the original features such as the 17th-century stalactites. The St. Thomas brewery was the exclusive supplier of beer to Prague Castle in the 16th-century. The former refectory now houses a bar where you can try the St. Thomas beer (the hotel is the only place you can enjoy this beer). Or, if beer isn’t your thing, try the signature “Angels cocktail” while sitting under the 19th-century frescoes featuring the flaming heart symbols of the Augustinian Order.
3. Unique Experiences
Augustine offers several unique experiences on-site such as the St. Thomas beer tasting, Monastery heritage tour, or library tour. The monastery heritage tour explores the stories written by Augustinian monks while enjoying St. Thomas beer and delicious dishes infused with this monastic brew. The Library tour allows you exclusive access to the ancient library which houses the most extensive collections of ancient medial books in Europe. Also, tour parts of St. Thomas Church that are inaccessible to the public while learning about the history of the Augustinian order and monastic life.
4. Luxurious Accommodations
All of the rooms are decorated and inspired by the history of the Augustinian monastery and contemporary Czech Cubism during the 1920s to 1930s. We recommend staying in a deluxe room as it is located on the quieter side of the building. The marble bathrooms have heated floors and mirrors. Not all of the bathrooms have a walk-in shower, so let your advisor know when booking a room so that your request can be accommodated.
If you need more space, we recommend one of the four signature suites. We saw the Moser suite, named after the Moser glass decorations, shown below. The suite has a separate bedroom, living room, dining room, and kitchenette.
If you are looking for something romantic and special, we highly recommend the 3-story tower suite. It is located in the former astrological tower of the monastery. The living room is located on the first floor, the large marble bathroom is on the second floor, and the amazing bedroom with 360° views of Prague is on the third floor.
5. Get pampered at the Spa
The calm and relaxing theme continues in the Augustine Spa with the decor and types of treatments. Try one of the signature treatments like the St. Thomas Beer Body Ritual which includes the use of finely ground organic beer hops and nourishing St. Thomas dark beer. Or, experience a traditional Turkish Hammam ritual. Please note that while there is a gym and steam room there is no swimming pool.
6. Extra Hotel Amenities
Augustine, a Luxury Collection hotel, is a Virtuoso property, which means if you book through LBL Travel you will get the following amenities:
- Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
- Full breakfast daily for two guests per bedroom, in the restaurant
- 85 Euro hotel credit
- Early check-in/late check-out, subject to availability
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Thinking about a river cruise on the Danube or exploring the beautiful country of Czech Republic? Contact us today to plan your trip. Or, book on-line right now to lock-in your Virtuoso amenities.