What should be Prague's grande dame hotel is actually only three years old, the Carlo IV is a wonderfully elegant converted bank right in the centre of town. Part of the up-market Italian Boscolo hotel chain, the elegant interior is complimented by a stylised bar and restaurant.
Telephone: +420 224 593 090
Price: 8,050kc-32,100kc
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Opulent is an understatement for the Boscoli family’s Carlo IV. Conceived and created with the talents of celebrated hotel and restaurant designer Adam Tihany and Italian architect Maurizio Papiri, this extravagant hotel opened in 2003 after a three-year, multi-million pound redevelopment.
Located in a former post office and bank that dates from 1890, the space embellishes the parts of the original infrastructure that were left intact with immaculate design ideas that carry a conspicuously Italian twist. Wide steps at the entrance lead into a stunning rectangular reception and rooms that brim with subtle fusion touches such as vaulted ceilings and frescoes with gold leaf and slick glass.
The rooms are tastefully decorated in beiges, browns and whites, with modern décor featured alongside 19th-century desks or beds. Some of the public spaces betray hidden virtuosity: the Box Block restaurant (a traditional Bohemian and international menu) is fiercely geometric, as is the Inn Ox Bar (see Drink), a striking retro-futuristic space furnished in alabaster and nickel.
There is also a spa with a swimming pool, sauna and steam room, making this pretty much a perfect all-round option for those who like to wallow in luxury.
