Where to Stay in Prague: Best Neighborhoods & Hotel Picks

The Best Neighborhoods to Stay in Prague

We recommend five neighborhoods for accommodation in Prague.

For each one, we’ll walk you through the pros and cons and give you hotel recommendations at every price point.

Since we’ve visited this beautiful city many times ourselves, we’ll also share our very own personal Prague hotel picks.

Prague’s Neighborhoods at a Glance on a Map

To help you get your bearings, we’ve marked our recommended neighborhoods for staying in Prague on a map.

Since the city center can be a little tricky to wrap your head around at first glance, here’s a quick breakdown of how it’s laid out.

Prague’s historic center consists of the Old Town and Malá Strana (Lesser Town). Nearly all of Prague’s tourist attractions are located here. The two neighborhoods are separated by the Vltava River.

Together with Prague’s New Town, these two districts make up the inner city of Prague — also known as Praha 1.

A bit further out, but still close to the city core, are the neighborhoods of Žižkov, Vinohrady, and Smíchov.

Prague Old Town

If you’re coming to Prague for a sightseeing trip and want to stay right in the heart of the city, the Prague Old Town (Staré Město) is the perfect neighborhood for you.

This is where you’ll find Old Town Square — the central square and popular meeting point of Prague. All of the city’s major highlights are easily walkable from here.

And even if you want to escape the hustle and bustle, the Vltava River is just a short stroll away — perfect for a leisurely walk along the waterfront.

Advantages of staying in the Old Town

• Stay right in the heart of Prague
• The most famous sights are within walking distance
• A wide selection of shops, bars, and nightlife

Disadvantages of staying in the Old Town

• Pretty touristy and generally higher prices
• There’s always something going on at night and it can get noisy

Our Hotel Recommendations for Prague Old Town

Many hotels in Prague’s Old Town are housed in historic buildings. The charm is seriously incredible! Our favorite is the Hotel Residence Agnes. The location is simply outstanding, and the rooms are beautifully styled and cozy.

Kids will feel right at home here too — that’s why we especially recommend Hotel Residence Agnes for a family vacation in Prague.

Prague Lesser Town

Malá Strana (Lesser Town) is defined by charming, romantic alleyways and magnificent buildings, making it a particularly great place to stay for couples.

Some of the city’s most famous landmarks — such as Prague Castle and the Old Royal Palace — are located in Malá Strana. They also make great starting points for sightseeing. You can reach the Old Town in no time with a quick walk across Charles Bridge.

Even though you’re staying right in Prague’s historic district, Malá Strana has a more relaxed vibe overall. The streets stay quieter at night as well.

Advantages of staying in Malá Strana

• All major sights are within walking distance
• Prague Castle and Charles Bridge right around the corner
• Plenty of charming streets, cafés, and restaurants

Disadvantages of staying in Malá Strana

• Pretty touristy and higher prices
• Not much going on in the evenings and at night

Our Hotel Recommendations for Prague Malá Strana

We personally love the Hotel Pod Věží. You’re just steps from Charles Bridge and wake up to a gorgeous view of the bridge tower. And the breakfast is absolutely amazing.

The luxury hotel Augustine is without a doubt one of the best places to stay in Prague. Breathtaking views over the city, a beautiful wellness area, and luxuriously styled rooms — what more could you ask for?

Prague New Town and Mustek

Our favorite area for an overnight stay in Prague is the neighborhood around the Mustek metro station. This area sits in Prague’s New Town (Nové Město), right between the Old Town and the main train station.

We love this neighborhood because you can reach great sights like Charles Bridge and the Town Hall in just a few minutes on foot, while still being super well connected by public transit.

The Žižkov and Vinohrady neighborhoods are also right nearby.

Advantages of staying in the New Town

• Historic center within walking distance
• Excellent connectivity via the Mustek metro station
• Lots of great restaurants, shops, and bars

Disadvantages of staying in the New Town

• A bit further from Malá Strana

Our Hotel Recommendations for Prague New Town

Prague accommodation in the New Town is already a bit more affordable, yet still very centrally located. We especially recommend this neighborhood for families — distances are short both on foot and by metro.

One of our absolute favorites for where to stay in Prague is the NYX Hotel. It’s super family-friendly, and on top of that, the location of this design hotel is just perfect. Every room is decorated differently and incredibly stylish. Simply a fantastic hotel!

Žižkov and Vinohrady

Žižkov and Vinohrady are perfect if you love mixing with locals and don’t mind a 20-minute walk or a quick five-minute metro ride to get to the Old Town. This is where you can really explore Prague off the tourist trail.

The fact that these two neighborhoods aren’t the first stop for tourists is reflected in the prices. You’ll often find much cheaper lodging here, and you’ll usually pay less for food and drinks than in the Old Town too.

Delicious Prague beer often costs only half as much here as it does in the Old Town.

And Žižkov has one genuine standout to offer: Prague’s famous TV Tower.

Advantages of staying in Žižkov and Vinohrady

• Not as touristy
• Cozy cafés and some of the best restaurants in the city
• Lots of affordable accommodations

Disadvantages of staying in Žižkov and Vinohrady

• Not quite as close to the center

Our Hotel Recommendations for Žižkov and Vinohrady

In Žižkov and Vinohrady, you’re well away from the tourist hustle — you can kick back in your room and almost forget you’re in a city of millions.

Even on a tighter budget, you’ll find spacious, well-appointed rooms just a few minutes from the center by metro. The Carlton Hotel, for example, offers excellent value for money — expect a delicious breakfast and seriously comfortable beds without breaking the bank.

Smíchov

Smíchov is the perfect base if you don’t want to stay right in the city center but still want to be as close as possible to the classic sights like the Town Hall or Charles Bridge. The neighborhood sits on the western side of the Vltava River and, as you can see on our map above, borders Malá Strana to the south.

Smíchov is very well connected to Prague Airport by public transit and taxi. The neighborhood also borders directly on Petřín Hill — one of the coolest photo spots in Prague. A funicular runs to the summit every ten minutes.

Smíchov is a great base for exploring sights on the Malá Strana side, such as Prague Castle.

Advantages of staying in Smíchov

• Not as touristy
• Well connected to the most important sights
• Beautiful historic architecture

Disadvantages of staying in Smíchov

• A bit further from the city center

Our Hotel Recommendations for Smíchov

Smíchov is home to many cool and stylish hotels. Have you ever stayed on a botel, for example? We certainly haven’t!

For a stay on the water, we recommend the Admiral Botel. You sleep and have breakfast right on the Vltava River — which is basically a sightseeing experience in itself.

If you’d like to spend a bit more time in Prague, the Wellness Hotel Pod Lipkami is an excellent choice. You could easily spend an entire day in the hot tub or sauna. The hotel also makes a great starting point for a hiking trip in the surrounding nature.